I actually like the blue-check - it's clean and simple (and one of my fave shades of blue!). More importantly it also conveys a 'recommended read' to me without giving it the same level fanfare of a yellow ribbon. It shouldn't look on par with an EP award ribbon. It shouldn't be a medal or something too fancy that looks overtly similar to the EP, so for that reason I like the differential colour palette and simple design.
The red book icon is really cute but to be honest when it's up next to an EP ribbon it looks so similar it's hard to tell which one symbolizes the more important honour, especially to someone who is new to the site.
Just thought I'd throw my thoughts into the mix, as a person seeing them fresh. I wasn't involved in the original decision-making process but I was perfectly happy with the blue box when I saw it appear.
I'm quite sure that NN was venting, as many people in this thread have done. It is rather daunting to give someone an award and then find out that they think it messes up their page or they want to hide it.
The award is about the writing and nothing else. Nobody has any black marks against them. If a story is read and the mod who reads it finds it to be exceptional, it will be given the award regardless of who wrote it. Like Sprite said, a good story is a good story, end of. If people don't want it, they can feel free to request that they not get it.
I think the reason so many feathers have been ruffled over this thread is that there was the suggestion from some members that they'd rather not have any symbol appear on their page than have the current one.
Now, many people have been very insistent that the opinions expressed in this thread are purely about the symbol and not about the award itself. However, when you're saying the symbol is SO bad that you'd rather people weren't able to see it as a Recommended Read, that, to me, shows that you think relatively little of the award.
One solution, if you really hate it being on your page SO much, is to hide that story or push it far enough down on your list (if possible) that it doesn't appear on your profile page. I doubt very much that any of you will do that as the RR will have been awarded to some of your best work, and you'll probably want to keep that on your page.
It's the strength of feeling expressed by some that has surprised me more than the general negative sentiment. Calm doon!
To be honest, this thread is all about a check mark. Your opinion on a check mark isn't really going to be something taken into consideration of whether your story deserves a recommendation. Neither is your avatar or your sexual orientation or anything else that doesn't have to do with the substance of an amazing story.
As far as I am aware, Lush doesn't give pats on the back to prejudice. In any capacity. If you feel you've been wronged, you know where the Contact Us button is.
Just so there's no confusion, I'm still open to bribes.
Percentage of Lush authors who are moderators = 1%
Percentage of Recommended Read badge holders who are moderators = 46.5%
Well played!
Warning: The opinions above are those of an anonymous individual on the internet. They are opinions, unless they're facts. They may be ill-informed, out of touch with reality or just plain stupid. They may contain traces of irony. If reading these opinions causes you to be become outraged or you start displaying the symptoms of outrage, stop reading them immediately. If symptoms persist, consult a psychiatrist.
Why not read some stories instead
NEW! Want a quick read for your coffee break? Why not try this... Flash Erotica: Scrubber The site already has a lot of red. I am not going to add any more. Grey / black doesn't stand out. The gold is reserved for EPs.
I like the blue, it's modern and fresh. We're playing around with ideas at the moment, stay tuned.
For those people who are complaining they don't like the look of it next to their stories, please send a message to Gav, and he will remove the award.
