Premium Skin Logic
Monday, November 23, 2009 by PixelPunk | Discussion: OS Customization
Maybe this could help at least me understand the changes that have crept up around Stardock and this Wincustomize branch of Stardock. I have lurked around here since Windowblinds was a beta before version 1. This was like .6 or .7 when I found it.
When Windowblinds was created, the skins created for it were free. Makes us wonder... was Windowblinds originally created with the intention of having the skins for it free or sold seperately. I don't know if the original Windowblinds programmer is still in the community, but I would love to hear from them about this question. The Whole community offered the skins for free. As Stardock grew, it created a host of other products to skin other parts of windows. There was a charge for this program, that program, etc. Soon a subscription service was offered for everything. And recently, this complete subscription service was fragmented into subsubscriptions with only parts available to each.
Then we have their skin site spun off and being offered as a subscription service to get rid of commonplace internet adds and maybe one or 2 select "premium" skins. In and of itself, this subscription service is selling additional skins offering profit shares to some (but not all) skin creaters.
Everytime I see a new Master Skinner, I lament the loss to the community as a whole. Stardock (or is it Wincustomize) has taken this artist away from the general public and put them with a small group of skinners to cater to a minute customer base. It may sound fine and dandy to split $4.99 with Stardock per download, but the product exposure has just been reduced by a few factors of 10. Question for you master skinners...... before you were a master skinner, I bet you loved to look at your skin downloads. Pride in knowing how many people liked your work. How many of you are getting anywhere near that amount of downloads with your premium skins? I know it may put a couple of dollars in you and Stardock's wallet, but there are a lot fewer people seeing your work.
Could this be a cause of our shrinking community?
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Reply #62 Tuesday, November 24, 2009 10:10 PM
Logically I can see where it makes total sense for masters to charge for skins. It will just never be right for me, personally.
Nicely said, Karen, bravo for you. I particularly like the birth and motherhood references, the emotional aspect of your work. It helps us understand there is another human being involved behind the creation. All too often in this crazy world it's business, business, business, profit and pressure, so your sentiment is refreshing as much as it it welcome.
Thank you. 
Reply #63 Thursday, November 26, 2009 1:47 PM
This is a greast discussion. Software can cost a lot. And yet, it actually doesn't have to... depending on your platform.
Still haven't seen many hard numbers that really justify the cost of the software and the 1000's of hours that are spent on one skin. There is a lot of talk. Anyone who literally spends that amount of time on one skin for that amount of money is not doing this to make money. They are doing it because they enjoy it. Yes, it can be an artform. And I see this as an artistic form. Maybe we should think about the value of this as an artform. Yes, $$
Reply #64 Thursday, November 26, 2009 3:04 PM
Still haven't seen many hard numbers that really justify the cost of the software and the 1000's of hours that are spent on one skin. There is a lot of talk. Anyone who literally spends that amount of time on one skin for that amount of money is not doing this to make money. They are doing it because they enjoy it. Yes, it can be an artform. And I see this as an artistic form. Maybe we should think about the value of this as an artform. Yes, $$
my rough geusstimate: a few grand easy on programs and software for artwork, 80bucks on odnt. plus extra $ for any other stardock prog i have bought.
1month plus on a wb
a week on a cursor
2 to 3 weeks on a icon packager
a week on a sysmetrix
a week on a wallpaper (mine are very detailed, i dont go for the vertical lines look)
a week on a xion
a month easy for dx theme. (im very slow at those)
*** edit, i cant believe i forgot to mention this.... ive also purchased 2 brandnew computers in the past 3 years just to keep up with skinning for vista and now w7. no lie. ***
and just recently a 1tb hardrive to accomodate xp and w7
i personally think my main driving passion is because ive always loved and excelled in art. (i have to thank my dad for that and passing his artistic abilities down to me) before i got into computers, you could always find me with a black chinagraph and a HUGE white drawing book. or sometimes with oils and brushes. and my art basically decorated my walls. xxxx
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Reply #61 Tuesday, November 24, 2009 9:50 PM
Photoshop ~ $300
Random pics of WC members ~ free
The result~ Priceless