*Brain implosion*

[caretaker]

Okay, okay...

I'm a roleplayer (*polishes Total Geek badge proudly*) and I run my own board, which I custom-skinned. I'm infamous for skinning boards for anybody who asks, a'cause I enjoy it, and stuff. I dunno whether they're good - they're certainly different from 90% of the InvisionFree boards used for RPing, as everybody picks a default skin that looks unbearably similar (trend whores DX).

Anyway - today I got an e-mail from somebody who really loves the skin on my board and wants me to do one for her. So far so good, I'm happy to do it. But then she absently adds "I'm even willing to pay."

And suddenly, my skin!happy world goes wonky, and the greedy part of my brain starts drooling and rubbing its metaphorical hands together. I can't accept money for a skin! For a start, I'm not sure that's allowed by IF's terms and conditions, and for another, I was perfectly happy to do it for free until the completely batshit notion of payment was brought up. I'm an amateur! I only realised four days ago that I had a big fat error in my CSS that meant Chrome didn't load the board's background!

I told her I wouldn't accept money, but if she really loves the skin and is so inclined after completion, she can buy me maca supplements [they're cheap and I've run out] but that's just a sign that my greed is winning.

Why?! Why would somebody do that? There're professionals all over the place who deserve payment, not loonybins like me DDDX My brother has spent five years studying computers and web design and nobody's ever volunteered to pay him for a design (thus he can't know about this or he'll sulk).

Argh, I let my greed pwn my morals. Whyyy did she have to mention paaaaymennnnttt? >____<

[Pasta]

You didn't ask her for for anything you simply said that if she insisted on payment then get you these. As far as i can see you were being helpful.

[caretaker]

I think it's greed disguised as accomodation, tbh D:

And I still feel dirty ._.

[The Lazy One]

I don't know if you read about this on the old board, but a while ago I worked very hard on creating a forum for a friend. I spent nearly three weeks coding, and sacrificed sleep time and studying time for this little project. As it ended up, the person my friend was role-playing with decided that my work was shit and they were going to stay on Gaia.

Personally, I think if you're going to do work for someone else, you should have some kind of payment, even if it's not money. Working for free sucks, and it makes it too easy for people do decide, "Oh, sorry, your work wasn't necessary."

[caretaker]

I do remember that thread, Lazy - I commented on it a couple of times suggesting other uses for the skin you worked so hard on.

But tbh, I don't really mind if the same happens to me. It takes me four days max to knock a skin together - I can do it in a night if I'm inspired and have nothing else to do. If they change their minds, I can delete the pics and get some bandwidth back *shrug*

Another kicker is she applied to our site, too, and she wrote a Sue of epic, epic proportions DDDX I had to deny the app, which made me feel even worse. Greh.

[The Lazy One]

Ah, yes, I do remember you commenting now.

That's really nice of you... you're much more patient and accepting than me. Sues are always a bit difficult to deal with, so I don't blame you for denying the application, but that doesn't make it any easier.

Good luck, anyway!

[Dan]

Instead of payment, ask to be credited. Then you'll be able to cite the board to potential empployers for as long as it uses your skin.

[Redhunter]

I'd just like to add that I'D like to use Caretaker's skin too. _{*mumbles* sexy little beast...}