Friday Q&A.

Questionable Disposition

Greetings, crickets and trolls. Welcome to another edition of the Friday Q&A. Thanks for joining me again. Each week, I take a look at issues facing Fark's Photoshop community. For the uninitiated, Fark is a news aggregate site like so many others. It lets the users make sarcastic japes and wry observations at the stories of the day. One thing, however, has always has set us apart. That would be the nature of our Photoshop contests.

Q: How do Fark contests differ from those found elsewhere?

A: There are plenty of sites that permit users to create and submit images to be judged by their peers. Those sites almost always breed pretension and elitism. It can be hard to get started in a place like that. Fark, on the other hand, has a nice mix of participants and casual observers. This results in a different kind of atmosphere. A person who is eager to learn can get started easily, regardless of skill. They can even do fairly well if they possess a certain degree of wit.

Q: Do any sites come close to emulating the Fark contest experience?

A: Not that I've encountered so far. I've seen plenty of places with potential, but nothing really compares in my mind. And I can say that as a person who has looked for alternatives. Fark is not without its share of flaws, most especially the stubbornness of both the users and the site staff. It always amuses me to see people mindlessly parrot "you'll get over it" one minute and then genuinely wonder just where the hell everyone went the next minute. Here's a tip: people often have better success getting over things after a change of surroundings.

Q: Have measures been taken to address Fark's problems?

A: The measures have been too retarded, too late. Tons of crappy changes have been foisted upon the contest users in attempt to shore up what the site admins perceive to be flagging popularity. But people aren't getting tired of Photoshopping, or seeing funny pictures. They're getting tired of dealing with bullshit and being put off when they express a concern. The fact is that there are many more options open these days for those casual observers who gave the contests an extra spark. And that means a diminished pool of potential new Photoshoppers.
Changes like the new voting system do not strike at the heart of the problem. People aren't skipping the contests because they didn't win and got mad. If Drew wants to make a difference, he should go firebomb the Reddit server. But not Digg, gas costs too much and people wouldn't notice anyway.

That's all for this time, gentle reader. Thanks again for stopping by. I'll always enjoy how Fark lets the average user contribute comedic elements to what is essentially a vast humor tapestry. Regardless of decline or idiotic changes made to the system, it still remains a singular experience on the Internet. Though I often wish someone else could succeed at emulating it. If only to give us a place to go when the powers that be inevitably decide the best way to get new users is to take the site offline permanently.

Stay tuned for more wishful thinking from the Doctor!