Preventing right-click menu in Netscape

[Bill211]

I'm clueless when it comes to Javascript, but I'm trying to use code which I've copied and pasted into my HTML, and need some help. I'm implementing the following Javascript in order to prevent the right-click menu sometimes used to save images to a local drive. While I realize it's not foolproof, it does at least make such practices more difficult.

The code works just fine in IE, but I notice it has no effect in Netscape. Is there any way to do this so that it will also prevent Netscape users from bringing up the right-click menu?


<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
var sorry="Sorry, you do not have access to this feature."
function click(e)
{
if (document.all)
{
if (event.button == 2)
{
alert(sorry);
return false;
}
}
if (document.layers)
{
if (e.which == 3)
{
alert(sorry);
return false;
}
}
}
if (document.layers)
{
document.captureEvents(Event.MOUSEDOWN);
}
document.onmousedown=click;
//-->
</SCRIPT>


Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Bob]

Hello Bill,

This may help ?
http://www.summerholiday.org/freecode/Disable_Right_Click.html

Good luck,
Bob

[Bill211]

Thanks, Bob. I tried the code at the above link, it disables the right-click in IE, but again, in Netscape (even though it displays a message that right-click is disabled) the menu pops up anyway.

Any other ideas?

[Bob]

Hi again,

This code seems to work a tad better in the Newer Netscape and Mozilla browsers:
http://javascript.internet.com/page-details/disable-images-click.html

You still can view the page source but right-clicking save image as seems to be prevented, at least superficially.

This article pretty well says it all in regards to preventing right click however....
http://www.webmasterbase.com/article/748

Good luck,
Bob

[sheila]

I am someone who uses right click extensively. I like to use it to easily open links in new browser windows or tabs. I use it to copy and paste. I use it for all kinds of stuff.

Sites that disable right-click do more than prevent saving of files. They make it difficult for me to easily navigate their site. :(

I usually don't visit such sites twice. Just my $0.02.

[Andilinks]

I agree with Sheila. I right click a lot and sites that prevent it don't stop me they just annoy me.

If it is an image or text that I really want I will get it regardless--even though I'm not one who collects many images or reuses them in unethical ways.

Another 2 cents...

Andi

[Dunx]

Originally posted by sheila:
I usually don't visit such sites twice. Quite.

One of my friends is a web developer. He is of the opinion that disabling the right click menu is a good idea, and I've had many very spirited arguments with him about why it's such a bad idea. I would readily concede that a primary reason why I did not visit his MC server was because the context menu was disabled.

[GregJ]

Another vote against disabling right click.

I navigate a lot by right click (and some shift/control clicks). It is very annoying to not have them work. I very rarely ever save a picture/graphic, but it is trivial to get around it most of the time. Doesn't slow me down much, just agravates.

Additionally, I bookmark sites by rightclicking links often. Those bookmarks will be lost.

Anyway, measure the cost of having somebody "steal" the graphic versus the lost opportunity cost of annoying visitors into abandoning future visits.

-g

[Bill211]

I understand everyone's feeling about the right-click menus, I use it myself, in fact. On the other hand, there *are* people out there that use it to save images when they should not. (BTW, these particular images are not a part of the main site, they are on a page separate from the site content, and are placed there solely to be used as "smilies" within the message board. There is no need to open a separate window or view the source.)

So how do we protect images? I've done the .htaccess thing to substitute a "used without permission" image when they are linked from another site. But I just recently had a disgruntled ex-message board member save some 52 copyrighted images, then upload them to a site of his own and post a public "come and get them" link on another message board.

What then are we supposed to do? Wait until someone violates a copyright and then take legal action? Is there no good way to protect the images without inconveniencing the majority of your users?

And what about browser caching? Am I just spitting in the wind here?

[Andilinks]

Am I just spitting in the wind here? Yep.

The people who are going to steal your images will not be deterred by disabling right-clicks. Browser cache and screen capture make this a useless remedy, and one that will drive away your legitimate visitors.

Is there no good way to protect the images without inconveniencing the majority of your users? I don't think so.

It is a familiar problem that predates the internet by centuries. One cannot promote something and hide it from thieves at the same time.

Good Luck, if you come up with a good solution please post it here.

Andi

[Bill211]

Understood, and I appreciate all the input. For what it's worth, the last link Bob posted (here) (http://www.webmasterbase.com/article/748) points to a script that disables the "save as" option ONLY. That seems to work nicely, without inconviencing members that want to open a new window or view source.

[GregJ]

I took a look at that link you mentioned from Bob and it does address the most objectionable elements of the usual anti-right click scripts. The page makes some good points as well about why one should avoid the right click suppression urge. If the whole page is full of graphics however, it may make it hard to avoid the images. How does it work if you use an image in a link (a button)? Is the right-click anti-pop-up activated? If so, then it will still be frustrating to those who right-click to open links in new windows.

You mentioned that the graphics are smiley size things for the most part, so watermarking them may be impractical. Why not digitally sign them, create a page on your website with all of the smileys showcased (be proud of your work), indicate that they are digitally signed, and claim copyright? That might deter some, and if anybody got excessive about the thieving you have a "published" referent and digitally signed items to challenge them with.

Possibly investigate the poor-man's copyright idea where you create a copy of the copyrighted items, seal them in an envelop and send it to yourself registered mail (that proofs the date and owner) and store the thing is a safety deposit somewhere.

I doubt it has the same legal weight of formal actions, but it is cheap and does prove date and owner in case "who's first" becomes an issue.

-g
I'm not a lawyer, and the above is not to be construed as legal advice.

[Bill211]

The images I'm concerned about are not mine, they are copyrighted by a digital graphics company. I've purchased a license to use them on my site, but it's incumbent on me to do whatever I can to prevent their unauthorized use.

The images already contain an embedded copyright, and my site has always had a disclaimer that it's content may not be redistributed without express written permission.

Still, with all that in place, one person ignored it all and blatently copied some of the images and posted them for public use. I'm just trying to go the extra mile to do whatever I can to discourage this kind of abuse.

The company that owns the copyright has checked my site at my request and feels that I've already done what I can. I was just hoping there was some last tidbit I could use to help close the remaining holes (i.e., those few individuals who have no qualms about blatently stealing the work of others).

I guess, as always, to control the actions of the few, it would be necessary to trod on the privileges of the many.

[Randall]

Originally posted by Bill211:
For what it's worth, the last link Bob posted (here) (http://www.webmasterbase.com/article/748) points to a script that disables the "save as" option ONLY. In IE and Netscape 4, you don't get a right-click menu over an image. That would prevent right-clicking to open an image link.

In Mozilla-based browsers, clicking on the dialog's "OK" button brings up the menu after the fact. If the OK button happens to be positioned outside the area of the graphic, you don't get the save option -- I guess because it was triggered after you left the graphic. If it overlaps, you can save the image.

It has no effect on Opera 7.

Randall

[Bill211]

The only image used as a link on these particular pages is the logo for my site, which takes you to the main page. The script is only implemented on the "smilie" pages, and the users can easily return to the main site by simply clicking the "logo", there would be little point in opening another window to do so.

Since the script isn't implemented on the main site, I don't prevent someone from saving an individual smilie, just make it more difficult to grab an entire set to be reused for their own purposes. With only 200 members, I'm not aware of any of them using Mozilla based browsers, they are mostly IE, with a few Netscape, and 1 or 2 WEBTV mixed in.

While the latest script still seems to have some down sides, I believe it's the best I can do for making a repeat of the wholesale stealing of the copyrighted images impractical. If anyone wants the images badly enough to jump through the necessary hoops to get them, then I'll let the copyright holder pursue it from there.

It's quite a testament to Futurequest's community to be able to ask a question and receive both sides of an issue without anyone getting bent out of shape. I just love this place. :)

Again, thanks to everyone for the input.

[Randall]

One last caveat: IE and the Mozilla family allow you to save a page as "Web Page, complete" -- which includes the images. This is a far more efficient way to steal a collection of images, and the script can't prevent that.

But if you put the smilies in a Javascript window with no menu bar (like FQ does), IE users can't save the page. Mozilla has a "Save Page As" command in the right-click menu, but IE does not.

Randall