Zoombas:In general, we try and give people the benefit of the doubt and an opportunity to make ammends when they're nabbed posting ripped work.
The first step is never to exile. The first step is to email the user letting them know the problem and watching them more closely for a while to make sure they've corrected their wicked ways. In some cases, this works and the person settles down to become a member of the community. In some cases, they didn't know what they did was necessarily wrong. These are the people we try to help back to the "path of good" so to speak
In this user's case, their walls were all removed and they were warned. Since then, all that's left are a few screenshots and now a DX Theme. Our DX section moderator, who is a long-time DX themer and very aware of the body of work out there, did not hear any warning bells go off on that particular theme indicating it might be ripped. It has been taken down due to concerns over the wall shown in the preview, however that wall was not present in the theme itself.
Is there criteria for someone being banned from uploading material? Well, there are no hard and fast rules as each case is different. It depends on the sheer volume of work ripped, and whether or not the user heeds warnings once caught. Generally, they have to show pretty serious disregard for warnings and other artists work. We had a user just this week who was ripping large portions of work already posted to WinCustomize (and only at WinCustomize) and blatantly declaring it as his. That is one of the extreme cases and resulted in all of his work being rejected outright. He's been warned and if he continues, it will result in a site ban.
Also keep in mind that different moderators cover different submission queues. A ripper in the wallpaper section may slip past in WindowBlinds since different people cover each of those. So one moderator may not necessarily be aware of a particular user. We receive hundreds of submissions per week from just about as many users sometimes, so things will slip through the cracks.
The rules remain the same, but we're not perfect, and when the moderation team gets overloaded, mistakes will happen, things will slip through the cracks. We are doing the best we can, and we do very much care about protecting IP and the work of our artists and users, and appreciate people reporting rips. We can only see and be aware of so much, so the community's ongoing help is absolutely essential to us.
Once again I will ask ..how many times does a person get their work removed for Ripping and still be allowed to upload yet again and again more rips ?
Since this post was written - the questionable DX Theme that was removed for questionable wall was reuploaded 3 days ago but it was renamed and recoloured red. Its very easy to take a DX Theme and unzip the contents into a folder to get a closer look at the entire contents. The Theme itself proved to contain everyones graphics imaginable. The Start menu and task bar among other graphics were from Navigatsios Soho WB. I saw graphics from Questins theme, Q's , Gefs etc etc.The biggest tip off that it was a rip was when you moused over icons - objects etc , none of the tool tip messages matched at all. They obviously were from the Theme he ripped . He claimed in the details " Permissions included " There were NO permissions included at all.
The Theme was removed. Now 3 days later yet another uploaded Theme from the same person. Just looking at this Complex theme I would know that its doubtful he made it.
I left him this message on his Theme:
Well once again - here you are with yet another upload after 5 Ripped walls and 2 DX Themes have been removed from WC. The latest removal ( 3 days ago) - a recolored version of the DX Theme that was removed last week. And I guess this time this is supposed to be your work?
1) WHAT RESOLUTION is it for ?? You do not state it until after a person is in the middle of installing it and then its too late we find its for
1152 resolution only !
2)
YOUR name is printed on the start panel. Why ? If you made this graphic why is YOUR name appearing on the start panel on my computer? I have never seen a DX Theme maker not have the Users name appear on the start menu - who wants to use a Theme with your name on the start panel?
3) Once again I see files with other peoples names on them after I extracted all the files - lovely62's weather widget with Richard Mohlers Vista Outlook (light) background has been used to replace Lovely62's background. Where is your Permission ? The Theme that was removed 3 days ago - I saw many files with others names on them - Quentin, Q's ,Gefs ,the start menu and task bar among other graphics were from Navigatsio's Soho blind - and there was NO permission included in that Zip either - hence the removal. The biggest tip that it was a rip was the all the mouse over tool tips didnt match any of the graphics at all. Because you are just replacing bits and pieces. This is an insult to people that spend 2 weeks making a DX Theme and you just think its ok to help yourself to their work.
You continue to have the walls that were removed from WC as proven Rips appear on your DA site - I guess you thinks its just OK to do this...and its not.
So again I ask..how many chances does a visitor from Brazil get to keep uploading Rips before they are stopped ?
