Earning money from skinning...
Sunday, October 3, 2004 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
One of the things we've been wanting to do with WinCustomize 2005 (WC2K5) is to enable skin authors to earn income from contributing to the site.
One idea floating around works as follows:
The top 20 skinners would get a percentage of the quarterly revenue from WinCustomize subscriptions if they themselves are subscribers OR have Journeyman access or higher.
The top 20 would be calculated based on a point system that is derived from the # of WC subscriber downloads of their skins and themes. Some sections would count more than others (a WindowBlinds skin counts as 1 point, a wallpaper would count as half a point - we would post the point system so people could see how many points a download in each section would be but it would be largely based on effort and what areas we want to promote at that time).
What do you think?
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Reply #22 Sunday, October 3, 2004 8:03 PM
My view is a little bit more straight forward:
This would a piece of the money derived from subscribers. If subscribers like ugly Longhorn ports (which they don't tend to - the subscriber download counts are quite different from the general user download counts at times) then that's what they like.
I really dislike elitism and I sometimes think our community reeks of it. It is not up to me or some moderator or some self-appointed "old timer" to say what skins are worthy and what skins aren't. As long as the skin author is a journeyman (meaning they've contributed a lot to the site in other ways over a period of time) OR is a paying subscriber, then if other subscribers are downloading their stuff then why shouldn't they be rewarded for that?
This discussion has nothing to do with premium skins or people selling their skins. This is purely a way for those skinners who are providing the content that subscribers like the most to get a piece of the pie.
We still plan to go ahead push forward on more premium skins. What I am talking here is more akin to a contest like the GUI Olympics except instead of a handful of judges, the paying subscribers (i.e. the people who pay part of the bills for this site) would vote with their downloads.
It would be every 3 months and then the download counts would be restarted again.
Reply #23 Sunday, October 3, 2004 8:19 PM
| As long as the skin author is a journeyman (meaning they've contributed a lot to the site in other ways over a period of time) |
Ahem-Ahem (Chas clears his throat)
Great ideas Frogboy.
Reply #24 Sunday, October 3, 2004 8:43 PM
| It is not up to me or some moderator or some self-appointed "old timer" to say what skins are worthy and what skins aren't. |
I guess I've never really looked at it from quite that angle............ but I'll admit to being guilty of the "old timer" mentality when it comes to certain things. And now that you've made me look at it, I think I don't like it much 
........ time to turn over a new leaf, me thinks... 
Reply #25 Sunday, October 3, 2004 8:46 PM
I think many of us are (myself included).
I am all over the concept of not awarding any sort of merit medals to people who become popular calling their skin or theme or wallpaper "Something XP" or "Aero Thing".
But that's not what we're talking about here. If subscribers are paying us X thousands of dollars per month to support the site, it might be a good thing to let the top 20 or so skinners get a little piece of that. First off I think it would encourage more GOOD skins. I think it might encourage other people to make skins. And also, it might encourage more people to subscribe to teh site because they would know they are supporting the skinners too.
Reply #26 Sunday, October 3, 2004 8:47 PM
Someone is always running around complaining about unfairness.
[Message Edited]
Reply #27 Sunday, October 3, 2004 9:25 PM
It's a noble and generous idea and I hope the details will work out.
I still remain skeptical however.Reply #29 Sunday, October 3, 2004 9:44 PM
PS .. Koasati.. you have mail
Reply #30 Monday, October 4, 2004 12:59 AM
| But that's not what we're talking about here. If subscribers are paying us X thousands of dollars per month to support the site, it might be a good thing to let the top 20 or so skinners get a little piece of that. |
Well then Stardock might as well cut regular checks every 2 weeks for Adni18, Apoc, Tiggz, Jairo, Pixtudio, TSF and the "usual" suspects in the top authors as they are ALWAYS up there.
[Message Edited]
Reply #32 Monday, October 4, 2004 3:03 AM
Those pesky top authors... always uploading stuff that we just love to download....
Reply #34 Monday, October 4, 2004 8:10 AM
I would really hate to feel like I *had* to do anything at all. I do this for fun, and from the moment anything becomes an obligation it's not fun anymore. That's why if I was to be one of the top 20 (extremely unlikely), I would turn down the money.
But that's just me, I've got nothing against anybody else who make money from their skins if anything I feel a little sorry for them.
Reply #35 Monday, October 4, 2004 8:21 AM
Those top authors *earned* their positions in the top authors section. Those that are not there yet ~should strive to get there, by upping the quality of their work.
...get in the top 20, and you get access to the bonuses. Simple really.
Great inspirational/motivational carrot dangling! Bring it on I say!
I'd love to see you guys getting paid for your stuff. I don't skin, but I do know the time and effort it takes to make a good windowblind, wmp or winamp skin, having pulled some apart to see the inner workings.
There's some very talented people who definitely should be getting a slice of the pie, ...and Brad should be commended for offering it. Many businessmen would not have, and just kept the dollars. Nice gesture imho.
Reply #36 Monday, October 4, 2004 8:41 AM
I am an administrator at skinartistry. The kind people there as individuals probably have no chance at getting into the top 20 authors but if we were to combine our efforts maybe we could generate some funding for the site. Will this cause problems betweeen different groups? I don't know but thats the way I see things going.
I would have to agree with WrecklessEric about the gesture being an honorable one. Hats off to Frogboy and company for trying to establish a way for people to make some money. even though there will be some bumps in the road, credit is due for giving it a try.
Reply #37 Monday, October 4, 2004 8:59 AM
Of course there will be lots of things to sort out. Should all subscribers be allowed to offer skins for sale (I think that as has been mentioned, it may mean that only a few skinners will ever get to sell)? will skins be adjudicated before being allowed to be sold? how will they be priced - per skin or in a pack? would there be a commission for Wincusto, and if so how much? would there have to be a minimum specification for the skin or icon set? ... I expect that there are lots more questions like that.
But it's another good idea Brad.
[Message Edited]
Reply #38 Monday, October 4, 2004 9:00 AM
Reply #39 Monday, October 4, 2004 11:17 AM
| #25 by Frogboy - 10/3/2004 8:46:41 PM I think many of us are (myself included).I am all over the concept of not awarding any sort of merit medals to people who become popular calling their skin or theme or wallpaper "Something XP" or "Aero Thing".But that's not what we're talking about here. If subscribers are paying us X thousands of dollars per month to support the site, it might be a good thing to let the top 20 or so skinners get a little piece of that. First off I think it would encourage more GOOD skins. I think it might encourage other people to make skins. And also, it might encourage more people to subscribe to teh site because they would know they are supporting the skinners too. |
Agreed but I am with Patric Fontaine. Here we skin for fun, not for money.
But if this Policy is to be implemented then the award money should not be for just top 20's. The awards can be given on catagory bases like Oscars are given. They can be categorize into:
. Top 3 Artists
. Best Emerging (Novice) Artist
. Most Downloaded (On per month bases and average per day)
. Top 3 Contributers to WC
and many more to include in.
In this way the treat of "Monoply" can be vanished
(Sorry for my poor english)
[Message Edited]
Reply #40 Monday, October 4, 2004 11:38 AM
This 'paying for skins' question is a thorny one. There will be detractors who will complain about paying for anything - despite the fact that they have a choice of whether or not to download, and hundreds of free skins to choose from.
Of course there will be lots of things to sort out. Should all subscribers be allowed to offer skins for sale (I think that as has been mentioned, it may mean that only a few skinners will ever get to sell)? will skins be adjudicated before being allowed to be sold? how will they be priced - per skin or in a pack? would there be a commission for Wincusto, and if so how much? would there have to be a minimum specification for the skin or icon set? ... I expect that there are lots more questions like tha...I am copying this essorant bc at no point in Frogboys propasal did he mention individual sales..being involved...Please clarify what I understood Frogboys proposal is.....simply...I pay for my subscription..only..that money is then contributed by percentage to the top skinners....no extra money coming from me....As long as I pay the same amount for that subscription and no other cost incurred I think the idea is an excellent one
~Its My Secret~
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Reply #21 Sunday, October 3, 2004 7:13 PM
In my opinion pooling skinners together and giving them a percentage based on a point system is asking for trouble.
Let people put up shop on their own pages, or create a Library for people that want to sell their stuff.