oh, hotbar is another item i skinned a long time ago...that should be good for a few laughs

i don't think the work got upped anywhere since it was a redwings skin for the girlfriend, and we all know about copyright crap...

I know what you mean Kinrik. I've done the same. Given a boost here and there. Generally only comment if I like the work. Just wondered on the blinds as I've read your comments and your post. Thats why I mentioned it. Also you've commented on some not so new artists blinds too. As this is the wirtten word and not face to face, I'am not trying to 1 up ya here.

i didn't take it that way

it is pretty hard for me to get my point across effectively in this medium. i don't type like i talk. and a lot gets lost in the literal translations as well in a community like this.

Kinrik....strangely I understood where you were coming from from the beginning...[but that's just me]...

OK Kinrik, I am sorry, it was just a misunderstanding
Now, I understand what you have said, I appreciate the constructive critique!
But, don't forget it is my style, any artist has his style.
When you see a painting or a wall and you understand from what painter or author it comes from, then this painter or author has style! Good or bad doesn't matter.
So, to make the long story short, repetitive it is the negative way for determine the style.
Any way I got your message now and I thank you for that
Happy Holidays!

The thread continues because it is an issue that is of concern.

I have skins rated lower than this one --> https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?searchtext=marty&sort=updatedate&order=Descending&library=1

Explain that?

All the great artists have had their own style of art so why is hard to comprehend that adni doesn't have a personal style. Did Picasso have a repetative work style?

Well...apart from the issue of singling out an innocent party, perhaps the people who rated one [only one less] of yours didn't think it was as good as the one in the link.

That would explain it, don't you think?...

I have three skins rated lower....doesn't faze me, though...and I think a few have never had a 'formal' rating or comment....but then I'm not all that pre-occupied with 'ratings'...

Sally, you have 1 skin rated lower, and 2 with the same rating, the rest are rated higher.............. explain that!

oh, i forgot, i also rate the skins factory's wmp skins (occassionally)

I have 215 uploads to WinCustomize. 79 of them have never been rated, and the majority of the others have been rated about twice.
I don't care.
I make things that I like. If you lot like them too then that is a bonus.

I like this site, I like the way it works, I accept the things I don't like because it's not my place to make those decisions, even though I have been here since day 1, and I'm a wizop.

It's been said many times before..... If you can make a better site that you think is fairer to everyone, then go ahead and do it. If you are not prepared to do that, then stick around here, but try to accept things the way they are.

I don't like to see remarks suggesting that admins and moderators have favourites, and adjust the ratings to please them. Utter nonsense. If you believe that, you are very paranoid. As I have said before: All this stuff is for fun, Enjoy it. They are computer programs for Gods sake! not life changing scenarios.
I rarely rate unless I am moderating (when I have to), but I am always fair, and can only rate within the spectrum of my personal taste, my experience with graphics and graphic programs, and the guidelines set down by WinCustomize. What else can I do?

Now be nice to each other, and play fair, or I'll exile the lot of you!

I singled out that particular skin because it was a first time creation and the author commented there are mistakes so I was not pointing out anything new.

On the other end of the spectrum here is a skin rated 9 and really should be a 10
https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?searchtext=carbon+fibre&sort=updatedate&order=Descending&library=1

Skins should be used for a time before any rating is done. Some 10 skins get hard to look at after used for awhile and some 5 skins the opposite. IMO a skin should be useable formost and then the cosmetic taken into account.
What good is a window that can't be used but looks good.
The skin at that link not only looks good but is easy to use for long periods compared to everyones favorite which is hard to use and after awhile hurts the eyes.

My first skin I commented that it was my first and I received an email telling me not to say I was new or my rating would be low.
I replied that ratings were not important and that I just wanted to have fun.

Why are they important now? They aren't really but do highlight the fact that favoritism exist and that shouldn't be.

I know my comments are not liked but someone has to speak up once in awhile or we become zombies to a whitewash society.

Hey Ms.Delicious, that's my skin! thank you for saying that, but do you know what?.... I never even noticed the rating until you just pointed it out. I must admit, I think I am happy to have a 9, as this was only my third ever WB skin.

I've got a few uploads and, like BoXXi, I don't really care about the ratings so much as the comments. I would like to see more folks leaving comments about what they like, what they don't like (*constructively*, please). This kind of thing helps the authors figure out how to improve their work.

Once upon a time I cared about the ratings I received. That was back when the site placed the emphasis on ratings by peers. The way I viewed it back then was that I knew how much joe user liked my skin, by how many downloads it received. On the other hand, the ratings were a tool to help me get better, because my skins were being critiqued by other skinners. Things are different now, therefore neither of them really matter to me. I rarely get any comments from other skinners. In all the skins I've done in the past year and a half I've never received a comment from Alexandrie, Jafo, Migiletto, Boxxi, Dangeruss, Starone, one comment from treetog, and one comment from essorant. Davidk, Mike Bryant, and frogboy used to comment on my stuff a bit, but not any more. I could have missed one somewhere, but probably not. One person who always comments and has encouragement for all is adni. Could be that I've had a few spats here on the messageboard, could be that they just don't care for my skins, I don't worry about it any more. I know my skins are pretty good, not great, just pretty good. That's what matter to me most. I don't compare my skins ratings/downloads to anyone elses, because that's just pointless. There have been some skins in the top ten or rated highly that are artistically and/or technically very poor IMO, but obviously there are a lot of people who like them. Therefore that tells me that my views on what is good and what isn't must be skewed to a degree.

I also used to campaign to have things (ratings/updated skins) changed on the site, but all I got was branded an ingrate and troublemaker. Now I don't bother, not because I don't care, but because it's pointless. The powers that be have decided that they like the sytem in place and are not really open to suggestions on certain issues.

So....in closing....just try to enjoy the site and skinning in general for what it is. A fun hobby and sometimes interesting place to hang out.

It's nice to know there are still people with spirit that care like you Ms. delicious.

having followed this, the recent, sensible (to my mind) posts help

in a WB skin, there are a few basic points that *I* find essential:

* fun title bar, i see them a lot aquarium is good for this
* reasonably thin borders, i run at a low res
* borders that show up well on black, a must.

i spend most of my work time using terminal emulators to work on unix, so all there is for WB to skin is the title bar and borders. there aren't even scroll bars.

scroll bars are important in notepad, etc

most of the other frilly bits in skins i don't tend to see (black windows don't have a lot of controls ).

however, there aren't really "average" requirements, so the majority of skins don't seem to be designed with this in mind

the one thing i would ask for in more skins though is more "interesting" titlebars. they are so obvious, at least to me.

skins i like for this are: Bleu, Aquarium, devoir, and (perhaps strangely) XP Ocean.

davad70: As president of the Ingrate and Troublemaker's union Local: WC, I must inform you that unless you pay your dues and carry a union card you are not, actually, an ingrate and troublemaker. You may, of course, be an ingrate OR a troublemaker, but performing both tasks simulateously is strictly a unionized form of labor.

@bakerstreet

Well, after reading each and every post to this thread, I have completely changed the way I'm looking at things. I now can't help but agree with the opinions of BoXXi, bakerstreet, David70 and especially Jafo....

Obviously the prime objective is to have fun here, and the ratings and such are just not that important, besides they are mostly skewed anyway.

Again, listen to baker.
The last thing we need is non-union dissenters. Just imagine two warring factions...
'The Judean Peoples' Front' and 'The Peoples' Front Of Judea'....utter mayhem and Kaos....unless there is a Crack Suicide Squad around to sort it all....

OK. Here's a dumb one. I just became Level 4 and I don't know where to see the ratings!

Davad70: I don't think you have been singled out. If you look at the skins you will see that those you mentioned don't comment a lot on skins period. As someone pointed out you shouldn't comment or rate unless you have tried the skin. Maybe they haven't tried your skin or a lot of other skinners skins. And yes, I agree with you, sometimes skins are rated high that are techinically flawed and have to be updated 1 or more times to fix them. I also agree with you on another point. Adni comments alot, one of the few old time skinners that does. I hope you don't mind me commenting on your comment as I'am not a skinner, just a user.

The ratings are right below whatever piece you look at. Make sure you cross reference your stardock account with Wincustomize, so that it will reflect your level.

You tell 'em WOM!.........

Most of my comments are on LiteSTEP themes..as that is my 'interest'.
Also...with the plethora of skins we get to look at to 'moderate', it becomes VERY time-consuming to also comment on them as well.
It's more 'important' to spend a little time if possible explaining rejection emails rather than why we think a skin is a '10' or a '2' or whatever.
Liking a skin is 'relative'...rejecting one is an 'absolute', hence our focus.

What I personally find frustrating is that often I see things purely by chance....because the uploader can by-pass moderation.
I bet there are many works by people like Adni, BoXXi and treetog, to name just 3 that I have NOT seen.
It's not all that common that I get the time/chance to quietly browse through a section looking for the 'complete works of davad70' or who-ever....unless it is to police moronic commentary by the likes of Mister Sproat.

This is by no means a 'slight' or 'preferential treatment'...just a fact that Wizops spend quite a bit of their time maintaining peace and decorum on a site which has hundreds of thousands of members....many with personal issues, grief or aggro of one sort or another.

When I do get to comment it's often something short and simple...but again it's often due to a controversial piece attracting my attention, rather than a case of 'hey, davad70 has a new one....must look'.

PS, davad...I used you as an example only....