Library Moderation (or lack thereof)

Can anything be done?

Published on January 4, 2005 By MadDeez In WinCustomize Site Issues

It has to come to the attention of some of us that only the wallpaper library is moderated for quality. In my opinion, it is painfully obvious that the same moderation standards should be applied to numerous other libraries on WC. I completely understand the thinking that the more skins available here, the more likely folks will be drawn to WC from other sites. But, on the other hand, people from other sites come to WC, scroll through 2 pr 3 pages of skins in a library or two, and go post elsewhere that there are nothing but 'crap' skins on WC. If a high standard of moderation can be applied to one library, why can't it be applied to all libraries? A couple examples are the CXP library and the OD library. There are some absolutely fantastic entries in each of those but there are some equally horrible entries. In the OD library, I imagine it's very possible to find almost exact duplicates of some icons/png's. If a quality standard such as the one used to moderate the wallpapers was used in these two libraries alone, 25% of the items posted would not be there, in my opinion. I'm not implying that I am the 'know it all art critic'. You can read the comments on some of these skins and see that quite a few people agree. Have a wonderful day, everyone

Comments (Page 2)

MadDeez

on Jan 04, 2005

i understand some of the stances taken here. i don't agree with them all but i do understand them

first of all, i know i can set my ratings level to not show the lesser rated skins. but, as someone pointed out, some of the lesser rated skins may be some that i want to view. i do not buy into the rating system at all, to be honest. many times, a skin's rating is skewed by others' like or dislike of the skin's author. also, the wallpaper library is not only moderated for objectionable material and illegal copyrighted material. some walls get rejected due to lens flares, dolphins, and so on. many walls are rejected due to the moderators flat out not liking the quality of the wall. for this, i am eternally grateful

if one library is moderated for quality, why aren't they all? tolerance, patience, and a lending hand DO NOT go further than moderation! if anything and everything submitted is approved, what possible reason for improvement does the person making the submission have? if a person's work is rejected on occasion, maybe, just maybe, that person will attempt to better his work before submitting something new. as i said before, i do not, and never will, claim to be an art critic. it just makes no sense to me that one library IS moderated for quality, among other things, and the remaining libraries are not. I realize WC is a "skinning" site and i don't want "skinners" to be shut out or discouraged but WC is not a site like DA, where anything can be posted. i've rambled on long enough. it's time to get back to the pacers game, anyway.

Frogboy

on Jan 04, 2005

WinCustomize isn't designed to be the world's toughest site to get skins onto. It's not supposed to be an elitist site.

We also do moderate skins to a certain degree if they are hopelessly awful. So you can imagine some of the stuff we get that doesn't get put up.

Sleeping Dragon

on Jan 04, 2005

...nothing made me work harder than rejection, after I contemplated why I really needed this rejection. I decided to work a bit harder and create whatever I might create for artistic value and if I liked it, than I was happy. I have a long way to go, but the moderators rejections of my walls did encourage me to:
1. Work harder
2. Study others
3. Prioritize my motives
4. Appreciate the good artists
5. Work harder
It didn't feel good, though. Especially when you are learning a new program and it has a learning curve, you may spend hours and hours on something just to have it dissappear from your "awaiting Moderation" list

I still think the answer may be in limiting the quantity. That way a greenhorn can get something accepted as a 1 star but then has a week before he can upload to that category again. No one individual's skins will be the first five skins looked at in a single area. He then has a week to sharpen his next upload.

CygnusXII

on Jan 04, 2005

I think personally, that if you look at the WB Libraries, and go all the way back to the end, you get to see the growth processes of everyone here. Believe it or not there are skins here, from top authors that are not fantastic, or ground breaking. It also showcases, the growth of windowblinds as well. Also of mention is the differences, in WB Skins vs Wallpapers. Wallpapers are an open, expression of an Artist Talent with little or no restriction in deployment, other than the Images size. Windowblind are restricted to a set pattern to deploy to the OS. The Artist is free to design, yet at the same time, restricted to the usability of a skin design. A Wallpaper is not restricted as such, and an Artist is free to try many different avenues of expression. What it comes down to, is that this is the way it works, Walls are modd'ed, here because that was determined by the Admins, who in turn are employed by the Owner of the Site, and as much as we like WC, it is not a Democracy, nor Represenative Republic. Wincustomize in the end, is a business, and the possiblity of being opened up to an (IP) Infringement Suit is a lot more likely with an unfettered wall submission process.

Sleeping Dragon

on Jan 04, 2005

Sleeping Dragon rubs his chin and looks up at a 18 degree angle.

MadDeez

on Jan 04, 2005

ok, everything i said was incorrect. i guess i didn't know what i was talking about. i'll shut-up now. cya!

Sleeping Dragon

on Jan 04, 2005

Not incorrect. Different people have different opinions. I value yours.

CygnusXII

on Jan 04, 2005

Snidely
We happen to disagree, we can agree to disagree, and leave it at that... I am just one mans opinion, and it's value is the same as yours, around here or anywhere else, for that matter. Hell don't listen to me, everyone will tell ya, I'm a "tinfoil hatter" Nutjob!

Latin4567

on Jan 04, 2005

actually, visitors can only see skins with a rating 6 and above (i think it was 6...)

so they generally only see the "good" skins... but there is some real crap out there

RPGFX

on Jan 05, 2005

-- I wouldn't. If people know this is the world's toughest site to have work displayed on and a first work is rejected, it SHOULD fuel them to do better. I know it would, for me.

Absolutely. I had my first 10 or so walls rejected. And the quality of my walls has improved greatly. The challenge just inspired me to get better. While it is frustrating to have a wall rejected, everytime it happens, I immediately go back to work on another wall... I think every library should be moderated for quality, particularly Cursorxp, there's some real stinkers in there... but that would be a hefty load for WC.

Bebi Bulma

on Jan 05, 2005

There is indeed some real Grade A crap out there. I was just looking through a certain person's library (are we allowed to link that?

) and OMG I know of a skinner for IPB who think's he's a god at skinning but my lord, every skin is a consistent level of crap, but this other person I previously mentioned makes him look like Da Vinci.

I had never seen so many monstrosities, and all the comments mentioned the same thing. It wouldn't be so bad it if was just a couple skins, but there must have been over 30. Why would someone like this even be allowed to upload anything at all if everything is such bad quality? Not only that, but the author himself will just flame everyone who says so and then discredit their opinion altogether.

Such a shame on a nice site like this.

Essencay

on Jan 05, 2005

i understand some of the stances taken here. i don't agree with them all but i do understand them

Snidely...I do as well, it just that you were conscious enough to mention this in your comment, whereas I failed. Sorry about that.

NightTrainthedark

on Jan 05, 2005

Moderation means drawing a line somewhere. Where does that line get drawn? No matter where it's drawn some people will disagree because it comes down to a matter of taste. Taste cannot be measured.
I have seen some bootskins lately that are like .....Huh? Just because I disagree with someones taste doesnt mean it should be removed or denied. I just need to skip right past it.
I believe this thread was started because of a certain individual. There is a clear line between someone trying to impress others and someone trying to anger others. In this case I strongly feel its the latter and the individual should be treated as the troll he is. Future newbie skinners shouldn't be punished for others lack of judgement.

Sleeping Dragon

on Jan 05, 2005

Nice to see ya. Night Train!! RPGuere, I like your new icon.

I agree that the abuses are the problem. Always seems to be that way.

Sleeping Dragon

on Jan 05, 2005

Snidely's name and icon changed

You still here, Snidely?

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