Personally I'll use WindowBlinds over Visual styles simply because one is meticulously thought out and applied over many different aspects of the desktop whereas Visual Styles in my opinion are just adding different colors to what already exists as opposed to actually skinning stuff. Maybe I'm wrong having never skinned more than a calendar but once for me is enough. I had downloaded a VS called Blue Cube 1.0. It looked good  and I thought since I'm not using WindowBlinds at the moment I'd give it a shot. It was off my machine in less than a minute. It's very dark, too dark to be usable and the text is either blue on black to the point of invisibility or black on black and therefore useless. I'm not saying they're all bad but I'd rather have something I can put on my machine and enjoy it. Besides...there are those skinners like Vampothika, vStyler, RedneckDude, amitsaran, jazzilady, to name just a few who take originality and give it new meaning. Visual Styles may be more prolific but that's only because they are easier to do, I think. Again I may be wrong but there it is. Quality over quantity is what I'd rather have. Also because I'm biased in favor of WB's. They have a certain flair (I wanted to say the french name for it but I don't know how to spell it).  

I ain't touchin' that one.

I have tried a couple of other types of themes other than WindowBlinds.

The verdict? A good WindowBlinds skin beats the pants off of all the others!

Then why did you make the comment that you thought most of what was coming out wasn't top quality?  You must be basing your opinion on something.  Are you saying ALL of the newest Windowblinds that have come through are less than top quality?  Please qualify yourself.  I'm curious as to why you would make that comment.  You're usually so positive about what's uploaded here.

Here's an idea...why don't you use your talent and rank to create a tutorial so those of us with lesser rank can learn from you.  Vampothika did it for Windowblinds, but nobody has done a dumbed down DesktopX tutorial with lots of pictures.  Just as an example of something that's been on my wishlist forever is a how to make an analog clock widget, for which there is suppose to be a plugin, but I don't know where the plugin is, and I don't know how to insert graphics into DX once I've created them in my art program. 

If you share you knowledge, we could take some of the burden off your shoulders of making matching widgets and then the DX uploads could be less than top quality, too.

sViz has a great tutorial on analog clock making. And, I might add, a bunch of other tutorials on DX.    http://sviz.wincustomize.com/articles.aspx?aid=162744   I'm a skinner, not a writer.

There is a plugin for it, in DX, comes with it if you use 3.5. But it don't work on 64 bit. sViz's does.

You know, there really is no reason to make a big stink about one comment made by a WC subscriber who was merely stating an opinion, as everyone here does from time to time.

I have given this as much attention as it needs.

Even though it's time consuming, making your own skin with your own graphics is always funner and more personalized than running a Win7 style (I love my Glassphire).  The Win7 Style i'm using now is quite nice; it has a black transparent & blurred explorer window (as opposed to the standard opaque & white), but patching your system can be a pain in the @$$, so Windowblinds is easier and more personal. 

IMO, most Win7 Styles only make minor modifications and still resemble regular Aero too much, such as only certain elements are recolored or something.   Plus, it's harder to install 3rd party themes for Se7en, than it was for XP.  

Maybe everyone can smoke a peace pipe, shrug off the defensiveness and get back on track

Agreed, John. BTW, hurry up, I'm done......

No problem Karen.......Hey, I'll help anyone who asks, I once helped Vamps make her own DX. Tutorials, ehh, maybe someday, not my thing. But I'll help anyone who asks.

Good to know you see me as a cheerleader...lol. I'll take that as a compliment. I know you meant it as one.

Hmmm... Sounds like an opportunity for some "shopping."

OK, now Brian. Ahm purdy good with PS mahsef!  

I don't release skins anymore, it's not worth it. Far too much bitchin'

Skin for yourself, skin for fun.

If anyone doesn't agree, they know where Skinstudio is

Good morning everyone! Just wanted to say that I kind of share RedneckDude opinion. Sure they are some great skiners who are still making great free skins. But the problem is that those are very few these days. Many great skiners have stoped skinning while others have become master skinners. I don't have anything against master skins. Not at all. I'm just trying to say that we need more free hight quality skins. And why isn't Stardock providing more free skins like they used to?

Oh and changing the subject a little bit, will we still have a GUI Championship this year?

Hey! Hey! Hey! I resemble that remark! Shhhh...don't tell anyone...I'm porning right now! In fact I've been doing it all day and boy am I tired!

Being a master skinner does not automatically mean that one only uploads skins for sale every time, ya know.

Yes i know 2of3. But you're one of the very few master skinners who does that (BTW I'm still using Dulce ) And i thank you for that. But last time I saw a free skin made by some other master skiners was in 2008 at GUI Champ. That's why i wanted to know if we will have one in 2010 also.

I thought that referred to me, not that it worries me. As some of you may know, I have an illness that keep's me virtually house bound & producing WindowBlinds is one of the very fews things I can do, so my blinds do get uploaded "back to back". Although I do not consider myself a top skinner, I do not feel my skins are poor quality.

Perhaps someone could define "quality"?