Give Core a Chance

Well, like usual, DA has made a change and everybody is furious about it.

I'm pretty open to change, though I admit I was slightly put off by this at first. My main complaint is that this came with no warning, though I expect people would have reacted the same either way and this seemed like an attempt to, figuratively speaking, rip off the band-aid and get it over with.

I can't say I like the obnoxious orange color because it clashes in an otherwise harmonious design, nor do I like the term "core" because I feel it (unintentionally) conveys the wrong message. But really, think about it, was "premium" any better? It's still a label that elevates paying members.

But the title and the colors seem to take a back seat to a larger complaint - the price increase, which has been exaggerated to have doubled or even tripled. I was irritated by this at first as well, but the fact is that the prices haven't gone up that much. The original price of a yearly membership was $29.95 WITH a 50% discount applied. That means the real price was $59.99, $10 above what the "new" 12 month membership costs.

You could argue that since the discount was always applied that it never really cost $59.99, but look at it this way as well - I've been a paying member for over 10 years now and it has always cost $29.95. That's ten years without adjusting for inflation. Look at the difference 10 years made on these common items.

DeviantART is a business. They have a headquarters, massive servers, countless staff members and all the costs of running that business. If they don't make money, we don't have a website to utilize. Artists, above most, should know that a service has monetary value.

DeviantART accounts are free. There's no invite code or other required method for entry. You have unlimited image uploads and unlimited bandwidth. You get 2GB of Sta.sh, where you can store or hide things. You get free access to a prints service where you can earn money and it costs you nothing. You can even customize your page to an extent, which a lot of sites don't allow at all for free accounts. Not to mention the accessibility and large community that comes with just being on DA.

Yes, paid membership comes with better perks in the customizing department, which can help you sell yourself better, but free accounts are still completely usable. And if you use DA as a large source of your income, is it really that bad to pay a little extra to help support a service that helps you? Or rather, is the service they offer worth the money? Look at it objectively and imagine you never knew there was a price increase - would what you get from it still be worth the price tag?

If not, it's your prerogative to change to another website, one that better suits your needs and/or your budget. Or to simply be content with a free account without pretty things all over your front page.

I just feel that DA offers a pretty good service even for free accounts and all of the anger and hate is misplaced.