hawkfyr sez in #28:

Plus it helps prevent folks from harvesting votes from newsgroups or other communities they frequent.

Folks would come her,create an account just to vote,never to return.

Would they never return? Renderosity's frequent use of
"mail this to a friend" links seem to indicate that they
promote the idea of current users drawing new users in from
other venues. From what other pool would they get new users
if they didn't?

I myself was initially introduced to Renderosity via a
usenet posting soliciting votes (and yes, I did vote right
after joining). Since then I have established a gallery,
participated in and learned from discussions, helped others
when able, and even became a runner-up in the Renderosity
Photography Forum Calendar contest. My interest in
photography has since wained for other interests, but for
that time, I was an active member who tried to add value
to the place. My gallery is still in place because I know
that my interests run in cycles and eventually I'll regain
interest in photography.

So I don't agree that new users from other venues will
necessarily never return if they join in order to vote
for one whose work they are already familiar. I think
it's more realistic that the ratio of those who stay
after voting is the same as that of those who come here
for any other reason.

And I'm not sure what you mean by "harvesting votes".
"Harvesting" as applied to the net implies something
non-conscentual, as in "The spammer harvested my email
address from the mailing-list I was on." There is
nothing non-conscentual about soliciting votes, no
matter where the solicitation takes place. People from
other venues are just being made aware of the contest
and their ability to vote in it.

How is that any different (aside from the venue) from
being made aware of the contest here within Renderosity?
Is it somehow not possible for one to solicit votes in
the forums?

I can understand and agree with the need to prevent people
from creating clone accounts in order to eliminate ballot
stuffing (the true definition of the term), which is
obviously unfair, but I can't see a reason to prevent
people from other venues from coming here to vote in a
contest.

It would seem that what's needed is a more sure-fire
way of validating the identity of a given person, rather
than restricting the votes to old-timers.