preventing others from selsecing (copying) text on a web page?

B

Big McLargehuge

I've seen web pages where the text is still embedded in the source
code, however when viewing the webpage you cannot select the text, and
therefore copy it. I can't seem to identify how this is done by
looking at the source code (i'm somewhat familiar with HTML but no
expert) and I'd love to be able to do this as it prevents casual
copying.

Does anyone know?
thanks.
 
B

Big McLargehuge

I've seen web pages where the text is still embedded in the source
code, however when viewing the webpage you cannot select the text, and
therefore copy it. I can't seem to identify how this is done by
looking at the source code (i'm somewhat familiar with HTML but no
expert) and I'd love to be able to do this as it prevents casual
copying.

Does anyone know?
thanks.


um... that word in the subject should be 'selecting.' I'm embarrassed
that one slipped by me.
 
D

David Dorward

Big said:
I've seen web pages where the text is still embedded in the source
code, however when viewing the webpage you cannot select the text, and
therefore copy it.

Easily bypassable and not worth bothering with. If you want to protect
your copyright, use legal means, technological solutions don't work.
 
B

Big McLargehuge

Easily bypassable and not worth bothering with. If you want to protect
your copyright, use legal means, technological solutions don't work.

That's why I said it was only intended to prevent casual copying. I
understand your point, and I agree this is not the solution for the
prevention of copyright infringement, but I was hoping to implement
this anyway.

Thanks.
 
F

Frank Olieu

_Big McLargehuge_ skrev | wrote | écrivit (30-05-2006 18:38):
That's why I said it was only intended to prevent casual copying.

Most casual users know at least about the 'display source code' thing to be
found in most browsers...
... but I was hoping to implement this anyway.

Why? It's usually regarded as exposing the author's cluelessness...
 
B

Big McLargehuge

_Big McLargehuge_ skrev | wrote | écrivit (30-05-2006 18:38):


Most casual users know at least about the 'display source code' thing to be
found in most browsers...


Why? It's usually regarded as exposing the author's cluelessness...

*MROWR*

Why the hostile response? I was just looking for a question answered,
if you don't know or don't want to tell me, how about simply not
responding instead of taking out whatever frustrations you may have on
an innocent bystander? (Oh wait... I forgot, this *is* the Usenet...
Silly me)

Is there anyone out there who actually knows and would care to tell
me. I'm curious about how to do this, if nothing else.

Thanks.
 
M

Michael Laplante

Big McLargehuge said:
I've seen web pages where the text is still embedded in the source
code, however when viewing the webpage you cannot select the text, and
therefore copy it. I can't seem to identify how this is done by
looking at the source code (i'm somewhat familiar with HTML but no
expert) and I'd love to be able to do this as it prevents casual
copying.

I've not seen this particular trick but it's probably a javascript thing.
Google on a phrase such as "javascript prevent copying" and check out the
responses.

You could convert the text to an image -- that introduces other issues
though. Possibly set up your page as a Flash file?

Whatever route you take, I think it would be worth far more trouble than it
is worth and there would still be workarounds if someone wanted to get your
content.

M
 
B

Beauregard T. Shagnasty

Big said:
Heh!

Why the hostile response? I was just looking for a question answered,

Hostile? Not at all. However, you asked a question that is .. well ..
mostly silly.
if you don't know or don't want to tell me, how about simply not
responding instead of taking out whatever frustrations you may have on
an innocent bystander? (Oh wait... I forgot, this *is* the Usenet...
Silly me)

Yep, this is Usenet, where a succinct answer may be the best one.
Is there anyone out there who actually knows and would care to tell
me. I'm curious about how to do this, if nothing else.

Position a large <div> on top of the text, and fill it with a
transparent image. Then, the clueless won't be able to swipe/copy the
text. Though, anyone with a modicum of clue will find other ways.

As mentioned, once the visitor finds your attempt, it would be revealed
that his/her level cluefulness is somewhat higher than .. um ..

Generally, most all sites' attempts to hide content is inversely
proportional to the actual worth of said content. :-0

The above method is *slightly* more clueful than those JavaScript
scripts that say: "Alert: YOU CAN'T COPY MY IMAGES!! NYAH NYAH NYAH!"
 
F

Frank Olieu

_Beauregard T. Shagnasty_ skrev | wrote | écrivit (30-05-2006 20:50):
Position a large <div> on top of the text, and fill it with a
transparent image. Then, the clueless won't be able to swipe/copy the
text...

Speaking of that... A real-life case:
My sister-in-law (a casual user if ever!) once performed the following, after
she ran into a 'protected' site:
- print the page
- scan the sheet
- perform OCR...
(on an all-in-one printer, with most things automated... but still!)

You'd have to block for print (in any way you can figure out) to circumvent
this... But then, she could still make a screen dump and OCR it...

Obviously, casual users aren't what they were anymore. And when it comes to it,
the safest is probably /not/ publishing your site in the first place :)

Or consider using a more flexible licence like Creative Commons...?
 
A

Auggie

Big McLargehuge said:
I've seen web pages where the text is still embedded in the source
code, however when viewing the webpage you cannot select the text, and
therefore copy it. I can't seem to identify how this is done by
looking at the source code (i'm somewhat familiar with HTML but no
expert) and I'd love to be able to do this as it prevents casual
copying.

What you want to Google for is:

ONSELECTSTART
and
ONCONTEXTMENU

Both are javascript functions that can aid in preventing people from copying
text and images from your website...

HOWEVER:
The reason there are some that are up in arms about this (as you've seen in
replies to your post) is because that really it is going to be a waste of
time in the end and they are trying to get that point across to you and
others who ask this same question (this question comes up pretty regularly)

Using such methods will prevent the "casual" user from copying your text or
images... and you have to ask yourself: What harm is there going to be to
you if some Average Joe User copies a couple of paragraphs or downloads a
picture from your website?

When you think about the time involved in implementing and testing such a
method, the answer is going to be: "very little to no harm at all"

The ones you want to prevent from copying your text or images are going to
be other web designers or graphic designers... and the problem there is that
they will be able to easily bypass anything you put up - by either turning
off javascsript, viewing the cache folder, viewing the source of the web
page or even just taking a screenshot of the page.

So in the end no matter what you do to prevent people from copying text or
images off your site - somebody will be able to get what they want, even if
it means just retyping out what you have on your page.

And a large potential problem here is that if your scripting its not correct
and has been thoroughly tested you run the risk that anything you implement
could screw up in somebody's browser... and then you have the problem that
the average user you want to view your pages might not be able to... and the
guys who want to copy your page are free to do so.
 

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