rbaker1956
12-14-2008, 03:22 PM
Hey Guys, for the last couple of months, I've been threatening in my head to write you a really long long e-mail about why I found the old site so user unfriendly. It was unwieldy and some times difficult to navigate. I found the size and scope of both Main and Premier overwhelming. Then there were artists that I just plain missed out on, because I hadn't gone as deep into the galleries as their most recent post. That's ALL changed! This was a much needed and brilliant move that already has improved this site enormously. I can save pictures into my favorites categories. YES! I can arrange things by Date, by Artist. Yes! I can look at just pin-ups, or pix of Velshtein's cat in Chicken Drag! Yes! In the last two days, I've run across more artists whose work I've never seen( and really like) than in the last six months
I know that there are problems. I've run into a glitch or two. I also have concerns about categorizing art work, but I suspect that is the artist posting in me, and I've yet to run into an artist in any medium who doesn't chafe at being categorized or pigeon-holed. It invariably happens anyway. My own personal feeling is that maybe someone runs across something that they like of mine, and the decide to peek into my gallery and discover some stuff that at first glance, they might pass over but now intrigues them.
It's hard to lose all those hits/ratings/ comments from the old site, I would be lying to state otherwise, but maybe a little cleansing of the ego is a good thing. My most popular image ( according to hits) had 5000 attached to it, but honestly I never thought it was my best image, it really became a snowballing monster on it's own. Maybe this virgin status isn't such a bad thing after all, as long as we don't wake up to find out it's all been a dream state taking place in a shower in Texas!
I really like this new site. In months I think I will come to love it. Already it just feels more empowering and more customizable as a user. My bigger suspicion is that it's going to be even better for the artists posting here.
To all you out there who are having trouble with all of this, I hear you. It really is hard. But change is inevitable and as the old saw goes ," every time you close one door, another one opens." I think this site is going to be really state of the art. I'll stop my brown-nose toadying now.
I know that there are problems. I've run into a glitch or two. I also have concerns about categorizing art work, but I suspect that is the artist posting in me, and I've yet to run into an artist in any medium who doesn't chafe at being categorized or pigeon-holed. It invariably happens anyway. My own personal feeling is that maybe someone runs across something that they like of mine, and the decide to peek into my gallery and discover some stuff that at first glance, they might pass over but now intrigues them.
It's hard to lose all those hits/ratings/ comments from the old site, I would be lying to state otherwise, but maybe a little cleansing of the ego is a good thing. My most popular image ( according to hits) had 5000 attached to it, but honestly I never thought it was my best image, it really became a snowballing monster on it's own. Maybe this virgin status isn't such a bad thing after all, as long as we don't wake up to find out it's all been a dream state taking place in a shower in Texas!
I really like this new site. In months I think I will come to love it. Already it just feels more empowering and more customizable as a user. My bigger suspicion is that it's going to be even better for the artists posting here.
To all you out there who are having trouble with all of this, I hear you. It really is hard. But change is inevitable and as the old saw goes ," every time you close one door, another one opens." I think this site is going to be really state of the art. I'll stop my brown-nose toadying now.