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The Next Skinning contest..

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The Next Skinning contest..

What should it be? Tell us..

from WinCustomize Forums

We have some ideas on what the next skinning contest should be.  We want to make it only cover ONE program rather than multiple (gets too hard to manage).

Here are some thoughts:

1) WindowBlinds skinning contest.

2) DesktopX related contest - Best Themes, Best Widgets, Best Animated objects

3) Media Player contest

4) Icon contest

5) Wallpaper contest

6) Screenshot contest

7) Best Suite contest (Visual Style + Wallpaper + Icon Package + Desktop widgets/gadgets put together into a single theme)

8) Other.

Let us know by commenting here.

55,130 views 134 replies
Reply #76 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have to vote for DX themes....just to see what comes out of it. The amount of people making DX themes is fairly small compared with Windowblinds so maybe this would help inspire a few more to try their hand at it.

To be fair you would probably need to require at least one widget per theme.

Quick question - Have you ever downloaded a screenshot and if so, why?

Best I can remember, in four years I've only visited that library two or three times and then only due to some reference in a forum thread. I usually check the thread covering the month's desktops.
Reply #77 from WinCustomize Forums Top
A whole suite.. of course I think that'd be the best. You won't have many submissions, but you'd probably have really good ones.
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #78 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Since the launch of WinXP I never cared for any kind of shell enhancements...Windowblinds, IconPackager, Cursor XP, Logon and BootSkins (all Stardock applications) are more then enough for me.

Another thing...if I understand correctly, this contest will be provided by WinCustomize/Stardock, so the applications to compete should be Stardock application(s).

Now if you are asking for my opinion....Windowblinds is the most fantastic skinning application that I ever used, maybe the reason for me being in this comunity during the last 5years+, so it have my vote. GO! GO!

Reply #79 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It seems to me, the best way to handle this is to have seperate categories.
I'm not sure how many entries there would be if you limited it to just DX3,
icons, etc.
Let's talk about a "WB" contests.....
If you just had an open WB contest, more than likely the top skins selected
would be the entries that skinned everything .. I think it just works that way.
Let's face it, WB skins are enhanced when other supporting elements are skinned
as well.
The only way to make the contest work, is to separate WB skins from Suites....
You can't combine the two.

I hope this makes some sense .. LOL
I vote for a contest with all the categories Brad listed.
Reply #81 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think a DX type contest is needed. Not only could we get some nicely made objects (or themes if that is the contest variant), but we might see some inspiring ideas. I have wanted to use DX for quite some time, but never find anything that fits my needs. Either too big, too gaudy or not enough. I'm just not good at manipulating DX to fit my needs.
So I think if anything there should be a unique category in a DX contest. Winner is someone who creates the most unique object.
Reply #82 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'd say DX objects - definitely. DX Themes can be nice, but they're too specialized for most people's tastes .. meaning, not every person is going to 100% love any theme that's produced, and I'd be willing to bet most people that use DX can't change it, or don't care to spend the time changing it to their liking. But if you promote the quality and numbers of DX objects, you'll get a bigger following for DX...
Reply #83 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i like the idea of diferent competition levels; beginner, intermediate, and advanced even though theres the posability of levels being crossed by one way or another. codeing is not in my leage and every time i start a media player it ands in disaster, i downloaded winamp and that looks even worse, no way to keep everything in persective! i have one log-on i use and i recolor it from time to time with out saveing diferent copys. i do window blinds as a hobby though so ya, windowblinds are my choice.
Reply #84 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I agree with treetog! Everyone did such an outstanding job in the GUI Olympics. It really brought out the best of the best. I would love to see a Windowblinds competition using 4.51 build. Alot of great Wallpapers came out with those entries also as I recall.
Reply #85 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What about a contest updating some of those wonderful Old Windowlinds? Authors could offer thier old blinds that they would like to see in the contest. Judges would select say 100. The skinners would pick only out of these 100 blinds. The *best update* would not replace the orginal blind but be added as a *new windowblind. It would be great to see some of those golden oldies updated. This could be a catagory of a regular windowblind contest.
And have levels as suggested by....StevenArt suggested :
Competition levels such as: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Professional. Some of us "beginners" may feel a little intimidated by more experienced skinners and designers and opt not to participate if "beginners" are competing head-to-head with those more experienced.



Its My Secret
Reply #87 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Desktop X still has an amazing unleashed potential and I'd love to see good prizes baiting the great coders to come up with new imaginative widgets.


...or wb's.
Reply #88 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quick question - Have you ever downloaded a screenshot and if so, why?

Many times.  When dealing with full shells...rather than a single skinned app you are effectively doing 'suites' where the overall desktop becomes 'important'.  When downloading things such as Litestep themes it's handy to also dl the screenshot to keep as reference of how it's 'supposed' to look....before you start tweaking...

Reply #89 from WinCustomize Forums Top
DX Widget, Gadget with the cluewords being easy to use and customizable.
Reply #90 from WinCustomize Forums Top
How about two categories? WindowBlinds and DesktopX?
Reply #92 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What about a Wincustomize Contest. Where we make skins for the website... and the winners actually get implimented so that we can skin the view of this site to different ones. Not saying I don't love the way it looks around here *could use new curtains* but it would be something kinda new.

Maybe... lol
Reply #93 from WinCustomize Forums Top
well, i can make only wallpapers, so I say a wallpaper contest would be good.
Reply #94 from WinCustomize Forums Top
is there any way to make a contest where participants get to make new windos sound schemes... since we've changed everthing visual from our desktop we should get to change the sound schemes as well... thanx for your time
Reply #95 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What are your thoughts Brad ?
Reply #98 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I would have to go with Windowblinds.

Not all of us use DX and therefore wouldn't know how to skin it.
Reply #99 from WinCustomize Forums Top

ummm........ Hoverdesk

Snowman runs liks hell
Reply #100 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Snowman runs liks hell


Don't run all the way down there, you'll just melt