While it's a break from the tradition here to have long, wordy commentary in the galleries - I think that's a good change.  One hopes that one's art provokes some thought and feeling, and if someone is prompted to write more than a sentence or two, I think that reflects well on the piece that prompted that.  

While it is a problem that anything and everything that we post will make an email, I'm not bothered by that especially.  I note that a couple of people have already figured they can just disable comments completely, or they can say in their lead in text that "this is just a test render" or somesuch, and I don't look at those too hard.

I don't know if there will be a compromise that will make everyone happy.  Personally I like the way the galleries are being used for this purpose, I think this is as valid and appropriate use of them as anything else that comes to mind.  I think using a forum for this purpose would result in me viewing fewer images and critiquing a lot less, due to the inevitable conversations and socializing that crop up in free forums - that takes time and focus away from the actual goal of critiquing.

edit: Actually it occurs to me that it doesn't have to be strictly one way or the other - for those that are happy with the current effort using the galleries (e.g. me) let it continue, and for those that would prefer a forum, why not create some kind of WIP/Critique Wanted forum?  I would probably use both options, personally.

My Freebies