That's why I say: "Kill the effer NOW!"  Not only does XP support create more (unnecessary) work, it costs more... and it's the consumer who ultimately pays.

Supporting 'dead' platforms is not cost effective and ultimately is unproductive, and given XP can not utilise/take advantage of so many new PC/software innovations, it is a fossil (in computing terms) and needs to be retired ASAP.

It's a bit like Frogboy's "tough love" approach with ObjectDesktop, etc.  You gotta cut the deadwood adrift to stay afloat/move forward.  OK, some aren't going to like it, but it's a bit like way back when, if they'd listened to all the automobile nay-sayers who stubbornly refused to accept change, we'd still be riding a horse and cart.... and you'd still be in the UK, cos the World would still be flat and nobody'd be game to venture too far past the beach.

Agreed 100%... doesn't change the current numbers unfortunately.

don't think it's about stubbornly refusing to accept change....people just want to do it within their own timeframes....everyone has different priorities.....

I'm happy to buy a new 'puter ...with Win 7....when the need arises....if that means I miss out on some things in the meantime...so be it...I agree with the focus being put on the new technology...we'll all catch up eventually....until then...I'll continue to enjoy making XP bootskins....and XP logons....'cause the Vista ones....are just sterile....no joy there...

to answer the OP's question....the general skinning motto...is...skin for yourself....decide what you want out of it....to skin just the OS you use....to skin for a broader audience for awhile longer....entirely up to you....

Oh, our Master Skinners, Lord Mirsguy, Lord vStyler,... please do not leave us - XP users go into the forgotten, deeply appreciate for your kindness, you are decorating our world now and forever. Thank you so much  .

That means exactly zilch since Windows 7 has not been formally released yet....and considering the hanging-on-of-people-to-XP because Vista was/is a dog.

Keep an eye on those numbers....give it 6 months and see where the trends take you.

No matter how many people are still using XP NOW...it is still DEAD.

It just doesn't know it yet.

I did, do, and always will SKIN FOR MYSELF.  If others like it/them then good for them...I frankly don't care if they are liked or not....as long as I'm happy with them.

If/when WA 2.9x no longer works on the 'current' OS I'll likely not bother skinning it ever again.  I will simply move on.

Skinning has changed A LOT over the decade plus that it's been public/popular....and in that time many of the skinned-for OS's are genuinely extinct.

XP is likely to dribble along longer than even Vista... but both are destined for the history books soon enough.

I'm 100% behind Stardock's direction of looking forward and not backward.  If it's not [ultimately] 64bit and Windows 7 [and beyond] then it's past history.

Current skins/apps can age gracefully with their relevant/respective OS/apps.... but Skinning needs to move on [as always] and keep up with the OS releases as they happen...

Not of Oct 10 2009.... 71% Marketshare 

I think perhaps folks don't realize I'm all for progress. Not against progress AT ALL. I was amongst the very first to fully skin Vista

Just stating current numbers \ facts

Quote the right bit, John....

There are some genuine cases where people simply can not upgrade... costs/hardware restrictions, etc.  However, those with other priorities are not the people I criticise.... but rather those who can, have no legitimate reason not to but stubbornly won't.

Ah, but that's where you differ from the "prise XP from my cold dead hands" types.  Your priorities are different right now, but you haven't completely dismissed the idea, like I've heard many others do... and believe me, I've heard some piss weak reasons as to why not, and it ain't cos they can't afford it.  Like the bloke who thinks nothing of it to drop 3 - 4 grand on a night out... his excuse was that he didn't want to have to drive (5 lousy minutes) to the PC store and have to pay somebody $90 an hour to set it up... 90 bucks an hour being his primary stumbling block, and the bastard earns more an hour than I see in a month,

Sorry guys but all this fuss about OS's just cracks me up. I still use and will continue to use XP for as long as I can. Not sure why others have had problems with XP but I have never had any problems that weren't caused by myself...and as few as they were they were very minor problems. I also have Acronis True Image...so if I do screw something up I can just click on the backup...go to bed...and wake up to a fresh install.

And this has nothing to do whatsoever with whether or not Vista/7 is good/better or not...its a simple matter of money for one thing...and XP...for me anyway...works perfectly and does everything I need it to and does it fast as well...so I just don't see any reason to throw something away that works for something else that works. I guess I just never fell into the "I gotta have the latest" crowd.

Besides...not having a pc isn't the end of the world...although it's strange that I'm seeing fewer and fewer people outside.

And the other thing is...between V....Mike Bryant and numerous other great skinners I have more than enough skins to use if everyone stops skinning XP.

A very interesting debate. Do not think I asked this question because I am worried about my download count, if anyone looks at my gallery you can see my download numbers are not great, I skin for myself  & try to do something a bit different, if you look at the WindowBlinds gallery, a lot of the top download skins are Vista/Windows 7 look alikes, which supports Starkers point that we are afraid of change.

The reason I asked the question was because although I am quite happy skinning XP, I see no point in doing something that will not be utilized. One interesting fact is that in the toolbar icon gallery, which is used by XP only, the last submission was on 4th March 2008, so there is obviously no demand there.

I help my daughter run a website for a regional Cattle Club, the statistics on that site supports VStyler's point that XP users out number Vista users almost 2:1 (59% - 30&).

I was always taught, by my parents, ( my Father was a very forward thinking man) not to be afraid of change & in my working life kept up with new technology as much as finances allowed. So if I was not skinning I would be using Widows 7 as soon as I could afford it & would not look back at Windows 98, XP & Vista & regret their passing.

No one told me...

Seriously though, I love to skin. My first theme began as a Vista-only theme because I used Vista only at the time. But I had a LOT of people requesting that I make an XP version. So I did. And I think I pleased a lot of people.

I know I should skin for myself, and I do. The primary reason I skin XP is because my wife uses XP, while I use Vista and 7; and my wife likes to use my themes.

However, I try to be a realist, and I know that, though I use Vista & 7, and I prefer them, most PC users still use XP; so why ignore the majority?

I'm not going for DL counts, but rather that many more people might use my themes. Hard to argue with 71%.

Keep it real, I too hope that XP dies. In fact, I hope that Vista dies too. But no matter what I want, some folks will hang on to XP still for a while yet. And as long as a great majority of people use it, I'll skin it.

...Unless my XP rig dies or something!

This is the catch 22 I'm seeing all over: various people saying on the one hand: "I hope XP dies." while continuing to support it on the other. While MS, software devs and skinners continue to support XP, there is no incentive whatsoever for the stubborn users (XP fanbois) to move on.... and that is what stifles development for the future... much else beyond XP.  Devs/skinners, etc don't see a viable/worthwhile market to develop for.

I do not like XP at all... to me it looks like a Fisher Price miscarriage.  And no matter how you dress it up, with WB, IP and etc, it doesn't make XP a good OS... it's had its day.  In comparison to Win 7 and Vista SP2, XP pales into insignificance and is decidedly lacking,  Yes, Vista SP2!  I dual boot between Vista Home Premium x64 and Win 7 Ultimate x64, and during day to day operation I notice very little if any difference functionally or performance-wise... just that Win 7 is a tad faster at startup, shutdown.

Having said that, I do not propose that MS somehow disables XP to force users to upgrade.  Obviously there are people who genuinely can not afford to upgrade, and their copies of XP should continue to function fully for as long as needed, but that doesn't mean development/support for it should continue.  If they can't afford to upgrade, they're not going to be spending any money on it anyway, and it not like XP is in an under-developed/unusable state, so the developmental focus should be on Win 7, not XP. 

By all means, XP should be provided anti-viral, anti-spyware, anti-malware support to protect those users, but other than that it needs to be forgotten... otherwise, Windows 20 will be out and there will be (currently live but) cold dead hands with an icy grip on XP, still.

And your point being?

when it is released i feel the numbers will sway to 7 after 6/12 months great system win 7

Um, like some of us mightn't be around by the time Win 20 is released.... and XP fanbois will take their XP install discs with them to the grave...

... just in case there's PC's where they're going.  

Hehe!  Funny thing, that... I was thinking of taking a disc with all my fav skins on it.

note to self:   next name suggestion of vSkin.....'Afterlife'....

something golden...glowing and transparent.....

....with a fiery red/black glossy...alternative substyle.....    

well im in the i can't afford to upgrade yet group. but as soon as i can i will .the only reason i use vista is my husbands boss had an extra pc and my hubby gave it to me but it has vista on it which i hate

so im saving for win7 can't wait  

Catch 22 indeed. So do I quit supporting it, or go for more "widespread acclaim as a skinner?" Or, in case of Masters like vStyler, well, he's got a living to make, you know.

Regardless, until the *bad taste* from Vista is gone from the mouths of die hard XP users, like it or lump it, XP will remain on the scene.

From a skinning standpoint, it would be easier for me to just ditch XP. But I would like as many people as possible to use my skins. Guess I'm guilty of supporting the XP fanboys.

Ultimately, this is all just a matter of opinion anyway.

And ultimately, all the veteran skinners will probably still be skinning XP along with Veeesta & 7.

Could someone explain why if people find it either too expensive or they just don't see or have a reason to get the latest OS they get labled 'fanboys'? 

I have an XP Home 32 bit system and a Vista Home Premium 64 bit system which will get an upgrade in about 12 days to Win 7 64 bit so I'm just a little confused at to what I am.  (Boy that was the wrong thing to type)