WC Poll: Preferred Skin Style

Published on July 30, 2007 By Zoomba In WinCustomize News

Welcome back Skinning Fans to yet another week of icons, wallpapers, animated desktops and lively forum debate. To kick the week off right, it's time for yet another poll. Yes, yes, I know, you're wondering to yourself what deep and insightful question I could possibly ask this week. Well, after much debate, and several extremely unhelpful suggestions from the peanut gallery (Favorite Way to Skin a Cat just didn't seem like a good idea), a good one was suggested by our game dev intern, mittens.

But before we get into the new question, we should recap last week's poll and the results. Last Monday, I listed out all of the non-Stardock Design skins released in the Master Skins program so far.

By a good margin, the favorite released to-date is Knot Vista by I.R. Brainiac. Coming in second was Optix by MikeB314. Here's the breakdown:

Pretty good spread overall. Hopefully in the coming months we'll have even more master skins to vote on in future polls

Now, on to this week's question... What is your Preferred WindowBlinds Skin Style?

Tech-y
Skins that evoke a machine/computerized look. They're usually on the dark side, and use sharp edges and lines.
Bright & Clean
Skins that use lighter colors and soft edges. Usually easier on the eyes.
Minimalistic
Skins that provide a clean, simple interface without any bulky edges or menus.
Wacky/Over-the-Top
Skins that just go nuts with the cool effects, thick textured borders, over-the-top colors and elements.
Other
Did I miss a type? Let us know what your "Other" style is in the comments below.

Results, as always, next week.

Comments (Page 2)

mittens

on Jul 30, 2007

What a great poll idea!

Elsius Saint

on Jul 30, 2007

Settle that vStyler!

I got your back

PixelPunk

on Jul 30, 2007

Interesting, I am curious just how many of these things actually sell.... as in numbers of skins sold verses number of subscriptions of Windowblinds that are out there.
And, who the customer actually is for these skins. Since this is kind of new and a testing ground for selling these things, are the only customers average stardock customers, or just the master skinners themselves? If the only user of the product is the upper echelon of the community, how does the rest of the community feel about them? And how will new customers get to use up to date skins from the master skinners?
Yes, all of these skins look nice. But if I bought every one of them, it would cost more than the cost of windowblinds. Again I ask why pay for the program when we are now charged for the skins?

Elsius Saint

on Jul 30, 2007

Again I ask why pay for the program when we are now charged for the skins?

Stardock charges for the program because they have to feed Jafo. The skinners charge for their skins because they want help being their bills or take their girlfriends to the movies. I was so close to snatching vStyler girlfriend, but he's making the $$$$ now

If you feel Stardock should lower the prices on their programs, that's a different story.

Erk.

on Jul 30, 2007

Again I ask why pay for the program when we are now charged for the skins?

You are not obliged to buy master skins, as that is personal choice.

Most of the skins are free, some are pay-for skins. By enabling a Master Skinner to sell some of his/her work, it gives that Master Skinner the ability to make a little money for the hard work they put into making them.

Some skins can take MONTHS to create. Would'nt you want some remuneration if YOU put in all that work?

I haven't yet seen ONE Master Skinner charging for ALL of their skins. They are still putting out great quality skins for free, too.

vStyler

on Jul 30, 2007

Again I ask why pay for the program when we are now charged for the skins?

Because, as you have been told.. several times now.. Purchase of the application entitles you to use the entire library of freely available skins...thats why.

let me give you an example, the only Master skin i have uploaded right now, Odyssey..I worked on for over two months, and I dont mean, once in a while, I mean most days , most nights, more hours in fact than a full time normal job. You seem to be suggesting that I, and other serious skinners that have spent literally years and years perfecting our skills and submitting community \ free skins are entitled to nothing in return?

Look, If you dont want to pay for the tiny percentage of skins that make up the Master skin section.. then please, use your right of free choice and don't. I wouldn't ask you to do your job for free for me.

Your not charged for skins, your charged for master skins.

I.R. Brainiac

on Jul 31, 2007

I appreciate each and every sale...I live on 230$ a month(aid for the needy and disabled)...since your curious...I started skinning in 2003...since then,my combined earnings(WB sales here and at Maxstyles,contest winnings etc..)come to under 500.00$.

As far as who buys...?Mostly regular windowblinds users...Master skinners will usually give each other copies if asked or offered for testing(tho some,like Boxxi,bought it just to support me in further efforts).A few are given to people making other skins for it.

I also offer all masterskins free to ANY Stardock employee or Wincustomize mod.(tho I suspect a few of them bought just for the same reason Boxxi did)

So much work goes into them that if there were no possibility of making money at this,you would get no more skins from some of us anyway...I have an allergy to starving.

someone31988

on Jul 31, 2007

I'm really into the Optix skin. It's basically my "default" skin now since it looks so good on Vista. Knot Vista just doesn't appeal to me so I haven't even bought it.

Zoomba

on Jul 31, 2007

Master Skin sales go to support the artists who make them. Look at it like you'd look at buying a PC. The computer comes with some stuff, there's a LOT of free stuff available for it, and there's also some for-pay stuff. Just because you've purchased a PC, it doesn't mean you expect software for free.

There are free skins, there are some commercial skins. You download or purchase what you personally feel is appropriate. You're not forced to. And commercial skins are still in the extremely vast minority, so it's not like there is no choice.

I.R. Brainiac

on Jul 31, 2007

Bottom line is...Stardock isnt making enough money from masterskin sales to offset the loss of revenue if they were to even discount Windowblinds(much less give it away)

And the other option is for me to give you all my free time.(last I checked,you havnt done anything for me but interrupt my comment section to complain)Think about that while I go without coffee,cigs,food and medicine at some point EACH month.

Beesley

on Jul 31, 2007

I'm another fan of the transparent, Vista-ish skins . . . sorry guys!

Fuzzy Logic

on Jul 31, 2007

Clean and usable

summuz

on Aug 05, 2007

My favorite type of skin overall would be a worn, industrial look, like an old factory. The combo I find myself using the most is:
WB: Crudemetals 2 by Mindless Puppet (A substyle of Organix 3: Hostile Takeover}
Cursor: Oxide by Tycus
IP: Can't find one that really fits this theme, still looking.

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