There were a couple of contests being run in the Poser gallery recently and they were told by TPTB that contests are not allowed. Fine, well and good. But answer this question, why were most if not all of the entries in those contests deleted from the website? Why were we asked to just change the name of the artwork, thereby preserving the comments given by everyone kind enough to leave one?? I've sent an IM to one of the moderators to get to the bottom of this, but I wanted the community at large to know what happened. I find this unfair and unwarranted. Anyone else with me??

I'm with you, I would have happily changed the title, I don't see why the images had to be deleted, along with our comments.

Yes, I'm with you. I was quite shocked when I looked into my gallery a few minutes ago, not knowing what was going on. I would have changed the title happily, but now everything is lost.:-(

Dumb question - who is TPTB that are referred to? I noticed entries from three different contests disapearing and wondered what was going on? Someone should be posting a statement somewhere. shouldn't they? (During the summer there was a discussion about contests with purchased items required, but once the purchase requirement was lifted, the contest was ok to run, as were several others since!)

Just a subject change post in case others are looking for a discussion on this...

Contests aren't allowed??? Since when?

This is bull crap them deleting out images like that. Contest going on all over the place. This could of been handled in alot better manner than this. Most comments I ever had, and was very proud of that. This sucks.

Me too! My images is gone also and without any explaination. What is going on??? I to had a lot of comments and this has me upset.

Would it really have been so hard to make an announcement, and ask everyone to change the title, and end the contest?? Even that, I don't understand as there are contests all over the place, but whatever. I just think it's horribly inconsiderate to just go about deleting peoples images with no explaination what so ever, not even a chance for them to save their comments, which I think are important to a lot of people. that's just totally freaking rude.

They sure need to let us know what constitutes a legal contest and what doesn't. Awhile back Rendo was supporting contest in the newsletter. This makes no sense from the information we have so far. An Instant message to change the name would of been polite and respectful. I am sure they had more than an hours window or such that it had to be done immediately.

This is not right ... i just had one go ...i have reposted it and took the word 'contest' out lol this is ridiculous !!!!

What prompted this? Like everyone is having contests, will all those other images entered in those contests be deleted too? I have quite a few contest entries, why was this contest, Warrior Contest, deleted?

I am appalled at the manner in which this has been dealt with with people losing images and comments. I wondered what in the world was going on as I clicked on links from my ebots only to find a wide range of images having been deleted. I agree with others in that an announcement would have been far more considerate to the artists as well as the viewers. The way this has been handled is something I'd expect from a dictatorship. Perhaps a little common sense could be exercised?

I totally agree, I had just uploaded an image this morning for the Warrior Contest, one I was really proud of and had some amzeing feedback and comments for it that ment the world to me, and now they are all gone, there was even a couple I had not gotten to read yet just got emails for before they removed my image. And for some reason they seem to think I was hosting the contest cause in the IM I got they said "I'm very surprised that you would start a contest in the galleries instead of contacting us to find out how to properly sponsor a legitimate contest within our community." I was not hosting any contest just entering an image for one. :( I hope they do not remove more of my images. They also took away my image for the FCC Contest that is over, another I was proud of. No warning and no asking me to change the names or anything. All comments now lost. I'm not happy at all.

I quickly went through my gallery and got rid of the word contest from all my old images before they got deleted, this stinks........

Yes, they are also stripping out things from past contests as well! ^&^&(^&$@^&$*(#^$(T$T#@%^#@(^&%)!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW: Who sent the IM?

This is the response I got back form one of the moderators... Instant Message from hauksdottir: Forevernyt, OK, I'm going to have to look into this and see what happened. If images are deleted, reasons are given and it is almost always because there is a violation on behalf of the poster. I'll get back to you. Carolly Renderosity Moderator I'd like to see all of the pictures reinstated with all of their comments. Luckily, my FCC contest pic is still up, and it had better stay up. It's the highest ranked picture I've done so far and I'm quite proud of it! This is just someone drunk on power. This needs to be addressed. How do contests hurt Renderosity? The prizes are usually GCs for their store anyway and it generates a lot of buzz. Someone needs to relax and let us all have some bastion of escapism from the real world!

I was not given any type of reason. From what I can gather most of us were not given a reason. Just bam, posting is gone. Sure would be nice to get our postings back with comments and views and such. This looks to be getting crazier and crazier

Message edited on: 09/16/2004 16:50

Sounds like somebody went amuck and just went ahead and deleted. I'm afraid all ourimages and comments are in cyber space now....... :(

Oh they are there, just if they want to go through all the trouble of digging them out.

It says in the TOS that we can't have or participate in contests??

From what I gather so far, not 100% for sure contests are allowed in the contest forum or something like that but Not in the galleries. I am not sure still waiting any type of a reply. :(

The fact images and comments are disappearing is a ludicrous act in itself, but the IM Blazerwiccan received, being chastised for hosting a contest when she wasn't even holding one, is a prime example of someone not bothering to do their job properly. If I were conspiracy-minded, I'd be inclined to believe this is exactly what's happening. I am developing an opinion that someone is indeed, drunk on power as has been suggested. Blazerwiccan, I surely hope you get a deep and humble apology for that atrocious IM.

I had mine pulled too. Todays posting was for prog's H&H contest and every one of the comments were fantastic. Strangely, if you do a gallery title search for H & H Contest there are 3 that haven't been removed. Wonder why that is ?

i have just gone throught my gallery deleting the word contest ... hopefully this will stop the images been deleted ...as it we have not got enough to deal will people copyingour work and putting it on other web sites ... now this ..what a week

Can someone please point out where in the TOS it actually states that we can not host our own contests? I am really confused, as far as I can remember we have had contests in the gallery!!!

from TOS: "Any practices that affect the normal operations of the community (Admins will take whatever steps are necessary to restore service)" so this is the part they're basing it on? okee dokee, couldn't find anything else in the TOS about contests being forbidden. Gosh, you'd think encouraging people to participate in uploading images, and money being spent in their market place were bad things. What a bunch of BS.

I'm just leaving any of my images which have the word 'contest' in them. If it spins someone's dials to go around deleting artwork and comments, then so be it. I've saved the comments from my images and won't bother re-uploading the images themselves. Who knows what reason they'll use to delete images next time round. I'm wondering if it's worth the bother of posting anything at this point.

This is the Message I was sent when my contest was removed from the Gallery, including other images from other contests... Gallery Contest removed (Sent 9/16 14:47) [Reply] [Reply & Delete] [Unarchive] [Delete] Instant Message from JenyK: Your gallery post "That's Entertainment" is in violation of Renderosity's Terms of Service and has been removed. This is your first warning for this offense and will be posted in your member record. Any practices that affect the normal operations of the community (Admins will take whatever steps are necessary to restore service). I'm very surprised that you would start a contest in the galleries instead of contacting us to find out how to properly sponsor a legitimate contest within our community. The galleries are NOT allowed to be used for contest. Your contest also promotes copyright and Trademark violations, by the rules statement "Must have at least one character that at least resembles the character in the movie, anime, video game or comic book" and "Must have the name of the movie, anime, video game or book that you chose in the notes section of the post" You have until Monday 9am CST (server time) to notify the members that participated that the contest was not setup properly through Renderosity and the images should to be removed. If you do not notify them by that time, I will. Images that do not have TOS, copyright or trademake violations will be allowed to stay; however, no prizes can be awarded. Thanks, Jenifer Keeling Renderosity Admin & Copyright Agent www.renderosity.com

It's not worth uploading, they can use that phrase to delete anything for any reason at any time, and apparently blame it on anyone they choose.

we all post strike posting :) LOL ok they have TOS here and we must follow them or leave this community it is so ... they have all the power what ever they want to do with your membership and content :o) what do you thing why some guys have created RuntimeDNA they was angry with something and then RuntimeDNA was born same system all over the world THIS is democratie und dont must

Mutedbanshee has posted a 'pleas read' image explaining what whe knows in the gallery. I've posted a note in the galleries as well as the removal of past entries seems to be going beyond the call.

Also took a look at the TOS. There is no explicit mention of conflicting areas, (I.e., contest in galleries and in the contest area). Just the one liner mentioned by Blazerwiccan above. Seems like an interpretation question as the TOS does not provide enough information to determine that a contest is only allowed in the contest area. (Perhaps it is implied, but you don't go rooting out everything on an implication.) Also, the contest area has no statement that it is the only location for contests.

I also went through and changed names on the images I had left from past contests:-(

I just was looking at my gallery to discover that FOUR of my images have been deleted. I suppose the FCC CONTEST image will soon be deleted, too. I'm not changing its name. I was very glad because some of these images had the most comments I ever had. I'm a very quite person but I don't like this at all! I won't buy anything more from Renderosity until my images are in the galleries again with their comments. If that doesn't happen, I'm sorry but I will take my images and my money somewhere else!

Unless an entry is in violoation of this site's rules, NO IMAGE should EVER be removed from a gallery without at least the courtesy of letting the gallery owner know why and giving them an opportunity to fix the image if possible. This is totally unconscionable! Lately, this site seems to be doing a lot of this kind of thing without notifiying anyone they're doing it. I know this is their site and they can do what they want, but the rules of common courtesy dictate some common sense when arbitrary rules are created without letting anyone know the rules have changed!

If you read the above letter from JennyK, the Mod who took out my contest and all our images, she said I had till monday to tell people or she would tell them and remove their images at that time. Since I only recieved this IM a few hours ago, and she started yanking images I feel I have been lied to and treated unfairly. Sorry to anyone who had entered my contest and I will be sending you a Present within the next few days. Sorry again, Elizabeth

what a bunch of crap, I would say that was really being about as nitpicky as one can get, and to delete images and comments altogether, just wipe them out, that is just inexcusible!!!!!

Paintgirl, they are removing everything and it's not even Monday! This gets wierder. Can't they even stand by the actions they send to the posters?

NO contests, makes life boring. Takes one type of fun away from Poser. I am building an image for a contest, but I guess I will use my render for itself.

Well, to be fair, I guess all of us that have posted entries for any of the numerous contests over the past 4 months are in violation of the "TOS". I find it very hard to believe they were oblivious to the fact that contests were going on till now. How could they not know? What they've accomplished here is alienating people, and pissing them off~ great job folks!!! I guess quality merchants, and extra traffic and sales are not wanted. Sincerely disgusted, Amber

Paintgirl, you shouldn't have to apologize~ the "PTB" are the ones that owe all of us an apology~ at the very least!!

Watchout peeps, now they gonna rewrite the TOS. Seems like everytime something like this or similar happens they change something to cover their butts. just my opinion.

FYI Got an IM from Shoshana with regards to this. It reads:

Hi Folded,
The question of whether or not to permit contests to be > run in the galleries is one which the admins have been
considering for a while.
They seem to have decided that they can't be held,
without even bothering to tell us Mods :-(

I'm trying to find out what is going on.
Shoshanna

Communications seems to not have worked out well here...

so far have found only one of mine gone just happened to be the one with the most comments I have ever received -58 I doubt I will ever get that many again and they were good comments I was proud of that image. I have changed the names of the others :o(

I don't understand and don't know the reason why my sole image with the word 'contest' in it was and is still in my gallery (it was H & H contest). I changed its name anyway only to H & H.

My view is that entering 'private' contests has been a great way of getting in contact with nice people here, and then there was the challenge itself, in a positive way. All in all, things that help a community to grow stronger.

Now... some more hammer hits of this kind on their own feet and they'll start to see people leaving the community... then they will ask themselves 'oh... why are people leaving?'

Think, Rosity staff... was that a clever idea?

Message edited on: 09/16/2004 17:34

I agree there should be absolutely no need for those who have held, or are holding contests, to apologize at all. My opinion is such that people who hold these contests create high morale in the community, offer challenges and fun for artists and through them, I've been moved to also purchase products seen in competing images. I further agree that the apologies needed here are from the Renderosity administration, along with compensation of some kind to the artists who have lost their work and the comments. It's my belief that won't happen since it's only taken a matter of moments to lose my faith in how this site is run.

they are a great moral booster and now they have definitely shot themselves in the foot, cut their own throat, etc etc. No matter what their decisions on the matter, the way they handled this was totally wrong and inexcusible in my humble little opinion. There is a right and wrong way to handle things and this was definitley a wrong way :(

Who's up for a mass migration to RuntimeDNA or PoserPros? LOL

I think that everyone who had an Image removed should have unlimited Uploads to the Galleries for 24 hours, also as far as I can tell its one person removing all the images.

PPSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTT !!! Anyone want to run a contest on the black market??? Send me a bankers draft for $500 and I'll set you up ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sure that it says that porn and any other image that depict lude sexual acts are a violation of the TOS, but yet they seem to appear in the gallerys and they are not removed... things that make you go hmmmm!! I feel that if the merchants choose to have a contest and give away their own creations, its up to them. I don't see the violation at all. I guess when the merchants do give it away, RO doesn't see a penny and can't pay for their servers and other stuff. I agree that the RO admins should have given a warning and allowed the artists to change their Image Names instead of deleting the images that alot work and commenting went into (thats what the edit link is there for) ... Sheesh!!!