WEB AWARD, did you know that some are baloneys?

[kiumars]

Some web awards are for commercial purposes. Some are very funny, because as soon as you submit your URL, will receive an award less than 24 hours.
If you know of any, let’s talk about it.

[Brittany]

Hmm... interesting topic!

I've "won" a few shady poetry contests online (the kind where you "win" a trip to Disneyworld but they ask you to pay for it anyway).

As for contests where you automatically win something, I guess that could be a good thing ... or a bad thing? Depending on the prize, lol

Has anyone else heard of or participated in any interesting online contests?

<EDIT: I moved this topic to the Break Room, where I figured it would a better response>

[cyanide]

HaHa,

Yes, I received quite a few.
I even posted one on my site, quite a while ago.
That is until... I realized, just about everyone was getting them.

Just when I thought I had won something legitimate for once -(sheesh) what a drag.
I quickly took it down.

Incidentally, isn't having one on a site,
one of the Top 10 - reasons you need a website makeover ??

[rocky1]

WEB AWARD, did you know that some are baloneys?

Are you insinuating there are some that aren't kiumars?

Rocky

[kiumars]

Hello colleagues and friends,

This is what I was investigating last week, and guess what, every single submission returned with award less than 24 hours!
Following awards make designers look down and dim-witted. For example look at this message:

(Thank you for taking the time to apply for our web award. Because this is a free program presented by Art Space 2000.com we receive thousands of submissions daily. All applicants web sites are reviewed in the order that we receive them. Your web site will be reviewed usually with in 3 business days, in the meantime please take a moment to vote for us.)

The next day you receive this message:

(Congratulations from all the staff at Art Space 2000.com. You have won the "World Web Award of Excellence" for
originality, overall design and appearance, ease of navigation, and content. Keep up the good work.)

The question is, what’s going on their mind when stating thousands submission made daily and can respond the next day!

Now check the following responses. Are these people making fun of us or what?

------------------------------------------
Your site has been chosen by the
Pottsville, Texas Vol. Fire Department
to receive our Super Site Award { Gold 2003 }

Thank you for submitting your website to Artsyawards.com and congratulations.

Your website received a Gold Award
------------------------------------------
Hello:

Recently we enjoyed a very pleasant visit to your web site!
It is with great pride that we announce that your web site is a
WINNER of our esteemed Majon Web Select
"SEAL OF EXCELLENCE AWARD"

The award icon can be downloaded at:

Hello,
Our professional panel agrees that your site is everything you believe it is! We are pleased to present you with a 2003 Canadian Web Award for providing a CANADIAN FRIENDLY, informative web site.
------------------------------------------

I am going to give you lots of other samples showing how some people make money or steel your money on Internet. The most dangerous one are those mailing lists coming from Nigeria and Russian offering you 25% commission of 100,000,000 Dollars transaction. Many have been fooled and even lost their lives.

Best wishes
Kiumars

[matauri]

Just when I thought I had won something legitimate for once -(sheesh) what a drag.
I quickly took it down.

How true! When I submitted for the Golden Web Award I thought it was legit too, even took a couple of weeks to get back to me. But now I have seen soooo many that had the same award....down they are coming !


Cindy

[kiumars]

Dear Rockey1,

There some great places out there. However, baloney places are my concern because they not only make a fool of us but also make money of those young innocent designers who deserve much better than being punked by them.
This is our duty to let them know who is who.

Best regards
Kiumars

[EdRust]

Ok, thanks for letting us know that many of these awards are not worth the bits they consume, but does anyone know of a website award worth submitting a favorite site to? BTW, I am thinking of another members site not my own.

[kiumars]

Hello and thanks for asking,

Yes, we are going to talk about them too. However, before coming that far, we need to discuss on one more topics. What is a reward? Why we want it? How important is it? Does it matter at all?
I believe that the real reward is given by us and that is the enjoyment in processing the job and the satisfaction at the end. That reward is indescribable. There is no reward greater than that to an artist. That reward creates self confidence, a unique personality and ability to say yes or no to a project that may not suits your interest. When you believe in doing something, you never expect a reward in return. For example, you love your children; do you expect a reward from them? No. However, as soon you do a little favor for someone, you remember that for the rest of your life. Why? Because you didn’t do it for the cause but someone related to that cause. Art is the same, you should do it because you love it, not because who is watching or judging.
My first question to a designer is this: Do you start a project to express or impress? The answer to this simple question is not that simple.

Best regards,
Kiumars

[WiseWizards]

Since We're On The Topic Of Web Awards, I Thought I'd Review Mine. I Created A Web Award, Mainly For Fun And A Few More Visitors, And Would Like To Get Some Suggestions On It. You Can Access The Web Award Page At http://mnaper.tripod.com/WebAward.html Thanx!

P.S. I Refuse To Read Non-Constructive Critism; I've Learned It's Best To Do It That Way...

[matauri]

I personally dont hold much faith in web awards. Who is judging them?

I have a suggestion tho for those who would like to convey on their site that they have been judged by their peers & their site deemed 'good'. Maybe Webproworld could have another forum for completed sites, after they have gone thru the review sections & have their site in the completed phase. In this section it could be purely just a vote (outstanding, excellent, good, etc) & Webpro have an image link that could point to the forum page that judges your site, to put on your site. I think that being judged by others in the industry holds more satisfaction & weight than an award just handed out by sites who have used them as a way of generating traffic to their site. You could also have a 'testimonial' page on your site & anyone who doesn't mind being quoted could include a testimonial with the judging process in the forum & have their testimonial on the evaluation of your site included on that page.



Cindy

[kiumars]

Dear MT,

That was very nice of you to step forward right in a middle of this topic. I wish more people come forward and tell us about their initiative and goals of producing web award labels. I must emphasize this again that there is a big difference between “labeling” and “competition”. Web award labels are similar to those stickers on almost any product you see in supermarkets. Products sealed with labels such as “100% approved”, “satisfaction guaranteed”, “Best seller” etc.
We see them everyday; do not believe them but funny enough, if a product comes free of labels, we start to doubt whether something is wrong with it. Is this going to be the future of web design? Hope not.
Web design and labels all over is no longer considered as design. Imagine to cover Vinci’s famous painting “Mona Lisa” with “design 360 associated with Alfa Romeo and Big Mamma pizza“ label on it. Collage is also design. However, in this case you are not able to do collage because labels are not allowed to be modified.
Now about your award page:
You did not offer any graphical label. That was nice and honest gesture.
You said it very clearly that the purpose of the site was because of fun and to increasing traffic. Your honesty is admirable. However, the question is how did you come with the list of requirements? That must be the fun part of your site.

Best regards
Kiumars

[kiumars]

Dear Matauri,

Your suggestion is great. Would you please make it to work? Competition is challenging and healthy. Labeling is illusive.

Best regards
Kiumars

[matauri]

You'll have to speak to the 'powers that be' here on that one. Was only a sugestion that might help those that would like endorsement. I am merely a plebe ;-)



Cindy

[paulhiles]

Great idea Cindy! Why don't you submit a similar post to the Suggestions and Comments (http://www.webproworld.com/viewforum.php?f=6) forum?
I think it has great potential... and would provide a goal for all those site designers to aim towards.

Nice one

Paul

[kiumars]

Dear Miss Cindy,

I am just an individual. The power is in the good hands of Miss Brittany and all her WebProWorld members. They are doing a great job which keeps us to be here like a family. All members in WebProWorld are special; you can hear the tone of speaking from one to another, very mature and respectful. Unfortunately many other forums sound different. I am very happy and proud of being here and I hope that your good suggestion will be taken seriously.

Thank you and keep wishing the best,
Kiumars

[carbonize]

Personally I feel a good site doesn't need some stupid "award" to say it is good. If it is good then the visitors can see it is good. If you want to be able to say "Look at how good my site is, all these people think so" then use a guestbook. Web awards are for the insecure. The only "awards" worth displaying on your site are X/HTML and CSS validation awards from the W3C and/or watchfire bobby awards.

[kiumars]

Hello Carbonzie,

This is a different opinion. We are not talking whether award boasting is bad or a good behavior. That is a personal matter and we can not decide for those individuals. Our discussion is based on baloney awards, what are their goals and what are they selling? At the same time to look over awards as a productive and challenging work and to help designers to find the right places. You have mentioned a place or two. I never heard of them. Please let us know more about them.

Thanks,
Kiumars

[carbonize]

The W3C are the people that created and maintain the HTML/XHTML language. They are also responsible for CSS. Their site, http://www.w3c.org offers online validation of your code and lets you add a verified logo if it passes.

The watchfire bobby tests are accesibility tests and are used to seehow accesible your site is to people with disabilities and/or people using none graphical browsers.

As for why the baloney award people do it I can only think of two reasons:

1 - To get your email address for spamming lists.
2 - To get you to link back to them and thus increase their search engine position.

[kiumars]

Thanks for information, in addition I have following reasons:
3- They encourage you to buy a diploma or certificate for only 10 to 30 dollars
4- A free auction looking for people to help get the word out by placing their logo on their web site
5- Selling your domains upon your request and a service which may cost you 25 dollars.
6- They will encourage you to purchase their service for taking advantage of their one-of-a kind EXCLUSIVE MALL LINKING packages.
7- They sell you membership program.( TAKE ADVANTAGE NOW AND APPLY FOR YOUR SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP) who knows what special membership means?
8- Here comes another quote: “In addition to the world wide recognition, respect and
International prestige that is associated with being a member of the I.A.W.M.D., as a Professional Member, YOU WILL RECEIVE:-- Official I.A.W.M.D. membership card and ID number, providing special access to numerous free and discounted products and services worldwide.”

Now with regard to reliable sources:
1- www.macromedia.com and submit your site for site of the day.
2- Look after competitions arranged by computer arts http://www.computerarts.co.uk/

I will add more later.

Best regards
Kiumars

[auctioneer]

Hello All! I accidentally found this topic and felt compelled to weigh in with my $0.02 :)

It is true that there are a lot of shady web awards on the Internet, BUT there are a LOT of credible and prestigious progrms out there too! To any of the naysayers on this board I issue the following challenge: Win a level 4.0 or higher award from the AwardSites Index (http://www.awardsites.com)

[trsiyengar]

I have recieved 20 such E-mails for awards. The funny part of this strike is, even before I took part and sent replies, I recieved an award for excellence for design and contents. (At that time, my site was a too shabby one, can't even be merrited as a web site! I wondered then, was this award for worst creations!)

Any way, I never submitted to these E-mails, knowing very well the stings attached to it. You 're bound to put their links, once you accept it. Then, you will recieve hundreds of junk mails and spams to take your disc space. Spammers and spoofers have a fieild day, in all these fake awards. They know the bullying tactis to reach out with any mean method.

Never submit for an award, that too, if you are asked to do so by an E-mail; It is better to get your sites reviewd by honourable members of forums that stand class apart; viz. WPW. Here you get sincere and honest comments from all professionals, experienced techies and web masters. It is woth a million than those fake awards.

Namasthe Everyone,
TRS Iyengar
A sincere criticism is more worth than a false praise.
www.trsiyengar.com

[wenwilder]

I issue the following challenge: Win a level 4.0 or higher award from the AwardSites Index (http://www.awardsites.com)

I would question any awards from that site, considering the look, and feel, of the site itself. Bad use of colors, cluttered content, ...... I think I'm going blind! ;)

Web awards are just quick and easy ways for sites to get links to their sites. Doesn't help you much.

[auctioneer]

I think the site is fine. However, that site is the index of all rated and credible web awards. I would invite you to look at the specific award programs that are listed. More importantly, you should look at the criteria, the winner lists, and the number of awards distributed. I think you will find that they (the awards) mean something when they are truly earned. My challenge still stands...

[paulhiles]

I think when a site features over 400 awards that it has won, this diminishes the significance of any one particular award.
Wen's point on the use of awards as an easy way for a website to collect links was spot on!

[auctioneer]

Yes, I have "won" more than my share of awards, however, my view on the subject differs. For me, web awards accomplish a few tasks.

For starters, it is the impetus I use for continuous improvement. My site is not where I want it to be now, but I have gotten so many ideas, tips, and hints that it is light years from where it was a year ago.

My site is 75% W3C HTML 4.01 and W3C CSS compliant....I am almost 100% W3C WCAG A Compliant. Without awards driving me, I would not have had the motivation to improve my site to the level I already done.

Yes, some web awards are just ego boosts; the criteria aren't too high. These are what I have classified on my site as Independent Awards.

Rated awards, on the other hand, have very challenging criteria. I only ask that you check out the index and look up some level 4.0+ or higher award programs. I am confident that you will agree that for these awards, the bar of quality is high.

If your minds are made up, then no argument will convince you due the experience you all have had with the "prestigious" Golden Web Awards :)

The Auctioneer