New (Potential) series: Ask a Master
Wednesday, October 3, 2007 by ZubaZ | Discussion: OS Customization
The Master skinners at Wincustomize are a special breed of people. They done the time here. They skin, they mentor, they skin some more. 
So I'm going to try to suck them dry of anything and everything they know. I want you, the community to send me your questions. I'll collect them, pick out a couple, and try to collect answers to post here.
No question is too big or small; too general or specific. It can target one master (but I'll probably open it up too many if I can) or one application. You wnat to know how they started skinning, what's their favorit skin, how do they start a visual style, what apps do they use; ask and see what happens.
There are lots of questions I've wanted to ask of all these guys and gals at once. In a perfect world I'd get them all at SD HQ and fire up a camera.
Having said all that . . . I don't know If I can pull this off. I'll try if you will. Send your questions to zubaz@wincustomize.com and we'll see what happens.
I think that the Masters will buy into this. I think the community will too.
Wish us luck
ZubaZ
http://zubaz.wincustomize.com
So I'm going to try to suck them dry of anything and everything they know. I want you, the community to send me your questions. I'll collect them, pick out a couple, and try to collect answers to post here.
No question is too big or small; too general or specific. It can target one master (but I'll probably open it up too many if I can) or one application. You wnat to know how they started skinning, what's their favorit skin, how do they start a visual style, what apps do they use; ask and see what happens.
There are lots of questions I've wanted to ask of all these guys and gals at once. In a perfect world I'd get them all at SD HQ and fire up a camera.
Having said all that . . . I don't know If I can pull this off. I'll try if you will. Send your questions to zubaz@wincustomize.com and we'll see what happens.
I think that the Masters will buy into this. I think the community will too.
Wish us luck
ZubaZ
http://zubaz.wincustomize.com
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Philly0381
Reply #22 Monday, October 8, 2007 11:14 AM
Reply #22 Monday, October 8, 2007 11:14 AM
What a shame it couldn't have been Friday, the 13th! 
ZubaZ
Reply #23 Monday, October 8, 2007 1:17 PM
Reply #23 Monday, October 8, 2007 1:17 PM
It's been reported that email through the site (by clicking on my mane in my posts) is not functioning. It failed for me when I tested so . . there you go. The PM system is working so you can hit me that way instead.
milksama
Reply #24 Monday, October 8, 2007 1:34 PM
Reply #24 Monday, October 8, 2007 1:34 PM
(by clicking on my mane in my posts)
Maybe it needs some grooming? 
Seriously though, I see that problem here too... I don't know whether you've mentioned anything already, but I will let the web team know anyway.
ZubaZ
Reply #25 Monday, October 8, 2007 1:43 PM
I found the problem . . . I DON'T HAVE A MANE!! But clicking on my name fails too.
Reply #25 Monday, October 8, 2007 1:43 PM
I don't know whether you've mentioned anything already, but I will let the web team know anyway.
Sent an email to websupport@stardock.com but always appreciate a nudge.I found the problem . . . I DON'T HAVE A MANE!! But clicking on my name fails too.
vStyler
Reply #27 Monday, October 8, 2007 8:03 PM
Reply #27 Monday, October 8, 2007 8:03 PM
Yo Brother Aaron, mah maaaane man!! Slap me some skin(s) Bro 
Jafo
Reply #28 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 10:12 AM
Reply #28 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 10:12 AM
Here's a question to put to your interviewees, Zubaz....
"What attribute/s do you perceive enabled you to achieve 'Master' level?"
Philly0381
Reply #29 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 10:30 AM
Reply #29 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 10:30 AM
Here's one if not allready asked.
"What prompts you to develope a skin, widget, gadget etc., your needs, the community asked for it or your desire to try it?"
"What prompts you to develope a skin, widget, gadget etc., your needs, the community asked for it or your desire to try it?"
HAPTORK
Reply #30 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 12:01 PM
Reply #30 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 12:01 PM
I have some ohhh sorry many questions...
1# "The skinning demands too much time and when you are making a master skin how much time in a day you devote to it? Which of your skin has taken a lot of time span and how much? Isn't giv'g too much time to skinning disrupts ur job means how do you manage it"?
2# "Which of your master skin has earned most and how much?
3# "Doesnt it sometimes disappoint you when people say that selling your skin isnt correct?"
4# "Much of the people download the theme on which you have worked a lot and dont even take a look at you or take time to comment even though they think its great. Means when 1 lakh people download the theme then the comments reach to 100. What do you want to say about this behavior?"
5# "About how much e-mails you have got from your fans whom you never met"?
6# "While developing a skin, If u like something to go in a way which you know most of the people will not like or understand then what do you prefer personal interest or public interest."
7# "Most of the time the first thought to start a new theme comes with its name, features or looks or something else?"
8# " U have worked a lot on a skin and thought the people gonna like it a lot But it doesnt gets to that. What feeling that broughts to you?
9# "I have not personally seen most of the master skinners praising others. Why it is so?"
10#"Which name do you like more your real name or your famous skinning nick name"?
And at last what do you think am I going to be a future master skinner.
Hey Zubaz I have written what I wanted to ask. You are great to give us that opportunity. Please select the worthy questions from this list.
1# "The skinning demands too much time and when you are making a master skin how much time in a day you devote to it? Which of your skin has taken a lot of time span and how much? Isn't giv'g too much time to skinning disrupts ur job means how do you manage it"?
2# "Which of your master skin has earned most and how much?
3# "Doesnt it sometimes disappoint you when people say that selling your skin isnt correct?"
4# "Much of the people download the theme on which you have worked a lot and dont even take a look at you or take time to comment even though they think its great. Means when 1 lakh people download the theme then the comments reach to 100. What do you want to say about this behavior?"
5# "About how much e-mails you have got from your fans whom you never met"?
6# "While developing a skin, If u like something to go in a way which you know most of the people will not like or understand then what do you prefer personal interest or public interest."
7# "Most of the time the first thought to start a new theme comes with its name, features or looks or something else?"
8# " U have worked a lot on a skin and thought the people gonna like it a lot But it doesnt gets to that. What feeling that broughts to you?
9# "I have not personally seen most of the master skinners praising others. Why it is so?"
10#"Which name do you like more your real name or your famous skinning nick name"?
And at last what do you think am I going to be a future master skinner.
Hey Zubaz I have written what I wanted to ask. You are great to give us that opportunity. Please select the worthy questions from this list.
Philly0381
Reply #32 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 12:31 PM
Reply #32 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 12:31 PM
Zubaz, are you creating a standard list of general questions or are you going to make a list for each Master? Each Master does have their own expertise and choice of skinning i.e. WB, WP, DesktopX etc. Just wondering. 
ZubaZ
Reply #33 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 1:42 PM
Reply #33 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 1:42 PM
Each issue in the series will have a few questions to all the masters on general topics. Some questions will be directed to specific masters. Some may also apply only to a particular expertise of masters (for example the DX masters).
I'll cull specific questions and answers and attempt to present them in a thematic way. Some answers may be for a specific question but might be more suitable for a later theme. I'll save those for later issues.
Someone may send me a question specific to a particular master. I might open the question up and have other masters take a stab at answering.
I've got a number of goals here that I think can be met with this format:
What makes a Master to you?
What makes you a Master?
Who's the man (woman) behind the master?
What's it like being a Master?
What a day in the life of a master like?
Sprinkled around there are going to be some of the technical expertise questions I'm getting like:
How do you start a X?
What do you like about X?
It's all about getting to know these folks a little better. I guess that's it in a nutshell.
I'll cull specific questions and answers and attempt to present them in a thematic way. Some answers may be for a specific question but might be more suitable for a later theme. I'll save those for later issues.
Someone may send me a question specific to a particular master. I might open the question up and have other masters take a stab at answering.
I've got a number of goals here that I think can be met with this format:
What makes a Master to you?
What makes you a Master?
Who's the man (woman) behind the master?
What's it like being a Master?
What a day in the life of a master like?
Sprinkled around there are going to be some of the technical expertise questions I'm getting like:
How do you start a X?
What do you like about X?
It's all about getting to know these folks a little better. I guess that's it in a nutshell.
RRRozie
Reply #34 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 2:06 PM
Reply #34 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 2:06 PM
As an avid skin user but a yet-to-be creator, my questions are necessarily coming from the novice skinner's point-of-view. Here goes…
1. Where would you suggest that newbies start if they want to try their hands at skinning? In other words, what's the best way to develop solid fundamentals without biting off too much at first? What order of progression would you suggest, in terms of degree of project complexity?
2. What tools do you recommend for the novice skinner? What tools do you find to be indispensible?
3. Which aspects of skinning do you recommend newbies concentrate on first? It's been said that "the devil is in the details," so which details should we concentrate on getting right?
4. Which pitfalls should novice skinners avoid? What are the "design killers" to watch out for?
5. How do you undertake a skinning project? What steps do you follow in conceptualizing, designing, assembling, testing and distributing a new skin? What kind of post-release activities should we expect to do?
6. Where do you get your ideas from? What are your inspirations?
7. Where do you turn for technical advice and support?
8. How do you take into account various software and OS versions when designing your skins? What are the pitfalls to watch out for?
9. What was the toughest skinning challenge you've faced and how did you work through it?
10. What do you wish more skinners would concentrate on? What would you like to see from the skinning community?
11. Which of your contributions to the skinning community are you most proud of?
That's it for now. If I think of more, I'll let you know.
Good luck with the series--I'm looking forward to it!
1. Where would you suggest that newbies start if they want to try their hands at skinning? In other words, what's the best way to develop solid fundamentals without biting off too much at first? What order of progression would you suggest, in terms of degree of project complexity?
2. What tools do you recommend for the novice skinner? What tools do you find to be indispensible?
3. Which aspects of skinning do you recommend newbies concentrate on first? It's been said that "the devil is in the details," so which details should we concentrate on getting right?
4. Which pitfalls should novice skinners avoid? What are the "design killers" to watch out for?
5. How do you undertake a skinning project? What steps do you follow in conceptualizing, designing, assembling, testing and distributing a new skin? What kind of post-release activities should we expect to do?
6. Where do you get your ideas from? What are your inspirations?
7. Where do you turn for technical advice and support?
8. How do you take into account various software and OS versions when designing your skins? What are the pitfalls to watch out for?
9. What was the toughest skinning challenge you've faced and how did you work through it?
10. What do you wish more skinners would concentrate on? What would you like to see from the skinning community?
11. Which of your contributions to the skinning community are you most proud of?
That's it for now. If I think of more, I'll let you know.
Good luck with the series--I'm looking forward to it!
Xiandi
Reply #36 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 8:51 PM
I agree. I'd like to see all of them answered!
Reply #36 Tuesday, October 9, 2007 8:51 PM
Nice questions RRRozie.
I agree. I'd like to see all of them answered!
ZubaZ
Reply #37 Wednesday, October 10, 2007 11:08 PM
Reply #37 Wednesday, October 10, 2007 11:08 PM
Thanks for all the responses.
I'll open a new thread after this issue is out.
I'll open a new thread after this issue is out.
Tiggz
Reply #38 Thursday, October 11, 2007 2:00 PM
Reply #38 Thursday, October 11, 2007 2:00 PM
Hey Zubaz - I tried to reply to your email but it was rejected multiple times as suspected spam. Here is the text of my reply:
Hi Aaron,
count me in, I will attempt to provide guttural grunts signifying
answers, occasionally I might even manage complete sentences.
cheers,
Matt | Tiggz
Hi Aaron,
count me in, I will attempt to provide guttural grunts signifying
answers, occasionally I might even manage complete sentences.
cheers,
Matt | Tiggz
vStyler
Reply #39 Thursday, October 11, 2007 2:10 PM
Reply #39 Thursday, October 11, 2007 2:10 PM
Rejected mine too... You know I'm in just so long as I'm awake and breathing.
treetog
Reply #40 Thursday, October 11, 2007 3:27 PM
Reply #40 Thursday, October 11, 2007 3:27 PM
You can put my name in the blackboard.
PS: mines was rejected too
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Reply #21 Monday, October 8, 2007 11:11 AM
The Masters have bought into the project, now it's up to you.
Thank you to those who have sent in your questions already!