Aqua-Soft ForumsAlready fixed the problem, no more desktop thread next year.
Waaaaah?!?
There are two things that keep me coming to Aqua-Soft: the content, and seeing the content in action. When AveDesk 1.1 was released, I saw it as a nice program and nothing more. When I saw people use it in their screenshots, my jaws dropped and I thought to myself... "Daymn, that's the hottest thing since [insert really hot thing here]." As cool as an icon or a visual style looks in previews, nothing can compare to the amount you can learn by looking at a screenshot. Somatic looked fugly until people posted screenshots that made me think that it was a work of art. Siro? Another grey bleak theme that isn't aqua, that is, until I saw how cool it could look with Lou's wallpaper and any white/gray iconset.
Screenshots let people post how creatively they can mix and match styles. They show us what works and what doesn't work. Without screenshots, many themes would be discounted because the author didn't include a nice preview. We cannot see people's works to their full potential (or their lacking of it) without seeing those works in action on someone's desktop.
Now for the rules part if we manage to sway Timan's mind.
Unreleased material should be allowed. There is no better way to make the crowd eager for a new release than a nice big chunk of untouchable beauty. I have been personally encouraged to learn how to use Photoshop just to recreate an unreleased work for my own desktop. Now, I mod any release that comes my way to make it fit into my workspace. Authors can help stir up attention by previewing their new Beta VS or iconset by posting it in the screenshot forum. There's nothing like seeing the latest KoL work to be a week before its release.
Pornography should be discouraged but allowed. I honestly don't like seeing it in my browser, but there's some nice effects you can create using the human physique and a Visual Style. People should be allowed to show their screenshots as is.
Photoshoping... this is really tough in my opinion. I can understand a touch-up like when someone highlights their text in brown while saying CHEEZE!!! over IM. Touch-ups like these don't detract from the overall fact that THIS CAN BE DONE IN WINDOWS. Completely creating a screenshot from Photoshop is entirely unacceptable, say, replacing all system fonts with another using Photoshop so they're nice and crisp à la Linux or Mac. Touch-ups... fine. Unreproduceable effects... no.
Screenshot threads should be for Screenshots only. Use PMs for any requests. If their mailbox is full, don't biatch about it. Instead post your own fresh desktop and as a little postscript, mention TIMMAH! YOUR MAILBOX IS FULL!!! Think that someone is faking something, its called Report. Include evidence on why it is a Photoshopped Screenshot... don't just say FAKE!!11!!1!!ONE!!ELEVEN!10.
Please include all information about a screenshot when you post it to prevent people from screaming I CAN'T FIND IT!!!
Thank you.
I typed that entire rant up, but when it came to posting, the thread was closed. This can be seen as evading a Timan decree of Closination and I deserve a temporary ban for posting this.