May I suggest treating yourself to something you don't usually buy? I bought a very good photo-realistic texture for M3 with mine that happened to be exactly $5.00, and as mentioned there are a number of great five doller items, I actually had quite a struggle deciding.  I'm sure you can find something fun to use it on if you look around a bit.  Enjoy it, these don't come often from what I've seen.

Well just to answer the questions:

1. I download freestuffs regularly I think my last download was yesterday or so, although I rarely unpack those downloads right away and in fact have quite a number of unpacked files sitting about at any given time.

2. I have not recieved any of the new Greeting Card type spam.  In fact my e-mail continues to remain quiet on the spam front and I am still recieving notifications of comments/image uploads, favorites, etc. daily.

3. I recieved the Rendo newsletter last night.  Normally I delete it without opening it as it's esentially the front page which I see all the time, but I did open this one for the sake of the theory it might be connected to the spam.  I haven't recieved any spam as a result so far.

Hope all that helps a bit.

Finally while it's pure speculation on my part I wouldn't expect much in the way of offical progress reports from the Rendo Staff until their investigation and if neccesary security fixes have been completed, which may be some time yet in coming (I certianly don't know that is just a guess).

I'm certian we can all appreciate the need not to overtly state what steps are being taken, what checks they are running, when and where they are running them, what they have and or have not discovered, etc. pubicly until after everything they can do on their end has been done.  After all if there is a problem internally with Rendo's security (and it may just as possibly be external as several have pointed out), certianly they wouldn't want to tip off anyone involved who might be glancing at threads such as this as to what they are doing to stop them.

Well just a small thought or two from ignorant little me ^^

For the sake of information I was never a part of the Critique Group.

On a personal note, I am following the course of the discussion (well what I can understand anyways, as I said I'm woefully ignorant about such things).  Although I'm certianly curious as to who might be responsible, how it's being done, and what not only the site as a whole, but what a individual member might be able to do to perevent future occurances (if there is in fact anything to be done).

I think, ultimatly, if I read what people have been saying correctly this is what most members seem to be concerned with as a priority, IE "How is this occuring? How does one stop it?"

At present the one definative fact not in contention is that everybody who'se mentioned incidents of this particular type of spam e-mail reception is quite obviously a member of this site.  That does not neccesarilly mean, however, that the site itself is fault either knowingly or unknowingly.

It should also, I think, be of note that if you look at the number of Renderosity members as a whole as opposed to the number who in this and other threads have actually reported incidents of this type of e-mail it's a fairly small relative number.  Does this mean that the vast majority is not recieving this type of e-mail spam? Does it mean that they are and have not made the association between it and this site and so have not felt it neccesary to report it?  Does it mean that they do believe there is a association but are for whatever reasons remaining unheard?

It's also intresting to note the different results when setting up new e-mail accounts exclusive to Rendo.  Some seem to be recieving the same type of spam almost instantly, while others reported recieving no spam e-mails of any kind.

Finally it's curious as to why this has stopped occuring for some members who had it happen previously, while others are still recieving the same type of e-mails.

I suppose what I'm trying to get it is that what is known decisivly and consistantly about the problem is very little, which in itself is a bit frightening I suppose.

At anyrate contininuing to follow this discussion with intrest and hoping for a good result.  ^^

I don't mind Hawkfyr if it might help.  I'm using a U.S. company called Charter Communications for my ISP.  And no I'm not using AOL.  Hope that helps, maybe?  ^^

Just as a informational note to the gallery comments theory, I posted a image this morning.  It has recieved a total of fifteen comments and two favorites with e-mail notices being sent to me in each case throughout the day (along with the usual notifications of favorite artist uploads, etc).  I haven't recieved any spam related e-mails though as of the time of this posting.

I think for this site it's the first one, the home one, and I use it for DAZ as well as a number of other 3D related sites,  in fact this particular one is probably used quite a bit for different site memberships by myself and others so it's been around the net a bit but call it fools luck or something the address rarely recieved much in the way of more then the occasional SPAM letter or two until all the Scam stuffs which suddenly ceased as mysteriously as they started.

One thing I can say with regard to Rendo stuff is that though I've recieved e-mails from different members at different times, I've always responded to them via on-site PM rather then sending an e-mail back to them.  And my e-mail is hidden on my profile.

But I do recieve a regular amount of daily e-mail from Rendo in the areas I've mentioned which hasn't changed either before, during, or after the scam e-mail spamming.

Hope that helps ^^

Yes I do 3D, whenever I post a image which isn't all that often now a days but in fact I just posted one today and have recieved a number of notifications of replies without any spam coming in.

I'm honestly at a bit of a loss to explain it on my end.  I tried to think if I personally was doing anything different in terms of sites I was going to, corrispondance, security upgrades, etc. and also since this is not an exclusive one-user computer I asked around a bit as well but no one has been doing anything different that they can recall.

The only thing I can think of is that I'm not purchasing as much as I was for a few months, but only one of those purchases was a Renderosity product anyways so I don't think it's related and as I mentioned I used my freebie gift certificate the other day with no ill effect spam wise.

Sorry I can't be of more help....

Just as an informational thingy I'm still not recieving any of the spam type e-mails described.  Also since it's been mentioned, I regularly recieve E-Mail notifications on Favorite Artists posting images on a daily bases and I have a fair amount of favorites at this point some of whome post multible images daily so it's a fair amount.  I also recieve the Rendo newsletter and stuffs.

Oh and I used the Marketplace fairly recently for the gift certificate thingy, and of course I've made two recent posts to this forum although I don't and haven't ever turned on notifications of people replying to them.

And I download a fair amount of Freebies from here, not as many as I used to but still maybe two or three every couple of days or so give or take.

Hope that helps a bit.  I'm a bit mystified as to where it all came from and why certain people are still recieving vast amounts while folks like me who used to recieve similar amounts now aren't recieving any, but I'm sure someone will explain it somehow, although I probably won't understands it (I'm terribly dense about such things).

Anyways good lucks again ^^

Er... I don't know if this has anything to do with anything, but I thought I'd report it since I've been glancing at this thread and I haven't seen anyone else mention it over the last few days.

Like some of the others I've been recieving for awhile a great many "Spam" type of e-mails of the type described which I delete right away.  It's become such a daily occurance I don't even bat an eye at it.

In the last few days or so I think right about the time the site was redone, I noticed they all seemed to cease, the "You've won... Inherited.. etc" and such things I mean such as were described earlier in the thread.  I did recieve one "Spam" type e-mail today which I deleted, it may be unrelated, but apart from that nothing and the sudden silence is almost creepy.  I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this sudden "silence"?

I also have, if I may, a thought as to why StaceyG and her fellow employs may not be recieveing any "spam" type e-mails on there accounts, more of a question really... Is it possible that assuming  these teams of hackers and such may have cracked Rendo's security measures, is it not also possible they can distinguish certian e-mails and such as belonging to Admin/Mods/Programmers/etc including new ones they set up as a sort of bait as it were for them and as such avoid sending them any of the "Spam" type e-mails others seem to be recieving?  I honestly don't know anything about such matters I just wondered if that might explain the disparity.

Well, if in fact there is a hole in Rendo security I certianly hope the Staff is able to come up with a suitable defense.

Best of luck! ^^

Hey Django, just wanted to drop in and say I'm sorry to hear you're being hit by this as well.  I don't really get effected much by these things in terms of my personal gallery but it's really starting to piss me off seeing what it's doing to artists I like and respect.

Stay strong.  ^^

On a purely off track but fun note I have to say I'm very much enjoying all the wonderfull pictures of the little animals involved in various shinanigans up.  It's provided a welcome respite from some of the hard debate.  I think the image Captain Jack posted of the little kitten all curled up beneath the covers one tiny paw firmly clutching her little cat plushie protectivly is especially adorable.

Oh and Hawkfyr just so there's no confusion I wasn't laughing at you about not posting that many images, but at the situation just to clarrify.  In otherwords the other sure way not to violate the TOS with images is to simply not post any images at all which struck me as funny in an ironic sort of way.  ^^

"fraid not crimson. it would take more than what you could offer in words on the internet to achieve that lol" ~ Billy

Now why am I having a hard time believing that at the moment, but I'll take your word for it.

"sorry but i think you're confusing pain with ego" ~ Billy

Am I?  Well again you're entitled to your opinion.

"where did the sole worth stuff come from? as for judging them whilst they're at theire worst, it's all one can do if thats all you see. "  ~ Billy

Not really.  There are in fact a great many alternatives to that, one simply has to make the effort.

 
"all you're doing is extending a premise to something i replied to which no longer has validity to the thread in hand thereby taking it off at a tangent to what the reply was originally intended for.
but i'll bite lol. i have no responsabilty to play psych maid to a people who suffer from delusions of grandure. i am and have always been responsible for my own actions. according to what you say so should everybody be thereby negating the need for help. you can't have it both ways. as for living with myself..i do so on a daily basis without regret" ~ Billy

Oh, I thought it was quite valid to your original response Billy.  If you mean that you're disappointed I didn't respond as you might have prefered to your assuption then yes I suppose that would be correct.  It hardly invalidates the issue however.  Now to as to your having to "play psych maid to people who suffer from delusions of grandure" I don't believe anyone here asked you to.  Now as to your premise that that people being responsible for their own actions somehow invalidates any arguement that people sometimes need help I'm sorry but I don't believe the two are at all in conflict.  If, for example a person who has lived life as a responsible adult throughout there existance suddenly finds themselves trapped in a burning building do they not then need help?  And does it suddenly mean they are no longer responsible for their own actions?  I don't believe that would generally be accepted as being the case.  It's not a question of my "having it both ways" it simply is what it is like most things in life.

"crit doesn't have to be followed. it's an opinon, hopefully constructive but never binding. they can have, do and listen to what they want but if they ask publicly for a crit and i give it then it's given. what they do with it is up to them as long as they don't come crying about it to anyone who'll listen. this is one of the main reasons critique should never be critiqued. bad taste to ask for a personal opinion which is often what a critique is and then tell that person they're wrong. . a critique neither needs reply, explanation, condemnation or affirmation. either of which usually says more about the person being critiqued than the crit itself" ~ Billy

Critics have never been, that I'm aware of, any sort of immunity from being critiqued themselves.  And in fact I believe the old saying about "Don't dish it out if you can't take it" might perhaps come to mind.  Just as you are intitled to your opinion, Billy, the person that is being critiqued has the right to both their feelings and their own opinions and to express them.  Put another way, "For every action there is a reaction".

"people who stumble like the rest of us don't have to live up to any expectation. it's called life and living it doesn't gaurentee us a card to the who'll help me next club. whilst i agree everyone is in need of compassion and help. i disagree that they should be entitled to it all the time which is what you imply. don't we all make judgements before we commit. arent you judging me (i don't mind btw, ) are you showing me any compassion? or am i not worthy of it" ~ Billy

I don't rember making any statement to the effect that people are or are not entitled to help all of the time, Billy.  And I don't remember anyone forming a "who will help next" club anywhere in my community.  People do occasionally need help.  Dealing generally with people with compassion or with understanding when they are hurting is a good thing I think.  Depending on the situation one doesan't always have the luxery of time for assessment.  As to weather or not I'm judging you, Billy, I'm not actually.  I don't know you.  I am responding to what you are writing and I am assessing that in order to formilate a response best suited to it.  There is a differance.  In responding to your statements and questions I am indeed making an effort to be civil and yes if you prefer compassionate.  Weather or not you choose to see it is of course up to you.

Finally one last note.  I'm as proud today of my first render as the day that I made it.  Have I been able to see some small improvement in my meager understanding and as a result my small peices?  Certianly.  But looking at those first starting renders, for all their flaws they are as precious and special as they were when I first put them up.  In my short time here I've seen artists both old and new inovate and expand their scope of work and their techniques in ways that both astound me and invite my admiration.  I strongly believe that no matter what your choosen medium or area of concentration that such spirit should be encouraged.

I saw the blo feature but never used it.  God knows I insanly babble enough in the forum here, I'm quite sure that's more then enough.  Heh.

Dear me, touch a nerve did I Billy?

"if we stumble we pick ouselves up or if offered accept a helping hand. if we continue to stumble without  addressing why we stumble we only do those who offer their help a diservice." ~Billy

We do a greater diservice to those who are stumbling if we cannot see their pain and make allowance for it.

"that hurt and anger causes us to express ourselves in ways that may be deemed discourtious by our peers doesn't mean we should take compassion from others for granted. that we do so sometimes shows a lack of compassion in ourselves." ~ Billy

Not neccessarilly.  It can simply speak to temporary clouded judgement.  If one were to judge the sole worth of a person based on seening them at their worst, one often can miss out those moments when they are at their best.  Some people have a tendancy to lash out in hurt or anger.  It is often at those moments that they are in most need of compassion.

"you've obviously never been badly beaten by someone you let up out of compassion and fair play. i recommend at least one or two good kicks to let them know that life is rarely fair in general or not so general terms." ~ Billy

While the end result of a fight may at times be changed by one's humanity for someone who is an opponent is ultamitly not only weather the fight is won or lost but how a person chooses to fight that can have a more lasting effect on one's life.  It's not a question of fairness but of personal responsablity for one's own actions.  Some things we do to live and some things we do to be able to live with ourselves.

"as for constructive crit. i agree whole heartedly but constructive crit often carries negativity within. i was pointing out that good positive things can be gained (sometimes the best things) from negative crit (note the word crit). i don't associate simply being spitefull or hurtful as any kind of  crit. often using a polite manner to crit which i try and do makes little difference to those of thin skin. sadly they just go somewhere else and ask others for crit whilst complaining about a crit they recieved off someone else. some of them don't want or can't handle good honest crit given in a polite and kind manner. some have their heads stuck so far up their arse that the only thing which they allow to enter their ears is shit. i can accept that but what i can't accept is when time after time they pull their shit covered head out of their arse and ask....can you comment on this please then cry when you do cos instead of going wow you give an actual crit." ~ Billy

Truelly you have a intresting sense of metaphor.  Sometimes criticism, even politily put can be hard to hear or except.  And sometimes a person is going to want to hear more then one opinion on the matter.  It may also take a little while for what you are telling them to sink in, particullarly if they feel hurt by what was said, however well intended it might have been.  That does not mean they don't ultimatly here what you are saying though.  As for someone continuing to ask for critical evaluations of their work even after becoming upset, I can only conjecture on the whys of that.  There are many possible reasons but I would hope that if someone continously asked for critical evaluations that they would thank the person for their honest opinion on the matter.

"back to the understanding and compassion. yes they are important. very important.  thats i won't waste them on silly trivial posts or the people who post them. what i saw was a self centered child displaying petulance cos someone didn't stroke his ego. this is not an attack of someone but an opinion of a post and what i garnered rightly or wrongly from it. now you can spank my bum and call me cynical if you feel like but it won't change my opinion" ~ Billy

You are certianly intitled to that opinion Billy and I have no desire to spank your bottem or any other part of you for that matter.  I don't think that 3_Bad_Mice was being particularly self-centered or petulant.  She was asking for some answers to questions and explaining some of the reasons for asking and her style actually struck me as fairly light hearted and self-decrimating.  But each person is of course going to have their own perceptions on things.  That is part of what makes the world so intresting and also why tolerance and understanding are important to work for.

"show me someone who warrants understanding and compassion and i'll give it by the bucketful. show me someone who genuinely stumbles instead of falling down on their own pitard and ill be the first to offer a helping hand" ~ Billy

I'm glad to hear it.  There are certianly no shortage of people in the world who need understanding and compassion, in fact I believe just about everyone does.   I can only hope that those who stumble live up to your standards of what is and what is not worthy.

"yeah, billy, but basically, they wrote poser so anybody could produce renders of humans
on the first day of use. so anybody can do renders in poser. what separates the pros
from the masses is the ability to read the manual, to do proper lighting, proper shadows,
use the right scene and props, pose the figure correctly, do facial expressions, use hair
correctly, use clothing correctly, use the correct render settings, etc. ad infinitum.
anybody can do it, but it takes quite a bit of patience and experience to do it right
(see poser gallery here)." ~ Miss Nancy

I know you addressed your post primarilly to Billy, Miss Nancy, but I couldn't resist a brief comment.  I think that in addition to the technical skills you mentioned there are also some other important personal traits.  Artistic vision, perserverance in the face of artistic adversity (which can take many forms), and inovation are a few.  What makes viewing different images both here and at other sites so enjoyable for me is that I'm constantly watching artist's change, evolve, and inovate their styles and subjects, and certianly it's very inspiring and exciting to see.

Quote - We didn't have a "May purge" not sure where that "tale" came from, LOL..

But I'll repeat its the members responsibility to adhere to the TOS. Since we don't ban on a whim, the member is well aware before it gets to a permanent ban status that they are on the edge. So at that point if I were them and wanted to stay an active member within the guidelines then I would be having anything that could be questionable reviewed by staff beforehand (as we suggest when communicating and educating). 

The May Purge is my way of refering to the artists who were banned from the site at about that time give or take a few months before and after that period.  I am given to understand that they were quite numerous both in terms of image removal, warnings, temp and or perminant bans during that time period.

As I think has been pointed out more then once during this thread the problem with what you have said here:

 "I would be having anything that could be questionable reviewed by staff beforehand (as we suggest when communicating and educating)."

Is that some artists are not purposly uploading material they think is questionable.  So while they may have/are submiting images to you in advance of actually posting them to the galleries that they think might be called into question, they may once again be uploading an image or images in good faith honestly believing that is both withen TOS guidlines and will not be in any way shape or form be viewed as being objectionable.

I am aware there are those who have simply made the choice to stand behind their artistic styles and cast their fortions good or bad to the fates.  I also have seen artist's work removed and the artists punished for posting in honest good faith.  

In addition to that I've seen some, paticularly those effected by some of the issues to hand such as what and what does not constitute "underage" or "potentially underage" or "objectionable" become so frustrated by after continuely seeking clarrifcation and guidence and not recieving any real solid and comphresive guidlines specific to their styles simply thrown in the towel and either gone to other sites or started to render again according to their own standards in that regard.

This makes me very sad.

Throughout this thread when people have asked for some more specific clarity, usually in regard to the different anime characters but also in regard to several others the general response has been that each image will be judged individualy.  But this can make it difficult.

Quite honestly the only real realistic sulution for anyone treading water right now seems to very simply be to submit each and every render regardless of weather the artist thinks it does or does not fall into full compliance to the staff for approval or disapproval.  That means everything, not just something for example with a nude A3. 

That's really the only solution that will absulutly postivily garenty that under no circumstances will the artist ever submit an image to the galleries that might get them in trouble under the current conditions.  And I do mean everything regardless of nudity, violence, or neither of the aformentioned.  The artist must submit everything... EVERYTHING... that they do to the staff for pre-posting evaluation.  Everything.

That is at the current time the most solid garentee that an artist will never ever find themselves in trouble with images posted ever.

Can you imagion? If every picture in every gallery in the entire site was e-mailed first for approval?  Of course, it will never happen but can you just imagion it?  Gives me a good giggle or two to think of it and the possible results.