how quickly people forget that Renderosity is providing a free gallery and free forums.

No. They are not free. The gallery and forums are, in part, being paid by sales from the marketplace. Anyone who has purchased from the marketplace has contributed toward the cost of the forums and galleries. And merchants have contributed 50% of the price of their item toward the cost of the forums and galleries.

Message edited on: 02/02/2005 10:29

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?ForumID=12357&Form.ShowMessage=2102247&Reply=2103357#4

how quickly people forget that Renderosity is providing a free gallery and free forums. > No. They are not free. It doesn't cost me anything to put images in the gallery or to participate in this forum, so it's free for me and everybody else. Sure, these things are subsidized by the Marketplace and there is the hope that people who participate in what's free will also buy from the Marketplace. It's not a requirement. There are significant costs to running a site like this. I would estimate that the bandwidth costs of the gallery alone run a hundred thousand dollars a year or more. As far as I'm concerned, Renderosity is doing the Poser a community a good service.

Pay for being published?? HEHEHEHEHE No gracias!!!!

It doesn't cost me anything to put images in the gallery or to participate in this forum, so it's free for me and everybody else. Certainly, these areas are free at the point of use, but they are in fact loss leaders. Rendo believe that expenditure by them on these items will tempt people to buy things from the MP, and they are probably right - well, they must be or they would have gone out of business by now! They are not providing these things as a free service to the community, but because they hope it will increase their profits. And none of us would quarrel with that I expect. But it's exactly the same principle as the department store which puts an attractive display in its window, or my local pub which gives free chips (that's 'fries' to the Americans here!) to customers in the evening - salty snacks make people buy more beer. The principle is the same: there's no such thing as a free lunch.

It does set all sorts of alarm bells ringing. OK, if you get included, it's advertsing your skill, but I know zilch about this industry, and I have no idea of whether this scheme is plausible. For me, it doesn't much matter. I doubt I have the talent, and even if I did get something in, I wonder if I have the time to respond in a professional manner to any offers of work it may generate. I think I'm too much of an outsider. It's not what art school teaches about doing the art that matters -- it's learning the business of being an artist, and of selling yourself. And if this sort of deal is normal, I'm struggling too much to overcome the dire warnings I've picked up in relation to written work. However wrong I might be, this feels too much like scams I've come across elsewhere.

Whats next...Making Renderosity a PAYSITE to cover the costs of browsing the marketplace ? Shhhh, please don't give them anymore ideas lol. :)

I need to know who will be on the "jury panel". I certainly am not going to fork out that kind of money to have my work judged by anyone that works for this site, some of whom are not known to be the most "impartial" or fair people. Sorry if some don't like that, but I've seen way too many conflicts between members and staff here. In addition, if this book were only going to be distributed to art directors then I could see paying the fees, however, Renderosity will probably also offer this book in the marketplace at (US) $35.00 each. That's the potential to make plenty. If the site wants the profit...let the site make the investment!!!

So... I'm going to pay YOU to use MY artwork? While we're at it, can I pay YOU - for the priviledge of fixing YOUR car? for the priviledge of fixing YOUR computer? for eating food at my restaurant? for drinking beverages at my pub/bar? for the items that you recieve at my grocery store? ***** Folks... aw,hell... what's the use....

Ha! Ha! Ha! Rosity, You guys are great. As soon as I get paid, i'll be sure to send you half of my paycheck for the privilidge of being amused. WHaaaat a crack up you all are!

Boy, talking about stuff blowing in your face. RLOFL! Seems people are not the stupid sheep you think they were, eh ? Sixty replies, and 99% of them call things like they see them. Bwaaahaaaahaaaa !!!! staalrat2

putting Renderosity's book on a level with Spectrum, which is sold in a lot of markets, and has been running for years, is a little like saying the their lime is the same as Spectrum's Key Lime Pie.... and after reading this thread, I think I'll stop buying the Spectrum books as well. I don't want to support a publication that uses the same technique. I work in my company's internal publishing department. We risk thousands of dollars every QUARTER on publishing proposals that may or may not get chosen. If we have partners or subs for these proposals, we do not ask them to share in the cost because that cost is a part of doing business. I know how much it costs to put this kind of thing together, and the amount of money you are asking is WAY to high, unless you know that you are not going to be able to sell enough copies to cover the cost of printing. (How did the first volume's sales go, btw?)

The only thing that I've found regarding the first volume is that it was released September 2004, and that its Amazon sales rank is 55575. There are 51 used copies for sale through them as well.

By comparison, Spectrum 11 was released November 9, 2004 (two months later), and has a ranking of 26116 (the lower the number, the better the sales); and there are 37 used copies for sale.

Even more pertinent to this discussion, though, would be whether or not contributors to the first Renderosity volume have seen any leads or results from it.

Message edited on: 02/03/2005 13:28

With the way the moderators play favoritisium here, no thanks I'll keep my money;'( BTW I love this thread, glad to see others feel like I do;')

Message edited on: 02/03/2005 17:56