Boot Screens and Legal Issues...
Tuesday, August 12, 2003 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News
In our last poll we asked you what section would you like WinCustomize to add the most. With about 1100 people voting it was pretty clear:
BOOT SCREENS: ~40%
Trillian: 22%
Other: 16%
The Rest: 24%
Many other customization related sites support boot screens. But there's a problem. Most boot screens are actually pirated software. Which is ironic because the same person who would never consider clicking on an attachment would happily replace their WINDOWS KERNEL.
The way you replace your boot screen on Windows XP is to replace the graphic images in the Windows XP kernel. So many, if not most, boot screens on various sites actually contain a copy of the Windows XP kernel.
In a community that values intellectual property as ours does or at least says it does, we just can't reconcile this. How can we morally or ethically be against ripping while allowing people to submit files that contain the Windows XP kernel? It's in essence software piracy.
This has been a difficult decision for us because we want to serve the needs of our users and skinners. And with 40% of you wanting this section, it's pretty temping. I mean think about it, nearly half the people who responded to the poll want boot screens.
Not having boot screens hurts the popularity of our site so you can see the dilemna.
Now, if someone knows of a way to apply a boot screen in such a way where the boot screen submitted doesn't need to contain the NT kernel please respond here and let us know. We're perfectly okay with having a boot screen section if the submitted files contain just the graphics needed to do so. Perhaps someone has written a program that can apply those images to the system.
In the meantime, we will be looking at adding other sections including perhaps a Trillian section. Are there enough Trillian skinners here interested in submitting their work to get a section going? Let us know. Thanks!
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Reply #2 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 11:59 AM
Reply #3 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 12:06 PM
Reply #4 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 12:09 PM
Reply #5 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 12:09 PM
After reading the entire last thread on this subject through a few times, I've come to the conclusion that your supporting boot screens in any form may not be the best idea. Why? Well, why go through a mine field, when you can walk around (or use BootXP to fly over
). Visitors to Wincustomise, from what I can tell, are loyal daily returning visitors that would not stop visiting because there is no boot screen section. I would imagine 99% of the regulars here own one stardock product or another, that's the main reason I come, to get excellent hight quality work to use with my software. I used to be a very regular lurker, occasional poster on neowin before I discovered the joy of my Object Desktop, but I don't visit there anymore, as the Windowblinds / Desktopx section is lacking, and full of people who, for some odd reason prefer stylexp over windowblinds. I stay here at Wincustomise, becuase I can get what I want, and also, the community here is a very friendly relaxed one. Hmm, I've gone off topic as usual 
As for Trillian, I don't use that anymore either as I use voice often online, and stick with MSN6.[/drivel]
Reply #6 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 12:20 PM
Wise decision, Frogboy!
Reply #7 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 12:20 PM
If you would like me to post precisely how to do everything I just said.. reply telling me..and I happily will.
Reply #8 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 12:42 PM
Reply #10 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 12:46 PM
Reply #11 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 1:09 PM
Reply #12 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 1:24 PM
it works for me fine
Reply #13 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 1:47 PM
Reply #14 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 1:50 PM
Reply #15 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 2:05 PM
How about a quicknote and rainlender section? Both of these programs are free and compliment Object desktop quite well.
Reply #16 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 2:12 PM
I'm not very familiar with either of those programs. What do they do?
Reply #17 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 2:12 PM
Reply #19 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 2:21 PM
Frogboy: The answer to your question was in your previous thread on this subject. As I and others mentioned in the previous thread several times, there are programs (links were provided) that have the capacity to convert images into bootscreens. Hence there is no need to host .exes, just images. Some users explicitly mentioned on the other thread that currently they just download walls and use the programs (or do it manually themselves) to convert the walls to bootscreens.
I'm not pro or anti bootscreens, but as noted previously and again, if WC wants to host bootscreens there is no need for WC to host any cracked MS file, just images. There are programs (noted previously) that people can use to convert them to bootscreens and apply them.
Reply #20 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 2:23 PM
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Reply #1 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 11:36 AM