Minimum upload before download??

Well I disagree with the minimum upload restriction, as there are many people that want to learn from our designs so they can't produce any 3D models (or any descent ones).
I could agree to a restriction in profile. A user should complete all the fields in his profile, Name, experience etc and then to be allowed to download.

I agree completely with Manolis, this is what I liked in GrabCAD and made me come back again in the first place, I wanted a model and the search engine directed me here and I didn't even have to register, I liked how this website was managed and still do ...
Anyway, putting a minimum uploads will flood the Library with cubic blocks ...

After reading all your concerns and I have to agree with them also, who is downloading my models and where are they using it.

Field details can be bogus also so I don't think that would help if xyz123 can join, what stops a Homer Simpson from Springfield with a degree in wormhole technology joining and downloading your models.
There should be a third option when uploading models, so far we have 'Public' and 'Private' I was thinking maybe 'Restricted', this option would be where the downloader would press the download button and the Engineer/Designer would get an email saying that xyz123 wants to download your model, you go check xyz123 profile and if you don't like it because it's blank or bogus you deny the privilege, maybe a short message from the downloader telling you why they want to download your model, 'to learn', 'I want to print it for show and tell' with each email there also could be a standard message along the lines of 'you'd have a better chance of downloading the model if your profile was complete and honest' or something like that :)
I'd then have a mix of 'Public', for all the models that where just done for fun or an exercise and happy to share with anyone and then the 'Restricted' for the models I spent a lot of time and thought and would like to share with people I think would appreciate my work because they seem legit because they filled out their profile with what they do, what experience they have, what tickles their fancy etc.

I have noticed the same thing on my feed. Probably 75% of the downloads are just a name with no other information, no uploads, and often a large number of downloads. The whole concept makes me somewhat hesitant to share more.

I agree that as a very minimum all of the fields in the profile should be mandatory. I agree with the concept of minimum uploads but the reality of it will be thousands of useless uploads.

Would a method for users to rate uploads help? Something along the line of 0 to 10 stars. This could be factored into the users rank. Higher quality models = higher ranking than simply lots of uploads.

I think combining the above with a waiting period for and between downloads, until you have uploaded a number of models? The time delay could vary based on the individuals ranking.
For example, a new user with no uploads could download 1 model per week, 1 rated upload=1 download per day, 1@5star rated=2download per day...

Fantastic feedback from everyone here, thanks guys!

A very quick recap of how the sharing/download has evolved:
1. At the beginning, there was no restriction to who downloads what, you did not even have to be a registered user
2. then we changed the access to download files so that only registered users would be able to do that.
3. We also added private share feature, meaning you can control with whom you share the models with.

We know the usability issues with the private sharing (not easy to spot and manage with groups etc), and are hammering that issue. Some of you have probably spotted some q&a questions and received e-mails form us about how you'd like to see things working and implemented. Keywords that we are brainstorming and figuring out solution for - versioning, collaboration, groups, projects, both public and limited access.
What comes to engineers willing to share more models if the download is somehow based on user credibility - some very interesting ideas here. We would not want to totally restrict downloading for new users as many of them join GrabCAD because of the awesome models others have uploaded, giving inspiration and kick to upload the first model by the new user as well.

However, we are open to ideas how to experiment with the 'empty' profile downloads and make sharing the content comfortable for the active users.

A first simple question would be: <strong>which group of engineers would you be comfortable with sharing any model you've worked on (excluding confidential, naturally)?</strong> Can you describe the type of engineers of the community, based on any characteristic or profile?

keep in mind that this is an opensource website. by uploading your model to the public you are making it available to everyone on the internet.

if you want to share your model with the active members you can use the private feature and create your list of members that you would like to share your model with them. in this case you are restricting the access to your model to the selected members

I do agree with the user fields should be filled in, but I would have to agree with ALI as this is a open source site and not all that are new to CAD have models to upload. I downloaded models from GarbCAD and learned from them months in advance before I even uploaded a model.

I understand the open source aspect of the site, and agree with it to a point.

I often use the models I download to learn a technique, or see how something was done to apply for another project. My hope that the users downloading my stuff are doing the same, and believe that some do.

It's frustrating to see people not contributing even after a few months as users. Are these the people who sponge up everything they get and use somewhere else in a for pay situation? Are they contributing our work elsewhere like one of the nameless upper crust here seems to do?

i am against minimum upload thingy,that's like making it closed source.

all the models uploaded won't be of any commercial use unless customized for very specific industrial requirements.

knowledge should be free for all,it a learning center.
and also there is something called real life people might be busy there.

those are not random letters for my username,thats short form for my name.
it's only 2 days i have made account here.let me catch a breath.

i wasn't being offensive about real life thing or trying to hurt anyone's feelings.
everyone has their own sets of problems.i was just trying to bring that into sphere.

Suppose that could be the answer to this issue. ensure field details are filled out at registration to ensure all users have some background to them :)

I think that the idea of restricted, is a great, and practical solution to the discussion here.

Hmmm...first of all, nice topic Robert...
I agree with some of you guys about those who dwnl our models and do nothing to contribute...at all...that piss me off. We shouldn`t mix those who wants to learn different engineering approaches and CAD designs with those who just grab our models with blank profiles...for example, got bunch of drawings of machines i worked and don`t like to share it because they are still industrial secrets, but i`ll gladly put it at disposal to people i trust...think every of you got greater models at home than here...If we find a solution of this issue, GrabCAD will get turbo boost :) better models, serious ones, real stuff.
Maybe some feature recognition (J.E. got similar topic here) software which decide where your model will go (based on amount of parts in model, complexity, something like that) and, like stairs, first like 500 places are totally free (upload, download, share of all kind,and great models are there), from 500 till like 5000 maybe 10000 don`t know, places are people who wants to do something, they upload their models and try to improve their self's, got restricted permissions to dwnl just in their own area, and those below that border to last one...they can learn and download models (based on that feature recognition i mentioned above).
One more thing, guy who is fairy new to CAD, don`t need to download 200MB file...or i am wrong?
Just a thought...
Great site, and great people are here...all of us should try to keep it that way!
Regards

I think the problem is now solved since no one can see who is downloading their models anymore, what you don't know can't hurt you, right?
I'm just kidding ... rating the models either by the staff or members then putting a credit people have to reach to be able to download them seems reasonable, not that I prefer that ... just an idea.

I would need to agree with Wolf there :)
as to use that would not be able to download the more experienced CAD user of GrabCAD models and learn from them as some of us do learn very much from others within this community and don't just abuse this privilege for some wicked models to download, but I also do agree with how much work and effort has went in to some of the models that gets uploaded from the more experienced CAD users within community so as much as I am against some models being put a block on for me to download and learn from and gain more experience I am with you guys about it as blood and sweet does go in to some of your models so hate to say it but some sort of restriction would be good for the more experienced CAD users models

What do the staff of GrabCAD think? they seem to be lurking in the dark watching :) ... Hardi?