Ilionej In reply to ??? [2014-03-27 12:23:02 +0000 UTC]

I totally agree with you and everyone who can't effort a premium membership. It really sucks. I do still see this page from the view of a non-subscriber as well because the only way I can effort the membership is through donations, as well as participating in giveaways and contests. It's hell to keep it running in order to not lose my layout when I wish to make a little change to my page. It practically keeps me from creating the art I want to create and that's just not fair. They won't get more subscribers this way, just more haters.

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PHantomDragon-56 In reply to ??? [2014-03-25 23:31:37 +0000 UTC]

While this is neat and all, and some may love it, I myself would not want it.

I mean, why do I need to know the demographic that my art appeals to? When I submit art, sure I hope that others will see it and enjoy it, but I'm not going to submit certain things just to cater to them in an attempt to get more likes, favs, comments, or views. I feel that if they like my art, GREAT! If they don't, that's okay too!

I don't mind drawing suggestions sometimes, or even some gift art for special inter-web friends. I think it is better to become friends and get to know the person better through communication, rather than looking at a bunch of statistics and data on them.

Why do I need to know that most of my views and favs are from people in Canada? I'll accept the favs. and thank them, but I want to learn about THEM, as friends, not as numbers. And hey, I may draw them a thank you for being a friend and loyal follower picture, but I'm not going to start drawing pictures based solely on what they liked, hoping to get more attention.

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LadyElfie2000 In reply to PHantomDragon-56 [2014-03-27 05:52:59 +0000 UTC]

Sometimes I wish deviantart comments had "like" buttons.

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PHantomDragon-56 In reply to LadyElfie2000 [2014-03-27 06:28:11 +0000 UTC]

I'll accept your reply as substitute. ^_^

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PencilRick In reply to moonlitskyy [2014-03-25 21:29:53 +0000 UTC]

Google already tracks what you do on dA, it's just a way for you to view what they already see.

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moonlitskyy In reply to PencilRick [2014-03-26 11:28:53 +0000 UTC]

They are always one step ahead, aren't they.

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PencilRick In reply to moonlitskyy [2014-03-26 12:50:29 +0000 UTC]

yes they are......and I know there's paranoia surrounding Google to some people but I'm not one of them. I think it's more about accumulating as much data as possible for the most efficient way to generate ad revenue and information that could lead to making money.  That's it.  Rule #1 FOLLOW THE MONEY.  

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moonlitskyy In reply to PencilRick [2014-03-26 20:33:31 +0000 UTC]

I'm not one of those paranoics too.
I agree, they make the information, the data they get and propaganda walk together.
In the direction of money.

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CocoInTheLoco In reply to moonlitskyy [2014-06-07 15:44:24 +0000 UTC]

Since google opened google+ and the stupid youtube comments sign up, YOU GUYS are right on this one. Is google getting greedy?  

thank you for making me understand................    

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moonlitskyy In reply to CocoInTheLoco [2014-06-11 10:55:45 +0000 UTC]

ok

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EbolaSparkleBear In reply to ??? [2014-03-25 05:29:31 +0000 UTC]

Oh, where is the link to the one for premium members? I lost the link.......

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xwhiteangelz In reply to ??? [2014-03-25 03:59:36 +0000 UTC]

I honestly don't care deviantart already gives us enough status information. So honestly I don't care. ->_<-

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phyrexianrevoker In reply to ??? [2014-03-25 02:17:19 +0000 UTC]

For everyone complaining that this is only for premium members:
Deviantart already gives us a LOT of things for free, it is totally acceptable if they want to charge people for extra services and functions.

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formatela In reply to phyrexianrevoker [2014-03-28 13:25:12 +0000 UTC]

Yes, I agree with this completely. Weekly cost of premium is about the same as the cost of a chocolate bar.

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phyrexianrevoker In reply to formatela [2014-03-29 14:48:11 +0000 UTC]

pretty much.

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NeptuneGate In reply to phyrexianrevoker [2014-03-26 02:59:25 +0000 UTC]

That's not a good enough excuse. A functioning site for free? Gee, thanks a lot dA.

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KrisCynical In reply to NeptuneGate [2014-03-26 14:30:00 +0000 UTC]

Oh, stop your whining and take a moment to think beyond your personal "me" bubble. I know it's probably difficult, but try real hard.

It isn't an "excuse", it's basic internet business for huge user-generated content sites like dA, particularly since the overwhelming majority of that content is imagery, which takes exponentially more space and bandwidth to host in comparison to a site with mainly text like FanFiction.net.

DeviantART is big enough that they actually have corporate offices. That takes leasing building space as well as basic overhead for running and upkeep of that space, from electricity and AC to equipment/servers/employee computers and even insurance and taxes.

DeviantART having a store online also means warehouse space (and the same accompanying lease/rent and basic operating costs of a physical space), raw materials the product is made from, designers to come up with the product, equipment to print/manufacture the product, shipping materials and equipment (boxes, tubes, bubble mailers, packing filling materials, tape, labels, scales, accounts with shipping companies to pick up outgoing merch orders, etc.), employees to run all of that equipment, and the basic logistics of running an online store with physical product. The print feature for individual deviants also adds another layer to that merch structure because of the system required for print-on-demand capabilities and the fact that dA checks every single print order before it is actually printed to guard against copyright liability from users ignoring the policy against selling fanart via the print system.

Have you ever thought about the load a site like this puts on servers? The bandwidth consumption? The space requirement for ~16 million users to each have several if not hundreds of deviations in their gallery? It takes IT employees to do upkeep, maintenance, and repair work on the physical server infrastructure as well as the software aspect of the site itself. DA employs programmers, designers, help desk reps, etc. for the site itself which also includes development of new features and bug fixes for existing features, all of which are bitched about constantly by deviants like you.

On the corporate side there are marketing people, advertising people, people that handle the selling of ad space to outside companies as well as ADcast for deviants, managers, accounting, HR, and a legal department. All of those people have to be paid, and those who are full-time also have benefits that add to overhead costs.

It takes an ENORMOUS amount of overhead to run this place.

DA, just like all other huge user-based user-generated content sites, makes money from three main sources: ad revenue, shop sales, and paid users. So yeah, no shit they're going to offer a lot of incentives to get people to pay for their account. You said yourself that the majority of users here are free members, so they NEED to offer extra features and incentives to get some of those free users to decide to pay.

"A functioning site for free? Gee, thanks a lot dA."

It's one hell of a "functioning website" you get for free if you'd stop to think about it instead of whining about how unfair it is that paid members get extra stuff for paying.

You have no idea how much stuff you get even as a free member here. It really WAS just "a functioning website" for free members when I first joined 10 years ago, and a lot of the things you get for free that you're turning your nose up at were either for paid members only or in most cases weren't available at all.

No ads has always been a perk like all other sites, but thumbnails of deviations in your inbox was a paid feature back then, and it's actually what made me start paying for my account. The default was just the title and if you wanted to see the image you had to click on the title and actually go to the deviation page, thus navigating away from your inbox, and that made sorting through your inbox a tedious pain in the ass.

The way deviations and notifications "stack" didn't exist at all, and then it was just a paid feature for a while. If you posted something new and it got 30 favorites overnight you had to delete every single individual notification instead of clicking twice to delete the stack in one sweep.

You didn't get ANY stats whatsoever, there were no options for customizing your profile structure, no gallery organization folders, no way to organize who you watch, there were no such thing as groups to join, no way to use "plz" icon-type graphics and stamps, etc., etc. You get a TON of stuff for free here.

But oh noes, paid members get "ridiculous constant pampering" extra features in exchange for paying for their account, just like everywhere else online. We should get nothing but that little star symbol (and some free members whine and bitch about THAT, too!).

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NeptuneGate In reply to KrisCynical [2014-03-26 23:04:08 +0000 UTC]

"You said yourself that the majority of users here are free members, so they NEED to offer extra features and incentives to get some of those free users to decide to pay."

They must be doing some bad job right there with that then. I do have the money, I just don't like to spend them on things that I feel should come with a free account. I do have an idea on exactly how much money can be made from ad revenue because I used to be involved in such a business, and it pays far more than many websites are willing to admit, practically rendering no need for paid users (I've said this to a few other websites). Yes, I'm gonna whine and critique, and make it about 'me', when its 'me' who is using the damn website in the first place. A simple logic thought train there, not difficult to understand. We have different impressions of the website's functionality and overall treatment of the users, and that's fine too. What's not fine is you making it seem like I'm doing that simply because I'm bitter, because the website is so perfect, only a bitter person can do that.

As a user I have every right to complain about issues I find worthy of complaining about. After all, as you said, this is a business among other things, and I'm a consumer/costumer using their services. The customer is always right (even when they, or you, deem them wrong). 10 years ago a lot of things in the internet weren't for free, and now they are. A lot of things were shit, today many are less shit. What kind of excuse is that? If you are pleased with the way things are now, that's fine. That's your own scale of expectation and resulting satisfaction. Not mine, and surely not that of many others (judging by the comments section of these articles, each consecutive time they release one).

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mrm64 In reply to NeptuneGate [2014-03-27 04:25:53 +0000 UTC]

I have Premium and I agree dude. I wish these things were given to us from the get-go :/ But I have such a passion for showing my art here, it just grew on me when I started needing different folders and etc...well it didn't "grow" on me, but I just did it. :/

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NeptuneGate In reply to mrm64 [2014-03-27 14:39:56 +0000 UTC]

That's exactly what I'm saying, there are a lot of users who go premium out of sheer necessity and pressure related to the things they do. It would be easier if only half the things the premium accounts are awarded to, came with the free accounts. I understand your choices, its completely justified. Thanks for the support too.

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mrm64 In reply to NeptuneGate [2014-03-27 14:44:13 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, no problem!

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CocoInTheLoco In reply to phyrexianrevoker [2014-03-25 12:09:20 +0000 UTC]

yea.... I agree....

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DeathSnake180 In reply to CocoInTheLoco [2014-03-26 03:30:14 +0000 UTC]

Although I see where you guys are coming from, I have to say I also agree with phyrexianrevoker. With all the things we as deviants gain just by making an account, it's quite exponential that even half of it is free. I do, however, think that they should make certain aspects of some tools and widgets free, and then charge for "expansions" of that tool or widget. Therefore, those who want said tool/widget can get it, and have the option of buying the extra stuff. But I'm just a writer and artist. What do I know about finances and the like?

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DragonsIshshah In reply to ??? [2014-03-25 02:13:50 +0000 UTC]

Sorry I meant the flame

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DragonsIshshah In reply to ??? [2014-03-25 02:10:47 +0000 UTC]

Thanks but no, of course you can clarify something for me that serves the Llama I have one in my account but nose for serving me could say please.

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Crazyj85 In reply to ??? [2014-03-25 00:58:19 +0000 UTC]

I find this cool but I rather have people find my stuff themselves then just stalking them and say "HEY!! Come over here and check this out!!" Tad creepy man.

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danlev In reply to Crazyj85 [2014-03-25 01:49:52 +0000 UTC]

I think you misunderstood how this works. It allows you to analyze aggregate data about your audience -- not track specific people.

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Crazyj85 In reply to danlev [2014-03-25 02:30:45 +0000 UTC]

I understand that but I still find it a tad strange to know what people look at exactly.

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The-Siege-Engine In reply to Crazyj85 [2014-03-25 04:43:28 +0000 UTC]

It's more to gauge what your audience likes so that, say, if you take commissions, you know what sort of work you should be putting out to attract more clients. If that makes sense

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Crazyj85 In reply to The-Siege-Engine [2014-03-26 01:25:18 +0000 UTC]

It does.

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Deepblu742 In reply to Crazyj85 [2014-03-27 01:13:02 +0000 UTC]

I'm going to pull back the certain a bit, as I my ex-wife was a marketing director for a major internet data pipeline corporation and this is very typical of what's studied called metrics. It tracks and studies trends of everything from the last big sports games to who likes what on Youtube/Facebook. It's not individual stalking per se, (that's the NSA's job when you become a target) but to understand their "customers" to better get inside their needs, desires, fantasies to market products and exploit them. Advertising is a multi-billion USD a year science coupled with enticing imagery & verbiage that triggers everything from our base social needs to sexual reproductive imperatives to make us purchase goods and services without knowing or understanding why we did so other than the implied brand integrity others don't question either, bloody beautiful! Lets just leave it at that there are many folks making hundreds of thousands a year in a veritable clinical science of getting you to change your mind through social engineering.

But back to dA, they aren't like that, hell look at this non-editable post comment ugly-ass lime-green screen drop down comment system from the 90's! This new stuff is designed for folks who truly want to market themselves into a new life of producing art that gains popular traction and then, *poof* they may get noticed by someone with clout who can give 'em their first real commercial break. A marketing tool but far less insidious than the stuff I mentioned above... 

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Crazyj85 In reply to Deepblu742 [2014-03-27 01:57:02 +0000 UTC]

Ah I see. I understand it more now. So basically it's just a giant tool to just get more people to view your stuff then? I understood it before but not as much of it's purpose but thanks. Ex-wife huh? Don't wanna know how that story ended.

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Deepblu742 In reply to Crazyj85 [2014-03-30 02:11:38 +0000 UTC]

Ha, well the bad can as inevitable as the good in life. Sorry for the history of corporate marketing 101 blurb, but it was to just show the contrast of that to this lil' doo-hickey has a more innocent agenda. Take care.

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Crazyj85 In reply to Deepblu742 [2014-03-30 06:08:51 +0000 UTC]

To you as well. Have a pleasant day.

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SimsDoc In reply to ??? [2014-03-25 00:23:56 +0000 UTC]

this is going to end badly, if only the knew what is done with your information.. and how a lot of Google's bots tend to access the user databases of a site for "advertising purposes"

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Deepblu742 In reply to SimsDoc [2014-03-27 01:16:43 +0000 UTC]

Where was this cautionary tale when it may have mattered say 10-20 years ago? I'd recommend Ghost in the Shell manga & tv series, it's where we are heading most likely...the framework is already laid.

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SimsDoc In reply to Deepblu742 [2014-03-30 15:52:43 +0000 UTC]

well, company's can easily make a huge amount of profit selling stuff like user information and payment information to other company's which in turn sell it to marketing company's and others which need this information to see what a market is buying.

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PencilRick In reply to SimsDoc [2014-03-25 21:32:34 +0000 UTC]

Google already has all of the information you will see, whether you look at it or not. 

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ajflipflop In reply to ??? [2014-03-24 22:36:15 +0000 UTC]

Woah, stalkers!

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Schmiegel In reply to ??? [2014-03-24 20:45:53 +0000 UTC]

This is for Google's benefit and for DA-Artists curiosity. Actually I was about to activate it for curiosity reasons!
When I had to create a Google-account though I was sure to prefer this feature inactive.
However DA members should be clear that every click will be stored forever (in terms of human acting) - it's the web .

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JudeLandry In reply to ??? [2014-03-24 18:48:37 +0000 UTC]

Looks like it time to considering dropping my premium account. This site has taking a turn for the worse now. Should have kept it simple like it was before.

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