The Skin Review
Wednesday, July 28, 2004 by Hus | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
I have an idea I want to run by you guys. I want to start a group that will rate and review skins. Now, not just your random rating and comment, a very thorough review, with detailed explanations as to why, what, where and when. Also, it MUST require atleast 3 very knowledgeable people. Each person being an expert in his/her field, thus being able to give a better explanation. Here's an example...
We would rate a skin on categories...
Originality
Graphics
Assembly
First person would rate the overall skin design and it's originality. The 2nd person would be a graphics expert, and thus be able to rate the graphics quality properly. The 3rd person would rate on how the skin was put together, if any bugs, etc, so that person must be efficient in building skins. Average the 3 ratings and you get the final rating. We could do it weekly, like the Weekly Review and highlight one skin, and give it the rundown.
If you guys want to try and do something like this, post your thoughts. I figured we would first start out with Windowblind skins and branch out from there. So for a well-rounded review, we would need a Skin-Studio expert, and a graphics expert. I would be the "Originality" expert...
This is just the base idea, if it does get off the ground, we would probably make a JoeUser account and post links in the comments section of the skins we rate. Maybe once the new WC is here, we could have it right here on WC.
We would rate a skin on categories...
Originality
Graphics
Assembly
First person would rate the overall skin design and it's originality. The 2nd person would be a graphics expert, and thus be able to rate the graphics quality properly. The 3rd person would rate on how the skin was put together, if any bugs, etc, so that person must be efficient in building skins. Average the 3 ratings and you get the final rating. We could do it weekly, like the Weekly Review and highlight one skin, and give it the rundown.
If you guys want to try and do something like this, post your thoughts. I figured we would first start out with Windowblind skins and branch out from there. So for a well-rounded review, we would need a Skin-Studio expert, and a graphics expert. I would be the "Originality" expert...
This is just the base idea, if it does get off the ground, we would probably make a JoeUser account and post links in the comments section of the skins we rate. Maybe once the new WC is here, we could have it right here on WC.
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Jafo
Reply #22 Thursday, July 29, 2004 12:22 AM
Reply #22 Thursday, July 29, 2004 12:22 AM
Simplest solution to the 'rank by weight' prospect.....when the rating is arrived-at, and if there's no-one at the appropriate level within those supplying the rating/review to give it the 'weight' it may deserve....run it by an Admin for them to place it...
Essencay
Reply #23 Thursday, July 29, 2004 2:00 AM
If the point of this exercise is to help new skinners improve their work and become better skinners, then the idea has a lot of merit and the in-depth reviews need not be in the public's eye since it is the skinner not the masses of downloaders that desire to improve their skills and need the constructive feedback. Again I think it should be on the basis of someone actually wanting to improve. We offer a similar thing over at SAWorkshop, but not nearly as organised as what you seem to be offering, but it's all voluntary, you either post your skin for either public or private review or you don't
If the point of this exercise is to just rate skins constructively for the 99.999 percent of people who can't be bothered to even subscribe to WinCustomize, then I really don't understand why this is being pursued.
Reply #23 Thursday, July 29, 2004 2:00 AM
| Essencay, while skinners may or may not want constructive criticism, the downloaders would sure like to know also |
If the point of this exercise is to help new skinners improve their work and become better skinners, then the idea has a lot of merit and the in-depth reviews need not be in the public's eye since it is the skinner not the masses of downloaders that desire to improve their skills and need the constructive feedback. Again I think it should be on the basis of someone actually wanting to improve. We offer a similar thing over at SAWorkshop, but not nearly as organised as what you seem to be offering, but it's all voluntary, you either post your skin for either public or private review or you don't
If the point of this exercise is to just rate skins constructively for the 99.999 percent of people who can't be bothered to even subscribe to WinCustomize, then I really don't understand why this is being pursued.
CerebroJD
Reply #24 Thursday, July 29, 2004 2:11 AM
Reply #24 Thursday, July 29, 2004 2:11 AM
Because theres still about 1400 active subscribers who want the good stuff, and thats a good amount of people.
Essencay
Reply #26 Thursday, July 29, 2004 2:37 AM
Reply #26 Thursday, July 29, 2004 2:37 AM
Where will the in-depth review be available and will the reviewers (experts) be signing off on it individually or will it just a committee action? Just tossing up stuff to give you guys some things to ponder.
MarkMcQ
Reply #27 Thursday, July 29, 2004 4:59 AM
[Message Edited]
Reply #27 Thursday, July 29, 2004 4:59 AM
I think it's a great idea, and one that I myself have brought up a few times on the Stardock irc channel, asking why there is no such site already.
There's one for Mac themes, so a Windows one would be good.
I think the best process would be to allow skin authors to submit skins for review, rather than pick random ones.
We all know how fragile and superficial the skinner ego can be, and the last thing you want is a ton of hatemail and some kind of psycho sustained campaign, bad mouthing you in every forum they can find, from someone who got a bad review when they didn't want it.
[Message Edited]
eieio
Reply #28 Thursday, July 29, 2004 6:43 AM
Hippy is right on this. No one that has submitted a skin over at the Skinartistry Workshop for review has taken our suggestions badly. It could have easily been the opposite had we just picked skins at random.
I think there are a lot of skinners that would welcome this kind of thing. We've had quite a few at SAW already.
Reply #28 Thursday, July 29, 2004 6:43 AM
| I think the best process would be to allow skin authors to submit skins for review, rather than pick random ones. |
Hippy is right on this. No one that has submitted a skin over at the Skinartistry Workshop for review has taken our suggestions badly. It could have easily been the opposite had we just picked skins at random.
I think there are a lot of skinners that would welcome this kind of thing. We've had quite a few at SAW already.
Watson
Reply #29 Thursday, July 29, 2004 7:58 AM
Can someone point me in the direction of the link I would use to connect to this channel?
Reply #29 Thursday, July 29, 2004 7:58 AM
| brought up a few times on the Stardock irc channel |
Can someone point me in the direction of the link I would use to connect to this channel?
Keila
Reply #30 Thursday, July 29, 2004 8:05 AM
Reply #30 Thursday, July 29, 2004 8:05 AM
DWatson, to your left under "Resources" click on WinCustomize Browser. If you are Subscriber you will have have a code to download. Other wise you will be able to download a demo.
CerebroJD
Reply #31 Thursday, July 29, 2004 8:24 AM
Reply #31 Thursday, July 29, 2004 8:24 AM
DWatson: Open up StardockCentral, click "Chat" from the menu at the left, and then hit the "Settings" button. Enter in your nickname and info, then hit connect.
wulfn1
Reply #32 Thursday, July 29, 2004 3:12 PM
Hi elvee,
As I see it, as it was described, this would be totally seperate from the current ratings system. the object being to give the artist ideas on where to improve or repair their work.this would be beneficial if it were done in the style that Essencay suggested:
it'd keep the negative comments to a minimum(too many jump on bandwagons in order to further inexcusable behavior.)
and it would lift up the skill levels of the artists willing to recieve these reviews.
it is definitely beneficial to have more than one reviewer for each category, but I think those two reviewers should work together(whenever possible) to create a summary of their combined review.(two seperate points of view blended to give the most in-depth contribution.)but if you were to have a "siskel and eibert" type review it could end up being detrimental to the cause...
I would love to volunteer, but I mostly use the skins I don't create, so I'd only be useful from the end user point of view.
Reply #32 Thursday, July 29, 2004 3:12 PM
| It is good to see something like this to come together...but how would this effect the new proposed "Rank Via Weight System" that was talked about some time ago? |
Hi elvee,
As I see it, as it was described, this would be totally seperate from the current ratings system. the object being to give the artist ideas on where to improve or repair their work.this would be beneficial if it were done in the style that Essencay suggested:
| offer to do an in-depth review and to send it via email in the skin's comments. |
it'd keep the negative comments to a minimum(too many jump on bandwagons in order to further inexcusable behavior.)
and it would lift up the skill levels of the artists willing to recieve these reviews.
it is definitely beneficial to have more than one reviewer for each category, but I think those two reviewers should work together(whenever possible) to create a summary of their combined review.(two seperate points of view blended to give the most in-depth contribution.)but if you were to have a "siskel and eibert" type review it could end up being detrimental to the cause...
I would love to volunteer, but I mostly use the skins I don't create, so I'd only be useful from the end user point of view.
Hus
Reply #33 Thursday, July 29, 2004 6:34 PM
Reply #33 Thursday, July 29, 2004 6:34 PM
I'm very happy everyone likes the idea, and I'd be more than willing to work with some of the higher-ups (Admins and elderly-skinning folk alike), it's just that, an idea. I don't have to be the one running it. Though, a good idea with no volunteers to back it up...isn't very good. 
Just to clear up a few points, Essencay and Hippy...you guys are right. I was thinking of this being more like movie critics, which are designed to help the people seeing the movies...not the studios who make them. Skinning isn't mainstream enough for that yet, so people are surely gonna get upset with a bad review...if they didn't ask to be reviewed. A submittal for reviewal would probably be best.
Just to clear up a few points, Essencay and Hippy...you guys are right. I was thinking of this being more like movie critics, which are designed to help the people seeing the movies...not the studios who make them. Skinning isn't mainstream enough for that yet, so people are surely gonna get upset with a bad review...if they didn't ask to be reviewed. A submittal for reviewal would probably be best.
Essencay
Reply #35 Friday, July 30, 2004 1:32 AM
Ahhhh, don't poo-poo the movie critic idea totally....premium skins and suites, are sorely lacking any available commentary on their quality and bug-freeness and with WC2K5 just around the bend and the promise of being able to offer premium content....there becomes the need for the public to know what they're paying for and someone offering something for sale, should be able to fully expect and accept it being reviewed by a group of reputable colleages
edited for missing wordage....sometimes when writing the words running thru the brain don't always make it to the page on the first shot
[Message Edited]
Reply #35 Friday, July 30, 2004 1:32 AM
| Essencay and Hippy...you guys are right. I was thinking of this being more like movie critics, which are designed to help the people seeing the movies |
Ahhhh, don't poo-poo the movie critic idea totally....premium skins and suites, are sorely lacking any available commentary on their quality and bug-freeness and with WC2K5 just around the bend and the promise of being able to offer premium content....there becomes the need for the public to know what they're paying for and someone offering something for sale, should be able to fully expect and accept it being reviewed by a group of reputable colleages
edited for missing wordage....sometimes when writing the words running thru the brain don't always make it to the page on the first shot
[Message Edited]
MarkMcQ
Reply #37 Friday, July 30, 2004 11:04 AM
Reply #37 Friday, July 30, 2004 11:04 AM
| premium skins and suites, are sorely lacking any available commentary |
Yeah, I do agree with that part.
Let's people get a better insight into a premium suite they want to buy, that a few screenshots can't give them.
That way they know beforehand what the suite may include, or indeed be lacking, plus any niggles and bugs that slipped through.
Essencay
Reply #38 Friday, July 30, 2004 12:42 PM
Reply #38 Friday, July 30, 2004 12:42 PM
Carbonix...my absolute favorite skin ...is a good example of a premium skinpak that needs a well written review that new folks can read and see screenshots of. We all know that if it's got the Pixtudio label it's quality, because we've been around a bit. Anyone new is only going to get this description
and this preview https://www.wincustomize.com/images/store/ss_carbonix.jpg . There are four other really cool skins in this suite that you don't even see until you buy it
...is a good example of a premium skinpak that needs a well written review that new folks can read and see screenshots of. We all know that if it's got the Pixtudio label it's quality, because we've been around a bit. Anyone new is only going to get this description| 5 premium quality visual styles for WindowBlinds made by some of the top visual style designers. |
and this preview https://www.wincustomize.com/images/store/ss_carbonix.jpg . There are four other really cool skins in this suite that you don't even see until you buy it
CerebroJD
Reply #39 Friday, July 30, 2004 3:09 PM
Reply #39 Friday, July 30, 2004 3:09 PM
So...if we were to review premium suites, there would be the matter of purchasing them. If we're going to try to do a review per week, I'd prefer to not have to pay for a new suite each week. 
MarkMcQ
Reply #40 Friday, July 30, 2004 4:07 PM
Reply #40 Friday, July 30, 2004 4:07 PM
Well, obviously if this idea became reality and proved succesful, the review team would be privvy to free copies of premium suites I'd say so they could do the reviews.
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Reply #21 Wednesday, July 28, 2004 11:02 PM