I've noticed that a lot of images tend to get altered before they're uploaded to the site, such that when someone else uploads it straight from the source, the auto-dupe-detector doesn't notice it.

I'm just letting everyone know that it's a lot easier on moderators and the site as a whole if the image is not altered before being uploaded.

When I say altered, I mean the file itself. Obviously, altering the visual part of the image will also change the file, but usually that's enough of a change to allow two versions up (recolors, edits, etc.). What I'm talking about is metadata, headers, file type, etc. It's a lot easier on us if you don't mess with any of that before putting the image here.

Thanks :)

Saving the picture to reupload it doesn't alter it in any way, right? I've heard it's better to do so that way so the *page* with which the original pic is on can be accredited as the source, rather than a direct link that doesn't do much for those interested in information. ..then again, one can always use the source link to upload, and then change it to the page link.

No, saving the picture does not alter it, unless you've got some whack-job goofy plugin by some 2-bit "leet haxxorz" what claims the metadata is garbage to bloat the image's size.

I wish people would stop deleting the metadata, as well.