Csplk/THE.ASCII.ART.EMPORIUM · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 0 4k

Yes, if we find it interesting. Give your request the subject `REQ:
xyz' if you're looking for a picture of an xyz, then in the message
describe more exactly what you're looking for. Generally, the more
specific you are, the more likely you are to get someone to draw what
you want: if you just say something like `can someone draw me a fish'
then you're not likely to get many replies, because people won't be
sure whether or not they're wasting their time by drawing something
you won't want. If you don't have Web access, mention this fact,
otherwise you may get replies consisting only of URLs for the kind of
pictures you're looking for.



9. How do I get an existing picture converted to ASCII art?

There are computer programs which convert graphics files of a
particular format (usually GIF) to ASCII art. They go by names such as
ascgif, gifa, gifscii, and gif2ascii. Do a Web search for any of these
programs to find places where you can download them. Try:

□ gopher://twinbrook.cis.uab.edu/1A/atools.70
□ ftp://ftp.wwa.com/pub/Scarecrow/Gifscii/.

However, the output from these programs is often not good (fiddling
with the picture in an image-editing program beforehand may help). In
this case, you can post a request to the newsgroup asking for someone
to `asciify' it, but please don't post the picture itself. To save
downloading time for people reading the messages, if possible give the
URL (Web address) of the picture instead.

If you saw the picture on a Web page, you can find out its URL by
right- clicking on it (on the Macintosh, holding down the mouse
button) and selecting `Open this image' (or its equivalent for your
Web browser), then copy the URL from the Location bar to your news
program (make sure you copy it exactly).

If the picture is not on a Web site anywhere, put it up on your own
site (if you have one), or get a friend to put it up on their site,
and post the URL to alt.ascii-art. If you can't do this, post your
request to alt.ascii-art and wait for an artist to reply, then e-mail
the picture to them.


10. Can I post or use other people's ASCII art?

Don't assume that if somebody posts something to a newsgroup, that
gives you the right to use it however you like; copyright laws still
apply. For more information, see the article `Copyright Myths FAQ: 10
big myths about copyright explained' in news:news.announce.newusers.
(It is also available at http://www.clari.net/brad/copymyths.html.)

ASCII art is often an exception to this rule, though: generally, ASCII
artists don't mind if you copy their pictures and repost them or put
them on your own Web site for your personal use. There are a few
important conditions, however.

□ If the picture contains a few letters in one corner which don't
seem to be part of the picture, they're the artist's initials. DO
NOT remove these initials -- would you cut away the part of a Van
Gogh painting containing his name? Leaving the initials on is a
small price to pay for being able to use the picture for free.
□ If you're going to use a picture in your signature file, or in a
place (such as a log-in screen) which means you're going to be
using it a lot, you should really e-mail the artist (or post to
the newsgroup, if you don't know their address) and ask for
permission, because otherwise people may get the mistaken
impression that you were the one who drew the picture.

As for posting other people's ASCII art, after a discussion in
news:alt.ascii-art the following rules were agreed upon:

1. If an ASCII ART picture has initials on it, leave them on when
posting it.
2. If an ASCII ART picture doesn't have initials on it, mention that
you didn't draw it when posting it.
3. If somebody posts a picture without initials and you have an
original copy with initials, feel free to repost the original
version. The repost ought not to be taken personally, as we all
know that ASCII art often loses proper credits. Responses to the
repost are not necessary.

[Donovan]



11. What should I know about signature files?

A signature file (or `sig' for short) is a small, personalized text
file which an e-mail or news program adds to the end of every message
a person sends -- the equivalent of a letterhead for dead-tree (paper)
mail. Usually it contains little more than the person's name,
organization, and e-mail address, and an inspirational quote of some
sort; but some people like to incorporate ASCII art into their
signature files as well.

The biggest problem that this causes is the number of lines that the
signature file takes up. This is a topic which, despite its lack of
importance in relation to global warming, violence in society, and so
on, can be the subject of heated arguments. To summarize, (almost)

Yes, if we find it interesting. Give your request the subject `REQ:

xyz' if you're looking for a picture of an xyz, then in the message

describe more exactly what you're looking for. Generally, the more

specific you are, the more likely you are to get someone to draw what

you want: if you just say something like `can someone draw me a fish'

then you're not likely to get many replies, because people won't be

sure whether or not they're wasting their time by drawing something

you won't want. If you don't have Web access, mention this fact,

otherwise you may get replies consisting only of URLs for the kind of

pictures you're looking for.

9. How do I get an existing picture converted to ASCII art?

There are computer programs which convert graphics files of a

particular format (usually GIF) to ASCII art. They go by names such as

ascgif, gifa, gifscii, and gif2ascii. Do a Web search for any of these

programs to find places where you can download them. Try:

□ gopher://twinbrook.cis.uab.edu/1A/atools.70

□ ftp://ftp.wwa.com/pub/Scarecrow/Gifscii/.

However, the output from these programs is often not good (fiddling

with the picture in an image-editing program beforehand may help). In

this case, you can post a request to the newsgroup asking for someone

to `asciify' it, but please don't post the picture itself. To save

downloading time for people reading the messages, if possible give the

URL (Web address) of the picture instead.

If you saw the picture on a Web page, you can find out its URL by

right- clicking on it (on the Macintosh, holding down the mouse

button) and selecting `Open this image' (or its equivalent for your

Web browser), then copy the URL from the Location bar to your news

program (make sure you copy it exactly).

If the picture is not on a Web site anywhere, put it up on your own

site (if you have one), or get a friend to put it up on their site,

and post the URL to alt.ascii-art. If you can't do this, post your

request to alt.ascii-art and wait for an artist to reply, then e-mail

the picture to them.

10. Can I post or use other people's ASCII art?

Don't assume that if somebody posts something to a newsgroup, that

gives you the right to use it however you like; copyright laws still

apply. For more information, see the article `Copyright Myths FAQ: 10

big myths about copyright explained' in news:news.announce.newusers.

(It is also available at http://www.clari.net/brad/copymyths.html.)

ASCII art is often an exception to this rule, though: generally, ASCII

artists don't mind if you copy their pictures and repost them or put

them on your own Web site for your personal use. There are a few

important conditions, however.

□ If the picture contains a few letters in one corner which don't

seem to be part of the picture, they're the artist's initials. DO

NOT remove these initials -- would you cut away the part of a Van

Gogh painting containing his name? Leaving the initials on is a

small price to pay for being able to use the picture for free.

□ If you're going to use a picture in your signature file, or in a

place (such as a log-in screen) which means you're going to be

using it a lot, you should really e-mail the artist (or post to

the newsgroup, if you don't know their address) and ask for

permission, because otherwise people may get the mistaken

impression that you were the one who drew the picture.

As for posting other people's ASCII art, after a discussion in

news:alt.ascii-art the following rules were agreed upon:

1. If an ASCII ART picture has initials on it, leave them on when

posting it.

2. If an ASCII ART picture doesn't have initials on it, mention that

you didn't draw it when posting it.

3. If somebody posts a picture without initials and you have an

original copy with initials, feel free to repost the original

version. The repost ought not to be taken personally, as we all

know that ASCII art often loses proper credits. Responses to the

repost are not necessary.

[Donovan]

11. What should I know about signature files?

A signature file (or `sig' for short) is a small, personalized text

file which an e-mail or news program adds to the end of every message

a person sends -- the equivalent of a letterhead for dead-tree (paper)

mail. Usually it contains little more than the person's name,

organization, and e-mail address, and an inspirational quote of some

sort; but some people like to incorporate ASCII art into their

signature files as well.

The biggest problem that this causes is the number of lines that the

signature file takes up. This is a topic which, despite its lack of

importance in relation to global warming, violence in society, and so

on, can be the subject of heated arguments. To summarize, (almost)