Weekly Poll: Skinning Groups

Published on June 3, 2008 By Zoomba In WinCustomize News

This week's poll is about a potential feature that's being debated internally for the next major update to WinCustomize. Since we're gearing up for the GUI Champs, and a major feature of the competition has always been forming skinning teams, we wanted to know if something like that would be a good addition to WinCustomize proper.

Should WinCustomize add a "Group" feature to allow skinners to affiliate themselves with one another, and to work together and post skins under a team label?

Vote in the poll. And share how you'd like such a system to work in the comments below.

Comments (Page 3)

tiomio

on Jun 04, 2008

but if the site's gonna provide the storage/communication space as well as coding to make it all work it should be compensated. I see it as another incentive item that can be added to the membership program.

It depends on what the goal of setting up teams is. I do not see anything in the initial post that implies that this was being done to add incentive for users to subscribe. If it is to encourage community type projects or collaborations, than requiring WC membership may not be the best idea.

Besides, they already provide "storage and communication space" so that it can be done already without the teams feature. You have the forums, IRC and private messaging for communication, and a graphics section is already in the gallery. Accts can be made as often as desired and the avatar can become the logo. All of this is currently available to non-subscribers.

zakai1369

on Jun 04, 2008

That's the team's problem, not WCs

But if WC was requiring all members to join a team then it is the root of the problem.

ZubaZ

on Jun 04, 2008

But if WC was requiring all members to join a team then it is the root of the problem.

There would be no requiermetn to join a team . . just an option.

Zoomba

on Jun 04, 2008

Great discussion so far and good ideas!

To clarify a few points...

Special Privileges
There will be no real privileges for being on a team. It's not like your work will get past moderation any quicker, or you'll get special forum powers.
Requiring Subscriptions
Since we're primarily going to be extending free services (uploads, personal pages etc). A subscription will not be required. However, we could at a future point offer some sort of premium version of the service for skinning studios such as MaxStyles or Pixtudio (just as examples). But that would be something separate and much further down the line.
Requiring Users Join Teams
Nope, this will be 100% voluntary.

The idea is to provide organizational tools to users to help encourage teamwork and coopration. Yes, everything that could be done in the team system could be done manually through existing site features, but it isn't necessarily easy. Features like this are about removing barriers and to make the process easier for skinners.

Personally, I want WC to start providing tools and services to skinners beyond simply hosting the skins for download. Anyone can host a gallery, but we should be doing everything we can to encourage and help skinners do what they do.

ZubaZ

on Jun 04, 2008

Special PrivilegesThere will be no real privileges for being on a team. It's not like your work will get past moderation any quicker, or you'll get special forum powers.

Would a team made of all journeyman (or higher) skip moderation?

Philly0381

on Jun 04, 2008

I know this all started out as pole question and it really does sound good and deserving of consideration. I am though now starting to have some reservations as I read the replies.

It is interesting that this online community does seem to parallel the real world.

zakai1369

on Jun 04, 2008

There would be no requiermetn to join a team . . just an option.

In that case it would be a good thing. I was just responding to a couple of posts that mentioned the idea of making it a requirement.

Great discussion so far and good ideas!
To clarify a few points...

Special PrivilegesThere will be no real privileges for being on a team. It's not like your work will get past moderation any quicker, or you'll get special forum powers.
Requiring SubscriptionsSince we're primarily going to be extending free services (uploads, personal pages etc). A subscription will not be required. However, we could at a future point offer some sort of premium version of the service for skinning studios such as MaxStyles or Pixtudio (just as examples). But that would be something separate and much further down the line.
Requiring Users Join TeamsNope, this will be 100% voluntary.
The idea is to provide organizational tools to users to help encourage teamwork and coopration. Yes, everything that could be done in the team system could be done manually through existing site features, but it isn't necessarily easy. Features like this are about removing barriers and to make the process easier for skinners.
Personally, I want WC to start providing tools and services to skinners beyond simply hosting the skins for download. Anyone can host a gallery, but we should be doing everything we can to encourage and help skinners do what they do.

This all sounds great

Fuzzy Logic

on Jun 04, 2008

Would a team made of all journeyman (or higher) skip moderation?

I would hope teams would all start at citizen level like any other collaborative effort.

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