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The Old Guard vs. New Blood

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The Old Guard vs. New Blood

from WinCustomize Forums
I originally wrote this on Deskmod but wanted to hear your views...

Deskmod's poll on how long youv'e been using skins is really encouraging.

The results so far:

I'm new: (>1 year): 36%
Experienced (1-2 years): 29%
Elder: (3-4 years): 23%
Old guard (4+): 12%

As someone who fits into the oldie (been skinning UI's since 1991 and professionally since 1995) it's really encouraging to see that it's a growing thing.

It always bugs me when people try to compare computers to toasters or some other appliance. I don't know about you but I don't spend hours using a toaster (unless my wife is out of town ).

Of all the things that we personalize, cars, phones, homes, etc. it's odd that making computers personalized to how we use them isn't even a bigger phenomenon. As someone who spends more hours in front of the computer than I care to admit, I can't imagine tweaking it to work the way I want. And believe me, my desktops get pretty crazy depending on what I"m doing that week.

36% of users being new. Now that's the best thing I've heard in awhile.

Anyone care to venture a prediction on whether skinning (extreme computer personalization) will become so common and mainstream that people will take it for granted?

Well, gotta go, something's burning in the toaster!
17,338 views 70 replies
Reply #51 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Koasati - I find for the most part, the opposite is true. Even if in the end I can not help a person they are usually grateful for the help.
Reply #52 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thank you for your info davad70, but I wasn't mean this kind of help aka tutorials, I know that exists and some people here have done a wonderful job writing them.
What about the ethical support that the new artists need?
Rates 1 without any explanation or e-mails without answers? Is this a kind of support?
Thanks God, there are some wonderful persons among us!

Jafo believes that:
"all of us, who are here [in skinning, not 'here' at Wincusto] have the power and responsibility to forge skinning's future."
and this is exactly the meaning of my thread above.


Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #53 from WinCustomize Forums Top
adni, most of us are always haapy to help the intelligent and serious people but are tired of trying to help the people who won't even be bothered to read the available tutorials and help files available in the first place.
Ever since the first days of skinning, it's always been the skinners moto: look it up by yourself first and if you still need help, it will be our pleasure to give you all the help you need.
For example, a question such as: How do you make Windowblinds skins? may be left unansered or even get flamed, compared to a question such as "I have been trying to make an animation in my titlebar, but whatever I do my title still dosn't animate. Could somebody give me a few tips I should know about this, please?", that will most likely have somebody happy to give you the help you need.
My point previously was that more and people it seems, people won't even be bothered to do the first steps themselves first.

Concerning the feedback you receive, well considering the number of downloads you get, it's understandable. When you get 8,000 downloads a day, receiving 20 emails is not very much. I am pretty sure that if you would have been around with that many downloads two years ago, you'd probably have reveived 200-300 emails a day.
Reply #54 from WinCustomize Forums Top
adni....I wasn't referring to tutorials, etc. I was talking about the moral/ethical support that you say is missing.
Reply #55 from WinCustomize Forums Top
paxx,
I see your point about the e-mails and I think that I must agree with you
As about the other half of your thread, you are right too, but I wasn't talking about the oncoming skinners, I was talking about the existing ones.


davad70,
I am sorry if I have misunderstood your thread, but you know well what I am talking about. Don’t judge any subject only with your experience; try to see what is happening with the other people too, before your final judgment.

Reply #56 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You've truly lost me adni. I have no clue what you're talking about. What judgements are you talking about?
Reply #57 from WinCustomize Forums Top
davad,
You’ve said:
"The support and help is there adni, you just have to look in the right places" and you follow it with "adni....I wasn't referring to tutorials, etc. I was talking about the moral/ethical support".

Find the right places for moral/ethical support?
Hehe, can you imagine someone trying to find the places where he could find moral/ethical support? If there is such a kind of people, the best solution for them is to visit a psychiatrist.

You've truly lost me davad but it's ok


Reply #59 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Last attempt adni, I'll try to break it down easier.

Develop relationships with fellow skinners/artists in order to get support on both levels (technical and support/encouragement).

You can develop those kind of relationships in the places I mentioned (IRC and sites that are mainly populated by skinners, as opposed to this site which the majority are just skin users).
Reply #60 from WinCustomize Forums Top
OK, David,
You make me feel like I am talking in Chinese, (or Greek if you like).
In the other hand, maybe, you think that you are talking in Chinese.
I can't find another explanation.

Take care fellow skinner
Reply #61 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I understood it, but then I hang out in #stardock IRC.

It's things like being there to comment on skins, talk about skinning in general as well as ask a series of questions - it's easier to have a dialogue in chat than it is on the boards, because it's more instant.
Reply #62 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Can someone tell me, please, the info needed for join #stardock IRC (server, port, group, country etc).
Reply #63 from WinCustomize Forums Top
irc.stardock.com
port: 6667
#stardock
#wincustomize

also
irc.thirty4.com
port: 6667
#lotsofskins
#transmutate

Reply #64 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thank you very much Transmutate

It is been a long time that I didn't see you around, no wallpapers, no comments...hehe
Reply #65 from WinCustomize Forums Top
No problem adni18

....I'm still around, just been a bit quiet latley. I have about 3 new wallpapers in the works, they should be finished soon....as for the commenting, yes you are right, I should get back into commenting more again.
Reply #67 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Wow! Why did I miss reading this thread? It was one of the best ones this year.

/me goes back to IRC and tries some esco|nude evasive manouvers.
Reply #68 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Athlon 1.4Ghz/toaster...what's the difference? I think my Athlon is quicker on thicker toast but it doesn't like the crumbs and is more noisy. The toaster probably gets less abuse though.
Reply #69 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I guess I am a new newbee. Started this year Febuary which means I do not know anything. I still can not do a windowblind skin and I have the program!!!

I think I will comment more on the skins. It is my civic duty. As for "lame" skins, I do see allot of them and some actually do not work on some programs for some reason. One skin will and one skin won't.

I hope to be a profesional skinner one day but until then you guys are going to have to deal with the "lame" newbee skins for now at least. Just give us a chance.
Reply #70 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sure. Welcome. And if you need anything ask us. There will be always people willing to help you out.

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