Good choice.

Some pointers for a featured SS (my opinion):

1. Everything showing, skinned.  We don't want to see your default icons next to a skinned start panel
   
2. At least three SD apps featured
   
3. Bright colors (not too dark)
4. Uncluttered . . no need to fill the screen.  Less is more
5. Listing (and links) of components used
   

Okay, so I sat back in my chair, read the replies here and also did some sole searching as I was, am and will always be a member of the "Rat Pack".

Cliques are a given in any community, it happens, you just have to understand that, you don't have to like it. Surely no one here believes that there are not other cliques or groups of liked minded people who share interests, sort of like a club.

Now back to the Rat Pack, sure it was taken to the extreme, were we having fun, yes, was it done to intentionaly, as they say, wave our noses in the air at others, no. Now, all that everyone has posted is fine, we are getting to read and digest peoples opinions, which is what we should be doing.

What's the fix for the preceived problem, in fact what is the problem? Screen Shots of the Day not changing daily, nah. People posting too many screenshots of their desktops, nah. Too many resources being used, nah, that's why I subscribe to both WC and ObjectDesktop and buy Master and Premium Skins so there will be enough resources here. Could it be that some of the non-skinners of the community don't really know where they should be posting or showing of their customized desktops that they are proud off, could be.

We have the ScreenShots Library under the Gallery and there are two posts in the forums, what are you working on and the monthly desktop screenshot. The two forum posts I don't think anyone should have a question about, really sort of straight forward, but the library does, I believe, leave folks asking just who can I post there. Is this the problem, possibly, well no, not really. Learning curve shouldn't be that bad.

Bottom line folks is, in my opinion, a portion of the community here, being non-skinners but loyal supporters of the site, either by subscribing or actions, are looking for a the means or ways to say, Hey look I'm here too. Now please don't turn this into the number of Skinners vs Non-Skinners. It has nothing to do with numbers.

Suggestions to change anything that is in place are fine, but as I was taught along time ago, we should all strieve to part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Okay, here's one suggestion from me, do away with the ratings and downloads in the ScreenShot Library. Hold on a second and let me duck before you start throwing things!

For myself it's easy to become part of the community. I'm retired, can hang out here 24/7. Sometimes I find that I can come up with the right answers to peoples problems in the forums, ah make that a few times. I've taken to hanging out in the IRC. Not everyone has the opportunity to do that.

So what ever the bottom line here is, the real questions is what would a commuinty do?

Peace, Love and Long Life.   

Extra cost to develop and supprt a custom solution that is unlikely to bring in revenue  . .  I can't see that happening.  Not a bad idea though.  I like seeing new ideas.

I don't see this conversation as elitism (unless its by the screenshotters).  It's about putting forth good quality work that supports the sponsor of the site's goals.

Curtis . . that's not elitism.  That's a response to the  flood of back-patting submissions  There is a difference.

I do not believe that any of the admins or moderators are anti-screenshot . .  but I, for one, get irritated by what I see as misuse.  While I don't blame any clique for the decline of the screenshot gallery, where the same clique could have improved the situation they chose not to.

See my list above of what should make a featured shot (reply #77).  Posting a shot of something unique or new makes good sense.  Posting a desktop that is functional because of Stardock products makes sense.

Call it what you want, but I call it encouragement Aaron, and that's a difference

This administrator believes screenshots of Windows customization in action a valuable tool and pivotal to the skinning game/industry.

There IS no better way to 'champion the cause' of skinning.

The Wincustomize 'Screenshot of the Day' was never ever actually seen to be literal as it almost never altered on a daily basis.  Maybe 'Featured Screenshot' really WOULD address the issue of the frequency of change.

Zubaz's list of prerequisites is spot on.  The actual intent of this featured shot is to provide a 'recent' working example of Stardock's/Wincustomize's GUI modification in action ..... something that would/will appeal and attract the novice.

For a very long time there have been one or three uploaders who tended to FLOOD the section with 50 permutations at a time with maybe nothing more than the wallpaper changing.....hardly inspirational.

I must dash....it's Xmas day here...more to follow...

Actually it's the fourth time, but whos counting?

This bald headed lie right here made it us against them my friend and I just didn't ignore it. It's funny how well things are taken out of context though. But no, I'm not going to let you or nobody else just walk in here and lie like that, not on me and not on my friends. So sorry to you too partner.

There are several misconceptions in here, yet my words are the ones getting yanked on.

I've been addressing this since April and here we are in December, this is not a personal agenda, it doesn't twirl my beenie Sir!

I asked a simple question and all hell break loose, like "how dare you ask". So pardon me if I speak my mind like everyone else in here is doing.

All the proposed suggestions are good ideas and worthy of some thought by the higher ups for possible implementation.

looks great.. I.R. and them did a killer job...

Ah, yes....real life [tm]  gets in the way.....had to dash to pick up my mother to take to my sister's [first Xmas without my father] ....definitely more important than the frequency of a screenshot change...

I often wonder exactly how much of a thread and its content people bother to read before adding comment themselves.  So often salient points are seemingly ignored as they're never later mentioned/referenced.

There was a time in the past where the 'screenshot of the day' was fairly frequently changed [not daily].  If you investigate the meaning/intent of the phrase 'of the day' it does NOT mean it must be of only that ONE day and thus MUST be new each day.

Later the 'sotd' has been changed less frequently still as the single proviso of its choice is that it MUST promote Stardock's skinning aps in particular...being both attractive and explanatory, and not just 'some new upload by whomever'.

It has always been a thorny point that a few of the specifically 'only screenshot' uploaders have blessed the site with copious quantity and little quality, so much so that more often than not the truly WORTHY shots are lost in the flood.  Very few 'outsiders' even understand what the uploader of such a flood even gets out of doing so.  Moderators typically see it as just 'more crap to deal with' rather than their being in the front row of the 'wow look at this new stuff - show'.

My first real involvement with screenshots and their making/displaying was to do with skinners' "works in progress", or queries like "HTF do you fix this image bug?" - tools of a skinner's trade.  Or creating screens depicting what a new [LS] shell theme looked like...so if people downloaded it and installed....hopefully they'd emulate it.

When non-skinners [but users] upload the screenshots they can easily be 'wow...look at that lot as a collection [suite] ...great choice' ....but that's well and good if there's one ver....but less than good when 20 variations are uploaded as if no-one 'got it' the first time.  That simply dilutes the 'innovative'...

Like Wom's idea of renaming it to Featured Screenshot........to be updated at Moderators discretion

Like the idea of limiting the number of screenshots to three per month per member........

I would leave the 'ratings' in as it adds interest and allows people to participate.......monitor any alleged abuse and deal with it accordingly........

Do away with with download numbers as it does not really mean anything......

Cp, or anyone else for that matter......How do you feel about this? Is there anything you would like to suggest or see implimented.........

Oops