What 1 person like another doesn't. What one person gives 5 stars another gives 2. Its all in the eye of the people rating. AS WC has relaxed their standards, more marginal works have been getting into the libraries. So you might see a few more with less stars. I can understand that, as I'am sure others can also. On to August.

If downloads and ratings is/are what you do this for ...then in my humble opinion, you're doing it for all the wrong reasons.

Well my friend, I do this to share my art work with the community, I don't come here to see the rating or how much was downloaded. I do it for all the right reasons, so you know what you can do with that little quote you just typed and don't be putting words in my mouth that you know nothing about. Maybe you should read more on the works of "ART"     

portraits ...that quote of mine above, is MY OPINION [which I'm entitled to ]...and was not intended to put words in your mouth.

Perhaps you should read a little deeper into a comment, before you jump to the defensive.

It was a generalisation, intended for all to read and think upon ...not aimed at you, as you seem to think it was.

This downloads and ratings subject comes up often, and is a thorn in many people's sides.

I don't come here to see the rating or how much was downloaded. I do it for all the right reasons

By this comment ..it actually seems we are in agreement, so I dont see why you got steamed up..

...gawd, I love the internet.

In my view (personal opinion only, not necessarily the official stance of Stardock), as we relax the standards on what gets accepted and what doesn't, we need to shift to a heavier reliance on a public ratings system.  There needs to be some way, in addition to simply showcasing people's works that they submit, to really highlight the best stuff submitted.  A lot of people come here looking for blinds, wallpapers, icons, DX themes etc to make their PC as cool looking as possible, and it can be discouraging having to sort through pages of Bryce renders and MS Paint drawings to find something that's pretty good.  One of the only ways currently is to derive some meaning/information out of the ratings and download data we have available to us.

However, there is a need to review how we do that, and how the ratings system will work in the future.  If you have suggestions on how to improve the methods by which we feature the really good work, please share!  I can be reached at mikec[at]stardock.com

Jafo, this isn't a joke maybe to you it is, but to others its what they do best.

portraits ...

Re words-into-mouth-placements....

It may surprise you to know that my personal formal 'Art education' began in 1972 [OK, so my sister was graduating with an Honours Degree in Fine Art about that time and I was just starting], and since then my 'creations' have been judged/rated/misused/abused/call it what you will - in all ways and forms.

It's really nothing new.

What 'should' be clear here on Wincustomize.com is that I for one do NOT consider skins and skinning [and the treatment of the works and their makers] as a 'joke'.  I am 'one of them' myself, getting into skinning back around '97.

 

Wincustomize.com IS a gallery, and as with any ALL galleries it has rules/criteria for/what/how the works are to be displayed.

You, too can be one of the 800 whose works were NEVER seen, or you can be one of the 35 whose works WERE seen.

On this site all 800+ at least 'might' be seen by all...provided public opinion decrees.

That makes Wincustomize.com ane hell of a lot fairer than what transpires in Australia's premiere contest for Portraiture.  {example used only because I know it well]...

This post takes me back to the very first argument I had with Jafo..

And we probably would still argue about this rating thing.
( my biggest thing I hate about the ratings is the mouse over " I hate it " It's Ok " etc etc)

Portraits, I understand how you feel and while it seems the ratings are unjust at times - most of it stems from lack of time by people that can rate. Thats why it seems the " Old timers " get high ratings. Their work gets uploaded with 3 stars because its a priviledge they earned. But its not the true rating at the time. Now it only takes 1 or 2 people to rate their work and you now have what looks like an uneven scale here.

I try to look at everything that gets uploaded-if I dont care for something I dont just downrated it because its not my " taste "

I have made a few walls myself - but never uploaded any of them. I figured they would be rejected by the previous standards. But I see the wall section is becoming more " open " to new comers. Im not an Artist - I cant draw worth a dime - you can - I admire anyone that has this talent.

Maybe a solution can be found to this age old rating problem. Perhaps 2 separate wall catagories. One for the more seasoned - one for the up and coming beginners or the artistically challenged like me.

my biggest thing I hate about the ratings is the mouse over " I hate it " It's Ok " etc etc

Exactly what I said the first time I saw that.

Here's the dilemma with those descriptions. Take a well known skin by one of the greatest skinners of all time (names omitted for obvious reasons). I don't like it. Does that mean I should rate it two stars? The work and quality is worth five+. No doubt if I did give it two stars that would be seen to be unfair. So I chose not to rate it at all.

On the old system (out of 10) I used to give up to 3 for skill level, up to 3 for appearance, up to 3 for functionality and an extra 1 for something that was really special.

Rating probably needs to be in skilled hands only.

Rating probably needs to be in skilled hands only.

Perhaps thats the solution. So many have the ability to rate skins but im sure most dont bother unless they have the time to browse. Other sites have a slide bars to rate 1 through 10. No " I hate it " or " I love it " or " To die for " mouse overs.

Its really a catch 22 - the reason most complain about ratings is because some libraries are not seen by the public unless they have a rating of 7 or higher.

Sorry to say, but everything can't be a 7(31/2 stars) or above.

Why not just do away with the rating system and there will be on more problems!
I can't draw a stright line or make any of the wonderful icons - WB or DXW's that I get from here but If I download anything it is because I like how it looks on MY computer
and most of the time the ratings on the things I get are low.
So what ? There are beautiful in my eyes.

Sorry to say, but everything can't be a 7(31/2 stars) or above.

No of course not - thats kinda what I meant. The fact that certain galleries have this rating standard is what causes all this dissension. That was why I said maybe there was a way to break up the walls into catagories. Like Zoomba said about having to wade through pages of Bryce etc. But there are a lot of 3 star walls that are wonderful - yet noone gets to see them. But you can have a windowblind with 2.5 stars ( 5 rating ) with thousands of downloads. Because in that section - everything is seen.

But there are a lot of 3 star walls that are wonderful - yet noone gets to see them.

Site Members get to see them....and there are over two and a half million members....so I guess that's a totally 'different' interpretation of 'no-one'...

Site Members get to see them....and there are over two and a half million members....so I guess that's a totally 'different' interpretation of 'no-one'.

Yes thats true - but site members dont always sign in and also have the ability to set their preferences to not view skins under a certain rating. Which could account for so many of the walls I had seen with 2 stars and had a 4 week old date but yet they had no downloads at all. The new forum shows how many members are logged in - with so many members its surprizing to see the logged in member count usually under 50.

Some things could have zero downloads because people think they're rubbish. Just a thought

Which could account for so many of the walls I had seen with 2 stars and had a 4 week old date but yet they had no downloads at all.

No...any 'older' ones with no downloads are likely to have been recent re-evaluations of past previously rejected walls now made public...