Skinning on the rise?
Monday, June 24, 2002 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News
This week's new poll deals with perception. Is it your perception that Windows customization is on the rise? At its peak? Or on the decline?
Post your thoughts here on the matter.
Post your thoughts here on the matter.
treetog
Reply #2 Monday, June 24, 2002 2:37 PM
Reply #2 Monday, June 24, 2002 2:37 PM
well, what I can say is:
When I began to skin, on the old times of skinz.org when we upload a wb skin and the skin was good it recieved around 1000/1200 downloads in its first day, wich I use to think that at that time was really fantistic numbers.
Today, when we upload a good skin here it recieves around the double of that and continue for a few more days.
Today much more people have interest on skins, so I believe it is still growing.
When I began to skin, on the old times of skinz.org when we upload a wb skin and the skin was good it recieved around 1000/1200 downloads in its first day, wich I use to think that at that time was really fantistic numbers.
Today, when we upload a good skin here it recieves around the double of that and continue for a few more days.
Today much more people have interest on skins, so I believe it is still growing.
Glowdark
Reply #3 Monday, June 24, 2002 2:47 PM
Reply #3 Monday, June 24, 2002 2:47 PM
Well Im not brave enough yet to actually attempt creating a skin, but my friends who see my puter always say, "What did you do to it? and How do you find anything" etc. All i have showing is the wallpaper and I just think thats so much fun.Trying to explain how its done is another story, but I definitely think "customizing" is here to stay
MikeB314
Reply #4 Monday, June 24, 2002 3:47 PM
Reply #4 Monday, June 24, 2002 3:47 PM
I think that Windows XP is introducing the concept of skinning to many people who never knew it existed before. Mainstream exposure like that is bound to make skinning and desktop customization more widespread.
migellito
Reply #5 Monday, June 24, 2002 3:57 PM
Reply #5 Monday, June 24, 2002 3:57 PM
i think more specifically it's currently making the transition to mainstream. it'll take awhile, but i think the growth will be steadier now.
Chris
Reply #6 Monday, June 24, 2002 4:04 PM
Reply #6 Monday, June 24, 2002 4:04 PM
You can see some increase just by looking at the new folks getting their feet wet on the wincustomize message board asking basic skinning-related questions. IMHO, that's a pretty good thing.
Griffinme
Reply #7 Monday, June 24, 2002 4:25 PM
Reply #7 Monday, June 24, 2002 4:25 PM
I think skinning is rising fast. At the same time I can see trouble for StarDock. In XP Microsoft included many skinning features. Styles doesn't skin as well as WindowBlinds, but it is cheaper. In the next OS release from Redmond you have to wonder if they will do skinning right.
That would be a typical MS thing to do. They see an opportunity; create a fair to poor attempt at it, on the third or fourth try they come closer to the independent maker’s best attempt. Eventually this leads to the death or severe shrinkage of the independent maker.
For examples, look at word processors, e-mail, browsers, and PDA's.
It has always puzzled me how Norton and MacAfee have kept M$ at bay. Anti-virus and utility software is a nice chunk of the software market. Yet, M$ has never made a serious attempt to grab the market.
That would be a typical MS thing to do. They see an opportunity; create a fair to poor attempt at it, on the third or fourth try they come closer to the independent maker’s best attempt. Eventually this leads to the death or severe shrinkage of the independent maker.
For examples, look at word processors, e-mail, browsers, and PDA's.
It has always puzzled me how Norton and MacAfee have kept M$ at bay. Anti-virus and utility software is a nice chunk of the software market. Yet, M$ has never made a serious attempt to grab the market.
Woodbridge
Reply #8 Monday, June 24, 2002 4:44 PM
Reply #8 Monday, June 24, 2002 4:44 PM
Definately still on the rise. Loads of my friends and colleagues get bored of the standard windows look (most are on 98 or 2K) sadly most aren't willing to pay to change their desktop yet so they either go with StyleXP 
or the shareware version of WB.
or the shareware version of WB.
Mike Divine
Reply #9 Monday, June 24, 2002 5:39 PM
Reply #9 Monday, June 24, 2002 5:39 PM
When friends and co-workers see my notebooks at least the ones with XP on them and see that I have three different user's set up, AND all three are set up with WB's, Winstyles THEY GO APE,,, "where did you get that, how did you do that." etc.... I show them Wincustomize and tell them to get their money out and have fun. SO, is it growing, YOU BET YA.
Nabueo
Reply #10 Monday, June 24, 2002 7:11 PM
Reply #10 Monday, June 24, 2002 7:11 PM
What With Microsoft allowing third parties (i.e Stardock) to officially develop programs allowing the skinning of windows, and small windows proggies (i.e Trillian, Winamp) having the ability to apply there own skins, I think that the awareness of 'skinning' as a functional, (productive?), way to alter the appearance of your Computer is increasing.
With more awareness comes more demand. People are realising that skinz are out there.. and they want them. And considering that programs like Windowblinds and Desktop X allow any proficient user of a PC to alter the GUI of Windows with a few mouse clicks, It's no wonder that Skinning is becoming more and more popular.
Personally I still find most Windows skins to be annoying and in the way. WinXP Silver looks and works just beautifully and until Windowblinds can work and look as functional as the Windows defaults, I won't seriously use them (other than the occasional 'impress the visitor' job) I would dare to say that when integration becomes rock-solid, Skinning will take another leap forward in popularity and functional use by the masses.
With more awareness comes more demand. People are realising that skinz are out there.. and they want them. And considering that programs like Windowblinds and Desktop X allow any proficient user of a PC to alter the GUI of Windows with a few mouse clicks, It's no wonder that Skinning is becoming more and more popular.
Personally I still find most Windows skins to be annoying and in the way. WinXP Silver looks and works just beautifully and until Windowblinds can work and look as functional as the Windows defaults, I won't seriously use them (other than the occasional 'impress the visitor' job) I would dare to say that when integration becomes rock-solid, Skinning will take another leap forward in popularity and functional use by the masses.
Caylynn
Reply #11 Monday, June 24, 2002 9:06 PM
Reply #11 Monday, June 24, 2002 9:06 PM
Most people I know like to alter the look of their computer, mostly using Plus! They don't know that skinning exists, so they are content with simply changing the things that a Plus theme changes.
With Windows XP, I think more people are realizing that they can do more to change the look of their desktop, so I think skinning will become more populat.
With Windows XP, I think more people are realizing that they can do more to change the look of their desktop, so I think skinning will become more populat.
joetheblow
Reply #12 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 12:13 AM
Reply #12 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 12:13 AM
I... have a plan.
I do believe skins and skinning will be a niche market. With WindowsXP it is etting mainstream views. I am not sure if people will see it at first but exposure will bring them in.
The funny thing is that, just like in any popularity thingy, it needs to find that one person who will make people take notice.
One person can make the difference between 100,000 people knowing and 1,000,000.
Just luck.... I guess... hmmmmmmm....
I do believe skins and skinning will be a niche market. With WindowsXP it is etting mainstream views. I am not sure if people will see it at first but exposure will bring them in.
The funny thing is that, just like in any popularity thingy, it needs to find that one person who will make people take notice.
One person can make the difference between 100,000 people knowing and 1,000,000.
Just luck.... I guess... hmmmmmmm....
ama02
Reply #13 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 1:51 AM
Reply #13 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 1:51 AM
I recently downloaded Trillian, and noticed that it offered skinnable interface as well. I am fairly new to WB and the whole skinning concept. I think that Windows customization is on the rise, though slowly. True, that XP is bringing to light the customization technology...but there are still quite a few users out there that do not have/use XP, me being one of them. But I think that, for the most part, the awareness of it is increasing.
And with the talent that has been producing skins here
the demand will grow as well.
Keep up the great work!
And with the talent that has been producing skins here
the demand will grow as well.Keep up the great work!
craeonics
Reply #14 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 3:41 AM
Reply #14 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 3:41 AM
Rising. Slow but steady. At the same time, I have this sense of loss though.
Galfant
Reply #15 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 7:56 AM
Reply #15 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 7:56 AM
Skinning, at least for XP, probably won't become really wide spread until after the requirement for 3rd party software is eliminated. Right now, I have to use 3 different programs to change skin, cursors and icons, where a simple desktop theme used to do that natively. Why isn't anyone making "themes" for WinXP?
MarkMcQ
Reply #16 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 8:00 AM
Reply #16 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 8:00 AM
There's two viewpoints on this:
One, from a user point of view, would definitely show that skin use and creation is on the rise.Downloads are high, and new skinners are popping up around the place and larger software companies, MS in particular, are recognising it as a valid form of GUI customisation.
The other, from a skinners point of view, in my opinion shows a decline, as there's nothing particularly new or awe-inspiring being created these days(With a few exceptions, Treetog and Grayhaze, to name two). I'm constantly seeing skin after skin, that looks like it rolled right off of a factory production line.Go back a year or two, back to the old skinz.org days, and you were pretty much guaranteed at least one creatively original skin every single day.
One, from a user point of view, would definitely show that skin use and creation is on the rise.Downloads are high, and new skinners are popping up around the place and larger software companies, MS in particular, are recognising it as a valid form of GUI customisation.
The other, from a skinners point of view, in my opinion shows a decline, as there's nothing particularly new or awe-inspiring being created these days(With a few exceptions, Treetog and Grayhaze, to name two). I'm constantly seeing skin after skin, that looks like it rolled right off of a factory production line.Go back a year or two, back to the old skinz.org days, and you were pretty much guaranteed at least one creatively original skin every single day.
adni18
Reply #17 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 1:53 PM
Reply #17 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 1:53 PM
For the majority of the people, using skins in their computers it is still something difficult to do.
As, more easier, user friendly and safer the software it goes, more people will use it. (One click is the best way, the many options are confusing the people).
Yes, I think that skinning is on the rise!
As, more easier, user friendly and safer the software it goes, more people will use it. (One click is the best way, the many options are confusing the people).
Yes, I think that skinning is on the rise!
Sait666
Reply #18 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 6:13 PM
Reply #18 Tuesday, June 25, 2002 6:13 PM
Most consumer items are moving towards customization (look at how handheld mobile phones have evolved from standard grey plastic to 'paint your own cover').
With the coming SP to XP, I think skinning will grow even further (on MS platforms anyway), since the last real solid ties to M$ are (legally) removed, hence opening (more) up for 3rd party software.
With the coming SP to XP, I think skinning will grow even further (on MS platforms anyway), since the last real solid ties to M$ are (legally) removed, hence opening (more) up for 3rd party software.
[]V[]orph
Reply #19 Saturday, June 29, 2002 6:32 PM
Reply #19 Saturday, June 29, 2002 6:32 PM
the master, Treetog, inspired my entrance into skinning. It's been quite an experience, and have received plenty of input on my designs, which guides me on my travels. Gotta love skinning...
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Reply #1 Monday, June 24, 2002 2:27 PM
So everybody want to do it. The problem is that most people do not know they can change more than just the wallpaper. When I show this stuff to my friends, half of them want it. A quarter think it is just ok (as in it is not a big deal or its just something that looks different but doesn't do much more than regular windows) and the other quarter just don't want to change.
Well, to make a long story short, yes it will grow. Everybody works differently and as the word gets out the quarter who just thinks it is a opical chnge will realize it can boost work productivity will want it too.
That is allot of computers and allot of people. Eventually the entertainment industry will get on the bandwagon, corporate offices already are starting (becuase of the work productivity thingy), and websites will feature skins as a normal thing (well maybe that one is to a little to far)