Downloading a skin to use on your desktop.

from WinCustomize Forums
I've been hanging around here for three plus years, and in that time several questions have come to mind. A couple of them have even made it into posts to get general responses.

This is another of those questions that I have been wondering about.

If you're looking to change your desktop what kind of decisions tools do you use to make your choice in whether or not you download a patricular WB, WP etc. Do you only stick with proven or longtime skinners, does the rating of the skin matter, is it important how many times it has been downloaded, is there a small group of friends that are skinners that you only download? Or do you just donwload what you think is a good skin, not being concerned about anything in the previous sentence.

I would like to see nonskinners and skinners respond. If you are a skinner, do you think you are more critical when you look at others work?

There's no special reason for this question, and no I'm not a skinner. I do submit screenshots. I download a skin because I have seen other skins that I feel they will work with and make a good, useable (very important) desktop.

Thanks for responding.

3,042 views 17 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well John for me, and I'm just a screen shooter, the decision to change my desktop all starts with the wall.

I've been a WC member since 2003 and have downloaded hundereds of blinds, walls, IP's, gadgets and themes in that time. And I try them all, but keep very few.

As you circum-navigate the WC site several times you develope a feel on the names you can trust, the names that means quality and you have one hit wonders too.

At this point it all becomes a preference, but again being a shooter, we're always looking for the edge either from the latest or from something great that was lost in time.

Now you have a virtual montage of widgets, blinds and gadgets, what do you do with them? You match this stuff up with a great wall. I've always said the wall will speak to you, the wall tells you what, it all starts with the wall!

At least for me it does!

Cp

  
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The only thing I look at is the preview.

I mean, what if it has a 10 rating, made by the most popular guy on WC, but you think it sucks? Just because other people think it's great doesn't mean I do.

I just browse around until I find ones that appeal to my eyes.
Start11 - Customize the Start Menu and Taskbar in Windows 10/11.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
im a Modder/Porter when I find a skin that strikes my fancy wether it be a WB or L.S theme,DX theme etc.. il then hunt and search for elements that IMO will compliment it, if they arent the same color, il go to work recoloring them.. if they dont exhist, I will create them from the skins graphics. look at a few of my screen shots and you will see I have typically at least one element that was hand created to compliment the desktop im working on...

I love dark and organic skins that have a surreal look of real world tangeability...so most of my desktops reflect that genre...

I hope this is what you were looking for
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hey Curtis, for us shooters sometimes it becomes a difficult task at times. So many great skinners producing outstanding skins. Whether you start with a WB or WP, once you start matching up elements you soon fine that depending the eye of the beholder you can take a theme many different roads.

Thanks for dropping by. Now get working on a screenie!!  
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks for stopping by theaveragejoe. Appreciate what you are saying. Like going to an art gallery, sometimes the critics apprasial just gets in the way of your forming your own opinion.  
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I download what I think looks good to me - who skinned it doesn't matter as much as how it looks. When I read the comments, I don't read them to decide to go with the flow - I usually scan the accolades and focus on the cons to see if the skin is causing issues. The small stuff (this not skinned, this is a px off, etc.,) doesn't bother me much - especially if it's a new skinner.

But in the end it still boils down to how the visual strikes me when I look at the shot
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Appreciate you stopping by HG_Eliminator. I've seen your screenshots in the library, I think you're where alot of the folks here want to be. You show the confidence and the talent to go the extra step and make the changes you want in order the make that perfect desktop. But then that's what all of this is about isn't it.   

There are no wrong answers to the question I presented, which is pretty much like customizing your desktop. The key being does it work for you.

Thanks for your input.   
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hello Bichur, thanks for stopping by. Couldn't agree with you more. Plus we need to remember, today's master skinner was yesterday's new skinner.   

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I download and try damn near everything, then just delete the ones that I don't want to use.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Know what's funny? I rarely use any other work. I usually roll my own, then upload it.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
if i like the look of a skin, i download it and give it a go, i don't care who created it. every skins deserves a look because you can't tell just from the preview
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Cavan1 and Nimblin appreciate you both stopping by, your approachs, though not the same does allow you to look at work of anyone. Chance are you are going to see the next master skinner first. Appreciate your replies.   
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Appreciate you stopping by XX. As I said earlier, there are no wrong answers to the question. By the way I like your linear calendar. Question for you though, if you find that you don't use other's work are you still looking at them?   
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Only sometimes.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hey thanks guys for replying to the the post. Maybe some more folks will stop by. Basically you just about all said that the only thing that mattered was whether you like the skin if you downloaded it or not. Only one said he only used his own work, then uploaded it.

I'll check back later. Thanks once again.   
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hi Philly, great question. I too download what I like, something unique, design first, then color for the most part. If it from a new skinner then I read through the comments, get a feel for how it is working for others, a well known skinner I still read all the comments but will download without hesitating. The rating and # of downloads does not affect what I like or will use.

Like Cplair it is always the wall first, then I will at times take a few days of trying different blinds, cursors, icons & docks before settling on a combination that works. I try not to use the same skins or walls again for a very long time. I have a large collection to choose from I have some skins that I really like but have not used yet because I have not found the right wall.

It's My Secret
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Happy to have you join in MySecret. I suppose someone out there would look at the question and go DUH, but I don't ever remembering it being asked of the folks downloadind skins.   

Some posts I do remember have people worring about the rating or downloads too much, most of the time it was the skinner.