This is in reference to those pics that are uploaded to posts via the attachment function.
I've been reading references here about members engaging in this practice, somewhat in reference to "pandas". Some are claiming that it's a harmless practice, but I want to point out something that perhaps not everyone realizes. Disk space is finite. Bigger disks cost more money for the server. Right now the attachments consume nearly 9 gigabytes of disk storage. I had to have the attachments disassociated with the data file backup process I do every day, simply because that much additional storage would make the backup file way too large to deal with.
So in effect, those frivolously posted attachment photos are a drain on the server's resource, plus they take a hit on overall available bandwidth everytime someone views a post with them embedded within it.
So yes, those frivolous photos CAN definitely be harmful, and I am requesting everyone to THINK about what they are doing and consider who has to pay for those resources that are being unnecessarily squandered. Posting photos is just fine if that are about the topic at hand and actually RELEVANT to the discussion.
I just recently got a pretty high powered (and expensive) server not all that long ago, and I certainly do not want to go through that process again too soon if the hard drives start getting dangerously filled up.
If you have those photos linked on your own server or a photo storage utility site, then no problem. Unless that server or utility goes on the blink or suddenly stops handling remote calls for those images. Which has happened in the past.
So please bear this in mind.... Those "innocent" frivolous photos all do have a price attached to them in resource allocations that everyone has to bear.
I've been reading references here about members engaging in this practice, somewhat in reference to "pandas". Some are claiming that it's a harmless practice, but I want to point out something that perhaps not everyone realizes. Disk space is finite. Bigger disks cost more money for the server. Right now the attachments consume nearly 9 gigabytes of disk storage. I had to have the attachments disassociated with the data file backup process I do every day, simply because that much additional storage would make the backup file way too large to deal with.
So in effect, those frivolously posted attachment photos are a drain on the server's resource, plus they take a hit on overall available bandwidth everytime someone views a post with them embedded within it.
So yes, those frivolous photos CAN definitely be harmful, and I am requesting everyone to THINK about what they are doing and consider who has to pay for those resources that are being unnecessarily squandered. Posting photos is just fine if that are about the topic at hand and actually RELEVANT to the discussion.
I just recently got a pretty high powered (and expensive) server not all that long ago, and I certainly do not want to go through that process again too soon if the hard drives start getting dangerously filled up.
If you have those photos linked on your own server or a photo storage utility site, then no problem. Unless that server or utility goes on the blink or suddenly stops handling remote calls for those images. Which has happened in the past.
So please bear this in mind.... Those "innocent" frivolous photos all do have a price attached to them in resource allocations that everyone has to bear.