WinCustomize subscriber goodies!
Wednesday, October 2, 2002 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News
Lots of goodies for subscribers.First: The first WinCustomize subscriber premium suite is now available. Here's a screenshot: https://www.stardock.com/products/odnt/odnt-oct02a.jpg. This suite includes a WindowBlinds visual style by Alexandrie. A ObjectBar theme (with hotkey support) by me. And a full icon suite by Paul Boyer that makes full use of Windows XP alpha blending (it's awesome).
Second: A new release candidate of the WinCustomize skin browser is now available for subscribers. The new version is vastly faster at browsing the libraries thanks to a new method of retrieving the info. This is definitely an update to get.
Third: There is now a resources box in the lower left side of the page here that gives subscribers a fast way to access the software and other content as well as having links for software and soon a tutorial.
Have fun! BTW, the skin in this preview shot is XP Corona by Alexandrie (https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?library=1&SkinID=2850).
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feline
Reply #22 Thursday, October 3, 2002 6:15 AM
Reply #22 Thursday, October 3, 2002 6:15 AM
initial reactions here we go 
the preview of the WB skin looked a LOT like XPCobalt (part of one of the WB bonus skin packs). having just compared the two a little more carefully they are a bit different.
however, since i LOVED XPCobalt this is quite a nice thing
i will try the OB theme later on my home machine, since i have a highly customised OB setup on this machine, and dont want to play with it just yet.
downloading the file gives me a zip file. just unpack this, and you get the IP pack in a subdirectory. nice and simple
this shows 102 icons, at 6.13 meg!!!!!!
looking forward to seeing these under winXP
the part of all this i like the most so far is the link to the skin browser and my serial number directly!!!
this saves me emailing stardock everytime the computer gets upset looking up my email address, which seems to happen quite often
the preview of the WB skin looked a LOT like XPCobalt (part of one of the WB bonus skin packs). having just compared the two a little more carefully they are a bit different.
however, since i LOVED XPCobalt this is quite a nice thing
i will try the OB theme later on my home machine, since i have a highly customised OB setup on this machine, and dont want to play with it just yet.
downloading the file gives me a zip file. just unpack this, and you get the IP pack in a subdirectory. nice and simple
this shows 102 icons, at 6.13 meg!!!!!!
looking forward to seeing these under winXP
the part of all this i like the most so far is the link to the skin browser and my serial number directly!!!
this saves me emailing stardock everytime the computer gets upset looking up my email address, which seems to happen quite often
MikeB314
Reply #23 Thursday, October 3, 2002 8:58 AM
Reply #23 Thursday, October 3, 2002 8:58 AM
Great new suite, and great new subscriber features! Having access to the latest SkinBrowser and subscriber-only skins right on WinCustomize is a major timesaver. Thanks everyone for all the hard work!
This is just the first of many premium skins, icons, etc. I know this one isn't everybody's cup of tea, but it is impossible to please everyone all the time. If we all wanted exactly the same style skins, this would be a very boring site.
So, quit yer complaining and subscribe already! Do it for everything you have gotten out of this site. Do it to keep the greatest skin site on the Net pop-up ad free. Do it because your concious is telling you that you've already gotten more than $20 worth of stuff here. Do it so that skinners like myself will always have WinCustomize to share our skins with you. Whatever works for you, just do it.
disclaimer: the above statement was meant as a friendly plea, and I in no way harbor any animosity toward anyone.
MikeB314 has heard too many NPR pledge drives.
This is just the first of many premium skins, icons, etc. I know this one isn't everybody's cup of tea, but it is impossible to please everyone all the time. If we all wanted exactly the same style skins, this would be a very boring site.
So, quit yer complaining and subscribe already!
Do it for everything you have gotten out of this site. Do it to keep the greatest skin site on the Net pop-up ad free. Do it because your concious is telling you that you've already gotten more than $20 worth of stuff here. Do it so that skinners like myself will always have WinCustomize to share our skins with you. Whatever works for you, just do it. disclaimer: the above statement was meant as a friendly plea, and I in no way harbor any animosity toward anyone.
MikeB314 has heard too many NPR pledge drives.
voo
Reply #25 Thursday, October 3, 2002 1:06 PM
Reply #25 Thursday, October 3, 2002 1:06 PM
Ok i take that back just been having a good look at the icons there incredibly awesome and using them the now, Very smooth and slick and ObjectBar skin is cool.
I mean no offense to skinners or stardock for WindowBlind skin, its just not my style, hope you can forgive me for my comments earlier.
WinCustomize RC2 is even better & really cool now as its getting updated all the time
Great Stuff, looking forward to more packs
I mean no offense to skinners or stardock for WindowBlind skin, its just not my style, hope you can forgive me for my comments earlier.
WinCustomize RC2 is even better & really cool now as its getting updated all the time
Great Stuff, looking forward to more packs
werewolf
Reply #26 Thursday, October 3, 2002 1:58 PM
Reply #26 Thursday, October 3, 2002 1:58 PM
MikeB314: I laughed to myself while reading your comment. I thought that it *did* sound like an NPR pledge drive, then I read your NPR comment. 
big time.
This is a great SkinBrowser update, a great ObjectBar theme and a great WindowBlinds skin. Feline was right, it does sort of look like XPCobalt, but he's also right that it is a fantastic skin. The update to the Wincusto site is also a fine timesaver. Thanks.
Best investment I've ever made. Way to go folks at Stardock and Wincustomize, and congratulations to Brian Harper.
big time.This is a great SkinBrowser update, a great ObjectBar theme and a great WindowBlinds skin. Feline was right, it does sort of look like XPCobalt, but he's also right that it is a fantastic skin. The update to the Wincusto site is also a fine timesaver. Thanks.
Best investment I've ever made. Way to go folks at Stardock and Wincustomize, and congratulations to Brian Harper.
werewolf
Reply #27 Thursday, October 3, 2002 1:59 PM
Reply #27 Thursday, October 3, 2002 1:59 PM
Oh jeez, sorry Paul, *excellent* (!!) icon pack.
chuckyboy81070
Reply #29 Thursday, October 3, 2002 8:23 PM
Reply #29 Thursday, October 3, 2002 8:23 PM
i'm somewhat underwhelmed. i'm sorry, i was expecting something a little more polished than what looks to be some recoloring of XP Charcoal with some smatterings of XP Cobalt here and there. granted, that's just my opinion - and i'm nobody in the skinning world other than an enthusiasist - but this is the first time i've ever been moved to make such a comment.
i don't use object bar, so i can't really comment on that.
addressing the WB skin:
alexandrie is an exceptional skinner. she's one of the dozen or so out there that creates skins that demand attention. unfortunately, i don't feel this one stands up well next to her past work at all.
the icon pack:
how many variations of FauxS-XP can there *already* be? i think that says it all. that being said, i do like FauxS-XP, but to include a variation of it in the exclusive package? again, i'm underhelmed.
that's all i have to say. i fully expect to be torn a new one. i'm not going to come back and defent these comments, as they are only my opinion. i think my $20 buys me the right to express that, as well as supports the community.
lance
i don't use object bar, so i can't really comment on that.
addressing the WB skin:
alexandrie is an exceptional skinner. she's one of the dozen or so out there that creates skins that demand attention. unfortunately, i don't feel this one stands up well next to her past work at all.
the icon pack:
how many variations of FauxS-XP can there *already* be? i think that says it all. that being said, i do like FauxS-XP, but to include a variation of it in the exclusive package? again, i'm underhelmed.
that's all i have to say. i fully expect to be torn a new one. i'm not going to come back and defent these comments, as they are only my opinion. i think my $20 buys me the right to express that, as well as supports the community.
lance
Wild_Bill
Reply #30 Thursday, October 3, 2002 9:40 PM
Reply #30 Thursday, October 3, 2002 9:40 PM
I find the comments comparing XP Coruna with the wb in the premium suite interesting. For my taste, I prefer the XPaugusta to the XPCoruna.
I had thought the dl of the ob file had failed until I read this comment "the one you get if you hold down Ctrl-A ". I tried it and it works, but being a novice, I'm still not sure if I'm missing more.
Keep up your efforts. I'm not impresswed with everything I dl, but I get more than my monies worth and find it entertaining!
I had thought the dl of the ob file had failed until I read this comment "the one you get if you hold down Ctrl-A ". I tried it and it works, but being a novice, I'm still not sure if I'm missing more.
Keep up your efforts. I'm not impresswed with everything I dl, but I get more than my monies worth and find it entertaining!
mormegil
Reply #31 Thursday, October 3, 2002 11:35 PM
Reply #31 Thursday, October 3, 2002 11:35 PM
That is nice to here, alot of work went into these and it is hard on those of us who contributed to get such a nagitive response.
goodmorphing
Reply #32 Friday, October 4, 2002 12:47 AM
Reply #32 Friday, October 4, 2002 12:47 AM
Wild Bill, if you alternate click on your desktop you will see a new menu. Select the one that says configure, and you can exlplore all the bars, learn how they work, and then adapt them to your needs. These bars are the ultimate in privacy as they are all together invisible until you call them. However, you can also add a bar if you want. I added a docked bar on top for icons like games and music that are easy for someone else to find (i figured that would keep them from poking around in my stuff). I am still in love with my new object bars! 
MichaelG04_NEW
Reply #33 Friday, October 4, 2002 10:34 AM
Reply #33 Friday, October 4, 2002 10:34 AM
the main problem is the lack of skin features. this wincustomize suite simply sux because it is lacking sooooooooo many other skins, as in cursor XP, desktop X. if your going to charge for a subscription, and say that your going to give us skin suites, i expect something to the effect of pix studio. and they make their suits skin for just about every app. very disappointing wincustomize.
Grog
Reply #34 Friday, October 4, 2002 11:09 AM Roland, give it time. Considering that it was those wonderful folks over at Pixtudio that made the Windowblinds skin. Not to mention it is the first suite and that I'm sure there are many more to come.
Chris
Reply #34 Friday, October 4, 2002 11:09 AM
Roland, give it time. Considering that it was those wonderful folks over at Pixtudio that made the Windowblinds skin. Not to mention it is the first suite and that I'm sure there are many more to come. Chris
MichaelG04_NEW
Reply #35 Friday, October 4, 2002 11:14 AM
Reply #35 Friday, October 4, 2002 11:14 AM
ok, what about this. if u look closely, they have a kewl wallpaper showin in the lil bitmap image of the skin suite, yet we get something ungodfully aweful looking.
Frogboy
Reply #36 Friday, October 4, 2002 2:56 PM
Reply #36 Friday, October 4, 2002 2:56 PM
Me thinks some of you expect an awful lot for a subscription that amounts to $10 per year.
Pixtudio sells their suites for $10 per suite.
This first suite has a GOOD skin, 120+ icons, and an ObjectBar theme that was pretty uniquely done. Is it the greatest suite ever? No. But it doesn't "sux".
Let me be candid, having a bunch of people rip on what was a lot of work like this does not encourage us to make more of them. We only have to create one more during the next year and a half to meet what we promised.
The number of skin suites is largely going to depend on volunteer efforts by WC supporters. And I can tell you that seeing these kinds of flames is not going to encourage any skin author to come forward to want to work on it. If anything, it will increase the cost of doing them since what skin author wants to be subjected to this kind of treatment?
There will be premium skin packs, premium suites, and premium icon packages but they don't be part of the WinCustomize subscription. Hopefully you'll like them better. At least in their cases you'll be able to pick and choose which premium skin packs you pay for.
By contrast, The WinCustomize subscriber suites were meant as an added bonus, an extra way of thanking people who are supporting the site by subscribing. There's only so much we can realistically do on $10 per year before the point of the subscriptions (paying for new hardware, more bandwidth, coding, etc.) is lost.
I can tell you already though that it's going to be impossible to do as many suite as we had hoped. Skin authors and theme makers have been reading this stuff and we've lost a lot of interest from them in wanting to subject themselves to abuse.
Pixtudio sells their suites for $10 per suite.
This first suite has a GOOD skin, 120+ icons, and an ObjectBar theme that was pretty uniquely done. Is it the greatest suite ever? No. But it doesn't "sux".
Let me be candid, having a bunch of people rip on what was a lot of work like this does not encourage us to make more of them. We only have to create one more during the next year and a half to meet what we promised.
The number of skin suites is largely going to depend on volunteer efforts by WC supporters. And I can tell you that seeing these kinds of flames is not going to encourage any skin author to come forward to want to work on it. If anything, it will increase the cost of doing them since what skin author wants to be subjected to this kind of treatment?
There will be premium skin packs, premium suites, and premium icon packages but they don't be part of the WinCustomize subscription. Hopefully you'll like them better. At least in their cases you'll be able to pick and choose which premium skin packs you pay for.
By contrast, The WinCustomize subscriber suites were meant as an added bonus, an extra way of thanking people who are supporting the site by subscribing. There's only so much we can realistically do on $10 per year before the point of the subscriptions (paying for new hardware, more bandwidth, coding, etc.) is lost.
I can tell you already though that it's going to be impossible to do as many suite as we had hoped. Skin authors and theme makers have been reading this stuff and we've lost a lot of interest from them in wanting to subject themselves to abuse.
Grog
Reply #37 Friday, October 4, 2002 3:09 PM
Reply #37 Friday, October 4, 2002 3:09 PM
Grog gets out BIG hammer
Grog goes hunting Trolls
Here Trolly Trolly Trolly..... Here Trolly Trolly Trolly......
Grog wonders why Trolls only post once then go run and hide? >
Grog goes hunting Trolls
Here Trolly Trolly Trolly..... Here Trolly Trolly Trolly......
Grog wonders why Trolls only post once then go run and hide? >
Tarkus
Reply #38 Friday, October 4, 2002 3:23 PM
Reply #38 Friday, October 4, 2002 3:23 PM
The definition of a troll is someone who posts for the sole reason of inflaming people to solicit as many responses as possible.
I'm not sure I've seen that here. I think people are giving honest opinions. Their tact may not be what it should be, but I don't think they're trolling.
Some people think a troll is anyone who gives a dissenting opinion. That is not the case at all. Even if you only post once and go away, that doesn't make you a troll.
I'm not sure I've seen that here. I think people are giving honest opinions. Their tact may not be what it should be, but I don't think they're trolling.
Some people think a troll is anyone who gives a dissenting opinion. That is not the case at all. Even if you only post once and go away, that doesn't make you a troll.
Grog
Reply #39 Friday, October 4, 2002 4:00 PM
Reply #39 Friday, October 4, 2002 4:00 PM
Tarkus, I guess that you are correct. I and I really mean it. I'm just tired of things that are cool vanishing not because of lack of money, or interest, or desire. No things that are cool go away because of the 10%er's that seem to pop up all the time. These people seem to feel that for no investment on their own or a very small one, they have the right to very loudly voice a "Dissenting" opinion. Every one has a right to their own opinion but as you put it an amount of "Tact" should be involved. I will admit that this suite doesn't exactly trip my trigger but I can see the very large amount of work that went into it. I would even have paid for it, above and beyond the regular cost of a Subscription to Wincustomize. Why you may ask, because I can't skin a lick and if a couple of dollars out of my pocket helps encourage someone to continue to do what I can't, I will reach into my wallet every time. So I apologize if I offended any one with my Troll comment.
Chris
Grog puts hammer back in case on wall.....
Chris
Grog puts hammer back in case on wall.....
MichaelG04_NEW
Reply #40 Friday, October 4, 2002 4:20 PM
Reply #40 Friday, October 4, 2002 4:20 PM
honesly, the only bad part about this skin suite is the gay wallpaper. doesn't even fit the theme. and why does wincustomize show the theme in preview with a totally different wallpaper that actually looks good, then u apply it only to be disappointed.
personally i don't care for the suites. i re-skin my PC first thing when i get to work, then first thing when i get home, and i do it piece by piece from all the wonderful skins contributed daily. i guess i was just expecting a whole lot more from my wincustomize subscription, and i'm getting a whole lot less. why don't u charge more then, that way when i rip on u guys for bad work you won't go off talking about the money issues. WTF does that got to do with your work anyways, if u don't take pride in your work, don't do it.
personally i don't care for the suites. i re-skin my PC first thing when i get to work, then first thing when i get home, and i do it piece by piece from all the wonderful skins contributed daily. i guess i was just expecting a whole lot more from my wincustomize subscription, and i'm getting a whole lot less. why don't u charge more then, that way when i rip on u guys for bad work you won't go off talking about the money issues. WTF does that got to do with your work anyways, if u don't take pride in your work, don't do it.
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Reply #21 Thursday, October 3, 2002 6:13 AM