However, I do hear from more and more skinners (yes, skinners from wc) that they start using style XP more often too

I'm a skinner from WC.
I actually tried StyleXP before I even heard of windowblinds. It seemed interesting at first. But, StyleXP made my system really unstable. After a couple of days, and crashing it, I took it off my system and looked at something else. Then, I stumbled unto windowblinds, and I have never looked back. Windowblinds does not make my system unstable and it doesn't crash it. And windowblind skins just look richer to me than StyleXP skins. StyleXP skins look thin and cheap to me. This is my honest opinion. Unless someone pays me big money, I will never make a StyleXP theme. I consider it consorting with the enemy.
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I was also shocked to find crude sex toys that procreate on my desktop on demand

sex toys? Yeah right

this X rated content is unacceptable, and frankly, deplorable

X-rated content? Where? Yeah..right again...


This site cracks me up at times.

The sex toys are here https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?library=3&SkinID=3524 and here https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?library=3&SkinID=3522

By the way, the skinners that don't want people using their skins on the programs that the skinners don't like cracks me up. Who cares if a user uses your Icon Pack on Style XP, your CursorXP on a Mac, or your wallpaper on Linux?

I consider it consorting with the enemy.

You're entitled to your opinion Chas, but I think it's those type of statements that just flame the fire. There are quite a few StyleXP skinners I've talked to on other sites that are just regular guys that like to skin and who happen to use StyleXP. I don't consider them an 'enemy'. Some have used WB and chose StyleXP for whatever reason and some haven't tried WB. Some have expressed an interest in trying WB out.

Sure there are some rabid StyleXP users that go out of their way to bad-mouth WB, but you'll find those in both camps. Some of us are just interested in the skinning and choose whatever software that suits us best. I happen to prefer WB and SkinStudio, although I've tried out StyleXP and StyleBuilder to see how they work.

And as far as skins I give away freely, it doesn't matter to me how they are used, as long as they are not re-distributed in any form.

How many times are we going to have to go through this. First of all, quite a few people care, as can be seen by reading this thread.

Secondly, a Mac user using a cursorXP set doesn't cause competition for StarDock. Wallpapers don't even deserved to be mentioned as they don't require a program to use them. StyleXP is in direct competition with StarDock, they are using very questionable practices to gain an edge. When I make something for a specific program, I expect it only to be used for that purpose unless I personally am asked permission TGTsoft is cutting out the middle man, not only is it treading all over StarDock by breaking the encryption but it is showing that it really couldn't care less about the authors.

SO if you make an IconPack, you'll be bother to learn that I might use a few icons for ObjectDock+, or even worse...... HoverDesk?   What people do with skins, icons, walls, etc. is their business, as long as they don't distribute them. You may not like it, but there's nothing you can do about it........... it's perfectly legal.

Heh what I said kind of came off wrong, hard to explain. I don't mind what people personally do with my skins. However when a company, such as TGTsoft, undermines so many people it just doesn't seem right. I mean I could DL every StyleXP skin I found, port them over to WB, and there would be a lot of pissed off authors if I did.

And I do realize what I just said contradicts what I said earlier. But, alas, I've wrote an explaination about 5 times in this thread of why I don't like the idea. And then someone asks again.
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I share pictoratus point of view. As artists, we cannot lable programs or artist's prefferences as 'friends' or 'enemies'. We all create and share our work because we like it and because we choose to. I only skin for the programs I use (or for what a client pays me)
I have never used nor found the need to use StyleXP, so I dont skin for that application.

Who cares if a user uses your Icon Pack on Style XP, your CursorXP on a Mac, or your wallpaper on Linux?

That is correct Torro Torro, the personal use given by any particular person of anyone's work its totally irrelevant. The distribution or display of the work/designs with out permission from the author is what matters.

TGTSoft is not distributing anyone from WC's skins. They are only providing the means for users' of their software to use iconpackages from WC. The issue isn't between any artist and TGTSoft....it's between TGTSoft and Stardock. It only becomes an issue between TGTSoft and an artist when TGTSoft or anyone else for that matter distributes an artist's work without permission.

What is the diffrence from using an icon pack and a msstyle? The creators of them might feel that they have created them just for style XP and not for windowblinds so the IP issue on that is kind of double standard.

Msstyle is a Microsoft file format, not TGT Soft. They have no recourse. The very distribution of msstyle's itself is illegal and a breach of EULA that people agree to when they install XP.

Koasati


Hiya Hippy, you're up early

EULA? we don need no stinking EULA!