Hells bells, I’m amidst a major Spring allergy-attack as I write this so excuse me if I must interject with nose-blowing in between paragraphs…
I promised myself I wasn’t gonna post here for a long, long time but what the hay, I haven’t been gagged and hog-tied yet so I might as well inch in this tidbit of my brain that has some sanity left in tact (the insane part is going…woo hoo “PARTY!”, shaddup insane part) hehe! JK!
First, all this hurt and pain and arguing is resultant of change. Now, so many of us have wanted change…and when change comes people freak…natural reaction really…human nature is dead-set on the secure notion that “This chair is mine and it’s comfy now and take it away and I’ll freak!”
Part if this change comes because Brad (frogboy) is trying his damndest to make this site better! It’s not going to change overnight and I’m sure he’s not the Gestapo webmaster that some people may believe; he’s honestly trying to make this a FAIR and BALANCED website. To do this means a few things so far that I’ve seen:
1). Stricter regulation of the boards (i.e. less thread-veering, less trolls, less overly personal agendas etc.)
2). Making the “Top authors” more of a “revolving door” for the ability to give all new and even established authors to be recognized if for only a chance and if that means “top authors” change-over again and again that’s great! Because Mathematical logic tells me:
A. No top author will EVER have a CHANCE to catch up to the TOP gun if the TOP gun is always gunning and the new gun is always going to be BEHIND by a kazillion downloads just by sheer AMOUNTS of skins/submissions alone. Is that fair? No! And the 3 amigos+ are doing what they can to MAKE this fairer! AMEN!
B. Fairness in downloads SHOULD be counted right. If someone is ‘tweaking’ the system or getting downloads through other means then that is utterly unfair and if a ‘fan’ tries to make his favorite author top dog that is ALSO unfair. It may be human nature to vote well for those we love but it’s another thing to bloat downloads.
3). Hard work. As Jafo mentioned in a previous thread, sending out cursor after cursor or icon after icon after icon rather than completing a full icon suite might garner you more “votes or downloads” but if you work harder to complete a full icon suite it shows a bit of ‘class’ in that you will take the time to not crank something out which is easily done in some instances such as that. I can make a cursor set in a few hours…icons, WB skins take sometimes months for me to fully complete to my satisfaction because I’m a bit of a perfectionist…but I want something to come out of the gate truly unique and usable.
4). I have posted and built up a bundle of uploads and then deleted and started over even as a rated ‘9’ author. To me, this makes more room for up and comers to be in the top list. I had my name there and was really shocked actually…but I was nonplussed because this site to ME isn’t about being top dog. The people/skinners I care about aren’t my COMPETETORS and never will be in my eyes. My name fell and rose off the top authors list a few times and it made me chuckle and wonder…”Something must be wrong with the system” but now I know what was going on.
5). On the one hand, I feel excited about all of the changes but on the other I feel that my voice has turned into a little squeaky irritating mouse that some might like to stamp out and to those people I would just like to say, “My heart is in the right place, you may not see me eye to eye but I respect you just the same and yes, even care about you too.” Imagine that?
I will also reiterate a poem I posted off the top of my head the other evening:
There is a place that is special and the people there I meet
Make me happy to be there, and I’m happy just to greet
So much is shared, so much joy and even sorrows too
But the more that I know I love more of all of you…
When I’m feeling lonely, or just plain feeling down
I know that I can log-on and know you’ll be around
Sometimes I’m not too pithy, sometimes I carry on
But someone’s always here for me, from dusk to early dawn…
Each person here, who wants it, can find a friend true blue
Just remember, once we almost all were somebody new here too,
And if your heart should love it here be kind and polite
And remember peace speaks louder than the one who wants to fight…
No matter your birthplace origin, if you are true of heart and mind
You will find a special niche with us, because we are all humankind…
I’ll always cherish the moments and the love from this sacred place
Wincustomize.com, you have my heart and a smile upon my face…
This is a public congregation from all walks of life…Brad and many others have made this a special home away from home where we can be together and rant politely…
BUT
What saddens me is when…a negative thread supercedes a positive one…
Brad has been trying so hard to create positive and innocuous threads…does nobody see this? He’s been trying to be a peacemaker! But he’s gone through a major move himself with his family…he’s human too. Give the guy a break…he wants to make this place better for us all!
Over and Out,
/me
