___,      ____     __   _,  ____,  ____,  ____,    ____,  ____,
       (-|_\_,   (-/  `_, (-|  |   (-|    (-|  \ (-|_,    (-|    (-/  \
        _|  )      \___)    |__|_,  _|__,  _|__/  _|__,    _|      \__/
       (                           (      (      (        (
           ____,  ____,  ____,  ____,  __     ____,  ____,    ____
          (-|  \ (-|    (-|  \ (-|  \ (-|    (-|    (-|  |   (-/  `_,
           _|__/  _|__,  _|__/  _|__/  _|__,  _|__,  _|  |_,   \___)
          (      (      (      (      (      (      (

By Martin Atkins 10/9/98
revision 0.1

Diddling is the name given to changing/improving original ascii art posted to the newsgroup. The diddled picture is usually gratefully accepted by the original artist, except in the following circumstances:

• You have removed the original credits, and maybe replaced them with your own. It is generally accepted that if you have made a considerable change to the picture, you may add your credits to the picture *in addition* to those of the original artist, in the form "jgs/hjw", for example.
• You have changed the picture for the purpose of causing offence to the original artist or others. If you want to insult someone, please do it by private email and not using someone elses art to do it. It may be construed that the original artist is somehow involved in the offensive message.
• You have degraded the picture for the purpose of getting at someone. This is *not* welcome in alt.ascii-art, a group for the posting of ascii art pictures, not a group for feuds and wars. Please refrain from provoking arguments by diddling someone's picture to offend them.

Diddling can be a lot of fun for many people, but it is easy for someone to go and spoil it for everybody. Here is a great example of how diddling can make stunning pictures that are the product of many artists:

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                            .-'"|
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                                |   _.-'`.
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                              |::.'.   ,-'_.-'|
                              |:::+.'-'.-: . J
           __.            .d88|:+:::+-' _-, .|
      _.--'_..`.    .d88888888|:||]:|, | J].J8b.
   +:" ,--'_.|`.`.d88888888888|-' J:| .| J|_|888b.
   |:\ \-'_.--'_.-+888888888+'  _-K:F.+:    `88888bo.
    L:\ +'_.--'. .|88888+"'  _.'.J:J.J:::.    +8888888b.
    |:::+'. ._. . |8+"'  _.-', . |:| |::::+    `+8888888._-'.
  .d8J::L. ./ \\ .J' _.-: . . . ,|:|.|::::::.,   `+888+'^.-|.`.
 d888|::| . F  FL J-'. . , . , . F:F F::::::/`/  _.-"_.-'_.+.`.`.
d88888L::L .|  \L. L. . , . . . J:J J::::::/`/::|. +'_.-'    `_+ `;
888888J::|. K    \.L . , . . _:-+:|.':::::/`/:::F::.`.     .-'_.-:J
8888888|::L.L\    \|. . ._:-'     '   `::/`/:::J:::::.`..-'.-'. . |
8888888PL:| |:\    `._:-'               /`/::::|:|| \::..-'. , . J.b
8888888 |::L L:`.    \     _.-+.       /`/`::::L+`'  |::| . . , .F88b
8888888  L:|.|:::\   _:.--'_.-|.`.    '`/   >-'     .J:J . , . .|8888b
8888888  |::L.L:::+:" _.--'_.-'.`.`.    _.-'    :"|':|:|. . . .JY88888b
8888888   L:| |::::|\ \_.-'     `.`.`.-'    :"|-'. .J:J. . , . F Y88888b
Y888888    \:L L:::L:\ `.      _.-'_.-+ :"|-: . , . |:| , . , |  Y88888b
`888888b    \|.|:::|:::. \ _.-'_.-: . |-', . . , . J:J . . . J    Y88888b
 Y888888     +'\:::J::::\ '_.-'. . . .F . .,-T`\. .|:|. , ,-'     )888888
  Y88888b.      \:::L::::+. . , . . .J . ,/  |:J .J:J. ,-'       .d888888
   Y888888b      \::|::::| . . . , . |. . F  ':|,-'+|-'        .d88888888
    Y888888b      \:J::::|. . . . . .F , J    -:             .od88888888P
     Y888888b      \:L:::| . , . , .J . .| .' `\d8888888888888888888888P
      Y888888b      \|:::|. , . . , |. ,-'`.  `\ `+88888888888888888888P
       Y888888b.     J:::| . . , . .F-'     \\ ` \ \88888888888888888P'
        Y8888888b     L::|, . . , .J       d8+.`\  \`+8888888888888P'
         Y8888888b    |::| . , . ._+      d8888\  ` .'  `Y888888P'
         `88888888b   J::|. . ._-'     .od888888\.-'
          Y88888888b   \:| ._-'     d888888888P'              ,==. o
          `888888888b   \|-'       d88888888'                 |/ "'/L
           `Y88888888b            d8888888P'                 ,-_) '<_
             Y88888888bo.      .od88888888   hs               /^-._  \=_
             `8888888888888888888888888888                    `   (-'/~~
              Y88888888888888888888888888P                    a:f  | \
               `Y8888888888888888888888P'                          `  `
                 `Y8888888888888P'
                      `Y88888P'
Improvements by:
Ilmari Karonen - Tricky bit where tops of walls meet moat
Shimrod - Turret 'wells', front battlements, ladder, shading
Veronica Karlsson - Moat and drawbridge
Jonathan Wilson - Arch entrances to turrets
Andreas Freise - Horse

This is Henry Segerman's perspective castle. This finished product was the product of many diddles and suggestions from a variety of artists, all of which are credited at the bottom.

This is the where a problem arisies: How much change is required before your initals can be added or even replace the creator's initals? I`m afraid this is up to your own personal judgement.