What's up with uploading?

Unfairness in the system

from WinCustomize Forums

  Here I am again, so willing to make an ass of myself, oh well, it's been a while.

  I recently uploaded two right click skins which were rejected because the preview showed my entire desktop, not just the RC skins. For the record, my other RC skin, noir rc, shows the entire desktop. I recently had a DX theme rejected because the zip contained a screenshot of the skin....every one of my DX themes to date has a screenshot in the zip....ALL of them. I recently had a DX theme rejected because it had a cursor in it.  https://forums.wincustomize.com/321612    Gef does this all the time. He is always putting RC skins and Xion skins in his packages.

  My problem here is that there seems to be a double standard here, and I have seen no announcement or otherwise that the upload guidelines have changed. It gets a little irritating when you've uploaded ,Oh, I don't know, 100 or so themes, each and every one having a screenshot enclosed, and all of a sudden....no longer allowed, and without notice. It really makes me wonder if it is even worth all the fuss to upload something for free, to just give away to any and all. Just to have it nitpicked to death and have to upload everything twice. When I could easily sell my stuff on a site of my own, or upload elsewhere.

  My suggestion...If WC is going to rewrite the guidelines, make it for everybody, across the board, Masters, and Apprentices alike, and post it somewhere, or a formal announcement on the home page that guidelines have changed. Then we would know where we stand. It took 1 day to get that DX theme to be rejected, and since it has sat there, in moderation, all fixed and ready, not being touched. If I had known in the first place that it could not contain a screenshot, it would be in the gallery by now.      

 

skinning
4,579 views 16 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Just copied this from the guidlines:

FUNCTIONALITY:
First of all, your submission must be complete and functional. Please test it before you submit it. We regularly receive empty or incomplete zips. Also, please include a FULL SIZE screenshot. Please do not scale it down in the screenshot, and don't worry about the thumbnail. Our server will automatically generate the smaller image for quick preview. There is little more aggravating than pressing the "zoom" link and to only have the same tiny preview.


Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
There is nothing in the guidelines that says anything about NOT including a preview, or extra skins, for that matter. No mention whatsoever about upload size.


Wincustomize Guidelines:

OVERVIEW:
We understand that you have put quite a bit of time and effort into creating your artwork/skins/themes and wish to show it off to the world. It has been our mission to only show the best of the best so we do not accept every submission. However, we do want to show off your talents so our moderators have written this guide to help you understand what qualities it takes for your submission to get accepted into the WinCustomize Library. Please review these guidelines and if you follow them you should not have any problems in getting your work accepted. If you have any questions please feel free to email us and we will be glad to try and answer your question. Thanks and have fun!

FUNCTIONALITY:
First of all, your submission must be complete and functional. Please test it before you submit it. We regularly receive empty or incomplete zips. Also, please include a FULL SIZE screenshot. Please do not scale it down in the screenshot, and don't worry about the thumbnail. Our server will automatically generate the smaller image for quick preview. There is little more aggravating than pressing the "zoom" link and to only have the same tiny preview.

RIPPING:
Also to be referred to as copyright theft. No uploads containing in part or in totality another artist's work will be accepted without a written authorization from the original author.

COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK:
Images taken from other sources cannot be accepted without permission, including but not limited to pictures taken from movies, television shows, games, web sites, magazines, celebrity pictures. However, although they are theoretically also copyrighted, we will be lenient concerning corporate logos and OS ports, unless we are approached by the companies and asked to remove them. An exception: sports logos. Sport organization make money selling the right to use their logos and explicitly forbid the distribution of art containing their logo unless a license is purchased.

ADVERTISEMENT:
Our skins, themes and wallpaper sections are no place for advertisement. There is no problem if your name and web site URL is subtly inserted in your artwork (for example in small at the bottom right of your wallpaper), but if your logo or web site address is occupying the main part of the artwork, it will be rejected.

NUDITY AND PORNOGRAPHY:
This is a slightly difficult topic, but as a general rules artwork containing male or female frontal nudity will be not accepted. We can occasionally bend this rule if the artwork is truly exceptional and if the nudity it contains is only an element of the artwork, not the subject in itself. VIOLENCE: No artwork making the promotion of violence or explicitly representing images of death, blood or physical harm will be accepted. Will also be rejected any artwork promoting discrimination, prejudice or any form of disrespect to any ethnic, religious or gender group.

WALLPAPER MODERATION:
Typically, only the wallpaper section is moderated for quality, but it is difficult to be specific about the moderation process. Lets just say that a lot of submissions don't make it in. The wallpaper section at WinCustomize has grown faster than we expected and we are trying to hold it to a reasonable number of offerings. To accomplish this we are being very selective about the artwork that remains in the database.

The last thing any of us would want to do is discourage an artist from uploading their work. All of us are involved in making digital art and we are all committed to seeing the popularity and availability grow.

Our guidelines for judging wallpapers on aesthetic grounds are difficult to be specific about. The prime directive for wallpapers is that they must WORK as a wallpaper, in other words the design should be an effective desktop background, which includes: The background is not too busy and icons are easy to see against it, Colors are not too bright to be distracting, and colors work well together. There are many subjective design related preferences we all have and some objective qualifications as well, such as the quality of the rendering and the resolution size offered. And then there is the composition, the subject matter, the overall balance of the design, etc.

Probably the best way to decide what we like to see in a wallpaper would be to browse through the section and look at what has been accepted. We recommend to everyone submitting wallpapers to try to only send a piece after living with it on their own desktop for a while first. Put as much work and critical evaluation into the piece as you can before sending it to us.

A few examples of what will never get through moderation:
- Britney Spears or other celebrity wallpapers (see note about copyright above)
- Bryce art, unless the result is so astonishing that one could never tell it was done in Bryce.
- Dolphins, palm trees, metal spheres or other over-used elements
- XP-related walls, unless really innovative/original.
- Copyrighted photos/images
- Confused composition...e.g....3D artwork with conflicting light-sources belying the form.
- A ground-swell of negativity from a significant number of admins.


Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Let's address a few issues here.

The issue you are trying to raise is that the Masters and everyone else have two sets of standards for uploading.  I explained that correctly in your other thread.  For most purposes, all uploads are treated the same with possibly some small exceptions for Master skins as we do keep much tighter control on those.  The moderators do not go through the galleries looking at the name of skinner applying different standards, if they do, then they will not be a moderator. 

Next, situations or issues with uploads are typically best handled via PM with the moderator, and ultimately either myself or Jafo if it needs to.  One reason is all the issues are not always raised in a forum post, and it's very easy for the post to spiral out of control without basis. 

Your DesktopX theme was rejected because it had a thumbs.db file and a preview file according to the rejection e-mail.  The rejection was valid for the thumbs.db as we often reject skins for containing those files which are not needed.  As far as the preview goes, I don't see a reason why that shouldn't be included.  As far as the nitpicking goes, WinCustomize is a moderated site, and uploads are checked for broken skins and the like. 

Moderators do their best to make sure we have galleries that are consistent and easy for members to navigate and download.  If you look in the RightClick gallery you will see the overwhelming majority of previews are close-ups of the RC skin.  The reason being is that it looks better and is easier to see rather than an entire desktop shot.  Simple as that.

There has been no mention of rewriting the guildlines, and to be perfectly honest, I don't see a need for it right now.  I could sit down and make a list of every single thing on what not to do for a skin upload, but that is hours and hours of work that really wouldn't result in anything.  I have written two guides, the WC Upload Guide, and the Tips for Moderation guide which gives a bunch of tips and guidelines for people to use.  If there is an area that isn't clear, just ask.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
There has been no mention of rewriting the guildlines, and to be perfectly honest, I don't see a need for it right now.
End of quote


Nor do I.

The issue you are trying to raise is that the Masters and everyone else have two sets of standards for uploading. This is incorrect. The issue I am trying to address here is that if there can't be a preview shot of the skin in the zip, tell us that, if the RC preview needs to be small, and of the RCskin only, with no surrounding wall, tell us that. I am tired of having to upload things twice for doing things the way I have always done them. I can forward you the rejection email, there is a mention in it about the removal of the preview shot. Each and every one of my 100 or so DX themes has a preview shot enclosed. My issue is that I hate having to upload everything twice, for no apparent reason.


Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The reason being is that it looks better and is easier to see rather than an entire desktop shot. Simple as that.
End of quote


Seems to me that a shot of the desktop shows how well the RC skin goes with the rest of the suite, wall, or whatever the case may be.  ;) 
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Next, situations or issues with uploads are typically best handled via PM with the moderator
End of quote


How am I supposed to know who moderated my skin?
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Next, situations or issues with uploads are typically best handled via PM with the moderator
End of quote
PM any mod . . we can see did what and will try to help.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The issue I am trying to address here is that if there can't be a preview shot of the skin in the zip, tell us that, if the RC preview needs to be small, and of the RCskin only, with no surrounding wall, tell us that. I am tired of having to upload things twice for doing things the way I have always done them. I can forward you the rejection email, there is a mention in it about the removal of the preview shot. Each and every one of my 100 or so DX themes has a preview shot enclosed. My issue is that I hate having to upload everything twice, for no apparent reason.
End of quote


In most cases the moderators do tell you that.  If I had to sit here and list every single little thing that could and could not be included in a skin, well I would be here for a couple of days. 

Seems to me that a shot of the desktop shows how well the RC skin goes with the rest of the suite, wall, or whatever the case may be.
End of quote


Not everyone uses the same wall or themes.  Better to show off the skin itself than possible variations.  ;)


Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Seems to me that a shot of the desktop shows how well the RC skin goes with the rest of the suite, wall, or whatever the case may be.
End of quote


that's why we have a screenshots gallery ;)
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i took the time to go into your gallery and your right click skins are cool, hope to see the others soon :)
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i took the time to go into your gallery and your right click skins are cool, hope to see the others soon
End of quote


Thanx! Been to yours, you do good work!
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
PM any mod . . we can see did what and will try to help
End of quote


Point taken. I just got pissed.  (:( 
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Point taken. I just got pissed.
End of quote
Happens to the best of us (not that I am even close to that). 

It IS frustrating when you try to do your best work and something happens that you don't understand.  I hope ID cleared some stuff up for you.  It's always interesting to me how the site continues to grow and resolve as precedent occurs.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It IS frustrating when you try to do your best work and something happens that you don't understand. I hope ID cleared some stuff up for you. It's always interesting to me how the site continues to grow and resolve as precedent occurs.
End of quote


I only hope that the preview inclusion/exclusion gets cleared up. I will no longer include the previews, but my tester, for one, will not like it. The preview is how he tells whether or not the theme is loading properly. Since all of my past themes include previews, I still don't understand why this happened. Case closed...lol.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The preview is how he tells whether or not the theme is loading properly
End of quote


This is correct. I have spotted missing buttons, misspelling,wrong or unimbedded fonts and other issues by referring to the screenshot. I would not have seen these until after the upload otherwise,resulting in PDJ having to pull the theme,fix it and reupload it.
It just makes sense to include one.Like a picture puzzle with no reference picture on the box.I need to know what it is supposed to look like,before saying the testing is done properly.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The preview is how he tells whether or not the theme is loading properly
End of quote


Jim, the easy fix.........since Wizard1956 is doing the testing, send it with the preview, once it checks out, zip it again without the preview for upload.