Site upload getting rejected

from WinCustomize Forums
I'm trying to upload our skin for Winamp 5.51 here at wincustomize.com but its not getting past the review stage because:

Dear SkinConsortium,

Thank you for your recent upload of your Winamp Azenis 2 for WinAmp
Unfortunately your upload has not met our guidelines and has been rejected for the following reason:

Permission from J.J.Ying must be included with the upload. Submissions cannot be accepted without.


However we do look forward to your future submissions.

Sincerely,
The WinCustomize Staff
Home Support Join WC
Copyright© 1995-2006 Stardock.net

Please tell me what you mean with "Permission from J.J.Ying must be included with the upload".
We already did the following:
- Asked for permission which was granted +-Nov2006.
- In the readme in the wal file, one of the first lines gives credit to J.J.Ying
- In the info about the skin we also included the credit to J.J.Ying

BTW: J.J.Ying didnt do the gfx for the skin, QuadHelix did a remix.... adding a whole new shape... basicly just using the colors scheme and the Azenis 2 logo. But WE HAVE PERMISSION TO MAKE THE SKIN AND ITS ALREADY UPLOADED AT SEVERAL WEBSITES:
- http://www.1001skins.com/skin_details.html?skin_id=3620
- http://www.winamp.com/skins/details/172029
5,737 views 20 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Giving credit is not the same as having permission. You must include in the upload a text file, which could be in the form of an e-mail, or conversation, from J.J.Ying giving you permission to use Azenis and clearly showing it is from J.J.Ying. E-mails etc should have headers included for verification purposes.

Ported skin submissions cannot be accepted to WinCustomize without proper permission.

Other sites do not have moderation and you are clearly offering this skin for download there without proper permission. But that is their problem not ours.

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
- In the readme in the wal file, one of the first lines gives credit to J.J.Ying
End of quote


You have to actually include a copy of JJ Yings email giving you permission.
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
A 'permission.txt' file is not a 'props to skinner X' tagline, but an actual communication record from the artist indicating permission to use/adapt/port/etc. specific to that upload...;)
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well, here is what he replied: (please note that we misspelled the name in the begining)
(http://forums.skinconsortium.com/thread.php?threadid=47&threadview=0&hilight=&hilightuser=0&page=3)
----------------
Quadhelix
We got the official go ahead to make the Winamp Avenis 2 skin from JJ ying

here is his responce:

Hi, sorry for the delay, I just receieved your mail and of course it's my pleasure if you can help me making a winamp 5 skin.

JJ Ying
----------------

And BTW... Winamp.com have moderators...

Please someone... how must I include a email with the skin *.wal file? Think Quadhelix might still have the email in his inbox but that will just be a peice of text.... what does that help me? Anyone can just type something and say they have permission.

We are giving credit in the skin discription, readme file in the *.wal file and in the settings gadget of the skin. Must I include the password and username the emailbox to proove it???

We are a respected skinning website. One of our other admins did the recent Winamp 5.5 Bento skin and all of our skins that use gfx from other people as a starting point always have permission to do so.

PS: Winamp Azenis 2, if I have to guess only use about 1% of JJ ying gfx. And the gfx is about 10% of the total work involved in this skin. But we still give him credit and have permission to make the Winamp skin.

cheers!
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Please someone... how must I include a email with the skin *.wal file? Think Quadhelix might still have the email in his inbox but that will just be a peice of text.... what does that help me? Anyone can just type something and say they have permission.
End of quote

SkinConsortium...

Generally skin files are renamed zip archives and can contain text files without problem.  If for whatever reason you cannot insert a text file you would then be obliged to include the skin AND the text file within a zip archive together.

Re the 'anyone can type anything'...the real difference is that were someone to just do that its veracity could be verified by complaint from the original artist and thus be actionable evidence of fraud - something that could really put a dent in one's reputation and/or wallet...;)

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

And BTW... Winamp.com have moderators...
End of quote

Ah, but they also knowingly promoted and distributed a stolen [but renamed] skin in their online/email newsletter a few years ago..... [the episode might even pop up in a search for 'spunkit' on Deviantart].... and when called out on it claimed 'oh it's all too hard to fix now...must leave it till next month'....

I still smile when I recall Nullsoft's CEO calling me a 'clusterfuck' ... such a forthright and erudite bit of Public Relations, too ...;)

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I know it can contain any file...

OKay, If I upload it again with a seperate txt file in the *.wal called credit to JJ Ying (allthough its already included.. just in the readme.txt file in the .zip/wal) will it pass then?

If not, please tell me what I must do.

JJ Ying gave permission and we used his Azenis 2 theme as a base to start... eventhough I didnt do the gfx for this WInamp skin, I did all the coding , so cant realy comment on how much gfx was used.

I've PM JJ Ying to drop by here
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You must include in the upload a text file, which could be in the form of an e-mail, or conversation, from J.J.Ying giving you permission to use Azenis and clearly showing it is from J.J.Ying. E-mails etc should have headers included for verification purposes.
End of quote


This winamp is well done and would be a great addition to the winamp gallery. We hope you will resubmit with the included permission from J.J. Ying.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
OKay reuploaded with the following changes:
- First lines in the discription CLEARY state the credit and permission which was granted
- Added "Credit to JJ Ying.txt" to the .wal(zip) file with the conversation and the credits and permissions again.
- Added orignal theme by JJ Ying to the preview jpg.

Realy hope we can post our other +-20 skins without all these red tape. If this isnt approved we'll have to just leave this skin off your servers.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Realy hope we can post our other +-20 skins without all these red tape.
End of quote




Red tape? There is no red tape involved here. What is so difficult to comprehend? Include the email conversation, with the headers. It's really quite simple..... much simpler than creating a skin. ;)
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I still smile when I recall Nullsoft's CEO calling me a 'clusterfuck' ... such a forthright and erudite bit of Public Relations, too ...
End of quote


Hilarious  :LOL: 
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

First lines in the discription CLEARY state the credit and permission which was granted
End of quote

Still not acceptable. Please read the following again:

You must include in the upload a text file, which could be in the form of an e-mail, or conversation, from J.J.Ying giving you permission to use Azenis and clearly showing it is from J.J.Ying. E-mails etc should have headers included for verification purposes.
End of quote

The text you put could have been written by anyone.

I just do not understand why you are finding this so difficult. It isn't rocket science.

Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Realy hope we can post our other +-20 skins without all these red tape.




Red tape? There is no red tape involved here. What is so difficult to comprehend? Include the email conversation, with the headers. It's really quite simple..... much simpler than creating a skin.
End of quote


Amazing. Is it so difficult to understand? As an artist yourself, Skin Consortium, I would have thought that the 'professional' and 'protective' approach that the Moderators have shown you would have got a lot more understanding and appreciation from you. A pompous attitude gets you know where in life. Your work looks good and we love to see more artists of your caliber here but leave the 'attitude' at home  ;) 
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
ust do not understand why you are finding this so difficult. It isn't rocket science.
End of quote


Just received the original email conversation(please remember that this is 1year ago so I'm sure he had to look hard for it:

here is his email and his adress you need to contact him

Hi. Sorry for the delay.
You mean you want to make a matching winamp skin? If so, it would be wonderful to me cause I myself are good at making winamp skins when I really wanted to make one for Azenis 2. Go ahead otherwise with skin.


Regards.

JJ.Ying
http://www.jjying.cn
[email protected]



----- Original Message ----
From: "[email protected]"
End of quote


Received this email from the moderator:
Dear SkinConsortium,

Thank you for your recent upload of your Winamp Azenis 2 for WinAmp
Please include a copy of the email from J.J. Ying giving you permission. I have left the winamp in the que for the time being awaiting your submission of the email from J.J. Ying.

Sincerely,
The WinCustomize Staff
Home Support Join WC
Copyright© 1995-2006 Stardock.net
End of quote

How must I send the above email msg? Is the above post enough or do I have to reupload it again?

Thanks

@Leo the Lion
Dont have a 'attitude'... If Azenis 2 was a unknown theme I wouldnt have had any problems. Just dont understand your upload policy. You can prevent someone from uploading something that they stole from another artist. I'm sure the mods dont know all the skins ever created. Like Winamp.com's policy better. Mods only look for obvious stuff like nudity and very crappy skins and if anyone have a problem after the publish, they'll be happy to remove it.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'm sure the mods dont know all the skins ever created.
End of quote


No they don't.

if anyone have a problem after the publish, they'll be happy to remove it.
End of quote


Same happens here.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Last par shout be... (cant edit :( )


@Leo the Lion
Dont have a 'attitude'... If Azenis 2 was a unknown theme I wouldnt have had any problems. Just dont understand your upload policy. You cant prevent someone from uploading something that they stole from another artist. I'm sure the mods dont know all the skins ever created. Like Winamp.com's policy better. Mods only look for obvious stuff like nudity and very crappy skins and if anyone have a problem after the publish, they'll be happy to remove it.

PS: We were about 4people that did various stuff on the skin, and Quadhelix did the asking of permission and stuff like that. He just replied at the forums for my requist for the email so I only had the partial email msg posted earlier to post here... So everything should be okay now.... i hope ;)
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Guidelines and about pages might help, you should take a look at them :)
Rip, advertisement, spam, nudity, if Skins are complete and functional...

Yes we can't know all skins around the world but trust me we try :LOL: (thinking on snowman collection  X-(  :LOL: )
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
SkinConsortium, just create a ZIP file containing the Winamp skin file and that email in a text file.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks, They uploaded it.

Really cool forum. Didnt expect to get so many replies in less than one day.

Now the other admins can upload more of our skins.

Thanks again for all the help!

BTW: If anyone here is good creating gfx and want to do a Winamp skin, please drop by at our forums:
http://forums.skinconsortium.com
and make a post there. Need a few willing people to make gfx for our new Winamp5 skinning platform, classicPro. Read more on the forum with example included.

L8r!
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top

SkinConsortium....

Just to add....the whole idea of including the permission 'inside' the skin/distribution/archive is that the downloader [in theory] retains a copy of the skin's source/s and if needed can contact them as well for secondary permissions to port/adapt the works to yet more skinnables....and so the world turns....;)

Glad to see it's all sorted out now...;)

I know the worst of it can be when for whatever reason the original person cannot be contacted....or even the permission email is lost....happens to us all...;)