Windowblinds Quality Control
Saturday, December 21, 2002 by pixElated | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
Why doesn't Wincustomize do at least a minimal amount of quality control on WB Skins?
At least 4 of the 15 most recently uploaded skins were basically unusable in their original incarnations. Many, many skins have fatal flaws.
Since you are evaluating each skin to make sure it's not a rip, why don't you go ahead and install it and see if the installation works - it's surprising how often it doesn't. If it does, then go ahead and run a series of simple tests to make sure the skin works and is usable and legible. This shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes.
Hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of unusable skins have been downloaded. Thats a lot of wasted time and bandwidth. It is also a poor reflection on Skin Studio. It's disappointing to download a beautiful skin and install it only to find out you can't use it.
Maybe you could create a list of people who are willing to beta test skins before they get uploaded. Then the skinners could get in touch with those people. In fact, you could restrict skins from being uploaded except by the beta testers.
At least 4 of the 15 most recently uploaded skins were basically unusable in their original incarnations. Many, many skins have fatal flaws.
Since you are evaluating each skin to make sure it's not a rip, why don't you go ahead and install it and see if the installation works - it's surprising how often it doesn't. If it does, then go ahead and run a series of simple tests to make sure the skin works and is usable and legible. This shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes.
Hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of unusable skins have been downloaded. Thats a lot of wasted time and bandwidth. It is also a poor reflection on Skin Studio. It's disappointing to download a beautiful skin and install it only to find out you can't use it.
Maybe you could create a list of people who are willing to beta test skins before they get uploaded. Then the skinners could get in touch with those people. In fact, you could restrict skins from being uploaded except by the beta testers.
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elvee
Reply #2 Saturday, December 21, 2002 11:34 PM
Reply #2 Saturday, December 21, 2002 11:34 PM
There is a learn from mistakes policy here...nothing else to pass 
WOM
Reply #3 Saturday, December 21, 2002 11:56 PM
Reply #3 Saturday, December 21, 2002 11:56 PM
I do think there needs to be some quality control, but elvee is right, you do learn with the help of others. 
Ande
Reply #4 Sunday, December 22, 2002 5:38 AM
Reply #4 Sunday, December 22, 2002 5:38 AM
If there is a flaw in a skin that makes it almost unusable or unusable, I'm sure the Skinner would like to know via the comments. An update would probably follow.
werewolf
Reply #5 Sunday, December 22, 2002 10:46 AM
Reply #5 Sunday, December 22, 2002 10:46 AM
Ande: BINGO!! Leaving comments is the perfect way to communicate your likes/dislikes with the skin, theme, wall, whatever. If you love it, say so. If there is a problem, say so, albeit, constructively please.
UBoB
Reply #6 Sunday, December 22, 2002 10:52 AM
Reply #6 Sunday, December 22, 2002 10:52 AM
I have recently communicated to other skinners some problems with their skins via the comments area. The skins were corrected and uploaded again. I suffered no hardship in doing this. It is what we should be doing to help one another.
Happy holidays.
Happy holidays.
WOM
Reply #7 Sunday, December 22, 2002 10:58 AM
Reply #7 Sunday, December 22, 2002 10:58 AM
I've emailed the skinner about errors in the past so as not to taint his skin in the comments section.
pixElated
Reply #8 Sunday, December 22, 2002 4:30 PM
Reply #8 Sunday, December 22, 2002 4:30 PM
Finding problems and correcting them after the skin is uploaded is one step too late. Errors should be fixed before the skin is uploaded.
The skin named Foundation: when you install it, it calls itself Universal Foundation. That makes it nearly impossible to find it. That type of error should have been picked up by whoever released it, and it should have been fixed before it was released.
Here are comments by Motion re: Blue Saturated Blood - I've looked it over closely Jacob. I think the reason for the original 3 might be because a lot of the bitmaps aren't showing up properly. I opened it in SkinStudio to see if I could find some of the problems. There are many. The close/min/max/help/rollup button bitmaps don't show up. The window top frame bitmap doesn't show up. And there are more bitmaps not showing properly. These errors should have been fixed before the skin was released.
Boxxi's nice skin Carbon Fibre has been downloaded more than 17,000 times and it doesn't support check boxes. This kind of mistake is what tarnishes Windowblinds. Here you have a really nice skin that isn't quite usable simply because there is no quality control.
I think most skinners would be very grateful if they could let someone else test their skin before it gets released to the public. It would be easy to write a short list of problems to look for. I will volunteer to help anyone who would like a little cushion of assurance before they upload their skin. And I would like to encourage others to do the same.
The skin named Foundation: when you install it, it calls itself Universal Foundation. That makes it nearly impossible to find it. That type of error should have been picked up by whoever released it, and it should have been fixed before it was released.
Here are comments by Motion re: Blue Saturated Blood - I've looked it over closely Jacob. I think the reason for the original 3 might be because a lot of the bitmaps aren't showing up properly. I opened it in SkinStudio to see if I could find some of the problems. There are many. The close/min/max/help/rollup button bitmaps don't show up. The window top frame bitmap doesn't show up. And there are more bitmaps not showing properly. These errors should have been fixed before the skin was released.
Boxxi's nice skin Carbon Fibre has been downloaded more than 17,000 times and it doesn't support check boxes. This kind of mistake is what tarnishes Windowblinds. Here you have a really nice skin that isn't quite usable simply because there is no quality control.
I think most skinners would be very grateful if they could let someone else test their skin before it gets released to the public. It would be easy to write a short list of problems to look for. I will volunteer to help anyone who would like a little cushion of assurance before they upload their skin. And I would like to encourage others to do the same.
Angel_Wings
Reply #9 Sunday, December 22, 2002 4:39 PM
Reply #9 Sunday, December 22, 2002 4:39 PM
This might sound like a stupid idea but maybe people could label their 'new' untested by the general public type skins as "Beta"... That way you would be forewarned if you didn't feel like testing out someones skin.
Lecrayon
Reply #10 Sunday, December 22, 2002 4:41 PM
Reply #10 Sunday, December 22, 2002 4:41 PM
Note to PixElated: I used the zip feature in Skinstudio and apparently it didn't take over all the bitmaps I used. Thanks to motion I got that fixed. I just zipped it with that feature again chosing everything to be zipped. I can't help it if features do not work properly. And I also think you shouldn't be so fundamentalistic. We learn through our mistakes. Listen to Ande.
Lecrayon
Reply #11 Sunday, December 22, 2002 4:44 PM
Reply #11 Sunday, December 22, 2002 4:44 PM
Oh, and if you have trouble with using the skin, it's better to communicate about it with the skinner so that he/she can correct the problem. I always try to make flawless skins.
Jafo
Reply #12 Sunday, December 22, 2002 5:00 PM
Reply #12 Sunday, December 22, 2002 5:00 PM
One more attempt at mediation.
There ARE skins which are rejected through 'moderation' caused by fundamental 'mistakes', not just due to 'ripping', etc.
Whether BoXXi's skin supports check boxes or not does NOT affect its 'functionality', just its 'completeness'. There is a fundamental difference in those two words.
My WB skins will do NOTHING for XP specifically with regards to the start menu. WHY? Because I use LiteSTEP which has NO start menu. The most recent of my WB skins was merely included with the LIteSTEP theme simply so no-one would be denigrating its 'completeness' and thus accusing me of 'poor quality'.
One thing to notice or be painfully conscious of is that many, many skinners do NOT have access to every rendition of Windows OS, nor do they necessarily use Skin Studio to create the skins.
What may work perfectly on their personal OS setup 'may' look like crap on another's.
That is where 'choice' comes in. Don't like it? Pick another, or perhaps leave a simple, clear note explaining any alleged 'faults' you may have unearthed.
I've run some of my 'hand-coded' WB skins through SkinStudio...and that showed up all sortd of 'wacky' errors, although it worked perfectly on my system without a glitch. I found that 'curious', if not 'amusing'...
I know what you are trying to say, but I seriously question assertions of 'millions of downloaded skins' being wrong...particularly when'wrong' translates as 'incomplete'...
There ARE skins which are rejected through 'moderation' caused by fundamental 'mistakes', not just due to 'ripping', etc.
Whether BoXXi's skin supports check boxes or not does NOT affect its 'functionality', just its 'completeness'. There is a fundamental difference in those two words.
My WB skins will do NOTHING for XP specifically with regards to the start menu. WHY? Because I use LiteSTEP which has NO start menu. The most recent of my WB skins was merely included with the LIteSTEP theme simply so no-one would be denigrating its 'completeness' and thus accusing me of 'poor quality'.
One thing to notice or be painfully conscious of is that many, many skinners do NOT have access to every rendition of Windows OS, nor do they necessarily use Skin Studio to create the skins.
What may work perfectly on their personal OS setup 'may' look like crap on another's.
That is where 'choice' comes in. Don't like it? Pick another, or perhaps leave a simple, clear note explaining any alleged 'faults' you may have unearthed.
I've run some of my 'hand-coded' WB skins through SkinStudio...and that showed up all sortd of 'wacky' errors, although it worked perfectly on my system without a glitch. I found that 'curious', if not 'amusing'...
I know what you are trying to say, but I seriously question assertions of 'millions of downloaded skins' being wrong...particularly when'wrong' translates as 'incomplete'...
BoXXi
Reply #13 Sunday, December 22, 2002 5:08 PM
Reply #13 Sunday, December 22, 2002 5:08 PM
Pixelated: I don't understand why you say my Carbon Fibre skin doesn't support checkboxes. I skinned the checkbox and the radio buttons and they work fine on my system. Do you mean some thing else that I don't know about, or something I have missed?
Also, remember that some of us are still learning to skin WindowBlinds, and we are bound to make mistakes. I find SkinStudio a very difficult program to work in. Maybe I am just stupid.
I would hate to think that I am tarnishing the good name of WindowBlinds by making a mistake in a skin for it. Did stardock commission me to make the skin? Did I get paid for making it? Did anyone pay to download it? If someone paints their Ford Taurus slime green with pink stars, does that tarnish the good name of the Ford Motor Company? Please remember, this is a hobby for most people, it's not a life or death situation if my skin does not support checkboxes (which I believe it does), and I don't think it would make the skin unusable.
When I make a perfect skin I'm gonna change my name to Treetog, until then, just point out any flaws in the comments area and I'm sure the author will look into them.
Also, remember that some of us are still learning to skin WindowBlinds, and we are bound to make mistakes. I find SkinStudio a very difficult program to work in. Maybe I am just stupid.
I would hate to think that I am tarnishing the good name of WindowBlinds by making a mistake in a skin for it. Did stardock commission me to make the skin? Did I get paid for making it? Did anyone pay to download it? If someone paints their Ford Taurus slime green with pink stars, does that tarnish the good name of the Ford Motor Company? Please remember, this is a hobby for most people, it's not a life or death situation if my skin does not support checkboxes (which I believe it does), and I don't think it would make the skin unusable.
When I make a perfect skin I'm gonna change my name to Treetog, until then, just point out any flaws in the comments area and I'm sure the author will look into them.
UBoB
Reply #14 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:14 PM
Reply #14 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:14 PM
What happened to LeCrayon has happened to me and to numerous others. Sometimes, SkinStudio does not zip the file correctly when you zip it for the web. It happens. We don't know about it until after we've uploaded it and somebody spots the problem.
If a skin does not support something, that is the decision of the skin artist. It's not really up to anyone else. If you download it and decide you want a particular attribute you have 2 choices. 1. Ask the artist if they wouldn't mind adding it in and reuploading(they are usually very obliging about that sort of thing), or, 2. You can open the skin up in SkinStudio or open the UIS file with any text editor, and add the attribute you wish.
If you are someone who doesn't know anything about skinning, well, number 2 presents a good opportunity to learn.
If a skin does not support something, that is the decision of the skin artist. It's not really up to anyone else. If you download it and decide you want a particular attribute you have 2 choices. 1. Ask the artist if they wouldn't mind adding it in and reuploading(they are usually very obliging about that sort of thing), or, 2. You can open the skin up in SkinStudio or open the UIS file with any text editor, and add the attribute you wish.
If you are someone who doesn't know anything about skinning, well, number 2 presents a good opportunity to learn.
JamMeister33
Reply #15 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:24 PM
Reply #15 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:24 PM
I think the main point that complainers should realise is that these skins are being supplied by the various authors for free, out of their own good will; they don't have to do this for any other reason than the fact that they want to give other people a little enjoyment. Lighten up already, if you don't like one skin or have problems with another skin, find something you do like and show a little gratitude...
WOM
Reply #16 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:25 PM
Reply #16 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:25 PM
I agree with what you say motion, except after you zip it up in skin studio you can try applying it as if you downloaded it, just to see if it works. Thats just a little quality control on the skinners part.
WOM
Reply #17 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:28 PM
Reply #17 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:28 PM
Thats cool Jam, but what about all those people who use foul langauge and puke signs because they don't like it? 
JamMeister33
Reply #18 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:30 PM
Reply #18 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:30 PM
That's what I mean, they should lighten up and show a little gratitude...
Or else we'll deal with them rather severely, eh wot?
Or else we'll deal with them rather severely, eh wot?
Fuzzy Logic
Reply #19 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:40 PM
Reply #19 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:40 PM
Perhaps pixElated should make his own skins instead of downloading all these free ones. That way we'd see a perfect skin eh?
UBoB
Reply #20 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:46 PM
Reply #20 Sunday, December 22, 2002 7:46 PM
He has made some skins. Find them here: https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?authorid=177571
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Reply #1 Saturday, December 21, 2002 11:25 PM
Certainly, there are some that may not be 'complete' as in skinning all of XP, etc...[mine aren't]...but it's also important to note that standards 'may' vary, but ALL of the skins are done for 'pleasure'...and need not necessarily be required to pass some strict criteria of 'perfection'...