for heaven sakes it's only a Web site!..;) dang, you don't get any money, or women, or new shiny cars..you get some temporary bragging rights..that's it..
I don't know of anyone who 'only' looks at the Hot 20..it's a subjective consideration..and it doesn't mean art's 'good' or 'bad'..it just means a lot of people voted for it..I have never voted..on anything..it's not about votes to me..I like what I like..and if your pic's good in an objective way, it will be reflected in the hit counts, if that's important. I do this because it's fun, heaven knows I've got nothing to prove..and if people hadn't told me they'd voted on something, I'd never know..so don't sweat the small stuff..

@ pog There's a fine line between critisizing, bitching and whining. Critisizing is when you're trying to be helpful. Bitching is when you're trying to get something off you're chest. Whining is just plain self pitying. Wonder where you've been? In and out, as usual. Lurking here and there. Sorry, I don't keep a strict accounting of the types of posts. But you're right, there have been an inordinate amount of bitchy posts lately. I for one would love to get back to discussing techniques. One of my favourite periods in this forum recently was during the Crystal Palace competion. Everyone seemed to be so into it. And although I didn't participate, I found the discussions fascinating and invaluable.

although i own bryce, i'm not much of a "brycer". i look at the hot 20 for all the programs i own. i'd love to see (and, in this forum, often USED to see)stuff i would aspire to. now, the 20 here, and in the poser gallery, as well, leave me a bit flat. i'm sorry, some of the works mentioned here i would never "aspire" to. and, that's what i think the 20 should be all about....not friends, or grandstanding, but showing works that others will look at and wonder how it was done. slapping a fractal on a terrain or a 2 dimensional figure done in poser just don't float my boat. too easy to go figger how it was done, and, often, how little time it took to do.

I think Poppi really said it well.

When I first started in Bryce in 2001, I was moved to get the program because of one site in particular. That site was Bruce MacLeod's Bryce Select Forum@ Watchfuleye.com.

I was blown away by so much of the work there. The select gallery was inspiring to me. After I picked up Bryce, one of my goals using the program was to eventually have an image accepted there. Don't know if that sounds trivial to some or not. But at that time, it was about growth in my abilities and to be recognized by my peers (other Bryce'rs) as an artist that has displayed growth and talent. It wasn't about "braggin rights" as a few often cite. It was more about reaching a goal I set for myself. And at that time, to me anyway, The Select Gallery was one of the premire galleries of top Bryce art.

I eventualy found my way to R a couple years ago. IMO, the site has changed alot over this time. When I first came here- I was again blown away at many of the images I saw in the Bryce gallerys. Especially in the Hot 20. To me at that time, this was where the best stuff broke out of the galleries and was applauded by the Bryce community. When I finally did get voted into the H20, it wasn't a "Look at how good I am! I am great!" Mentality. For me, it was humbling and a "Thank you all" to my peers mentality.

I think all artist in any field desire the respect and appreciation of their peers in a given field. It isn't a selfish, ego trip for the most part that has one desire that. It's the feeling of accomplishment and belonging/acceptance amoung those that you likewise respect.

As Poppi stated "some of the works...here (the H20) I would never aspire to [do]" I guess there has been a wind of change in the way the H20 is now used and understood here at R. I don't understand it, but I will have to accept it. That doesn't mean I will stop my attempts of trying to get R to give us all an option to disable the vote button. I will bug them about this until I lose all interest in it.

My bottom line is, I personally don't like the direction this has taken. It's my beef (and obviously others too) and I feel I have the right to make that known and be heard as so long as i am not violating TOS. Funny, how many say that people have the right to voice their opinions through voting what they want in. Yet, others are being told to shut their mouths when voicing their opinions about the H20 on the otherside of the spectrum.

I understand this isn't "my" site. It's a site I am part of. But for that reason I do believe I have the right to speak up about it. I have carefully tried to keep any one person or persons out of my posts. I am not angery at any specific artist. I am overall disappointed in the system. One that seems to me at least, to be broken.

thanks for reading my rant... again.

:::Off the soapbox:::
-Bruce

I think this thread has gone far enough