Duplicate upload checks in the icon and cursor libraries

Published by Vlasta about 19 hours ago.

The icon and cursor libraries now include automated checks intended to reduce the amount of duplicate content being uploaded. The goal is not to aggressively block uploads, but mainly to reduce accidental reuploads and endless reposting of the same files.

The system now behaves differently depending on the level of trust associated with your account.

If you are a contributor, no duplicate checks are applied. At that point, I trust that you know what you are doing and upload content responsibly.

If you are an artist (meaning you have published at least one proper set that appeared on the library main page), or if you have confirmed your email address, the checks are minimal. In this case, the system only prevents you from uploading a file that you yourself have already uploaded and not placed into a set. This mostly catches accidental duplicate uploads or forgotten test files. You are still allowed to upload files that already exist in the library from other users.

If you are a first-time uploader or otherwise have not yet earned any trust, the rules are stricter. In that case, the system will prevent uploads of files that already exist anywhere in the library.

In practice, once you publish a proper cursor or icon set with a reasonable name, description, and enough content, the restrictions become very light. The system mostly just reminds you that "yes, you already uploaded this exact file before."

If you want to check whether you qualify for the artist role, open one of your sets or individual icon/cursor pages. If you see a Portfolio link under your name, you have it.

To check whether you are a contributor, visit your account settings page. If there is a "Support me" link box available, you have that role. (You can fill that in and a Donate link will appear on your set pages.) Alternatively, in user lists you will see a contributing user tag under your name.

This change is mostly based on recent observations that many duplicate uploads were not malicious at all. Often, people simply uploaded the same file repeatedly while trying to figure out how the library workflow functions. Hopefully this keeps the archive cleaner without making the upload process unnecessarily annoying for active users.

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