I see in the community a number of posts regarding unhappiness with Renderosity policies. I don't really understand the complaints and would appreciate a non-biased, short explanation if anyone can provide one. I see references to links to freebies, and also negative comments not being allowed, but I'm not sure if that is the source of the complaints. Some vendors are apparently abandoning Renderosity, but I hope this does not affect my favorite vendors: coflek-gnorg, Cybertenko, Dante78, Dreamland Models, Ironman13, London224, and others. I'm asking here in the (lower profile?) Carrara Forum to hopefully avoid adding gasoline to the fire.

The Carrara forum is nice respite from many things - including turmoil that seems to be alive in some other areas of the site.

Having been involved with the Renderosity team for a number of years, they're a good bunch and they run a business. They are not out get anybody and are exceedingly fair and reasonable.

In my opinion, to quote Shakespeare, "...all sound and fury signifying nothing."

Occasionally, and this is what is happening now apparently, some people with very strong opinions about everything, feel that Renderosity should not run like a business and should run within their own personal version of reality, whatever that is, but usually means "Everything I want or say is right and true". When Renderosity disagrees and acts like a business with a community it whole heartedly supports, the opinionated folks tend to become very vocal in multiple forums and spread misinformation or skew fragments of information to support a distorted view that agrees with their own.

Yaaaaaaawn. It's like watching political mudslinging during elections. Unfortunately, the vocal few will be so vocal that some people start to consider what they are saying as true and some small level of consensus builds.

Unlike other forums we are familiar with that may be closely related to Carrara, Renderosity does not immediately shut down dissenting opinions and contrary positions - TO IT's CREDIT, and remains an open forum community which happens to sell product.

So, "internet courage" of anonymous identities get's engaged and a select few forget to act like adults, behave with civility and humbleness, and revert back to their two-year-olds selves and have a tantrum.

This seems to happen about every 3 or 4 years.

Just my view of the world...

Mark has posted a well posed practical summary. As a member of rendo for about 15 years, I have seen several interesting trends. One of the fundamental aspects of rendo is that it is a business which has a focus on being polite and pleasant. Other sites are more wide open and tolerate a "larger" community and accept a larger cross section of people. Deviantart has a much different community of people doing different things than rendo as an example.

From my point of view, rendo tends to hold a more mature position than the ranters which show up. By not removing what the ranters say, the more adult position is proven (for my part). Censorship amplifies discontent. Patience instead does win the day.

Mark, Kixum -

Thanks for the prompt responses. I more or less thought that was the case, i.e. a small number of folks overreacting to some extent. But I'm glad to hear it from folks closer to the community (I'm a long time customer, but got more involved in the Forums only after DAZ's changes regarding Carrara, Poser format content, etc.) And so far I have not seen any of my favorite vendors (examples above) involved in the "walkout". So back to short animations in Carrara using Renderosity content ...

(I dunno why Japan, just looked cool)

Actually, part of the problem is that Daz and RDNA do not have the same policy. See, we are forbidden from linking to external sites, PERIOD. We are allowed to give the name of the site, or give instructions on how to find the freebie/tutorial/etc. Unfortunately, this means that it is impossible to direct someone to freebies hosted by someone else on Dropbox, Skydrive, or Googledrive as they do not show up in search engine results. It also means that we cannot link to off-site tutorials. I'm serious. This means that we can only give directions to video tutorials as AFAIK videos cannot be uploaded to Renderosity. Again, neither Daz nor RDNA have such a rule, and in fact DAZ allows forum links to Renderosity's freestuff so long as we don't link directly to the MP.

One of Rendo's arguments is that they are protecting us from viruses/malware. Problem is that some of the 3rd party ad banners on this site give people malware when the banners load on Renderosity's site.

IceEmpress posted at 9:22AM Sun, 21 February 2016 - #4256371

Actually, part of the problem is that Daz and RDNA do not have the same policy. See, we are forbidden from linking to external sites, PERIOD. ...

Yes, I have experienced that:

https://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/?thread_id=2899510

I thought it was interesting that the link was deleted, but the gist - a sale at another website - was OK. I haven't had need for the Dropbox, etc., type sites, but I can sort of see both sides.

I (unfortunately) have many friends who got viruses from links posted on the deviantart forums.

This is where the "business" of the site comes into play. If a site is determined by Google or third party site vetting service to have active malware links, then all search functions/results for the site posting the link get removed and the site has to apply for reinstatement after filing with multiple organizations. Sites can literally be off the search grid for several months. I've had to do this for a client - their site traffic was significantly reduced for that period of time.

As for different TOS policies and licensing language, well, this is why there are so many attorneys in the world helping businesses play nice with each other.

MarkBremmer posted at 12:46PM Tue, 23 February 2016 - #4256525

... If a site is determined by Google or third party site vetting service to have active malware links, then all search functions/results for the site posting the link get removed and the site has to apply for reinstatement after filing with multiple organizations. ...

I did not know that, I was thinking just let my virus software protect me. But that seems like a pretty convincing argument. I have had Google warn me away from sites, rarely, but it happens.

I just use macs.. became a non issue for me years ago :) Used to run both.. Macs ALWAYS came out cheaper to run after less than a year or use. and ALWAYS out run a PC with little or no "playing under the hood" I do run a virus program scan like once a month.. never had an issue. Personally, I'd rather get work done with my computer than to have to work on it :) But this is going to change the direction of this conversation LOLOLOLl

My 2 cents...

Just because someone doesn't agree with the "corporate position" doesn't make them cranks or crazy people. That attitude is condescending and largely unfair.

For my part, I try to make my arguments, provide examples, and go from there. People are free to disagree (and they DO).

The "vocal minority" argument is an old one that many people use to marginalize dissenting voices. In TV and radio, when we receive ONE letter from a viewer, that letter is considered by the Powers that Be, as representing HUNDREDS of viewers who didn't bother to post a letter to the station.

I don't know about most of you, but I don't have any "Internet Courage." The stuff I say here is the same stuff I say to your face. In the "Real World" I have worked as an arts advocate, serving on various boards to help artists with all manner of issues. Believe me, I'm a LOT more sedate on the web than I can be in person.

Rendo has taken an enlightened view, in that dissenting posts are not immediately removed, because any rational person would wonder what the company has to hide by yanking down negative posts. I had a talk with a friend about that recently (I'll mention that conversation in another post late, busy now).

In reality, by allowing dissenting views, Rendos forums are much more civilized. Some forums yank down dozens of posts. Are those posts somehow "wrong?" Are these people incorrect or simply not supporting the "official position"? Other forums give an unrealistic view of what people are actually thinking.

So, my advice is to read the posts, both Pro and Con, then make up your own mind.