This topic has been discussed before, just not this in depth. Here are the loose ends you may be seeking.
At one point, we discouraged user hot linking to Anvil Fire images at the absurd request of Jock Dempsey. The issue, as I recall, was not copying the images to IForgeIron or another server. The bandwidth argument is invalid. After a while, I felt as the request assumed our users were amoral or criminal. Hot Linking (Posting images from another site's server), is legal. It's ethical. It's honest. Jock can get over it or disable it on his server.
Jock's policy for IForgeIron, Forge Magic, and others has been to remove links, remove posts, edit logs, and other forms of censorship. This is Jock's policy alone, and not that of Anvil Fire patrons. Our official stance is not to link to Anvil Fire and other Jock Dempsey projects from our website. We do this out of protest for Jock's reckless behavior.
Glenn and I, love blacksmithing and its community. We support all open forms of metalworking, whether it be an individual or website. Don Fogg's knife forum is one I particularly admire. And KeenJunk is missed.
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m_brothers, I sent you a private message. You know why.
If Jock had made this request, the reply would have been worded differently.