Skin Spy
Monday, May 3, 2004 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
I want to make a program that spies on you.
That's right. Spies.
But how?
I want us (all of us) to be able to get a list of the most popular skins by USE. No downloads. Not impressions. Not mentions. What skins are people actually using.
So this program would look at what skins and themes you're using and return that data to a central server and then those who ran it would have access to the page that lists them so we can download them. Afterall, the best skins for many are probably the ones people are actually running.
We used to have something like this built into WindowBlinds but it was a pain and some people complained that it was spying (which is was). Obviously paranoid people wouldn't want to run this and we could expand it to support as many apps as peple wanted. Most popular DesktopX theme? Most popular icon package? Most popular Winamp skin? Most popular Litestep theme, whatever.
We could even have it list most popular programs. so how popular is Samurize vs. Litestep vs. hoverdesk vs. whatever. The important thing is that people would be able to find new emerging customization programs that are getting more popular and know where to download them.
So first off, what kinds of features that those of you who might want to run something like this would want besides what I mentioned?
Secondly, obviously some people wouldn't want this kidn of program since it does return info about your computer (personally I don't care if people know what skin I'm using I make screenshots) but how many of you think this sort of thing would be neat?
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EventHorizon
Reply #63 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 12:55 PM
Reply #63 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 12:55 PM
#57 Sums up my thoughts... 
EventHorizon votes for 'SkinStats'
EventHorizon votes for 'SkinStats'
DesignCaddy
Reply #64 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 1:02 PM
Reply #64 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 1:02 PM
what everyone who is concerned about ''spyware in stardock products'' has to remember is, this is a seperate program.. i think its being approached in a good way. you can get away with saying object desktop software will not be bundled with spyware because this could be a seperate program, and if it is turned off by default and letting users specify what informatin they want to send, would be seen purely as a survey tool and wouldn''t be intrusive.
however, you''d want to be clear about what information people can turn on and turn off. if some people are showing their windowblinds themes and some arn''t, would that unbalance the actual most popular skins? and how often would it collect the data? having it send monthly information, with a prompt to say ''its that time again, would you like to participate in this survey?'' might be more appealing.
overall, i''d say i''ll do it. downloads do in fact not accurately depict the best themes and we all know you can''t count on ratings. if it could be categorized, and-for example-i label this machine as an office computer, and my theme (currently pixoffice) shows up as a popular theme for office users, it would be even more useful.
i''m also not concerned with privacy issues when it comes to stardock.. i''m generally not a trusting person and my computers are forts when it comes to withholding information.. but when you meet the programmers of this stuff in IRC to bullshit about pub jokes, ''trust'' with a company feels different.
every company and its mother''s son and dog are trying to collect information about how you use their software now.. but if you are a veteran user, consider that your opinions have a lot of weight in the community and you might want to share your tastes and interface habbits with people new to the software. if you are a designer and use a slick, streamlined objectbar (design by DesignCaddy, of course!) it would make an impression on someone looking for a solution to their interface problems.
anyway thats my 4 cents. if this thing would work, a large majority of people would have to use it to get accurate results. so i hope many of you reconsider.
^^^ i tried to include ''features'' in here as well as my opinion to keep this post relative
[Message Edited]
however, you''d want to be clear about what information people can turn on and turn off. if some people are showing their windowblinds themes and some arn''t, would that unbalance the actual most popular skins? and how often would it collect the data? having it send monthly information, with a prompt to say ''its that time again, would you like to participate in this survey?'' might be more appealing.
overall, i''d say i''ll do it. downloads do in fact not accurately depict the best themes and we all know you can''t count on ratings. if it could be categorized, and-for example-i label this machine as an office computer, and my theme (currently pixoffice) shows up as a popular theme for office users, it would be even more useful.
i''m also not concerned with privacy issues when it comes to stardock.. i''m generally not a trusting person and my computers are forts when it comes to withholding information.. but when you meet the programmers of this stuff in IRC to bullshit about pub jokes, ''trust'' with a company feels different.
every company and its mother''s son and dog are trying to collect information about how you use their software now.. but if you are a veteran user, consider that your opinions have a lot of weight in the community and you might want to share your tastes and interface habbits with people new to the software. if you are a designer and use a slick, streamlined objectbar (design by DesignCaddy, of course!) it would make an impression on someone looking for a solution to their interface problems.
anyway thats my 4 cents. if this thing would work, a large majority of people would have to use it to get accurate results. so i hope many of you reconsider.
^^^ i tried to include ''features'' in here as well as my opinion to keep this post relative
[Message Edited]
EventHorizon
Reply #65 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 1:08 PM
Monthly might not be frequent enough...I know that I change my skins more than once a month.
A checkbox that lets it send the information ''automatically'' would be nice too...I have a dislike for little nagging boxes that pop up in my face.
[Message Edited]
Reply #65 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 1:08 PM
| having it send monthly information, with a prompt to say ''its that time again, would you like to participate in this survey?'' might be more appealing. |
Monthly might not be frequent enough...I know that I change my skins more than once a month.
A checkbox that lets it send the information ''automatically'' would be nice too...I have a dislike for little nagging boxes that pop up in my face.
[Message Edited]
Shakey (the Original)
Reply #66 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 2:05 PM
You beat me to it. I remember using that many years ago. http://www.skinbase.org/app.php?name=customeyes
As to the name for the app? How about "Skindecision"?
Reply #66 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 2:05 PM
| Thats a no-go. There is already an application by that name |
You beat me to it. I remember using that many years ago. http://www.skinbase.org/app.php?name=customeyes
As to the name for the app? How about "Skindecision"?
SelfExiled
Reply #67 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 2:20 PM
Reply #67 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 2:20 PM
Well, you have Skin Studio, why not call this one, Skin Survey? Sort of tells what it does by the name.
Keila
Reply #68 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 2:27 PM
Reply #68 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 2:27 PM
Karma #57
If this is the way it would work there would be nothing wrong with it. Matter of choice then for each user. Only problem is that it would still not give an accurate count then.
| Being that you will have to willfully download, install and run this program, I can't see how anyone can say that it is bad or unethical. It's not like it comes bundled with something else and installs without your knowledge. |
If this is the way it would work there would be nothing wrong with it. Matter of choice then for each user. Only problem is that it would still not give an accurate count then.
Woodbridge
Reply #70 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 5:32 PM
Reply #70 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 5:32 PM
Skin Census!
If its an individual program, installed at the user will, then I don't see what some of the fuss is. I might even use it
If its an individual program, installed at the user will, then I don't see what some of the fuss is. I might even use it
eieio
Reply #71 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 5:52 PM
Reply #71 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 5:52 PM
Just a couple of suggestions. These may or may not have been covered.
Send data on skin change.
If used with other data accumulated or determined such as frequency of change, skinning programs used, it could tell you what skins were used, by how many people, for what duration, etc.
Send data on personal library.
By personal library, I mean the skins a person has on their machine. This could give you data what's actually used that was downloaded, what's downloaded, but seldom or not used, etc.
As far as the spyware aspect. If you know about it, it's not really spyware, is it? At least in the sense that spyware is something unknown to the user.
My contribution to the name:
Skinsensor
Send data on skin change.
If used with other data accumulated or determined such as frequency of change, skinning programs used, it could tell you what skins were used, by how many people, for what duration, etc.
Send data on personal library.
By personal library, I mean the skins a person has on their machine. This could give you data what's actually used that was downloaded, what's downloaded, but seldom or not used, etc.
As far as the spyware aspect. If you know about it, it's not really spyware, is it? At least in the sense that spyware is something unknown to the user.
My contribution to the name:
Skinsensor
neophil78
Reply #73 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 6:59 PM
Reply #73 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 6:59 PM
Don''t search anymore, i''ve found it 
C.I.A : Customize Inquiring Agent
[Message Edited]
C.I.A : Customize Inquiring Agent
[Message Edited]
werewolf
Reply #74 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 8:33 PM
Reply #74 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 8:33 PM
How would it discover what skinning programs we were using? Would it be watching to see if certain skinning programs are activated? or how.
I'd like to be able to set which programs I'd allow SD to see.
I'd like to be able to set which programs I'd allow SD to see.
EventHorizon
Reply #75 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 10:42 PM
Simple regestry key for progs that are installed...Or it could check the running processes to see what skin progs are currently being used...
Reply #75 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 10:42 PM
| How would it discover what skinning programs we were using? |
Simple regestry key for progs that are installed...Or it could check the running processes to see what skin progs are currently being used...
slinky1947
Reply #76 Thursday, May 6, 2004 11:43 AM
Reply #76 Thursday, May 6, 2004 11:43 AM
Just how "critical" is the gathering of this info? What does it matter what or whose the popular skin is? People like what they like. Mentioned above is to include "what skinning program" and "what is downloaded". And in the future would any other catagories, for this census, be disclosed before implementing?
I know, "go away"
I know, "go away"
Phar0e
Reply #77 Thursday, May 6, 2004 12:43 PM
Reply #77 Thursday, May 6, 2004 12:43 PM
In terms of collecting the data on which skins are used, many people switch skins several times per day.
So would you want to know which skins were used and how many times each or would it be more usefull to know how many hours an individual skin was used.
For me hours is the most relevant, because some skins stay on my desktop a very short period of time.
So would you want to know which skins were used and how many times each or would it be more usefull to know how many hours an individual skin was used.
For me hours is the most relevant, because some skins stay on my desktop a very short period of time.
Phar0e
Reply #78 Thursday, May 6, 2004 12:46 PM
Reply #78 Thursday, May 6, 2004 12:46 PM
I like the earlier suggestion of tying the "skin stats" back to my Skins pages here at wincustomize. It would be neat to see acumalated hours of usage on a given skin.
Actually it would be neat to see:
number of times loaded on a desktop
number of hours loaded on desktop
average number of hours on desktop per instance of being loaded on the desktop
(ya, I'm a stats junkie too
As well, I would like to see programs such as Litestep included in this.
Actually it would be neat to see:
number of times loaded on a desktop
number of hours loaded on desktop
average number of hours on desktop per instance of being loaded on the desktop
(ya, I'm a stats junkie too
As well, I would like to see programs such as Litestep included in this.
SelfExiled
Reply #80 Thursday, May 6, 2004 2:19 PM
Reply #80 Thursday, May 6, 2004 2:19 PM
Hmm, so if someone is using ToonXP windowblind, and you check your files to see if that person actually purchased it, and you find not, then what happens?
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Reply #61 Wednesday, May 5, 2004 11:49 AM
SkinCollator