well, check your rating...and read the about section...

How do you check your rating enz?

Weeew! I must admit that i'm really disappointed here I mean, that's not an incentive for us, newbies, to get involved in. I really don't consider that my work, eventhough it's "another" XP theme as some may say, deserve such low rating. In fact, it was only showing a fraction of my skills in design with Photoshop...

I was actually working on a WB skin but I seriously consider not to put time in it anymore, afraid I am to invest countless hours in it - being already quite busy working full time and studying for IT certification stuff - and at the end being low-rated because some people with "autority" believes that the other 99.9% of the community won't like my work that much... And again, why am I getting good response on DevArt but not here? Isn't it the same community with the same preferences?

Anyway, I don't want to start a riot here I simply wanted to express my deep disapointment for a situation I obviously don't understand. But there again, I respect that and wishes the best for the community. Peace.

Just to clarify, the "about" link is rather oudated.

What we currently have is a per section threshold. To save on bandwidth (and it does work, we've experimented with it considerably) we have have a PER section rating threshold. For most of the sections, guests see all the skins.

But wallpapers have to have a 3 rating and up to be seen when the user BROWSES. You can still do a search on the skin and it'll show up and it'll still show up in the new additions and top downloads (though we have made a change recently that wallpapers that get a low moderator rating do not show up in the quick new additions list - we were getting overloaded with wallpaper -- mostly XP -- submissions).

BTW, I checked your wallpaper, Skys The Limit and it should be showing up for everyone (its rating is high enough to be seen).

A note in general though to wallpaper authors - many skin sites have historically just moderated most wallpapers (skinz.org only let a few in each week). We don't want to get into the business of moderating so we let the apprentices on up decide what shoudl be moderated. They do peer ratings and that is what we use. Thus what is moderated (i.e. not seen by unregisterd users) is dependent on a larger group rather than a handful of administrators.

Is it a perfect system? Probably not but it works pretty decently.

Why is XP getting flamed so much? Let me give you my 2 cents on it.

1) It's not original. I've created a lot of skins over the years including OS ports. A few XP skins are nice to have around but when a large number of them are XP it tends to get on ones nerves.

2) General atmosphere by some of the XP authors wh take personal offense if their work is graded low. Whether it be a WB skin or a ObjectBar theme or an icon package, don't kid yourself, it's not "yours", it's Microsoft's that you may have tweaked in some way.

3) General feeling that people upload XP stuff in order to be listed in the top rankings mechanism. This is reinfornced with constant re-submissions that have hardly any changes.

4) General feeling that people use XP as a crutch. People will throw an XP logo on a wallpaper in the hope of getting more downloads and then be unhappy that it gets a low rating. You have to pick, if you're going to use the XP logo to try to boost downloads then your peers are likely to grade it harder than if the submission had to stand on its own.

Let me say for the record that while the filtering system was long in development, it definitely has shown its value during the XP flood. Why? Because it keeps us from having to play favorites and moderate out XP skins and themes. But at the same time lets Admins, moderators, Journeymen, Apprentices collaborate on what should be seen and not seen.

A wallpaper getting less than a 3 is almost certainly either an XP wallpaper or a goof up in the system where it didn't get properly added (i.e. if it has a rating of 0). In fact, everyone reading this who has apprentice or higher access could go and do a sort of Wallpaper by rating and rate them based on how good they feel they are.

I understand your point FrogBoy. But I just want to clarify that for me, using XP wasn't to boost hits. I don't want hits - I want people to enjoy my work. Flat and square.

Since the picture I used comes from XP, I thought it would be fair enough for me to give credit to the product and use this theme. I don't care what people believe to be my goals. If people downloads it I assume that's because they like it and i'm happy with that.

The issue I pointed out is the model used to rate artworks which can be frustrating if you happen to do something few people who have the "authority" just don't like. You are then assured not to make it.

I would rather suggest not to score artworks on the first impression of few reviewers but rather wait few days, weeks, maybe a month and then filters the artworks that just don't get enough download scores. That would reflects way better the community's feeling about the artworks. If a wallpaper for example gets 50-100 downloads a day or more, even if it's an XP theme, isn't it what you want for the best interest of the community? Wouldn't it be a sign that's what some people wants? In fact, to go further, I think that rating someone's work *assuming* community won't really like is discriminatory.

Ok, I concede you make the rules and we are free to play by it or go away. And that's ok with me. But I only hope my 2 cents on the subject could help relieve the frustration of many.

Peace.

Yes, FrogBoy, ..

I know that XP authors and/or any author in general has been acussed of submitting XP skins or wallpaper in the hope to get into the top ten downloads for it.

But think of this..Not ALL XP material wether it be skins or wallpaper have made it into the top ten anyway. I could not say I have noticed that every single XP related piece of material that has shown up on this site has ended up in the top ten. I have not seen proof of that. Not would I believe this.

I could not say wether people do XP just to get into the top ten either, it could be that authors know there is a demand for XP this and that. They just fill out a demand as any business person would do. Do provide what is in demand you sink just like a business.

A NOTE to everyone using XP material's. Wether it is icons or Images of the OS. You should take a visit to Microsofts Copyright issues web site to understand what the implications are of your doing this work, and find out if your in breach of them. I have done this already I even wrote to Microsoft on the Permissions issue.

Yes.! Of course the material belongs to Micorosoft, and none of us are the original author. We cannot claim copyright to this work either. I uploaded my work on the basis that I want to SHARE my work with others. I created the XP skins for my own Operating system to customize the appearance. I then decided to start sharing them with others who might like it.

Next thing I knew they were getting top ten hits and made me number one. I was shocked, and even posted a comment on saying that this should not have happened. I did not deserve to be number one. I even pointed out that I was in no way as good as Treetog, and showed ultimate respect for him and his work. I still stand by this today too.

Ok I will take some time to do this out of fairness for other people I Also understand what you are saying too, but I dont blame the web sites rules for what is happening, and certainly dont hold the admins responsible for any of this. But with those of us with trusted access at Apprentace level and higher, it cannot be garunteed that every one has the maturity or decency to grade work fairly. I think to have these privilages you have to vote on work impartially, and not with predjudice other wise it does not help any one.

Ok, if some one does not like a piece of work this is fair enough but at least let it be for a good reason and not a childish one.

Quite so Jafo ! I just looked through the Wallpaper section and there is a ton of excellent art work that are just so much better than XP wallpapers. But why arn't they top ? it is because the XP frenzy is not in the community itself it is mostly out in the public.

The comment on maturity and voting impartially to skins and wallpapers was not souly directed at Windows XP shananigans Jafo, I refer this to all things that people post to the community. to this web site. Not JUST to XP. but anything.

I saw what happened over Nuvems wallpaper and of course yes it did show and proove the crayness of the XP phenominon [SP] Jafo ? but as i said before this is down to the power of the public oppinion and demand. But having said this this is what Frogboy also indicated I believe that it is the general feeling that people know it is so popular so do XP stuuf just to be in the top ten.

I cannot say for sure if that is the case, but it is not with me. I was confused and shocked at what happened in my case. This is some thing I had not bargained on. I was acussed of all that going on too. That is why I have said a hundred thousand times already that it was not the case.

Anyway enough of that. But I think some of the XP Authors are getting the hint now anyway. I was of course asked to do the Green whistler skin, but I did that as it was a request from another skinner so I helped. (it's my nature to). Just as i have done before with other skins not XP releated..

Cat, I just have one question.

Why is it that everytime someone mentions there being too many XP skins/wallpapers you automatically jump up and act as though you are being personally attacked?

listen to crazy girl

Crazy Girl ? well if that is intented to point at me Treetog, I didnt realise it.

I understand MisterME's words on this though, and of course I see what he's is saying about it. But well what can I say ? doesnt matter really considering the fact that every I have said just falls on deaf ears. Or just plain ignorant ones. I conceed to the fact that Xp is no longer offering anything new to the community, and is very much old hat though. But instead of bitching to me about this try telling this to all the other XP authors, who just ignore your complaints. At least I have the desency to come into this thread and talk with you about it I just dont see any other XP author doing this.

So call me Crazy if you want, it is a matter of your own oppinion if that is what you think of me then fine. I came into this community with respect for everyone, and wanted to be apart of this community. I loved to get involved and tried to offer some logical guidence on some issues. But I have been harrased to death and even personally insulted, and degraded by people who have nothing else to do better than pull my imports to pieces and personally attack me with some words I wont even repeat here.

I said if I am continued to be harrased then I just wont do any more work at all of any kind. wether it is original or not.

Yes,. I do refer things back to me in a personal light, because in most cases when one is referring to XP work in the top downloads or authors they should realise I was in there. So yes it affects me too. That is why I give a personal word on this.

Well with that, if people think I am mad for trying to show the truth about this community and the shameless things that go on here, like predjudisim, double Standards and the such, then They are not strong enough to want to change things in the first place. This damned community is hash on newbies too, with very little tolerance for them accusing them of ripping one thing or another. Deviantart is the worst place for this. I think Jarks plans of the new things he is bringing in to curb bad posted comments is a good thing too.

All I can say is that this place was an eXPerience..At the moment I am unsure if to bother Skinning any more anyway. I WAs planning on creating some new graphics for a Blue Magic WB skin i was planning, but what the hell..Maybe it isnt worth it anyway. The experience here has put me off doing anything I think. God and i only posted to this thread in the first place to help another Newbie find his feet here.

you sure takes everything too personally, I'm sorry if you missunderstud me.