The B3ta website, a UK-based platform celebrating creative content from the internet, operates a weekly newsletter that features curated links submitted by users. This article provides a comprehensive guide for UK consumers, creators, and enthusiasts on how to submit work for potential inclusion, based solely on the official information provided by B3ta's own documentation. The process is entirely free of charge, with no requirement for payment or purchase to participate. The newsletter serves as a platform for showcasing creative projects, with submissions reviewed by an editorial team.
Understanding the B3ta Newsletter and Its Purpose
B3ta describes itself as a website dedicated to "celebrating the best stuff on the internet." Its core offering is a free, weekly newsletter distributed every Friday. This newsletter is populated with what the team considers "the finest links the internet has to offer" that they have encountered during the week. The newsletter currently has nearly 80,000 subscribers, making it a significant platform for visibility within a specific creative community.
The editorial process for the newsletter is handled by Rob, who is responsible for the editorial content, including the newsletter, quizzes, and flash content. The selection of items for inclusion is influenced by an individual referred to as the "Magic Donkey." This person's role is to review all material submitted for the newsletter and indicate approval for items he likes. It is important to note that the Magic Donkey does not handle approvals for the messageboards, and any thanks for items appearing on the front page should not be directed to him.
The newsletter is not a commercial service. B3ta explicitly states that it is not an agency and cannot be employed to make a website or viral product go viral. While individual team members (Rob, Denise, and Cal) take on freelance projects, B3ta itself does not endorse commercial products.
The Official Submission Process
The only method for submitting work for consideration in the B3ta newsletter is through a specific online form. The official instructions are clear: users must send a link to their work using the form at www.b3ta.com/mailus/.
A critical rule for submission is that even if a user has already posted their project on the B3ta messageboards, they must still submit it separately via the form. The team explicitly states that they cannot monitor the messageboards 24 hours a day and are likely to miss work that is only posted there. The form is the designated channel to ensure the editorial team sees the submission. All links must be sent in one place to facilitate review for the Magic Donkey.
Submission Guidelines and Technical Requirements
While the primary requirement is to submit a link to the work, there are technical considerations for those hosting images or media. The B3ta messageboards, where users often showcase creative skills, have specific guidelines for image hosting.
For users posting images on the messageboards, there is a built-in image uploader. This system allows users to upload images up to approximately 400 kilobytes (KB) in file size. The site automatically resizes the images to meet the platform's dimensions and file size limits. To use this feature, users must press the "Switch to image mode" button before writing a new post.
Alternatively, users can host images on external webspace. B3ta suggests that purchasing webspace is a viable option, as it is relatively inexpensive and allows for a personal domain name and a custom website. There are also free web hosting services available. However, B3ta specifically advises against using certain free hosts for B3ta pictures: Angelfire, Photobucket, Geocities, and Tripod are listed as not being good places for this purpose. Users are encouraged to find a different host if they already have an account with one of these services.
If an image is hosted externally, the user must obtain the direct address (URL) of the image. This address typically ends with a file extension like .jpg. For example, a URL might look like http://www.woo.com/image.jpg. To display the image on the messageboards, the user must use the appropriate HTML image tag code with this address. It is important to use the address of the full-sized image, not a thumbnail, especially if the free web host provides a thumbnail gallery (like MSN).
Content Policies and Suitability
B3ta maintains a content policy to keep the site and newsletter free from material that could be considered "Not Safe for Work" (NSFW), which includes pornographic content. The policy is based on the understanding that many employers take a dim view of employees accessing such content on work computers, and it can lead to dismissal.
The site does not aim to censor content or make moral judgments but asks users to provide appropriate warnings for any images or links that could be mistaken for pornographic material. This includes links to sites with pornographic content, where users should be aware of potential banner ads. Moderators may link items as NSFW as a precaution, even if the content is considered tame, and this action is not personal.
Users unsure if their image is NSFW are advised to ask themselves, "Could this be mistaken for porn?" For example, a suggestive picture of a person in underwear might be considered NSFW even without nudity, whereas a cartoon image might not be, depending on context. The team advises always assuming that people might be viewing content from work, regardless of the time of day.
Key Information for Submitters
- Submission Method: Use the official form at
www.b3ta.com/mailus/. - Frequency: The newsletter is sent out every Friday.
- Visibility: With nearly 80,000 subscribers, the newsletter offers a platform to reach a dedicated audience interested in creative internet content.
- Selection Criteria: The Magic Donkey reviews submissions and indicates which items to include based on personal preference.
- No Commercial Endorsement: B3ta does not provide commercial endorsements or agency services.
- Image Hosting: For messageboard posts, use the built-in uploader (up to 400KB) or an external host, avoiding specific services like Angelfire and Photobucket.
- Content Rules: Avoid NSFW material and provide warnings where necessary to comply with workplace safety guidelines.
Conclusion
The B3ta newsletter offers a free, curated platform for UK-based creators and enthusiasts to share their work with a substantial audience. The submission process is straightforward, requiring only a link sent through the official mailus form. Adherence to technical guidelines for image hosting and the site's content policy is essential for consideration. While selection is subjective and based on the preferences of the editorial team, the process is accessible to anyone with creative content to share, provided they follow the stated procedures and community standards.