I have done this a couple of times in the past, but then it was more a rant towards a specific mod where it is a view on the moderation now. As some might know I contributed on utopian a lot in the past.
What we currently have is an atmosphere where people are stopping their contributions as mods take away the upvote because their opinion says someone has not done enough. Some mods even invent their own rules. And other mods do not even say why something isn’t approved.
As I have most experience in the graphics section I will share some of my experiences:
The rules state you need to add an editable file when someone asks for a logo. The files should be a vector file. All ok there. But lately you need to add a .png a .eps (or something similar). You need to ad a color image of this another image of that maybe some more of Y and Z. They are inventing rules whenever they feel like. And you need to do all of this without the certainty to even get a upvote. I can understand a .AI (or vector file) an .png sure. But all the rest can be an extra when the project owners choose your design, and we will gladly help if help is needed.
Then there is the way we need to setup a post. You need to add a bazillion things that have no extra value what so ever. We need to add a one color example (black and white) we need to add different color variations we need to add sizes we need to add proof of work we need to …… . Seriously where in the rules does it state we need to add all those things. Yet again the same problem as before. We need to spend a lot of time making these adjustments without a certainty of a upvote.
Then lastly every mod chooses themselves to approve or not approve with there own judgment. This by itself is a wrong concept. That means that if a mod does not like your design personally you don’t get a upvote. They don’t get the design, no upvote. They find some small detail not good enough, no upvote. They find some bullshit reason not to approve, no upvote.
The same happens in the tutorials section. Where I have seen perfectly good explanations being disapproved because someone used already written code in the tutorial. Well it is the same in car design why would you change a round tire when it works? Good code should never be rewritten. Good code is good code. But why is good code and why should you make it like that. What is the logic behind it. Well some moderators copy a piece of code and google it. Does it already exist. Bam no upvote. Logic I guess?
They are pushing contributors away. A lot of people invest a lot of time in their contributions. They invent rules to even spend more time without something in return. You can argue we are contributing for free and we know something might not get approved. But we all like a upvote and without the chance of a upvote nearly no one would contribute. Time is money!
I talked to a lot of mods. And they either do not care. Don’t explain. Or just ignore. And then judge on good presentation and explanation with too much personal opinions. So, my advice to utopian would be school your mods how to moderate, and invent a system where everyone is judged equally.
As to be frank it all depends on who is moderating if you get a upvote or not!
So from now on when I see a moderation fail i will be adding this image.
