Comments, reviews, critiques..whatever you want to call them, I believe are here to stay.

Even sites like Best Buy and Walmart have 'review' sections. My wife won't purchase anything without checking customer reviews. She'll read through them and make up her own mind.

There have been instances where the overall reviews were good and then along come two or five that bash the product, often contradicting specific comments to the letter. And even on these sites, you do not have to purchase the product to post a review.

I don't see Sony jumping in when a bad review comes down and saying it's 'unfair'. Perhaps because they are so big, I don't know.

When money is involved, people are going to voice their opinions. They are going to be more apt to voice their negative opinions when it comes to making a purchase, though I am still amazed that they will bash something they got for free, whatever it is. (Not necassarily skins)

I wonder if any Master could hold up to an in depth review of their skin. Something on the level of Engadget and the way they will deconstruct a cell phone and list it's pro's and cons. On that note, my suggestions would be that Masters and/or Journeymen (No Mods or Admin) fullfill part of their obligation to contribute more to the community and take turns doing in depth reviews of the Master skins. They could also feature a skin by someone who is not a Master but may well be on their way. The Master skin would have to be made available to the reviewer free of charge. (If SOny or Samsung can fork over a free phone for review, I think it could be done with a skin)

Perhaps have anyone who is willing to take on this task submit an audition review for the admins and mods to look over and decide who may be best suited for such a task. The review should reflect a persons ability to be knowledgable, objective, articulate (leaves me out) , and informative. The review would cover usability, craftsmanship, artistic presence, etc. Not much different than reviewing the work of an architect as you are looking at multiple points of interest and importance.

I remember years ago, when i opened Maxstyles.com, I really had very little traffic, before SD was even selling skins, I decided to post on Neowin.net that a 'pay' theme was available on my site. I wish I had screenshotted the responses because I was absolutely freakin hammered.

I think, for two reasons, 1. because I was selling something that had up until then been given for free and 2. because there were people that who in other scenarios might have bought something online but were disgusted that I was asking money for what they deemed sub-standard quality work.

Now that pay skins have become more widely accepted many people will not complain when it comes to the fact that it is a pay skin as it has become more the norm than the exception, they will most definately complain if what is put up for sale does not meet what they may consider substandard.

Now I happen to quite like these icons, but, its quite obvious that some folks took great exception to them.

https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?skinid=1815&libid=2

There are numerous similar posts in other Master skin threads, Stardock submitted and not.

good post indeed Po, I personally think thats a good idea.

THis is the first time I have seen them and before I even read the comments I had the same thoughts as some of the commenters. Oxidized recolored.

This is the kind of stuff I mean when I say 'play it safe' only this would fall into more of a 'no effort' response. I don't think 'purple' when I think Dance Floor. I think multicolored, bright, striking...or even something more formal (as in ballroom) like crystal, white light, stars, and glossy wood. Where is the 'disco ball' or 'spotlight' icon? Where is the DJ turntable? WHere is the 'white polyester vest' or 'platform shoes'?

I think folks expect more from Stardock than recolored packages. Especially when it comes to one so instantly recognizable. When you consider the stable of artists that they have it's disturbing. If a Master recolored a one of their own blinds or iconpacks and posted it for sale I doubt it would get through moderation. I would hope not.

I suppose it's their right. If they can take the Wii and make a black one and charge a few more bucks by making it a limited release or whatever, I guess it's okay to recolor whatever you want and call it 'new'. You couldn't recolor the Oxidized pack as it is and have it look the same as the dance floor pack, so there is that. But people are going to notice and voice there opinions in the comments or by keeping their walltes closed.

*edit slighly off topic...a lot of this and stuff said here and  in other threads has been slightly discouraging for me as far as my ever completeing a skin. I operate on one humble little PC with one OS. When one dies, I haven't had the emans to step up to a better PC or monitor, let alone purchasing or running multiple PCs or OS'. I like to think had I the time and resources I could accomplish a great deal but I don't see it happening any time soon or even later. My problem is I have all these ideas and graphics and stuff in my head. I would like to offer my limited abilitys to anyone who would like to take them and assemble them/partenr with me on them so I can see them come to pass. I'm not talking about selling them or anything like that, I just want to see them as a finished working skin. Selfish, I know, but sincere.

well, there is no money back guarantee on these skins so the picture is all most of us would be able to comment on..

go back to Po's idea of skinner's reviews, I like that, I'll volunteer.

If we are referring to your SS from the linked forum thread...I did not get into the area of bugs or how it ran on my system, etc. I reviewed the screenshot. That is a far cry from 'This is not Master quality, so I will pass' which is generic and all encompassing without any definitive reasons given. IMO, that is not even an opinion but more of an episode of torrets.

'Graphics' was not used in the particular comment I used, to be crystal clear. To be clearer...skinners...Accomplished Skinners, respected skinners, titled skinners, etc., should be more resonsible, thourough, descriptive, atc., and should download the skin as well, when commenting. IMO. The title or years of experience should not be an entiltlement to shortcuts, offhanded comments, or bashing.

I like you, Jon, but I don't like playing these games of having each little post totally deconstructed. Especially when you add things that were not there.

There are skins that appear one way in the screenshot and often the same way on the Windowblinds Menu and then when applied, something is off. iRobot is one example. The Screenshot is good. I love the skin. However, when in use, the start menu is totally borked on XP and on Vista. Gothic STate is another. Magic Pink shows up in the corner of open windows when applied. Another skin I love but won't use for that reason.

 It's not ALL that you look at, is it? And to say you know the minds of any and all commenters is lame.

You specifically called me out and said I was making a claim and laid out the claim you thought or wanted it to appear I was making and that is NOT what I was stating. You were wrong in the implication, inuendo, and in assuming I meant more than I stated.

It ain't too hot for me.  The dissapointment may be deep, but I've been dissapointed before.

my goodness, quit taking it so personal Po. I'm not out to get u either.

Yeah, most people look at graphics and design in a screenshot of a Graphical user interface.

Disappointment is a fact of life... for all of us.

I'm in.

Wow. dude, your really taking what I said all wrong. Gonna leave it alone now. turning into a who can scream louder, curse more and post last thread. Not at all what I hoped for.

No one is spinning anything. Moving on.

Can we still go hunting?

I don't own any guns, but my pencil packs a punch, can I still go?

I've got a pretty mean BB rifle!

No. That is not what I am saying. However, for example.....

Screenshot...

windowblinds config

applied

Sometimes the screenshot is inaccurate. It doesn't matter what skin or what OS...the SS can be inaccurate.

Here is Stardocks original SS of Oxidized

Here is a recent SS from the SS gallery...

For me, the second SS is more appealing and shows more of it's uniqueness. If I hadn't downloaded it and looked at it in more detail because of the first SS, I would have not fallen in love with it. WHo knows, I might have hated it after downloading. But I downloaded it.