Poll Results: Cell Phone Themes
That didn't come out how I expected
Monday, March 10, 2008 by Zoomba | Discussion: WinCustomize News
Polls are interesting things. Sometimes you ask what you think is a no-brainer, a question that could only have one reasonable outcome, but then you're surprised when it turns out to be the exact opposite. Last week's poll worked just like that.
Last week I asked if users would like to see WinCustomize add a cell phone theme gallery to the offering. My expectation was that everyone would be up for more customizable content on the site. More skins = more users and that's good right? Evidently I was wrong though as the poll came out 56 to 44% against the new gallery. This is especially surprising considering the conversation on the thread supporting the poll with users generally being positive towards the idea.
Either way, the poll sparked a good debate and was one of our most voted on polls in ages, so it seems the idea at least got people excited enough to vote when they normally wouldn't.
Here's the graph...
For those who voted against, I'd be interested in hearing your reasons why.
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Reply #42 Thursday, March 13, 2008 8:31 PM
Why do you think because your female that other female users might not like " girly crap "
I use Stealth Windowblind 90% of the time myself.
I prefer black blinds.
So am I suppose to dislike anything else but black blinds ?
There are a lot of male and female users that like " pretty " blinds as opposed to the more masculine type blinds.
That was a rather close minded point of view....
Reply #43 Thursday, March 13, 2008 8:32 PM
Sorry.. I got hungry.*burp*
Reply #44 Thursday, March 13, 2008 8:33 PM
I think you let your sensitivities get to you. I wasn't referring to the SUBMISSIONS as crap, I was referring to "girly" crap- as in stuff that is girly, not the suites themselves.
I guess you missed the comment of: "If there is an outstanding skin (no matter who it appeals to) then it gets featured."
Let me be more clear- We are not going to feature something just because it was created by or intended to appeal to females. We feature stuff depending on its quality, which includes technical excellence and usability. Creativity is a factor, but it won't get you featured if the skin isn't technically done well.
Is that clearer?
Reply #45 Thursday, March 13, 2008 8:39 PM
"If there is an outstanding skin (no matter who it appeals to) then it gets featured."
The point is that we don't feature due to who it appeals to- we feature because of quality. Your point was to have us feature "female" content to "attract" female users. What I am saying is that it doesn't work that way. If you want a "feminine" submission featured, it has to compete with everything else. If it doesn't cut it, it doesn't get featured, plain and simple. We're not going to change that to "attract" females by featuring "feminine" skins.
Reply #46 Thursday, March 13, 2008 8:42 PM
Is that clearer?
That sounds much better
You misinterpreted my comment .. mine was just an observation that I had not seen any female type skins featured in over a year. They used to get featured.
My comment was meant to drawn in more female users and ultimately buyers of software and skins.
Reply #47 Thursday, March 13, 2008 8:46 PM
As one of the people who features skins on the site, I pick...
a) .. what I think is the highest quality item (or items) on the site at the time I scan to feature something
.. regardless of author, style etc. The ability of a feminine skin to be featured is no greater and no more difficult than that of any other skin submitted to the site.
The basic contention though is that if there is a demand for more feminine skins in the community, then it's up to the skinners in the community to provide it. WinCustomize is a platform for skinners and users to come together, to share skins, discuss them etc. We've learned a few lessons over the idea of trying to push galleries and content from our end without there being any clear demand from the users. Look to the Google Gadgets and Sidebar Gadgets galleries. We made them, featured them, talked about them but the userbase had no demand for them (both at WC and beyond, they're both fairly dead platforms). We have to go where the community leads us for the kind of content to promote and focus on.
This cell phone poll shows there is a divide, so it's something we have to reconsider.
I count less than half a dozen items that could be considered "feminine" out of the last 200 uploaded to the site. If I exclude fractals and logons of questionable source, there are two items out of 200. One of those is already in the queue to be featured as well.
Reply #48 Thursday, March 13, 2008 8:47 PM
Reply #49 Thursday, March 13, 2008 8:51 PM
Reply #50 Thursday, March 13, 2008 9:11 PM
I think a big part of not seeing more "softer touch" skins featured, is a lack of them being uploaded.
To be featured means it must really stand out quality/professionalism wise.
I would love to see a really awesome "soft touch" suite hit WC, so would the Mrs.
Reply #51 Friday, March 14, 2008 5:14 AM
And everyone knows a pasted Toucan wallpaper is far harder to make than a "femine" windowblind.
Reply #52 Friday, March 14, 2008 7:22 AM
Now..that might get featured.. lol (just kidding!)
Exactly. Doesn't matter what the color/theme/etc. is- it just has to be really well done.
Reply #53 Friday, March 14, 2008 7:36 AM
The effort that somebody puts into something has nothing to do with quality. Vlad draws all his wallpapers by hand- he creates his own images. How do you consider that "pasted"? Also, did you compare it to other walls that were submitted around the same time? It's a very well done wall. It is original, it appeals to many people, and most of all- it works really well as a wall. Before you accuse an artist of "pasting" art, you should first look at the library and recognize who is using their own images and who is not creating their own. As an example, I know of many wallpaper artists who find photos and use them in their walls. The wall might look nice, but the main images weren't made by the artist. Those types of walls are less likely to get featured.
Reply #54 Monday, March 24, 2008 10:40 PM
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Reply #41 Thursday, March 13, 2008 8:06 PM
We try to appeal to the general masses. Deciding to feature stuff just because we think it would appeal to a certain group would be wrong. If people want feminine stuff featured, then they have to make high quality feminine skins that can compete with the other submissions. If they are as good as the other things we feature, then they won't be featured.
Oh....you have managed to push the wrong buttons with this....I am very offended by your comment about "girly crap". I do not consider my skins as "crap"! It is all a matter of taste...i personally do not like the "heavy" blinds, but i sure as hell don't consider them "crap"! They are just not my cup of tea.
From what i have seen of the featured skins of late, I do not consider hardly any of them as high quality work. But, that is my opinion....
As far as making high quality skins...I get the message from your words, that if the skin is feminine, it is not and cannot be high quality! I resent that thinking!