ShareCG now selling stuff?

[StudioMartillo]

Having further investigated setting up a Content Website of my own, at my Web-Host (which I previously was referring to as 'ISP'), I've decided to use Drupal online instead of MS Visual Studio. It's even easier because of being already a CMS (content management system) and consisting of modules, templates, and prebuilt database. The Web-Host offers 1-click installation
of several good CMS apps, and Drupal is my choice because the full user guide is available in .pdf format so that the App can be studied and understood well before stumbling into an endless loop of trial and error and error and error and error and error blind click approach to getting the site configured and populated. From what I've learned from the guide so far, a user just needs to create an overall plan document (once devised) to refer to when setting up and start the workflow as 'unpublished' until the site is ready, then publish it.
There are also lots of 'contributed' templates that I haven't yet investigated among which might be one almost ideal for 3D content publishing. And once my site is set up and working as a nice 'Freebie Resource' then I can create a template from it to share with other artists who are wanting to get their own sites and can use Drupal. The default OS and Server for it are Linux/Apache.
So back to my studies of Drupal and the database...

 

[Hornet3d]

Having further investigated setting up a Content Website of my own, at my Web-Host (which I previously was referring to as 'ISP'), I've decided to use Drupal online instead of MS Visual Studio. It's even easier because of being already a CMS (content management system) and consisting of modules, templates, and prebuilt database. The Web-Host offers 1-click installation
of several good CMS apps, and Drupal is my choice because the full user guide is available in .pdf format so that the App can be studied and understood well before stumbling into an endless loop of trial and error and error and error and error and error blind click approach to getting the site configured and populated. From what I've learned from the guide so far, a user just needs to create an overall plan document (once devised) to refer to when setting up and start the workflow as 'unpublished' until the site is ready, then publish it.
There are also lots of 'contributed' templates that I haven't yet investigated among which might be one almost ideal for 3D content publishing. And once my site is set up and working as a nice 'Freebie Resource' then I can create a template from it to share with other artists who are wanting to get their own sites and can use Drupal. The default OS and Server for it are Linux/Apache.
So back to my studies of Drupal and the database...

It seems to be the way to go, I will watch your progress with interest.

 

[Miss B]

I've usually opted for WordPress as a CMS, and haven't tried Drupal, but I understand from folks who have used it, that it's quite good.

Keep us posted on how you progress.

 

[StudioMartillo]

I'm using a directory structure on a flash-drive to outline my site-plan. There is a directory for each page, one page to each product, a home page, an about page and a gallery page. The gallery may get sub-pages further on. Each directory has all the assets needed for the product it represents, (zip, promo image, description) or for the home page, the header text, logo, site description and the thumbnail/icons that will link to the product pages. This won't be the directory structure on the site however, but it will be a working backup of the whole site in case of trouble.
I have a pretty good understanding of how Drupal sites go together already. Very easy, in fact just about as easy as posting things here. Now I need to put together some of the needed assets so all's ready at installation. Might be good to have some more of the product line complete before starting up, like those Jazz Trio Poses, maybe a new toy or two. Got to fit it into my budget too. Also I should have a membership function, even thought it wasn't the original plan, because it's integral to the site security tools.

 

[Miss B]

Since I use WP a lot, I set up an installation with a free domain I got from my web host, and it's only viewable by myself and/or a client who's site I'm working on. That way I can always see how it's going to look in real-time.

Aside from that, it's always good to have backups of everything offline, because you never know.

Oh, and if you have an option to have the MySQL database saved and emailed to you, I do that with all WP sites I'm responsible for about once a week.

 

[StudioMartillo]

Oh that's interesting. Then there must be a way to transfer the site to your client's domain when it's all good.
These types of online website design are really very cool, because you do see it in real-time while working. I'm liking it a lot so far. Now I've decided to have product categories, Architecture, Household, Instruments, and Vehicles. So there will be a menu like that and more top pages to navigate to the product pages. Easier to user that way I think. The way I'm saving the descriptions and other textual matter on the flash drive is just a .txt file made with notepad. Then when building the pages I'll just copy and paste it into the online HTML WSYWYG editor and format it as I enter it.

 

[Miss B]

I'm not sure how to do that, as I usually just upload everything to their domain, and it works. I rarely have to tweak anything on their server, but a number of them were with the same web host, and that may have made a difference, but I can't be sure.

That said, however, I do know with WP there's a way to develop it on the client's (or your own) server, and then just change one of the options in the WP Dashboard, and it will then become public for the whole world to see. I don't know if Drupal has such an option, but you should look into it, assuming you've already obtained your web hosting account and domain name, that would make "moving" that much easier so to speak.

 

[StudioMartillo]

Hmmm, the workflow must be somewhat different between the two apps. I better stay focused on the Drupal style or confusion will rattle my brain again.
In Drupal the 'Published' status is configured by a flag on content entities, on an item by item basis. When you get the item ready then you just select 'Save as Published' in the administrative Manage content menu and it goes live. So at first I would go on putting in all the content until it looks about ready, then go back through and 'save as published' each part. Maybe that's kind of tedious for starters but then when the site is edited it's nice because nothing that's already published gets disturbed during edits or additions until that save thing is done.

 

[Miss B]

Yes, that definitely sounds different than WP. I've never played in it, so don't know what it's all about, except I know a lot of folks use it.

 

[3dcheapskate]

Seems to me this thread's gone a bit OT ?

I had an email from Nitai at ShareCG regarding my suggestion saying basically "yes, we are listening", but I realize many of the people posting here will think they're at a pantomime and shout "Oh no you're not!". So I'd advise anybody who's not happy to test how open their ears really are using the "Contact Us" link. Oh yes, and don't forget to just ignore that fact that they didn't listen before. (you could write your message in capitals to make it louder and get above the selective deafness threshold)
Personally I'm keeping all my stuff at ShareCG and uploading any new stuff there too. And keeping my fingers crossed that ShareCG continue to exist more or less as it was .

 

[StudioMartillo]

Going commercial should involve some level of quality control. Otherwise there is no aspect of responsibility toward legacy members. It seems no such thing is intended or that would have been taken into consideration before the move. What is happening already is a trend to trolling the galleries of members to leave meaningless comments or ratings, aimed at bringing attention to the troll's 'for sale' content. This is what is insulting to me. Some no talent junk-monger, not even considering the nature of the items that are offered by the other member trying to sell what obviously is worthless to them. You see where this is leading? Now what comes is a flood of wankers with no real interest in the art, just chasing the buck. You believe the site owners care about this?

 

[Aelin]

I agree on the quality control. Because when I see a member of long time there who shared so many photos, and suddenly he removed all his gallery to restart and sale only? Why he haven't sale his photos before, on another site? Maybe because the quality wasn't enough for other sites justly.
Of course it's only what I suppose, but all turn weird on Sharecg.

And now they have a "Store" written in red at the top. So why have we again products on sale in the middle of freebies?
And who are their new members who put stuff on sale? Are they real designers, or have they took products of some other designers?
I have doubt more than before now on Sharecg. Specially when in the same times than the beginning of their store an old member , sharing 2 years ago sets which weren't of him, is back. Do they take time to check the content of freebies and/or sale products?

I follow daily what is added on the site. I appreciate freebies shared, and effort of creators. I can understand some members, for a reason or another, decide to sale totally or partially their stuff.
But it looks like Sharecg team has just thrown a store on the site and now it's not under control.
So I trust legacy members. For others, I wait and see.

 

[Miss B]

I think they should separate the for-sale items from the freebies, and I too hope they continue to offer the freebies we've all become accustomed to seeing on their site.

 

[Minyassa]

The way I found about this change was clicking on one of my few, rare bulletin emails from them, which always gets me excited because the people that I have selected to get news about are great and I'm so happy whenever they put up a new freebie.

I got two emails from them that were notifications for items for sale. Not new freebies, not what I signed up for. Spam advertising in my email.

I was *pissed*.

 

[McGyver]

Well... On the plus side... They added a separate heading for the "store" at top of the page, where the different sections are... Stuff like Textures, Software, Audio, Scripts, Cactus Photography... And now in red at the front of the line- "Store"
I still don't like that stuff is mixed by default, but maybe if more people voice their opinions about keeping it separate, they might put the pay items separate in a store section.
Maybe they are working on it... Who knows.

On the stupid side...
An ad for Honeywell drilling rig pressure sensors...
Which I was hoping to see...
My oil rig blew a gasket on the old sensor head yesterday and now I've had to shut down production until I can get a new one... These ones are easy to replace, so yay!
Anyone else have this problem too?
Well, thanks for the heads up SCG!

 

[spearcarrier]

As a long time sharecg user, I'm a little annoyed over the for sale items. It wouldn't be so bad I suppose if they weren't... everywhere.... but they are. Which in itself wouldn't be so bad if the search function there weren't so hoaky. That way if I were in the market to buy something on sale there I'd be searching for an item by a certain name.

I put content up there for folks for free, and a long time ago I toyed with the idea of doing stuff for money. But eh. I like to keep it a hobby, and I feel "thank you" is enough as a result. I'm stubborn and don't want to offer my stuff anywhere else, but if it gets any more messy I just might.

 

[McGyver]

I'm sorta cautious about saying this, but...
I also wonder if this will effect how some sites view SCG signature links...
Many sites that sell stuff don't like it if you have a banner signature linking to a site that does.
ShareCG has always been okay on every site I have a banner or link on.
I don't do social media and SCG's search engine is crummy...
If say for example DAZ or Renderosity no longer allow SCG banners or links... How would people find my stuff unless I'm constantly adding stuff or I get a huge follower base?
I intend to keep my stuff free, but that might not matter if a site feels they are competition.
I know a lot of people have found my models because of my banners... If SCG banners are not allowed, I may as well be tossing any new stuff into a huge abandoned warehouse (like the way they hid the Ark at the end of the original Raiders of the Lost Ark)...

And speaking of keeping stuff free...
While I believe it is an artist's prerogative to do with their work as they please, I recently noticed that one person who has been there at least ten years and had a huge library... I mean HUGE, there had to be at least thirty or more pages of stuff...
They removed all their free stuff and now only offer stuff for sale...
And kinda at an unrealistic price too.
But I suppose that is their choice, but it kinda sucks... Whatever... Maybe they were soured on the whole "free" thing or had a bad experience... Who knows.

Not exactly the same but when I was a kid, there was a person, a nice seeming old guy who used to have a nectarine tree that grew over a brick wall in his yard and several branches hung over onto the street.
For years kids would pick the low hanging ones... Mind you these were hanging over onto NYC public sidewalks, not to mention the guy never harvested nor picked up any that fell onto the sidewalk and there was no gate on that side of the property... Just an eight foot brick wall...
So one day I pass by and see the tree is gone... So I asked my freind who lived in the house next door, what happened.
Apparently they guy got pissed off that for years people were taking his fruit (that he didn't harvest) and not asking, so he cut down the tree to spite them.
Well... Great, because now the sidewalk was no longer a gross rotting nectarine graveyard, and even though I never took one or even cared about his stupid fruit, I thought that was so weird and wrong.

People... They can be such people sometimes, eh?

 

[Satira Capriccio]

Yeah. I've never understood that mentality. Though I have no use for it, don't you dare touch it! Isn't there a cartoon or something where a dog is running through a house sniffing everything and shouting mine, mine, mine!

Then, there is the Dog in the Manger fable. Though it was an ancient Greek fable, it was not an Aesop's Fable. Apparently, the first appearance was in a lexicon by Diogenianus way back in the 1st century.

The dog in the manger, concerning those who neither themselves use nor allow others to use: insofar as the dog neither itself eats the barleycorns nor allows the horse to.​

Wrap your head around that sentence!

 

[Glitterati3D]

Well, I got the "ShareCG now has a store" email and I have to say I am unimpressed.

2 things stand out to me:
1) they take 30% of every sale for doing nothing and;
2) the seller is responsible for all credit card fraud when we have no control over security at ShareCG.

I never planned to sell anything over there, but I would never do so just based on those 2 "rules."

 

[Miss B]

Yes, especially that second rule. Who would want to sell anything at a store that doesn't take security seriously.