Although it is not likely that Mr. Wade Fulp will even notice my comment, I guess I'll put in my 2 cents.
First off, since when is it a crime to vote and review the way you want personally? Mr. Wade Fulp, you are not me, nor have you ever at any time been me. You do not know how I think, how I feel, or what I like. So don't tell me how I should or should not think, feel, and/or like. Contrary to popular belief, not all clocks or locks are 13 year olds, in fact, many locks and clocks such as myself are over 18, I myself being one of the oldest at 21 years old. We are not as ignorant as some would like to believe.
Sure I've voted 5 and reviewed 10 on movies or votes 0 and 0, but these were movies that I either, personally enjoyed or strongly disliked. I have always been a softy and I feel for up and coming artists so I am always lenient. But when I dislike something, I am strictly opposed and let it be known. So what if they may be a friend, a good fiend supports their buddy in their time of need and support them as he or she make his or her own way through life. In addition, I am left to also say, so what if they are made by fellow Locks or Clocks, I like what I like, just like any other person. We all have a variety of interests, that is what makes life interesting. As they say, "Variety is the spice of life", but when you try stamping out that "Variety" you loose that spice and you loose the flavor that was best to begin with.
I have been a habitual visitor of this site since 2001. (wow, 5 years sure does go by fast) I've bought stickers in the past even. I've seen this site go through highs and lows and even a couple of changes in layout on the site. However now, I am more and more uneasy towards this site. Most of the time, I end up placing my art elsewhere because of the lack of respect towards the author and the lack of knowledge of the product.
quote from Mr. Wade Fulp
If these groups were ethical they wouldn't even vote on or review entries submitted by members of their groups.
Asfor this quote, I wish to ask one question. What about fanboys/girls that vote 5/10 on their favorite authors? What do you intend to do about this? Are you going to start setting it up where a member is unable to vote/review as they wish because they may have a certain author in their favorites? I can easily think of examples from other artists such as Illwillpress and Legendary Frog in which they told all the forum members on their site and even posted on their front page to go vote 5 on their movie. (I've seen this with my own eyes so I know this to be true.) Until this issue is addressed you have little or no right to complain about possible abuses within the CC/LL/GG/ or SS.
Also, have you ever thought that some of us have no interest in getting an award. I for one simply think of any award I may win as just good luck as I don't really care about awards. I've never been a person that cared highly about always being #1 or what-not, I make flash because I enjoy making them, not because I want an award. It is just something to do to kill the time and if people like it or if by some spark of luck I win some award, then it is all for the better.
If you want my opinion, I say the simpliest thing to do would be totake away the ability to review from any member on the site that has not got a flash submission on the site. Only those who actually have made flash have a right in my opinion to judge another author's work. Non-flash-creating members would still be able to vote as they please and this would leave reveiews to those who actually have knowledge of the time and effort it takes to make a flash animation.
But hey, with the tragedy in West Virgina in the news and bad stuff happening worldwide, but here we are, arguing about some rule that Mr. Wade Fulp wants enacted because flash that he doesn't like happened to get awards. I'll give him credit that he is like any other person, he has likes and dislikes. According to his actions in the past year, I would say it is dislikes for the CC/LL/SS/GG etc. The site should be about creative freedom, not about putting out cookie cutter flashes that are all in the manner in which he wants. Each member should be valued for their visit. Each member that contributes to the site via flash should be valued even more. There are a very small minority of members that can actually make good fbf, and even fewer that can tween.
In short, you should rethink this idea and stop trying to make decisions for people. If you are going to do this, at least have the courtesy to take away the voting system and review system because not everyone shares the same taste as you. Remember as I said earlier, Variety is the spice of life, so go ahead and try to take in the different flavors because a single person is not likely to get a taste of them all and the more spices (variety) on Newgrounds, the better the food (portal and the site in general) will be.
Hopefully cooler heads will prevail and my calm and well thought out response is worth your time to give a calm and well thought out response to Mr. Fulp.
Thanks for your time.
-Winchester