Forum Criticisms
While most users visit WinCustomize.com to download skins, themes, icons, wallpapers, and other content for their personal computers, WinCustomize does have extensive forums and articles areas. As with most large sites, WinCustomize is not without its critics with regards to how the forums are run and the content in the articles and forums area.
One of these critcisms includes that the site owner, Brad Wardell, occasionally posts articles critical of Apple and Macintosh users.
WinCustomize's volunteer moderators have been accused of moderating with "different rules for different users" policy. Some feel that a "newbie" cannot get away with flaming, trolling, ect. while a higher ranking long time user is given more latitude. Jafo, a site volunteer, is said by critics to be a self-proclaimed expert on the English language that corrects spelling and grammar, which many members appreciate. Any person placed with a position of responsibility or "control" over a community will likely face criticism. Criticism usually comes from those who are not part of the community, at odds with the community for one reason or another, or has been banished from the community.
Some users have claimed that some of the members as well as site administators are very egotistical and will band together to attack any voice of dissent [as is common with some online communities] even going as far as to attempt to silence dissent against WinCustomize on websites outside of WinCustomize. Some members of WinCustomize have titles such as "Super Wizop", "Citizen", "Journeyman" as ways to distinguish a member's experience within the community. It takes time to earn these titles as they are not given to just anyone. Critics feel this ranking system is a form of elitism.
