Geocities is the root of evil. It used to be the most reliable free-hosting site, but since it started it's "paid accounts" system, it's become total crap.
In order to force Geocities users to buy their "optional" paid accounts, the people behind Geocities gradually restricted free accounts more and more. It began with off-site linking, and then one by one, more features began to be available for paid accounts only.
If I was to fork over $20 to geocities.com, linking pictures from my site would work fine. Since I don't want to buy a paid account, I don't get linking graphics, I get annoying ads, I can't FTP upload... It goes on and on.
Sorry I was so angry about that. I got into an angry-rant mood. It's just, since Geocities, I haven't been able to find a good, free, webhosting site... I think I'm going to have to buy my own domain eventually. Hope that explained your question, it couldn't have been too detailed. I think the whole no-offsite linking applies to the major free-hosting things you were implying in your question, too (ie: angelfire, lycos).
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i'm too busy to see you
you're too busy to wait
[This message has been edited by FlyGirl (edited 05-07-2002).]