Thanks Starkers for the compliment. Everyone has made some pretty good statements and Jafo, pretty much summed everything up. That is absolutely true in what he said. I could'nt have said that better myself. My concept and perception has now changed in regards to the skinning and what not, and Fairyy made an interesting statement as well. I'm in total agreement. No more coming down on the skinners and their skins, if I had known that Sternengalaxy was a female, I more than likely would've used a different skin to make my example, and yet that would have still been wrong as well, as I previously stated in one of my posts.
But we all learn from our mistakes, like Starkers for example with a couple of blunders he made.
Nevertheless, my coming to this site for a number of years, I guess I just so used to seeing good skins especially the dark skins being uploaded here just about everyday and go 'WOW. Now it's like a w.b. here, an i.p. there, and when those skins do get uploaded I automatically think if I don't like it, 'What's up with this' but a few people [Jafo, Carl, Stark, Fairry, etc.] just pointed out the reasons why, it's summer, new versions of w.b., it takes more time to do, personal things they have to care of, etc. I understand that completely now. So no more bitchin from me.
But a lot of the newcomers does'nt really know that, I still see postings 'what is this 2006, I still see postings where a lot of people say 'Man, that's a good skin, I downloaded it, How do I apply it' - and the response is always 'You have to download windowblinds and install the skin from there'.
Innocent question, innocent answer, occasionally you have the on-looker looking in, browsing around, and my opinion will see the older skins are some of the best ones.

I recently seen in a screenshot that 'Diafragma uploaded and I have to say in my opinion that that was the ultimate, if someone can tackle that and make something similar. That would definitely set a whole new standard and way that skins are made here, and especially to those a like bright flashy colors also. ...whispering 'a little bug in the hereee...' -fading out'.

ramesese-

as a user, i can understand your frustration. you paid for the software, you paid for the subscription...now you want content. over a period of time when you don't find content that you deem "fit" you start to get anxious. understandable.

as an artist, keep in mind that there is no "school" for skinning. yes, there are tutorials, but those only teach mechanics, not creativity and skill. the great skins you speak of don't just fall off trees. they are generally the products of years of experience. just as in your profession, either you have "it" or you don't. "it" being imagination. there is another word i mentioned..."years". over time an artist will realize that they give 100 percent effort for 30 percent acceptance by the community. it almost seems as though your average user assumes that artists work for stardock, or that it is our "job" to create content for you. i can't tell you how many emails i've gotten demanding a specific skin for someone's specific wants...and some of them get downright nasty when you tell them no. even when you post a skin...the number of requests for changes and updates to suit someone else's wants and needs can get out of hand. when i posted aten...the number of requests to change the button glows were astounding...i liked them and didn't want to change it...people got upset...is that supposed to be my probem if you don't like it? and if paying for a skin is what you want...established artists can charge more than 3,000 dollars for custom work...my going rate is 100 dollars an hour. eventually an artist can come to a realization that this isn't worth it and move on to other things. threads such as this are a perfect example as to why you don't see many of us around anymore. no artist wants to be the "example" for someone else's frustation...not after months of hard work. you may not have wanted to offend anyone...but when you give examples of what you see as poor quality and deal in absolutes you will offend someone.

just like anyone else...artists want to stay on the cutting edge as well. windows vista is on everyone's mind (i'm even running it as we speak). from my point of view, i don't want to spend months on a project for an operatings system that will be replaced in under a year. some want to create for the latest and greatest, and right now the latest and greatest is vista. personally, i'm waiting for the vista version of skinstudio before i release any new themes.

bottom line...artists need to back off for a while to "skin" their lives. we have jobs and lives just like everyone else...and catering to millions of user's every single want and need isn't much fun anymore.

#79 #81 eltonfan your a schmuck...ramesese i admire that you admitted you were wrong. sorry we almost lynched you



enjoy yourself bitches, its a celebration!!!!

Can't believe this thread is still getting this much play.

Can't believe this thread is still getting this much play.

WOM, I can't believe people are actually saying WinCustomize has horrible skins, or bitching about the subscription. Every skin can't be perfect. Also, I'm a student, I have to pay my own way (no grants, no mommy or daddy). Even I can afford the $20 a YEAR subscription to WC. So what's the problem...everyone nowadays feel like they deserve everything in life for free. The only reason I even purchased a WC subscription, was an attempt to support WC in it's continuing effort to bring the user great skins for the software Stardock provides...period.

Now NightTrain, that's what I'm talking about! and you are definitely one of the greats that's still here. Scion as well, that was a perfect statement you made, and true. I anticipate just about everything you put out, because you both produce badass skins, only but a handful does in my opinion, and those works gets plenty of airtime, on my home and office systems.
When customers visit my office, or I have get-togethers in my home, especially in my home and they come down to my 'LAIR, I would expect them to see my elaborate gallery first, my tall manikins with my bat-suits I made displayed on it, and others. But the first thing they notice is my 19'inch screen flat-panel, and the gadgetry over at my work-station, the first thing they notice is really how my desktop is set-up, then my gallery

First they say is 'Wow, which os you run? I reply 'Just winxp, 'How do you get your os to look like that, my reply 'Windowblinds. So now people who I know that has computers, are now rolling over to this site, and purchasing w.b., and downloading skins, and call me up and be like 'Man, did you see so and so skin, etc. So now, I have to keep my desktop updated and fresh to stay ahead of the Jones, and I absolutley love it.

So, because of simple word-of-mouth, which is to me one of the best forms of advertising, keeps wincustomize growing on my part. Loyal fan here-

bichur...i wasnt just trying to calm things down a little, but im definitely on board for the eltonjohnfan lynch, he's a putz! hes a putz, oops i already said that

Anyone seen my good thumping stick?

If you can't find it, check with Po'.  I'm pretty sure he's got some extras.   

This is more fun than reading the comments that follow each news article on Yahoo.   

I'll confess to being someone who gets tired of all the dark and gloomy skins. It's nice to see a colorful and cheerful one now and then. And as far as sternengalaxy goes, I have 4 of his skins which ties him with one other person as having the most WBs on my computer. Different strokes for different folks.

A friend of mine nearly 35 years ago in a momment of drug induced awareness of a universal truth said the following words which I still believe in today:

If you can't dig it, f*ck it.
If you can't f*ck it, go to your rooom.

kids...lol

Bmaker... Please consider how you are phrasing things.  I dont think the amount of excellent skins has gone down... I think the proportion of them has gone down due to the amount of 'new' skinners taking things into their own hands.  I think its great that there are alot of new submissions, but alas, I agree with the low vision of quality amonst them.  So yes, the average may be lower, but its worth it to find the new gems by authors like Josephs.  I think that you need to make the effort to find the good stuff, not just expect it to float to your doorstep.  Remember, if you dont like it here... you are free to 'move along' if nothing else...

Oh, for the record, I'm Canadian, and I suspect if you keep up your method of provocation, you'll find that it doesnt get you very far.  I find your comment rude and distasteful.

Thanks Fuzzy.

...I sat here and typed a long response to that comment ...none of it was nice, and I [luckily] thought twice about posting it. Glad you got rid of it.