I think unsolicited redesigns are generally a positive thing. They usually get a discussion going, and that discussion is based on comparing two concrete soluti

I think unsolicited redesigns are generally a positive thing. They usually get a discussion going, and that discussion is based on comparing two concrete solutions to the same problem. That in itself is very valuable because it teaches you a lot more than simply comparing two different sites. And even if a 2-hour redesign will never fix all the problems of an existing site, it can still point out specific flaws and suggest a solution.