Pictures: when to Attach, Hot-link, or store in Gallery?

[borisattva]

Iceman brought up a good question about when to use Photo Gallery, when to "Attach to a Post" and when to hot-link hosted pictures from elsewhere.
Instead of hijacking that thread, I'm throwing some suggestions here:

If an Image is already available elsewhere on the web, Hot-linking is quick and easy, because you dont have to save the image on your HD to re-upload.
The down-side to this is if the other host of that image expires, it will be gone from our threads too.

"Attach to Post" method is better for the down-side of the above, in that if youre attaching some schematic or a photo, to visualize your argument/explanation expressed in that thread. For as long as our board is around, so will that image be. However in many cases, those images are only useful "in a context", and there is little use in them to be displayed in random rotation at the front page (a full size close up of a gasket or a sprocket may not be appreciated by all in its fully earned glory.)

For this we have the Photo Gallery; the images here are also stored with us, and will not 'expire'. If you have several vehicles that you want to be easily viewable in your Profile Album, you can upload them all here. If you want to showcase any of these images within a post, you can still 'embed' them by the link to them in the gallery.
You can also post non-personal images in the relevant Main Categories.
Also, if you want your uploaded schematics to be easily available for you later, you may also chose to upload hem to your personal gallery and embed them into a post by the URL.
ALL images uploaded to the Photo Gallery (personal or main) will show case in random rotation at the site.

So;
1) if there is some mildly relevant, (maybe not necessarily bikes related) pic, that is already uploaded somewhere and wont be missed much if its gone, you can hot link to it in your post.
2) If there is a vital image like a electric schematic, or a part that is being discussed in the thread, the better way is to ATTACH it to your post.
3) If you want to upload some MZ or other motorcycle or other related pics that you want to be viewable in the Front Page, drop them into the Photo Gallery.

These are of course just guidelines, and to answer a questions like 'i attached a pic to a post, why isn't it showing in the random gallery?"
Fell free to use your best judgment in any particular case.

If you have any questions, suggestions or ideas for new categories, please post them in the Suggestions section of the thread so everyone can discuss and chip in.

Thanks everyone