pixElated

Windowblinds Quality Control

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Windowblinds Quality Control

December 21, 2002 11:17 PM from

Why doesn't Wincustomize do at least a minimal amount of quality control on WB Skins?

At least 4 of the 15 most recently uploaded skins were basically unusable in their original incarnations. Many, many skins have fatal flaws.

Since you are evaluating each skin to make sure it's not a rip, why don't you go ahead and install it and see if the installation works - it's surprising how often it doesn't. If it does, then go ahead and run a series of simple tests to make sure the skin works and is usable and legible. This shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes.

Hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of unusable skins have been downloaded. Thats a lot of wasted time and bandwidth. It is also a poor reflection on Skin Studio. It's disappointing to download a beautiful skin and install it only to find out you can't use it.

Maybe you could create a list of people who are willing to beta test skins before they get uploaded. Then the skinners could get in touch with those people. In fact, you could restrict skins from being uploaded except by the beta testers.

19,109 views 54 replies

Reply #26 December 23, 2002 7:21 AM from

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Then perhaps a thread devoted to beta testing should be started. Somewhere where skinners and people who are willing to test can get together. The skinner can simply come on and post that he/she has a new skin ready for upload and would like it to be tested. Then anyone who wants to can volunteer to have the skin emailed to them and then test it.

Sound like a plan?

Reply #27 December 23, 2002 7:32 AM from

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Oh, and a little bit off topic: What would the rating of my blue blood saturation skin be if it was uploaded by one of the big names here

I bet it would'nt get a 3 as I got.

SoundPackager - Customize the Windows sound scheme

Reply #28 December 23, 2002 7:33 AM from

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I would gladly test yours motion

Reply #29 December 23, 2002 7:34 AM from

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Ooops! Keep in mind, that the system I suggested above would have it's pitfalls. The artist would have to have some way of copyrighting the new skin, since in theory it would not have been previously uploaded and therefore no proof would exist that it belongs to them. In a worst case scenario, an artist could email a completely new skin to someone for testing and that person could simply put their name on it and upload it.

Therefore, the tester would have to be someone the artist knows and trusts.

Reply #30 December 23, 2002 7:35 AM from

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Thanks Lecrayon. You I trust no questions asked.

Reply #31 December 23, 2002 7:37 AM from

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Reply #32 December 23, 2002 7:37 AM from

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Lecrayon, if you were a Journeyman or above I believe you would automatically get a 6 to start with.

Reply #33 December 23, 2002 7:41 AM from

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I like MASTER apprentice better

Reply #34 December 23, 2002 7:45 AM from

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Journeymen have to travel too much

And where is the laptop when you need it?

Reply #35 December 23, 2002 8:00 AM from

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Remember, no one is perfect, so if one overlooks an error and is pointed out they are quick to fix it. But obvious errors should be caught before uploading. I don't think everyone was quick to defend WC. Bandwidth was improved and was started at 300,000 members. We now have 500,000. So I think WC will try and do some more ketch-up when the $$$ comes in. AS was pointed out to me on a post, it's the way you say something that ticks people off. Maybe it could have been presented a little different.

Reply #36 December 24, 2002 2:06 AM from

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QC will do nothing more than increase turnaround time and work-load. It implies that somebody, whether the wizops or a select community, is going to have to give a detailed look-over of function and feasability for each skin submitted, which is time-consuming. Still, if QC's the way to do it, then get a beta-testing group- at least they can share the burden.

I agree on the comments scheme- we've got a great contributory community here that is more than willing to assist (kindly, at that) if they notice something amiss in a skin. It's like having a beta-testing group of hundreds of thousands of individuals.

Reply #37 December 24, 2002 7:28 AM from

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Lecrayon: You did have a 6 to start with. Maybe it was a 5, but definately not any lower. I approved blue blood saturation myself. User ratings brought it down to a 3. As for whether it would have a 3 if it were uploaded by one of the "big names", I think so. It's not terribly innovative, as you often note of other skins, and it does not appear that a lot skill or effort went into it. But more to the point, one of the "big names" here would not have created that skin.

How can you rant about innovation, and then churn out a skin like this https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?Library=1&skinid=3004 and complain about your rating? What do you think it deserves?

Reply #38 December 24, 2002 7:36 AM from

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Aside from all that, there isn't much room left for fresh ideas with over 2000 skins made. Very little room left for innovation. A few tweaks here and there is about all .

Reply #39 December 24, 2002 10:53 AM from

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I came here because everyone helps people try to learn skinning, I appreciate the constructive critisism, I spend alot of time emailing instructions to many who come here and can't figure out how to use the Great skins they find, I try to test my skins before uploading and still flaws will be found, and for the most part, everyone is very nice, very helpful, and a joy to have contact with.

I usually don't do things like this, but:

Author: pixElated

Description:
Update: Repackaged it in hopes that the taskbar will always get skinned correctly - gulp. Lots of cool refreshing water. The titlebars can blend together rather seamlessly - this is a feature.

Can we rest our case?

Reply #40 December 24, 2002 1:50 PM from

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Isn't it great to just hammer on someone eh Mike. I won't use that animated emoticon but I am tempted.

Reply #41 December 24, 2002 1:54 PM from

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Jusy for the record Mike, did you try it? Have you used it? Oh, shucks..who cares. I had enjoyment and you can't take that away from me with such low comment.

Reply #42 December 24, 2002 6:27 PM from

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Lecrayon...this is exactly why I think it is never too clever to critique skins/works in a 'public forum' like this Message Board, but rather keep the commentary/criticism with the skin upload where it belongs. Mike simply showed a perfect example to drive home the misgivings that many have about it [and to defend his passing it through moderation and 'his' rating applied to it], and why I personally wasn't wildly happy about pixElated's use of 'examples'.
Swtnssss's reverse psychology was 'clever', though...

Reply #43 December 24, 2002 7:04 PM from

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I am too naive sometimes Jafo, and I want to stay that way. As you read in the comments on my skin swtnss told me how she interpreted the 'presentation'. It wasn't meant like "oh have a look what I have made". I never thought somebody would think that. Next time I will be more careful with it. But to just upload again with a new screenshot would only ruin your time. What Mike did was however below the belt. He should only have said it was given 5/6, nothing more. That really made me >

Enough said about this.

Reply #44 December 24, 2002 7:16 PM from

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Lecrayon, you might be right. Maybe MikeB could have been more tactful as you suggested, but you did open the door for him by saying I wonder what rating a Big Name would have recieved if they would have uploaded it. Sometimes we shouldn't wonder out loud, we might not want to hear the answer. I've wondered that myself sometimes.

Reply #45 December 24, 2002 7:22 PM from

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It's funny that someone burst out like he did when this has been discussed in a few threads earlier in the past weeks WOM. I think he just wanted to tackle me about what I said about his cursor. And now I really stop because it's depressing that I have to take the blame while I feel I have done nothing wrong.

Reply #46 December 24, 2002 7:29 PM from

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I've wondered out loud on the messageboard before also. Like shouldn't a nonskinner do the moderating, that way there's no conflict of interest. But for the most part I haven't seen any.

Reply #47 December 24, 2002 7:53 PM from

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WOM, sometimes I wonder out loud to. Like, I wonder sometimes if there isn't a conflict of interest at this site. But don't mind me, I'm just wondering out lout.

(This being Chirstmas eve, the start of what should be a peaceful time filled with nothing but goodwill, I also wonder out loud who will find something wrong with the relatively benign thing I just said and start choppin'

)

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Reply #48 December 24, 2002 7:57 PM from

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That was a thinly disquised dare. Like I said, it's Christmas eve, I'm half in the bag and ready to start throwing haymakers.

Reply #49 December 24, 2002 8:15 PM from

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Motion: This being Chirstmas eve, the start of what should be a peaceful time filled with nothing but goodwill, I also wonder out loud who will find something wrong with the relatively benign thing I just said and start choppin'

/me ***chop, chop, chop***

hands motion a nicely chopped word salad and goes to crawl into her own bag!!!

Merry Christmas one and all!

and a peacful and blessed new year!

Reply #50 December 24, 2002 8:17 PM from

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at goodmorphing. Merry Christmas GM.

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