Honest feedback is central to CESXY. Creators improve their projects by learning what does not work. Visitors rely on accurate accounts to decide what to use. Our Community Guidelines put it simply. Be specific, be fair and do not post private information. Feedback can be negative. It cannot be abusive.
The three rules
No harassment or personal data. No spam or manipulation. Critique the project, not the person.
Negative feedback is welcome
Criticism is not discouraged. A report that a core action fails, that a description overstates what a project does or that it asks for too much information helps the creator, other visitors and our editors. We keep Heads-up and Broken visible because accurate information about problems is useful. Criticism is never removed for payment.
The line that matters is not between positive and negative. It is between useful and abusive.
Be specific
General comments give a creator little to act on. Specific ones say exactly what happened.
This doesn't work tells a creator nothing. After I chose Generate, the loading indicator stayed for over a minute and no result appeared, on a phone in a mobile browser, tells them where to look.
Confusing design is a feeling. I could not find how to start a new list, because the button only appears after scrolling to the bottom, is a finding.
Waste of time is a verdict. The description says no login is needed, but it asked for an account before I could use the core action, is a fact the creator can fix.
Useful feedback usually covers what you tried, what you expected, what happened and the device or browser you used.
Be fair
Describe your own experience. The page did not load on two attempts is an observation. Guessing at the creator's motives is not.
Say what works. When parts of a project work well, saying so helps the creator know what to keep.
Separate defects from preferences. A malfunction is a defect. Disliking a colour scheme is a preference. Both can be said, but label them for what they are.
Respect the scope. Many CESXY projects are small on purpose. Faulting a single-purpose tool for missing unrelated features is rarely fair.
Critique the project, not the person
Feedback is about how the project behaves, not about the creator's character, skill or identity. We do not accept insults, mockery or demeaning language aimed at a creator. We do not accept comments about anyone's identity, background or appearance, guesses about a creator's intelligence or intentions, threats of any kind, or encouraging others to target someone.
The export function produces an empty file is a perfectly acceptable sentence, however disappointing the finding. A sentence that runs down the creator is not.
Do not post private information
Keep personal data out of feedback, yours and anyone else's. That includes names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses, screenshots that show personal details, notifications or accounts, and anything about a creator found outside CESXY. Check every screenshot and blur personal details before you share it.
No spam or manipulation
Feedback must reflect real use. Do not post the same feedback again and again. Do not use feedback to advertise another project. Do not coordinate with others to push a project up or down. Do not comment on a project you have not used. If you are connected to a project, say so before you comment on it.
For creators receiving criticism
Treat specific reports as information. A precise account of a failure is a chance to fix it. Respond to the substance, not the tone, as long as the feedback is not abusive. Do not retaliate. Answering criticism with personal attacks breaks the same guidelines. If feedback turns into harassment or includes personal data, report it instead of replying in kind.
Reporting abusive feedback
If you see feedback that harasses someone, exposes private information or is spam or manipulation, email [EMAIL TBD] with a link to the page and a short description. Do not repeat the private information in your message. If a listing itself gets a fact wrong, the same address takes factual corrections. Factual corrections are welcome.
Before you post
Ask yourself five questions. Have I said what I did, what I expected and what happened? Have I separated defects from preferences? Am I talking about the project and not the person? Have I removed all private information? Does this reflect my own real experience?
Feedback written with these questions in mind is candid where it needs to be and useful to everyone who reads it.