Submitting design via PM, what is your opinion about this?

Hi, i just noticed that some designers here used to submit there designs via PM, do you think this is correct? And why they dont just post it here? Whats the reasons? I just wanna know your opinions. Thank you

Best,

weblazer

 

Unfortunately ALOT of designers rip other peoples work when published publicly hence why people submit by pm.

 

I think watermark can avoid this to happen. I just find it unfair to other designer

 

I prefer to submit entries via PM for two reasons really.

1) I don't want the URL of my website indexed on DP. It's against rules to mask links via TinyURL, so posting links to my work via PM is the only option.

2) I don't want to spend 3 hours drafting a concept from scratch only for other members to use it as inspiration. It's not fair, I waste enough time on these contests as it is.

Simple as that really

- Matt

 

I like that...

the reasons? i don´t want that someone take my idea

 

There is a downside to sending via Pm,

NO ONE SEES YOUR WORK, and this can and will work against you. Let say some one is looking for a logo, header etc. They could look at other comps to see just what people are submitting, if you send via pm they will not see your work. Now this client could see a designers work love it a pm them for a design.

As for others ripping you off we all use the same or similar graphics software, so we all can do the same effects. The more complex the design the less chance it has to be ripped off.

My view by submitting via pm you must have something to hide, you could be the one who is ripping off the other designers. Just a thought...

Best solution is to do both, post in the thread and if you want send a pm....

Just my two pixels,

 

I understand that people don't want their ideas stolen. I don't see any other reason for submitting entries through a PM.
But for contests, I think all designs should be submitted in the contest thread.
This way all entries scan be seen by all of the contestants and the CH, making it easy for all to see feedback and what is being submitted.
And I would think that contest holders do not want their inbox flooded with PM entries.
In an Olympic race do you see the people running on different tracks ?
No they are all there running side by side!!
And if someone is caught cheating they are disqualified.

All the honest designers and contest holders should stick together and support each other, so when we can clearly see that a person is using another persons idea or copyrighted work then we can call it and that person can be disqualified from the contest.
This is supposed to be a community and so the the good honest designers and contest holders should stick together to make it a better community.

Matt, I don't understand this reason for posting contest entries in a PM ?
1) I don't want the URL of my website indexed on DP.

 

Thank you for your reply A4hire, your the man!! i agree with you 100%

 

In an ideal world yes, in reality we've all had someone rip our idea and if your unlucky they won the contest because of this.

 

+1
There are a lot of scammers!
I've been scammed by members who still here on DP!!!!!

 

I have had that happen to me numerous times, where I have made a design and someone else took an aspect of my design and won because of it. However, I do believe that everyone should post their work into the contest forum to enable everyone to view because if the CH says that someone who has PMed is in the lead and the others have know way of seeing what they have to do beat and or "one up".

This is just my opinion,

Macbookman08

 

The biggest problem facing the contests today are two-fold.
(a) Scammers who are only here to promote their sites running bogus contests (dislike PM Entries)
(b) People stealing concepts (and sometimes cut-pasting) from other designers.

It's a double edge sword.....

Everyday I come to the forums I see contest prizes getting lower and lower for Quality work that
a lot of us would be charging more on our own sites for. This I am not complaining about, as I
know more than anyone else, if the prize payout is too low for the amount of work, don't enter it.
I judge my time (any more then 30 minutes on a banner isn't worth 15.00).... move on to next
contest.

My 0.02 cents (0.0098 cents after taxes)

 

I recently held a logo content, and I received 2 entries by PM.

The winning entry received via PM had a great idea/concept for the logo. I'm 100% sure if that person had submitted in the thread the idea would have been copied. If this happens, the really good designers like the one that won my competition might not enter any more, lowering the quality of logos submitted.

 

It's always the contest holder's prerogative to discern from the hindsight a borrowed concept over something original amongst the posted entries. If he thinks that a latter entry was inspired by another designer's earlier entry/s it will only be logical to propose a compromise for all the involved designers (if unsatisfied with the original creator of the concept). I always go for TRANSPARENCY in contests no matter what (unless the CH prefers it done via PM).

If we don't value transparency, we will only be misrepresenting ourselves and become too dependent with something unsealed whether it involves copyright issues, abstracting works, matters that are attached to it.

If you believe in your skills, don't hide it. Treat it as a challenge. Just my 2 cents.

 

okay, PM entries...

good:

-designer's ideas won't get stolen

not so good:

- PM entries don't undergo the peer review that is so useful for pointing out clipart usage and similar shenanigans

- unscrupulous CHs can "award" the contest to a bogus or non-existent PM entry (speaking from experience)

- CH does not benefit from the "crowdsourcing" thing, where superior ideas get copied and improved upon. (my fellow designers might not like how that sounds but let's face it, that's the way it is)

- designer may miss out on additional work opportunities ("saw your contest entry, can you do this for me?")

- when winning design isn't posted after contest is over, entrants feel kind of cheated, like they were beaten by an invisible foe

that said, i think good CHs will run good contests and bad CHs will run bad ones, PMs allowed or not.

 

+1
I go with l3fty in all those facts. 100% true.
To see 'Posted my entry thru PM' frustrates me. I'll also go for transparency.

-chong.

 

I also agree with l3fty. I don't think pm entries should be allowed, period. This is the only contest forum I have seen where pm entries are so rampant. Quit being paranoid and just post it! lol

 

Simple rules of thumb:

1.) If a person wants to communicate privately for a design service, they contact a design firm & DON'T use a Public forum.

2.) If a CH wants a Professional design, they contact a Design firm & DON'T use a public forum.

3.) If a CH wishes to do business privately with a few members, THEY should initiate contact, NOT the designer.

4.) Due to a high volume of scamming designers that are submitting copyright infringed work Via PM, a CH should DEMAND that all entries be maintained in the public thread so that other designers have a chance to point out infringements & save the CH from future lawsuits.

5.) If you fear other designers being inspired by your work, be flattered you're that good & watermark it, Otherwise DON'T participate in a public contest. (it's called a PUBLIC forum for a reason).

6.) The average contest prizes on DP are in the $10.00 - $30.00 range. If you're complaining about concepts being copied for that low amount of money, Think about how you already don't value your own work for selling it that cheap & find a better way to market your skills.

7.) If you're like me & do these contests in your spare time as another source of "Public Relations", Remember, it's a Public forum saturated with people struggling to be seen. If you don't want to be seen, Don't come here!

8.) Over the course of time, it's been proven over & over that those that hide in the shadows, are normally hard to trust. So just don't do it. SIMPLE!

9.) Tired of not being trusted? Want others to have more respect for you & your business? Simple, Conduct business in a professional manor, out in the open like an honest person, & set the pace for others as a role model.

10.) If you see a copyright infringement posted, Make sure you can prove it & post a few direct URL's to the source of the original. This will aid in detouring the infringer from doing it again, it will help protect the CH from lawsuits, you will set the pace for others keeping the contest forums legit & honest, & MOST IMPORTANTLY the CH will gain some respect for you for helping them out.

11.) if you can't provide evidence of a copyright infringement, then keep your mouth shut. No need to make yourself look bad by not being able to back your own accusations up.

Did you find any of the above offensive? Did it hurt your feelings? If so, You just might be the one that really needs to learn it!!!!!

Just my 2 Cents (Keeping it REAL).

 

Someone will start a new thread regarding public opinion about use of copyright or stock icons/shapes/vectors in contests and I know things will not change. All things happen. So, simple rule; try your best and hope to see favorable result. Enjoy

 

Public Opinion? The use of copyrighted material is more than just public opinion, it's against the LAW in most countries. What some fail to realize is that through international treaties, one could prosecute in other countries now if they really wanted to. No criminals are safe anymore.

At any rate, The attitude that "It happens, oh well, keep doing it" is the main reason nothing gets fixed. Lack of roll models. If we hope in one hand & shit in the other, I wonder which hand will fill up faster? lol lol (Hint: it's not the hand for hope).

We all try our best, wouldn't you agree that's why designers are frustrated with it? They try their best, just for someone to come along & shoot a piece of work through pm that they don't own the rights to & ripped of someone else to win it. And you don't even get to see what they submitted to win, Nothing to inspire you to better yourself, Nothing to check against talent or skill sets, Nothing to show anything was truly chosen, & most of all, Not a chance to point out that the CH was given a design that they will NEVER legally be able own.

At best, the CH hears the designers complaints & decides to post the chosen design in the thread to allow the designers to double check it for infringements. (Would be nice if it happened more, but it doesn't).