This is an idea that I'm just tossing out for discussion, and I wasn't sure where I should post it here or in Complaint and Debate where it might get more views. I got to thinking today (warning, it gets dangerous when I do that ... hehehe). There are over 70000 images in the galleries. Right now, about 47-48000 of them are Poser or Bryce images, and the remaining 23000 are created in other apps or are photos.

So, I got to thinking ... how many of us look at those 23000 images that are not Poser or Bryce? Then I thought one step further ... how could the galleries be arranged to even out the playing field a little more? So ... let's say, for example, that instead of having the galleries arranged by application, they are arranged by content type. It would open up the galleries to more viewing of images created in other apps, and folks could compare images created in similar programs more easily. Not only that, but the "Hot 20" in each category might actually be a little more interesting as well.

Here's some ideas that I could think of immediately:

A "Pinup" gallery (for all those folks who like to create/view pinups)
A "Fantasy" gallery (for the faeries and mythological creatures)
A "Landscapes and Scenes" gallery for outdoor scenes created with ANY app ... Bryce, World Builder, Terragen, etc.
A "SciFi/Space" gallery
A Photography Gallery (for straight photographs)
A PhotoPlus Gallery (for digitally enhanced photos, or photo montages)
A "Mechanical" gallery for those who like to create autos, machines, etc., etc.

Only thing is ... I can't quite figure out an appropriate name for all those images where women's breasts are bigger than their heads. ;-)

Any other ideas or thoughts on this?

How about The Melon Patch? j/k....

ROFL! Um, that wasn't quite the part of the message that I wanted the ideas or thoughts on (even though I will confess that the word "melon" did come to mind as I was writing my ideas. LOL).

Creating a topical-based gallery has been discussed before, but it has been decided to leave it divided by application so those trying to learn those applications can easily find the images they are looking for, among other reasons. "... how many of us look at those 23000 images that are not Poser or Bryce?" According to your numbers, about 33% of us. :) Russell

Russell, Well, at least I know my idea was on the right track then, if someone else has thought of it before. 8-) OK, how about an additional idea ... when you post your image, you select the "topic gallery" that you want to post it in, and a box prompts you to enter the applications used to create the image. Folks who want to search for images done in specific apps can then do a keyword search for "Poser" or "Lightwave" or "Max", or whatever. Would that be a solution? Another reason for my suggesting this idea is that there are so many images that are done with more than one app. Sometimes it is very difficult to decide which gallery to put them in. Denise

Understood. Another thing to think about ... if we change the way the galleries are divided up, who is going to re-classify the current 80,000 images to the new structure? Russell

Well, I kinda thought about that too ... I told you I get dangerous when the wheels start turning (hehehehe) ... One solution would be to leave the existing galleries as they are. At the end of the new gallery list, there can be a link called "Gallery Archives", which provides a link to the old galleries on a separate page. If the artist desires, he or she can transfer their older images to the "new" galleries. These are just ideas, Russell ... I understand if this is not feasible, and hope you're taking these thoughts in that light. Denise

Maybe I should rephrase slightly for better clarity. Leave the existing galleries as they are, with the exception that artists cannot post to the older categories. At the end of the new category list will be a link called "Gallery Archives." This link takes you to a separate Gallery Archives page, which basically lists the galleries as they now appear and displays the older images. I hope that's a little clearer Denise

Yeah, I understand where your going with it. And of course I'm taking these ideas in that light. :) Ideas are what this forum is all about. I just have to add a bit of "reality" because I'm the one who has to make the ideas work in code. :) Russell

Hey... I look at EVERYTHING... well let me rephrase that... when I look in the gallery, I always browse through "All" and I'll click on every page until I start seeing thumbnails that I've seen already... so I look at every thumbnail, and I click on any image that catches my eye regardless of the category... shrug I like seeing what people can do with other applications, and in 2D and photography... it's all art in my book... even the WIP images!

dillema: if you add the classification column in, leaving the software column in as well... the classification would be blank for all old pics... what are they classified as? could they be "Unclassified" by default, and can be edited by the artist if they choose to edit the image entry... and of course for new submissions "Unclassified" is not an option in the submit form. for search, unclassified images are not picked up. that's the onus on the artist to classify their pics.

Yeah April, the "Unclassified" answer was what I'd come up with too. Right now, we have a big push underway for changes in the store and the member homepages. This would be one of those big changes that will have to wait for available time. Russell

new member homepages! hmm, can't wait to see :) we're all due to overhaul them anyway i guess... heh heh

actually i like the orig idea- and if they wanted help- well that is what the beginner gallery is for, as well as application specific forums. as far as this (begin quote) Only thing is ... I can't quite figure out an appropriate name for all those images where women's breasts are bigger than their heads. ;-) (end quote) that would be the mutant gallery

The only reason I would have reservations about the idea is that while there are a limited number of programs, there are unliited styles. "I wanna space alien gallery!" "Gotcha." Russell "I want a Fairy gallery!" "Okeydokers!" Russell "There isn't a gallery for fractals yet! Help!" "Hang on a mo'..." Russell ""Hey, I did a neoclassical interpretive pointilism! Where do I put it?" "(unprintable)" Russell