What's your opinion on scanlation watermarks?

Question: Scanlation watermarks
Choices:
I never want to see any watermarks at all - votes: 4602 (31.1%)
Prefer them outside of the boxes - votes: 3572 (24.2%)
Prefer them in the corner somewhere - votes: 3334 (22.6%)
Prefer them in the middle of the page - votes: 42 (0.3%)
Prefer them all over the place - votes: 222 (1.5%)
Watermarks don't matter to me - votes: 3005 (20.3%)
There were 14777 total votes.
The poll ended: February 18th 2012

Last edited by lambchopsil at 8:32 am, Feb 18 2012

________________
A just ruler amongst tyrants

Scanlators deserve credit for scanlating the manga obviously, but I've seen lots of them put those giant watermarks smack-dab in the center of the page, making the manga unreadable and annoying. When scanlators do that, it makes me feel like they're branding the manga like they own it.

________________
You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.

I'm all for giving credit where it is due, honestly, but don't be fucking obnoxious about it. Put it outside the box or somewhere in a corner.

Although, I really see watermarks as pointless, because not only does it not help anything, it often just irritates the reader. From what I've seen, the best groups/people don't add anything to the manga itself, so when I see watermarks in the middle of the page, it just seems like a billboard with neon lights saying "We aren't confident enough to put this out without trying to brand it as ours.". Makes me a little sad.

as long as its not obscuring the image too much and i can still read the manga i can put up with it,

no watermarks would be preferred of course

________________
| One Punch Man | Noblesse | Nanatsu no Taizai | Gun x Clover |

I think it's retarded. There's putting a credits page like 'translated by x' or 'brought to you by y', and then there's putting a giant banner across the page making it unreadable. I think everyone should just read this http://commiesubs.com/the-age-of-fansubbers-and-money/

This.
No one really likes them, but I feel that it's somewhat a necessary measure these days.

________________

Everyday I'm tumblin'

If a watermark gets in the way of the reader's enjoyment, it shouldn't be there. If it discreet, then that's fine if that's what the scanlator wants. But I respect scanlation groups like egscans that restrict it to credits pages the most. An abuse of watermarks will only drive away readers. Why put in the work to scanlate a manga, only to make sure no one will read your scanlation? I honestly don't understand that.

And why is that?

lol, bad wording on my part.
I meant to say that it's become a somewhat a "necessary" measure - to some groups..for various reasons.

________________

Everyday I'm tumblin'

Because the scaneltaion policy of some groups have been disregarden (not wanting it uploaded on online readers or wants a 24/48/72 hour wait), so its either something like that or they could simply stop scanelating.

________________
If you want to succeed
Then you don't need Good Luck
You need the ability to overcome Bad Luck

Happines and Light needs a source to exist
Hatred fuels itself and Darkness exist where there is no Light


† Lightmare †

I don't see what implementing a watermark would do against those things, but maybe I'm looking at this too rationally.

I actually don't mind if the Scanlators post watermarks if they are the "Actual" scanlators then it's fine as long as they can post it where it won't be in the way and at least make it so that you can see through. What makes me a little mad or sad depending on what you would call it I don't know. Is when hosting websites post their watermarks on it, that just doesn't sit right with me. Especially when there are like 3-5 different marks on every page from different hosting sites....(ex: MR,MF,MH etc.) they probably take it from the server and stash it onto their own with there own mark or something but it really makes me annoyed. I don't get why they think they have to put their own watermarks on it when they didn't do anything but download it and host it to their website. I mean sure I guess it could be for advertising reasons or just so that they make people know they are reading on that website but whatever get out of here, it's ridiculous and it's getting even more so day by day. MF keeps 1 mark at the bottom that expands the page, MR adds a mark to any corner, MH adds one to a corner although they did add one to every corner although I think that's on and off now. But it's horrible, they didn't scan the manga, translate it, clean it, proof-read it, or even quality check it, but they have the nerve to put a watermark on it. The sad part is that the Scanlators state sometimes at the beginning on the pages they put in to notify people on things. They clearly state asking you not to remove that page or any page and to not modify or make any changes to any of the pages. I think a watermark is obviously modifying a page since it takes either a program to press it or a image program to clone it on. Most of these hosting websites just have no respect for the Scanlators anymore.
I personally read the manga on the scanlators sites except when I have troubles displaying pages or can't find what I am looking for. But other than that I think the readers they have are great although a few of them don't have a loading pause and instead it just flips the page and I will usually double click the page and make it flip twice, it's actually quite funny seeing as how I do it a lot . Although some scanlators don't have readers and that is when you have to turn to the hosting sites.
Anyways, the bad, the annoyed, the sad, or the good. I don't know what they are planning by using the watermarks on their website, maybe its world domination. But yes, scanlators posting their own watermarks don't bother me, I just like comparing the watermarks to other scanlators too see how creative they can be . Congratulations if you made it through to the end. Salutations to people who skimmed! Please excuse any spelling errors or grammar mistakes. Thank you

________________
Death beholds you in the Afterlife! <3

Well, I'm not interested in seeing watermarks on the manga I read, but if there's got to be one, it should be outside the panel, where it doesn't bother anyone or hides the art.
Then again, it's very easy to delete.
When they're outside the panel, they don't bother me.
And they're often quite pretty.

Personally, I don't put watermarks on the manga I scanlate.

________________
Hrodulf and Bjornolfr, you will not be forgotten.

And if the world were black and white,
you would be my rainbow in shades of grey.

Click 'n Play!

If I had a fantasy self, it'd be a tentacle monster.

I really enjoy the polls and thought as usual, this one was very well chosen.... I don't mind,, unless it intrudes on my reading pleasure, which some huge glob plastered in the middle of every page usually does... But most scanlators are more discreet....

+1
I'd prefer it if they didn't have any watermarks, but small ones that don't distract the reader from the manga are fine by me, and that usually works when they're placed outside or in the corner, like many have said. Although I don't recall seeing any actually placed outside the box, but whatever.

Just, don't destroy the art with a watermark. It's such a shame when it happens.