God, you know, don't you people ever look outside these forums? I've seen a total of maybe 15 people out of 100,000 bitch about this AoY thing. Whenever Rosity makes some decision, that maybe there are a couple of protest images in the gallery. That tells me that a majority of this site seems to be more concerned with sharing their passion for art, the friendships they make, the "escape" if you will, that this community ultimately offers, then what happened to a poll that most consider to be bogus and popularity/politically manipulated anyway.

ScottA said, "Don't like it, leave..." and everybody went, "No, we don't want to leave!!!" Why not? Probably because like the other people, you too enjoy coming here for whatever reason and wouldn't want to see Renderosity fold anymore than anyone else. Look how many people have come back after they said, "Goodbye forever..." when they couldn't find a community like this out there. You know, it truly touchs my heart to see the outpouring of support for not only the art, but the people's lives behind the art. That is what makes it a community, not the fact that it has a store or any single policy decision.

I'm not naive. I know that renderosity is the business because it has to be one in order to maintain a comfortable income range to support the community that it has tried so hard to create for us. Servers are expensive, as is bandwidth, staff, etc. And some of those decisions, are based on the goal of providing that community for all, are not always the right one in somebody's eyes. This tends to be looked upon by a small amount of people as selling out or "corporate" crap, but it's this "corporate" crap that gives you and I a place to be having this conversation...

Legume is an artist that we all remember and I have nothing personal against his artwork. I think he does controversy better than anyone else, with both style and tongue in cheek humor. However, I do think that Renderosity was afraid he would win, and thus pulled the poll. It makes sense from a business point of view, which again is the goal, if the community is to survive. After all, does the public really want Jack Sh$t to be the new Rosity spokesperson because some people think he's cool? This isn't Congress or Parliament or whatever government one has, it's a private web site with their own goals, goals of survival and to keep the most people happy. I think the sooner people accept that, the better. Is the whole thing fair? No, but then who said life was fair? It was equally as unfair to the other artists that Legume was campaigning (which is where I first heard about the AoY being voted on) in his gallery image for Jack Sh$t. Should you bitch? Heck yeah...How can the admin know how people feel unless they say something. It is, in the end, no one else's decision but their own.

I think that these contests always wind up this way and are nothing but trouble for both Rosity and those that seem to follow them...If it were up to me, I'd find some other way to showcase artists...

My 2c
ShadowWind
Flame you say? I'm a little deaf in my right ear. Speak louder next time...