I'm not your bro and I am going to taze you!
Frogblog: January 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News
The cliche "beauty in the eye of the beholder" is so overused but is so universal. A better phrase would be that value is in the eye of the beholder.
This past week, Apple updated the iPhone and the iPod Touch. Apple is charging existing users $19.95 to get some of the new features. Thus ensued a lot of bitching and moaning about the price.
Maybe it's because I'm a sick, scummy, evil capitalist who eats babies when I'm not on here flaming web hippies but what is it with non-producers constantly asserting that other people are greedy for not working for them for free. When I bought my iPod Touch (best purchase of 2007) I knew it didn't have email or map features. The Apple is letting me have these cool and extremely useful features for 20 bucks is great. (here's my quick review of it)
So what if new users don't have to pay the $20. They had to wait longer. If the iPod Touch were a video game, it would be priced at half the price it launched at by now. You don't hear people screaming that they had to pay $50 for their favorite game a year ago and now it's available for $30 at Best Buy do you?
That's one of my biggest peeves with the Internet. We now have an entire generation of web hippies that not only expect other people to work for them to be free but have the audacity to accuse those producing stuff of greed if they refuse to behave like proper slaves.
In an age where there are fewer and fewer people making stuff (skins, software, you name it) it strikes me as extremely ironic that anyone who doesn't make stuff thinks they're in any position to be demanding others work for free for them.
I can't make an email applet for my iPod. I'm glad Apple did. And I will happily trade $20 that I earned through my labor to those who produced it. When I can't produce something for myself, I don't mind paying those who can produce a thing I want if it's of value to me. If it's not worth it, I don't purchase it.
I see the same thing with skins too. Someone makes a cool skin and you inevitably have some people come out and crap on it. Last week on our tech partner site, Neowin, a user posted about Aero Executive (a new theme). Within minutes, users came on and started crapping on it. Now, a wood-textured version of Aero may not be for you but it's a good skin from a design perspective. But in the age of entitlement, the people who don't actually produce anything not only expect an unlimited right to insult those who do make stuff but become incredulous if called out for their criticism (i.e. they recognize their right to free speech but become amazingly intolerant of the right of others to defend themselves). It got so bad I had to close the thread.
So here's the deal: If you produce stuff then good for you. If you don't produce stuff, then you are either reliant on the good will of others to produce things for you or you will have to pay evil capitalists to labor on your behalf to produce the product, good, or service you want. And while you are free to criticize what others produce, so too are other people free to criticize you in return since, after all, criticism is a form of product too. 
 |
|
Page 1 of 5 | |
|
|---|
Reply #3 Thursday, January 17, 2008 9:47 PM
Reply #5 Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:00 PM
And what's really ironic is that those people probably hate "the big corporations". Only huge corporations could survive advertising revenue.
Reply #6 Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:10 PM
I would also pay $20 for the additional features. The map and email features probably took a little work to get them perfected for such a wide audience. Though they may seem quite simple, they are NICE features! Especially the map part...
I don't own an iPhone, but I own a small word-of-mouth computer repair business, and without Google Maps, I would be screwed. It would be nice, if I did have an iPhone, to be able to use it as a GPS. But, I got a GPS for Christmas, so I'm happy now anyway.
But to the point, I agree. If there's software out there that I need and I can't find it, sometimes I attempt to make it. Or if I don't really feel like buying someone else's software, I'll try to whip it up real quick.
As with the Aero Executive, I think it's AWESOME! I honestly don't see it to fit my tastes for skins, as I don't really care for red skins in the first place... it's still a work of art, and a very beautiful work of art compared to many other WB skins that fail to meet any design standards... I'm already sure there are LOTS of people that are praising the work every time they see it on their desktop.
If I get an idea for a skin I would like to see on my desktop... I'll just whip out Photoshop CS3 and get started!
But yes, very well said, I agree completely to your statements. ^^
Reply #7 Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:12 PM
There is no place for an ad in a completely "free" world.
Reply #8 Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:21 PM
Personally, referring to that other site, I do not put much stock in an argument on taste by a person called "bubba"(something or other) ranting on how "bulky" (wtf???) Aero Exec. is compared to the MS Vista version! I was also confused by all of the "glass" to which Bubba continually referred.?.?
In any case, I happen to LOVE Aero Exec. (and all other Maxstyle, et. al, collaborations), and I happen to know for a fact that I have excellent taste. haha.
Reply #9 Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:29 PM
I gotta few questions....cause im confused. At the start it said that you and vstyler made the skin....but later you say you didnt make it?.......im very confused bout that.
I think some of the comments were rather rude and uncalled for....i would have rather seen constructive critique rather than people just mouthing off and saying its 'ugly'...but then again.....i reckon if you dont like it for personal reasons then the best option is to just
say nothing.
second question......when and you gonna hook up with the kittster and work with her on a wb??
ps. I reckon you and vstyler will create some kick ass skins....vstyler has a flair for very proffesional taste and pulls it off with ease....um..but what will you bring to it?..(jokinggg)
Reply #10 Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:52 PM
Freedom is not the right to do as I wish; it’s the responsibility to do as I should.
Anyone can be told what to do, not everyone can do what they should without being told to do it.
Neowin is a great tech site, and there's a lot of helpful people there, but its also attracted (of the sites i frequent) that largest most vocal group of whiny children (adults too) who've never had to grow up in the real world. That's what living on the internet does to some i suppose.
Reply #11 Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:53 PM
It is amazing what "Elite" and "Senior" members do today... They should be leading the newbies, not setting a bad example.
Reply #12 Thursday, January 17, 2008 11:10 PM
They have a right to their own opinions regardless of how idiotic they might be...lets just hope they stay where they are and not come infect us.
Brad,you cant win an argument with people who's minds were made up before they even begin to think.
The better something is you give or show them,the more determined they are to find something wrong with it.You actually piss them off by showing them something that they actually might want...it goes against everything they have made up their minds to hate ...forever...
HEHEHEHE...how DARE you?!
Reply #13 Thursday, January 17, 2008 11:14 PM
2. ...because of that they have always resented me.. personally...goes back a LONG way.
3. Any measure of success is sure to raise a few detractory eyebrow's. I'm learning to deal with it.
4 I appreciate all the support that has been afforded me by WC, Stardock and everyone involved here.
5. Brad imagined a brilliant concept for not only this but for future extremely user friendly and useable Aero mods\clones. I am happy that I have a part to play in realizing these skins on behalf of my self and Stardock.
6. I will always defend myself. Period.
7. Thanks Brad and to everyone who through their kind words and patience will always be rewarded.
Reply #14 Thursday, January 17, 2008 11:42 PM
Reply #15 Thursday, January 17, 2008 11:42 PM
BTW Executive is sweet.
Reply #16 Thursday, January 17, 2008 11:53 PM
And yet people happily work for him....
Reply #18 Friday, January 18, 2008 1:17 AM
Therefore, we continue to see Vista this and Vista that themes, all of which begin to look the same after a while.
I like the idea of Master Skins. These guys certainly deserve something for their time and ideas. If you like it, buy it. If it's free, be thankful and let the artist know.
Reply #19 Friday, January 18, 2008 1:37 AM
It's unfortunate that Alpha Tellurian quit skinning because of negetive comments.
But most of the skinners in this community carry on because they love doing what they do.
Unfortunately there are people who, Like kittymalone said (reply #9) "..i reckon if you dont like it for personal reasons then the best option is to just
say nothing."
Reply #20 Friday, January 18, 2008 1:58 AM
Please login to comment and/or vote for this skin.
Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
- Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums and downloading skins.
- Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
- Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
- It's simple, and FREE!
|
|
Page 1 of 5 | |
|
|---|
Reply #1 Thursday, January 17, 2008 9:41 PM
I once saw an interview with author Alice Walker, in which she said "You can't make more of yourself by making less of others". Its a good thing to keep in mind.