Forward To The Past
Thursday, January 5, 2006 by Gregory2001 | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
Where are the "old school" contributors? Remember when you couldn't keep up with the skins and/or forum posts by the most talented artists this (or any other) website has ever seen? For whatever reason (and some of them may be justified) they are dropping off one by one. Too many kids? Whiners? "Wanting something for free"? Attitudes?
Remember when XP came out and this place was flooded? With WB5 out for some weeks now, we are rarely getting good skins only because the "old school" isn't here anymore.
This is just an observation and a rant. I miss the old days!
Remember when XP came out and this place was flooded? With WB5 out for some weeks now, we are rarely getting good skins only because the "old school" isn't here anymore.
This is just an observation and a rant. I miss the old days!
_TAPPER_
Reply #3 Thursday, January 5, 2006 10:07 PM
I second that!
Reply #3 Thursday, January 5, 2006 10:07 PM
| On the plus side there are some really good new skinner's cropping up here and there. JJ Ying, NightTrain, JoneP, MountainDragon, Joesephs, & Richard Mohler to name a few. |
I second that!
Sleeping Dragon
Reply #4 Thursday, January 5, 2006 10:31 PM
...and Lantec, Island Dog, Tapper, LGP85, Po Smedley, Cavan1, Kenwas, TBC, D. Arnaez, Yangge, etc, etc, etc.
Reply #4 Thursday, January 5, 2006 10:31 PM
| On the plus side there are some really good new skinner's cropping up here and there. JJ Ying, NightTrain, JoneP, MountainDragon, Joesephs, & Richard Mohler to name a few. |
...and Lantec, Island Dog, Tapper, LGP85, Po Smedley, Cavan1, Kenwas, TBC, D. Arnaez, Yangge, etc, etc, etc.
Gregory2001
Reply #5 Friday, January 6, 2006 8:41 AM
Reply #5 Friday, January 6, 2006 8:41 AM
As I suspected, the responses to this thread have nothing to do with the thread itself. Thank you for proving my point.
NightTrainthedark
Reply #6 Friday, January 6, 2006 8:50 AM
Reply #6 Friday, January 6, 2006 8:50 AM
Unfortunately Gregory2001...Karma is real.
WOM
Reply #7 Friday, January 6, 2006 8:53 AM
Reply #7 Friday, January 6, 2006 8:53 AM
Remember, it takes a while to do a WB. And also it had some kinks in it that needed worked out. I'am sure there will be more WB5 blinds comming out. Not sure which of the old school your talking about but you've listed the main reasons they are not here.
Gregory2001
Reply #8 Friday, January 6, 2006 11:03 AM
Reply #8 Friday, January 6, 2006 11:03 AM
Night Train: So true.
WOM: I understand completely but it just isn't WB5. Some of the best have left a long time ago, sadly.
WOM: I understand completely but it just isn't WB5. Some of the best have left a long time ago, sadly.
Sleeping Dragon
Reply #9 Friday, January 6, 2006 11:16 AM
Reply #9 Friday, January 6, 2006 11:16 AM
Hey Gregory, is your glass always half empty?
WOM
Reply #10 Friday, January 6, 2006 11:26 AM
Reply #10 Friday, January 6, 2006 11:26 AM
Hey SD, I try to keep my glass full all the time.
The term Best is a subjective word. Who you consider the best I might not and so forth for everyone else. Granted, some of the oldtimers/pioneers have left, to do real life stuff or to make money from this type of thing, but there are plenty of great skinners still skinning and there is always the up and commers who get better with each skin.
Gregory2001
Reply #11 Friday, January 6, 2006 11:43 AM
Reply #11 Friday, January 6, 2006 11:43 AM
Let me know who has left to make money. I'd gladly pay.
Cyberworld
Reply #12 Friday, January 6, 2006 1:20 PM
Pixtudio, adni18 are the top downloaded and both have Personal Sites now. I believe this society works like all, it matures and re-generates. Some people just lose interest, others leave, but at least some stay. 
Reply #12 Friday, January 6, 2006 1:20 PM
| Let me know who has left to make money. I'd gladly pay. |
Pixtudio, adni18 are the top downloaded and both have Personal Sites now.
I believe this society works like all, it matures and re-generates. Some people just lose interest, others leave, but at least some stay.
Adamness
Reply #13 Friday, January 6, 2006 6:23 PM
Reply #13 Friday, January 6, 2006 6:23 PM
While it may be a little slow now, I bet it will pick up when Vista comes out. That's what, 9 months to a year from now?
Reppiks
Reply #14 Friday, January 6, 2006 7:45 PM
Reply #14 Friday, January 6, 2006 7:45 PM
The driving force behind life is change. I've seen several turn-overs of talented skinners, probably for many reasons. The amount of time needed to build a Windowblind skin can be substantial. Imagine adding some overtime to the work schedule, or activily raising a child. A lot of things happen in a persons life (along with the things you already mentioned). The old master's skins become the "classics", the newer "masters to be" bring new ideas to the table. And that... sounds like progress to me.
scion2412
Reply #15 Friday, January 6, 2006 8:08 PM
Reply #15 Friday, January 6, 2006 8:08 PM
some may feel that it simply isn't worth it anymore. perhaps this may also be a case of people moving on to other things, also. i know that at some point in the future i will too. and yes i'm sure some are making money at this.
i will say that users are incredibly picky now more than ever. we'll see it now with transparency with WB5. users will expect it and gripe when a skin doesn't have it. and the requests for matching skins for other apps can be astounding. i get emails left and right for matching winamp and rainlander skins..etc...and some can be downright pushy as if it's their right to have them.
i came into this about a year and a half ago and even in that short ammount of time, everything has changed.
i will say that users are incredibly picky now more than ever. we'll see it now with transparency with WB5. users will expect it and gripe when a skin doesn't have it. and the requests for matching skins for other apps can be astounding. i get emails left and right for matching winamp and rainlander skins..etc...and some can be downright pushy as if it's their right to have them.
i came into this about a year and a half ago and even in that short ammount of time, everything has changed.
Sembetu
Reply #16 Friday, January 6, 2006 8:22 PM
Reply #16 Friday, January 6, 2006 8:22 PM
If you figure that a year in internet time is like 10 years in real time, then if you've been around here for three years, you're a senior citizen. Someone who spends a year and a half contributing is in a mid-career mode, and is probably getting itchy for a change. Imagine the poor two year grunt who has faithfully contributed for two years, and sees retirement looming on the horizon.
Seems to me that by the time you've been here about 6 months, you eould have earned a few stripes, and be at least moderately respected for your opinions, and if you are contributing, you would still be fresh, but not neccessarily considered "new blood".
Imagine the burn out you would experience after a virtually converted 30 year career, perhaps the idea of seeing a couple of new folks jumping in the pool is welcome, especially if you are experiencing battle fatigue from flame fests and a 30% rate of acceptance on the 100% of work you have submitted, not to mention you provided it for a community with 90 percent of it's viewers choosing to freeload instead of contribute financially to make it better.
I guess it would be kind of like working in a coal mine your whole life to make other people's lives better only to be forgotten quickly after the last explosion causing violation was discovered post-accident.
Perhaps sometimes it is useful to step aside and allow for those with stronger backs and younger lungs pick up the slack. Regardless of the passion one has for their work, eventually candles burn low and must be conserved, new wax must be formed and wicked, and new lights be allowed to glow.
Old talent is not antiquated or unuseful, but it is foundation, grounding, the cornerstone of future cityscapes.
Those who now find themselves in the driver's seat should thank the old ones for allowing space for the new ones to grok and grow strong. After all, waiting is, and a humble egg can not contain all the knowing that an old one is.
The situation is as it should be, and although wisdom and inspiration will, from time to time, be dispatched on behalf of those forefathers who bore the burden of the frontier life, the newly apparent skills of those who choose to access and exploit that wisdom will, too, stand the test of time.
You will see, eventually, those "30 year veterans" will someday be you, and it might be sooner than you think.
Sembetu
Seems to me that by the time you've been here about 6 months, you eould have earned a few stripes, and be at least moderately respected for your opinions, and if you are contributing, you would still be fresh, but not neccessarily considered "new blood".
Imagine the burn out you would experience after a virtually converted 30 year career, perhaps the idea of seeing a couple of new folks jumping in the pool is welcome, especially if you are experiencing battle fatigue from flame fests and a 30% rate of acceptance on the 100% of work you have submitted, not to mention you provided it for a community with 90 percent of it's viewers choosing to freeload instead of contribute financially to make it better.
I guess it would be kind of like working in a coal mine your whole life to make other people's lives better only to be forgotten quickly after the last explosion causing violation was discovered post-accident.
Perhaps sometimes it is useful to step aside and allow for those with stronger backs and younger lungs pick up the slack. Regardless of the passion one has for their work, eventually candles burn low and must be conserved, new wax must be formed and wicked, and new lights be allowed to glow.
Old talent is not antiquated or unuseful, but it is foundation, grounding, the cornerstone of future cityscapes.
Those who now find themselves in the driver's seat should thank the old ones for allowing space for the new ones to grok and grow strong. After all, waiting is, and a humble egg can not contain all the knowing that an old one is.
The situation is as it should be, and although wisdom and inspiration will, from time to time, be dispatched on behalf of those forefathers who bore the burden of the frontier life, the newly apparent skills of those who choose to access and exploit that wisdom will, too, stand the test of time.
You will see, eventually, those "30 year veterans" will someday be you, and it might be sooner than you think.
Sembetu
RomanDA
Reply #17 Friday, January 6, 2006 9:02 PM
Reply #17 Friday, January 6, 2006 9:02 PM
2 years ago - I was making Windows Media Player skins.
2 years before that - I was makiing Real Jukebox skins
2 years before that - I thought a skin was something you had over your bones, or a -flick you went and saw in a dark theater.
Now I'm doing mainly DX Widgets/Gadgets, in 2 years, who knows, hell in 2 weeks who knows.
People get bored, tired of doing the same things over and over, and they move on to other things, try new things, or just take a break. So make a list of the "great ones" now, and do the same thing in a year and i bet 50% or more will be different.
2 years before that - I was makiing Real Jukebox skins
2 years before that - I thought a skin was something you had over your bones, or a -flick you went and saw in a dark theater.
Now I'm doing mainly DX Widgets/Gadgets, in 2 years, who knows, hell in 2 weeks who knows.
People get bored, tired of doing the same things over and over, and they move on to other things, try new things, or just take a break. So make a list of the "great ones" now, and do the same thing in a year and i bet 50% or more will be different.
scion2412
Reply #18 Saturday, January 7, 2006 12:36 AM
Reply #18 Saturday, January 7, 2006 12:36 AM
either way...you can look to the old days stew about what has been. or you can look to the future with excitement. skinning is becomming more mainstream and will bring tons of new technological advances and loads of new artists. the generation coming through junior high and high school has been trained on computers all of their lives. many have already dabbled in creating skins already.
many of the pioneers have moved on, but the pioneers are the ones who form foundations and forge a future for the next.
look to the past...why?
many of the pioneers have moved on, but the pioneers are the ones who form foundations and forge a future for the next.
look to the past...why?
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Reply #1 Thursday, January 5, 2006 7:09 PM
On the plus side there are some really good new skinner's cropping up here and there. JJ Ying, NightTrain, JoneP, MountainDragon, Joesephs, & Richard Mohler to name a few.