The new design looks freser and usability for new users is improved.

XING.com? How would I describe it? Looks like a more down-to-business Ryze. An international social network with language-tagged forums. Check out the blog: openBLOG.
If you decide to build a profile there, sign up and connect with mine, here. If …

And all they have to do is design an entry for a profile page, not a complete redesign or anything like that.
This is definitly the best design competition I have seen in a long while.

Now, regarding the comparison of LinkedIn vs. openBC traffic numbers…

There’s a key difference: openBC has discussion forums and open private messaging. There is public interaction. There is private messaging just because two people want to chat.

LinkedIn has no public interaction whatsoever. LinkedIn’s private messaging is intended to be only one message between two people via the LinkedIn interface, then after that they move to e-mail or whatever. It’s transactional.

Therefore it would seem perfectly sensible to me that LinkedIn would, even being used as designed, generate far fewer page views per person or per session than openBC (or Ecademy or any of the other networking sites that have clubs/networks/blogs/private messaging/etc.) would. In fact, if it weren’t, I would say it wasn’t delivering on its core value proposition: getting more done with less effort.

openBC and LinkedIn are different tools that can co-exist perfectly well in the businessperson’s toolkit.

And to all you complaining designers: get over it. Designers (yes the good ones) are a commodity. There’s nothing you do that tens of thousands of other designers around the world can’t do. You have to compete and the buyer is in the driver’s seat.

I dont support spec work as a modus operandi per se. But I´m not demonizing every design contest neither. It´s clear that bad prizes atract bad design and that is bad for designers as a whole. But I think is not the case here with such a good (and greatly overpaid) prize.

See the No Spec website for more:

http://www.no-spec.com/

I agree that it doesn’t result in good work but that wasn’t your argument. You argued that doing it would be somehow offensive or immoral, as in:

“do you really think that would go over well?”

Try not to change the subject which is the morality of design contests and spec work.

“The issue is that when enough companies start getting amateurs to do free work, that devalues non-free work. Just like it would in any industry.”

Again, I agree. However, none of the work is free. The company has agreed to pay for what they use. Designers can take their rejected designs and re-sell or re-purpose them elsewhere. Sure, there is lost time involved but so what? The designers assumed the risk upfront in the hope that they would reap the reward. Same thing with someone posting a photo to iStock. The work is already done and there is no guarantee they will get paid a single cent for it.

“If you could have programming contests that resulted in full applications, then it would lower the value of hiring teams of professional programmers to do it.”

Programmers doing work for free! GASP! Who ever heard of such a travesty?

Oh yeah it’s called free and open source software (FOSS). There’s usually not even a contest or reward involved, and yet people still contribute on their own accord. The horror! And note that there are even plenty of companies (Techcrunch, Apple, Google etc) making lots of money on the backs of all this free work. And yet still you rarely hear programmers complaining.

“Also, you might want to learn something about iStock before making statements about it.”

I actually work in related field so I know the ins and outs, and some of the players better than most. But thanks for clarifying that there’s no controversy at all regarding microstock photography. professional photography groups aren’t up in arms over it, and traditional stock photographers aren’t making the exact same arguments you make. Thanks for clearing that up.

“.. full-time professional photographers that make a good living from their iStock work. I know, I’ve had many conversations with them. They get paid for every image that is used by someone.”

Well I know people who make good money doing simple design work on spec. I know, I’ve had many conversations with them. They too get paid for every design that is used by someone.

And one more comment on this:

“The issue is that when enough companies start getting amateurs to do free work, that devalues non-free work. Just like it would in any industry.”

Consider substituting ‘nearly free’ for ‘free’ and it’s the exact same thing as Microstock vs Traditional Stock. Again, I agree with you here – it sucks, just don’t think you’re the only industry facing this problem, nor should you expect special treatment.

Do what your photography friends have done – adapt to the new reality and try and find a way to make it work to your advantage. Learn, adapt and think outside the box… Sitting around complaining about how other people do business is frankly annoying.

I thought you might have a point, but I couldn’t see it due to the enormous strawman in the way.

It’s two days to create a fully functional system according to all of my specs. Obviously you can’t do a very good job of it in two days, which was part of the point. This kind of thing doesn’t result in good work, not compared to hiring a professional directly.

The issue here is not some sort of ridiculous “old media vs. new media” thing. Please. The issue is that when enough companies start getting amateurs to do free work, that devalues non-free work. Just like it would in any industry. If you could have programming contests that resulted in full applications, then it would lower the value of hiring teams of professional programmers to do it.

Should designers go the extra mile to woo clients? Of course. I do that myself. I’ve done unsolicited mockups for presentations. But that’s the key. Unsolicited. And they didn’t get to use them afterwards. That’s in no way the same as asking for free work.

Also, you might want to learn something about iStock before making statements about it. Many of its contributors (which I am not one of, though I do purchase stock from them) are, in fact, full-time professional photographers that make a good living from their iStock work. I know, I’ve had many conversations with them. They get paid for every image that is used by someone. How that is the same as asking for free work, I don’t know.

If I felt that I had a decent chance to win the contract I’d do it in a heartbeat. In fact I have done that and more for a contract of that size. Why wouldn’t I? Is there something I’m not getting? How much work do you think is acceptable trying to win a bid of that size? An hour or two maybe?

I guess it all depends on how hungry you are, and by the sounds of things you are doing well enough that you would find this unacceptable. Fine. But don’t harp on people willing to go the extra mile to get work (or recognition) just because you’re not.

Lastly, I noticed the delicious irony of the fact you are an iStockphoto contributer. Don’t all your arguments fit in exactly with what professional photographers are saying about ‘Microstock’ photography!? Aren’t you devaluing their work, by undercutting then with an inferior product!!!??

I guess you figure that’s acceptable, but everyone be damned who threatens *your* living doing the exact same thing.

Hypocrite.

I’ve got a web project I’m bidding right now. If I put up a contest, and told prospective programmers they could spend a couple of days coding the backend for me, turn over all their source code, and then I’d pick the best one and send them $12,000, do you really think that would go over well?

If it would, then I have a new business plan to write up.

‘Design Contest’ are merely spec work requests designed to encourage designers to work for free.
Big thumbs down.

You can use Comscore data, but you should never compare US and European websites with Comscore. The reason is that Comscore has most not the same amount of data sources in the US and Europe. I also don’t recommend to use Comscore as a single source.
I would use Hitwise, which collects logfile data diectly from the ISP networks and enrich the data with Comscore to compare these two competitors. Best way would obviously be an independant third party, which has access to both companies webmetrics data.

Pffft.

While I agree that a lack of education about the design process is part of the problem (never mind the fact that most people wouldn’t know good design if it kicked them in the balls), I’m tired of hearing so called ‘professional’ designers complain about things like this.

Technology is changing everything. The little people are becoming empowered with things like open source software, affordable hardware and the vast amount of shared knowledge and free training that is available on the web. If you don’t like the contest then don’t submit. If you feel really strongly about it, then don’t do business with the offending website. But if you bitch about amateur or hobbyist designers then you might as well bitch about everything that Web 2.0 represents: Empowering people to do great technical, creative and collaborative things that were never before possible.

Imagine for a second if only professionally schooled programmers were allowed to put software on the net? How many cool web-apps, mashups and cool tools would we be without? Would TechCrunch even exist? Well the same goes for web design IMHO, the more variety and competition out there the better.

Anyone else notice a pattern below?

1. The web enables anyone to become a publisher via blogs and social media sites… Traditional media companies complain loudly.
2. Stock photography is forever changed by affordable equipment and internet distribution… Old school photographers whine and moan…
3. The Internet forever changes the music business…. The RIAA sues it’s customers in an effort to prop up a failing business model.
4. Amateur web designers flood the internet. Using low cost tools they can occasionally rival what some of the pros are offering. Old school, elitist designers whine and moan.

The list goes on and on…….

The internet is changing everything. Adapt your model, learn new skills or die. Whining and bitching won’t get you anywhere. Most importantly, realize that if you are selling a product or service that others are willing to give away for next to nothing (or free) then you’re in big trouble.

/rant

It is the same thing with companies requesting a RFP for a project. In some instances, a RFP can take 10+ hours to research and write. Yet, no one forces you to do them. You do them for the possibility of being awarded the job.

“Comscore is based on 2 million participants, which allows them to capture a broad view of surfing and buying behavior. They should be able to track your site.”

…then, after seeing the numbers, it’s suddenly…

“Comscore data is flawed, especially when you compare sites in the US and Europe.”

Now they are not “able to track your site”? Or do they just have the wrong numbers?

A+ for PR!