I just started a thread on this myself and didn't see this one posted first...probably out of sheer frustration as I look to the grim future of the poor decisions that are being considered today. Here's my post of my thread.

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This topic has been brought up in a few other threads thus far, but I would like to create a thread that generally is not in support of having our images tampered with and being forced to click an extra time to view the image.

With the scripting options posted in other threads, the site is fantastic as is and allows a user to revert to viewing images the old way - One click, one view. I don't have time to click multiple times to view images, and what's worse, I don't want my images anti-aliased, even the preview image. I really like my custom script that allows me to view the site as I feel comfortable with, and this doesn't affect anyone else but me. If you do decided to carry on with this ridiculous algorthm, then PLEASE make it an option to turn off as many users are happy with their custom scripts in functionality, and there will be ample support in the forums to assist those who want their desired customizations. I click on my thumbs in my gallery, the full sized posted image loads with all my information, stats, comments, and BAM...it's on! It's my home here, too, and that's the way I prefer to have it presented.  One click, one view, completely wholesome.

From a legal standpoint that has been brought up in other threads; Renderosity is run as a private entity and they have the right to operate the site as they see fit, and always have. The debate comes in when  they duplicate, alter, and publically post this preview image and thus fabricating what the artist intends on presenting to the end user. Especially when the artist does not condone this activity or want his or her works displayed in this fashion. Not only that, but it doesn't ensure the image will even be viewed in its' proper state.  If another user took my images, modified them, then decided to post it in their vision, no matter what the intention, there wouldn't be enough expletive language from my lungs to convey my expressiveness. I certainly wouldn't expect this activity to originate from the site.

I prefer options, as do many of us here, and not have to conform to an ideal of a handful of individuals that have a different outlook in how artwork should be presented. As it stands, with my custom script that I have put together from various sources here, the site is better than ever and I don't have to click 200% more to navigate the site in an effective and bandwith efficent manner.

All arguments aside, I do appreciate the thought and consideration that is going into the conversion of the site and to try to arrive at a happy medium to where most will be content. However, altering artwork is not the path to travel, and quite a few users will decide to travel a path which leads far away from this site. Something to indeed consider in the plethora of decisions which can be made to arrive at a logical conclusion. Nobody wants their artwork modified, especially by a cold and calculated generalized script that will most likely end up blurring large images, thus creating a facade that the artist most certainly didn't intend to present while uploading.

Please consider these thoughts carefully as I truly feel that giving the end-user the option of customization is ultimately the most prevailing way to travel to lead this site successfully.

P.S. Yes, the mouse-over stat window is handy, but very annoying already. It does flicker the entire page after crossing over to another image, and it did not do that last night. I just don't see what they can't have the old Ratings/Comments under the thumb like before. What good is "uploaded 237 days and 3 hours ago" tell me? That I'm a turtle? LOL! I don't need to be reminded that time is passing by so fast, and it's a bit depressing. : / All things being equal, I will keep the stupid mouse-over stat window in lieu of this insane hard coding/smoothing function, which actually functions more like vandalism than anything constructive. I personally am not working on this project, but with the scripts, the galleries are even better than before when you initiated the dreaded popup window viewing images. Let's keep it real, but please not real dumb. =)