i decline of this site

from WinCustomize Forums
I decided to no make more uploads on this site, and i also deleted my previous uploaded skins. As i consented to Stardock of using my skins when i uploaded them, they have the correct permission to use them.
Wy i reached this situation?
-I'm not in accordance with some actuaions when some skins/wallpaper are uploaded: for example, just uploading some skins, are immediatelly poor rated. This only can be done by 'moderators'... there's no a person always poor rating new skins.
-I'm not in accordance with newest skinners support on this site. Some skinners has showed me some works, that aren't accepted on WIncustomize, teorically by poor quality. ANd not always the skins have poor quality.
-I'm not in accordance with really democratic criteria selecting Featured skins: not always the skin are the most featured as is showed on top op Home page of WIncustomize. I don't speak about my skins, i speak about ALL authors skins.
-I'm not according with the actuation of some administrators of this site (not only for my last 'problem' (i'm using quotes, do you konw, mr.?)
And last:
-I'm not according with the criteria of this site selcting skinned applications. On this site seems to be only promoted the Stardocks aplications. And also seems to be supported and positivelly commented by administrators the WIncustomize and Stardock collaborators. In this messageboard i readed (one year ago +/-): "this site are intended to supply the disapearance of SKINZ.ORG, but Stardock support this site when the Stardock apps. are preferenced". Well, it seems to be Stardock apps the 'Kings' of this site. There's o reason for this, due to the use of propaganda on this site (included for a author as me that i obtained 70000 downloads on a month), and Stardock can amortize the costs of this site.
Not all my words are negative:
-Thanks to WIncustomize to give me the oportunity of share my skins and works with people of all the planet.
-Thans to T-Man for the help on the Stardock IRC
-Thanks to Martin for support me when i beginned to make skins one year ago.
-Thanks to mr Mormegil to support me, one year ago, and one month ago when i returned.
-Thanks to mr Jafo to trying to help me on 'learning' english and in the case of the rips.
-Thanks to all the people that readed this post and are tried to understand me.
This is my personal opinion and facts, and i not represent any other skinner (or yes?), if someone are offended, he/she must understand that i'm also offended. This not represent my definitive retreat, so i will follow in Wincustomize surelly, but all of yours must understand that i'm now very ennoyed to post more skins on this site.
Be good
18,026 views 60 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Really disappointing when people leave like this. Especially when I love their work.

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Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
While I respect your dissatisfaction, your "protest" is fruitless. All you are managing to do is deprive skin enthusiasts of your work. I don't know all of you objections to the site, it's management or members. And really they're none of my concern. What really bothers me is that you seem upset over ratings. This is why I despise ratings systems and opt not to participate if given the chance. They just breed malcontent.

You need to ask yourself why you share your work? If it's purely for ratings and getting your ego stroked, then I think you're in it for the wrong reasons. You have every right to take your toys and go home, but why? Will you recieve the audience, accolades and ego gratification with them sitting on your hard drive?

Ultimately, what you're geting all worked up over is some pretty small stuff. Take a look at the "big picture" and get over the imagined "insults" you've suffered from being a member here. If not, then well see ya, but know that in a month, only a handful of people will even notice or remember your departure. This site gets tons of visitors and only about 50 or 60 participate in this message board, even less in the ratings and comments. Why let such a few individuals ruin both your enjoyment of skining and prohibit tens of thousands from enjoying your work?
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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am sad to see you leave Carlitus. Please listen to one who knows. Just 1 week ago I did what you are doing now. I have lived to regret it. Ultimately, we come to this site and we upload our creations to this site because we love to and because it give us a sense of accomplishment. As Dangeruss has just said, "...know that in a month, only a handful of people will even notice or remember your departure." Then you will be the one left with nothing more than an empty feeling. One moment of being a hero will later become a lifetime of being invisible.

Let the anger and frustration go. Give yourself a few days to calm down. Allow reason to return. Then you will be ready to engage in constructive discourse with those that can help you arrive at a solution to what troubles you.

Hopefully, you will heed this advice and someday return to WinCustomize to once again share with us all your wonderful and amazing creations.

I present this message with hat in hand and a humble heart.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
/me says listen to Mr. Dangeruss...

he's right where he says:
You need to ask yourself why you share your work?

me personally I don't think most do it cuz of the "ratings"
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
We all have to make our own decisions, that is without a Question. But to Cathus, a very gifted artist to say the least. I have to say check your premises, I do not think this site has ever misrepresented there policies. Wincutomize is run well, and I think fairly, in my opinion. If you do not agree with the policies and the administration of this site, then by all means you are free to move on, there are many other skinning sites. This is your right and your best way to protest against whatever injustice you feel is been perpetrated.

But I have to say I am a bit tired of all these protest, I think owe a lot to this site. It is a forum for me to do something I love, I understand the rules, I understand the policies and I think they are fair. I have skins that are never rated, and I have skins that people don’t like, I have skins that people do like, (These are my favorites) but I do this 100% for me and I don’t think that you will ever feel at home at in any community until you can do the same thing.

I am sorry if this sound offensive, but I hate to see a gifted artist leave the site in protest of things that he should have been aware of.

For the rest of my opinion see the Thanks to wincustomize thread.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Carlitus: I've been here since day one(not as active as i should be)and one of the things i have learned is to ignore the stupid ratings crap! You love what you do and "we" love and appreciate the work you share with "us". Don't be swayed by rules or people's reactions, do it for you. If you leave, you might regret it.

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Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Now this is #3 in one week...Something must be wrong. Not ALL is wrong, just something. Unlike motion, I do not regret stopping uploading to WC. It's very sad to see someone go as gifted as Carlitus. He was one that spiced up the libraries with innovative work. Some insults aren't imagined Dangeruss. WC is NOT the ultimate site to display your works on. Nor is any other. No regrets, but I will just look here for some interesting new work.

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Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
the ratings? really do you think that i'm ofended due to the ratings? just when my last skins are "10" (in a 1...10 measurement)? just when my skins are highly downloaded? i'm FOOL? Wath's happening on my mind?
Nonono!
I'm offended and angry with this site for the DIVERSE reasons that i explained.
Or I CAN SAY THAT I THINK IS THE TRUTH? And the definitive think that ofended me is the despective treatment on this site!!
If thay can say all they wish... i can't make the same?
I allways say that i make the skins for me, for use them in home and in the job... but is realy good to share them with others users, and the appreciation of others (when the skin are really good)
Cathus? wath mean this? or is a simply keyboard mistake?
(sorry if i don't explained me correctly)
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Please listen to motion and the others. I can not wait to come to the site to see what's new. I am facinated by all the talent here. Your work is appreciated by all here and hopefully you create for the love of creating. "To thine self be true"
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sure enough glad I downloaded your icons. I love em and will cherish them always. Such talent I will sorely miss.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
hmmmmm... more stuff I am missing, yes???

I tried to read all of what is written but I am at a loss as to what actually happened. I do think taking a break might be in order for you Carlitus. But I think if you step back you will see that threr are more people here who apprieciat your work than criticize it.

There must have been a very big disaster that happened for you to feel the way you do. But why, what happened?

1.
The rating system starts, I believe, everybody at either 4, 5, or 6 (the average). So if your skin gets a 5 before anybody does anything, it's because of that.

2.
Th moderation of skins has always been an issue, so some stuff that is "crappy" gets on and some stuff that is "great" doesn't make it. The moderators are human and are prone to making judgements. So there will always be stuff that will or will not gt on.

3.
Featured skins..... I have no idea how that works. Not in the slightest. (or the daily shot.. what's up with that???) Or why the featured skin is only on one page.

4.

Of course this is a Stardock site. It also holds other skins for other programs (by the way, it should be in Stardock interest to have other programs that are skinned on this site like WinStlyes, so he idea of skinning spreads faster and so do ideas). If it treats it's programs like king, they are suppossed to.

I honestly feel that the biggest reason for leaving probobly is number 4. There is definatly no way to change that one. There are other sites that have skins for upload or download that are not so propaganda like. I recomend Deviant Art. It is more about art than anything else. You can put those great looking icons and other stuff over there.

There will still be ratings and moderators and non download limits and other drama that is here but no propaganda.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Oh and I also think that it is always better to stay and help change the situation than leave it. If you did not want to coe back to the site any more you didn't have to say anything. Just take off. That way you can come back if you wish in your own way. Your work and style will speak for itself and eventually that might help other skinners who come across the same situation that you did (or better, because of you, the situation is gone, making way for more progress for other skinners.)

It always helps to stay. Leaving without making change hurts all of us. I know I will be taking a vacation after I upload the my skins (who knows how many will make it up).

So just take a break. Leave your options open. No dramatic exit is nessicary, but dramatic results is very welcome.


Education is power.
Apply this power toward your future.

God speed......Carlitus
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am sorry, Carlitus.


My computer is so stuffed with stuff that I had to forego downloading very much. I even am trying to learn how to put a new hard drive in and more memory.... but so much is disappearing before I can get that done! I hope, one day, I find your work somewhere again.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Listen to Doreen and Dangeruss. Carlitus please give a hoot and don't scoot.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Listen to Doreen and Dangeruss and such sage advice from joetheblow. (is this an oxymoron) Carlitus please give a hoot and don't scoot.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Listen to Russ, Carlitus, he is one of the veterans in the skins comunnity, with a real openned mind. I think that his post is more as an advise then a comment (it can fit anyone here). If you allready rad it, please look at it again, his post is very positive by all means.

Now 2 points from me:

1) Your English is much better then mine or a lot of other people here, so, don't be emberassed with your mistakes or typos, everybody here knows that English is not our native language.

2) We just moderate skins for copyright issues and incomplete files and NEVER for graphics quality, when I see a skin that I don't like, the maximum I can do is giving it a bad rate (in time, I don't like rates either), but again, we NEVER moderate skins for this reason.

The only files moderated in WC are the wallpapers, for the reasons allready mentioned here in this message board many times.
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i undersand your post, treetog, 'muito obrigado', i also understand dangeruss.
I said that i decline of this site, not i'm leaving skinning. The happyness of producing skins are hagher than producing them.
But.... who 'moderate' some 'moderators' here?
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
"...the definitive think that ofended me is the despective treatment on this site!! " Carlitus

Sorry for my English, but it seems that the main reason that it makes you upset, is the phrase above and I don't understand what "despective" means...I can't find it in my dictionery. Can you be more specific Carlitus?

I am very sorry that important authors like you, are leaving this site!
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
adni, I think the word was meant to be 'deceptive'. Carlitus is using this adjective to decribe the type of 'treatment' he feels he has received.

If he was to describe a person then the right word would be 'deceitful'.


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Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Adni...I'd translate that as either 'disrespecting' or 'despicable'...[neither of which I'd find to be a justifiable comment in regard to any past or present incident on this site that I'm aware of]...
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sad to see you go, Carlitus. Enjoyed your icons a lot.
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
despective=mistake, sorry
I mean 'despicable' on my last comments. I tried to "clarify" my 'last' comments, and i finded 'disrespectful' (wow, my new dictionary works allright!) comments.
BUT, THIS IS NOT THE REAL PROBLEM: i mean "disrespecting", in general on this site.
My respect for good (and no good) skinners that are making big efforts to share their works, here or in other sites. This is a personal policy discordance, it's just a 'CHANCE' if other skinners are thinking the same.
I don't wish to polemize, i only say just that i thinking and feel. Not all comments can be: ohhhhh great site... ohhhhhhh great programs..... ohhhh this skin is really good. Or i'm not free to comment, or i need to py before to post comments?
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thank you motion and Jafo for your guesswork translation
Jafo score = 1 motion score = 0 (sorry motion )



Carlitus, you have my deepest respect for your contribution to the skinning community and your impulse, but with good will behavior! I am very sorry that you have to leave because of disrespecting behavior of some people, I don't know who they are, but I guess you know and they know better.
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
you see...I am secretly turning everyone against each other so that, eventually, all of the talent will have eroded from this site...and then I WILL BE GOD! ! ! ! !

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAaaaaaaa.......

oops...did I say that out loud again?
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Here is your quote for today Jul 29, 2002.:

In studying the way, realizing it is hard; once you have realized it, preserving it is hard. When you can preserve it, putting it into practice is hard.

~Zen Saying~