No, There is Nothing Wrong With Selling Skins!
Monday, August 18, 2008 by Island Dog | Discussion: OS Customization
Over the weekend we had a little flamefest going over a skin, and one of the comments was basically trying to trash people for selling their skins. Now since I posted a warning about a 3 month ban from WinCustomize if any other trolling was going to continue, a certain person decided to go to my personal blog and send me an e-mail to my personal account about it.
The e-mail:
“So you think that there's nothing wrong with selling skins between $4 and $5 a pop, uh. Everyone of you is ripping off the the american public. Do you know how much money it takes to make a simple song? Do you know much mp3 files cost? I get them for 10 cents a piece, and yet songs take a hell of a lot more time and money to make, than your skins, and your selling them for more than what a gallon of gas costs. You need to wake up, and look around you. You obviously don't know what the hell is going on in this country right now. You got the nerve to sell some desktop skin for the price your selling for. You Spencer Scott are very little piece of the problem we have in this country, you Spencer Scott, are very good example of an asshole.”
My first reaction at this e-mail was a very good chuckle. I then read it again and wondered what this person was really thinking. Trying to compare .mp3’s to skins really made no sense to me, but then I realized probably what they were saying, and then once again realized this person had no clue about skinning. Let me explain something to this person specifically. Making skins is not easy, and making professional-type skins is much, much worse. A high-quality WindowBlinds skin can easily take months to complete, so what really is the PROBLEM with selling a skin? Nothing at all, that’s what!
I work with many of our Master Skinners here on WinCustomize, and I think every one of them also creates plenty of free content that is also released, so not only do I not have a problem with someone selling skins, I encourage people to buy them as well and support these works. WinCustomize will continue with the Master Skins programs, and if you have an issue with it, you can contact me via the WinCustomize or Stardock e-mail.
Better yet, lets have a discussion about the selling of skins. What is your opinion about it? Do you buy skins? So instead of following me around the internet, step up and post some reasons why someone should not be allowed to sell something they have worked countless hours on. I really can’t wait to read the communities opinions, especially from this commenter (which I do know who you are 
).
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Reply #22 Monday, August 18, 2008 2:55 PM
Reply #23 Monday, August 18, 2008 2:58 PM
Messiah, I know you can smell sarcasm when you 'see' it, with those finally tuned animal senses of yours.
Reply #24 Monday, August 18, 2008 3:10 PM
Reply #25 Monday, August 18, 2008 3:40 PM
Silly munkeh
As for the fella venting his anger via an email... well.. i feel sorry for the guy. No point in trying to reason with him.
Im happy forking out money for high quality skins made by the good people on here.
And its not really a fortune is it. Its the equivalent of a pint of beer here in the UK. Now thats a ripoff... (
Reply #26 Monday, August 18, 2008 3:47 PM
Well done!Truthfully, I don't know how someone can spend so much time on a skin and just give it out for free to strangers they don't even know and probably get no thank you from most. God blesses those who find the courage to share their hard work for free and or satisfy with the little they get for their hard work.
Advertisement or not, the skinners deserve the praise.
Reply #27 Monday, August 18, 2008 3:50 PM
I think this man is fool or mad!
First: I see he never made a skins. It really took not less than 1 month of round-the-clock heavy work and lots of coffe for this. How much songs you can make during a month?
Secondly: I don't know how many people buy a skins. Seems we can talk about ~ 10-20 sales per month for each of good skin. However I know very well how many people listen music and how many mp3 files they buy every day (from 10C to 1$)... So I agree. This is impossible to compare these both things.
And at last: Our "Spiteful Friend" has forgotten about the Artists! They can draw some picture during a years. But any of these pictures will cost only a few dollars until their author will not be a popular...
Conclusion: I think it's need to send he into the arse and nevermore to pay attention for the similar letters from such idiots!
Reply #28 Monday, August 18, 2008 3:54 PM
Reply #29 Monday, August 18, 2008 4:05 PM
DON'T BUY IT
Reply #30 Monday, August 18, 2008 4:06 PM
I download them, apply them, look them over, say to myself they did a good job, then switch back to the skin I'm working on.
That's the sad part about being a skinner, just don't have time to use them. But that doesn't mean, I don't respect the time put into them. I support the community.
Reply #31 Monday, August 18, 2008 4:06 PM
Reply #32 Monday, August 18, 2008 4:32 PM
I never understand people who claim the sellers are cheating the buyers. The way I see it, if $4.99 really is too expensive then the buyer is the moron, not the seller. I'd go as far as saying the seller is a genius for selling a product higher than some believe is should be. Now that's being a good business person.
Its just... $4.99 for something like vstylers sexy, or mikeb`s sirus... i dunno, i think its an outrage
I love how people use the "had a bad day" excuse to excuse such rude behavior. Since when is it OK to do this? Some people complain that gas is too high but won't stop driving their cars or buying ipods or PS3's. And complain about $4.99 skins? This is what you get for giving free stuff, people never appreciate anything. Always want everything for free. Let me stop before I make this something political when it shouldn't be.
Reply #34 Monday, August 18, 2008 4:42 PM
Obviously the world is full of idiots without the common sense to think before opening their mouths. The freeloading group being some of the most vocal of those idiots. Unfortunately the internet just opens us up to exposure to even more of them.
hmmm....wait!!!
I'm going to call my ISP right now and tell them they owe me next month for free for subjecting me to the drivel of idiots such as the one who sent this email to I.D.
I really don't see how anyone can complain at all about the prices on the Master skins. Especially since a majority of people find a theme they really like and stick with it for quite a long time.
Myself I don't buy that many Master skins just because I have so many free skins I've found here that I could change my desktop theme every day for the next year and a half and not use the same one twice.
But still I do buy certain ones(6 or 7 so far I think) and I have no problem spending the money on them. I think they are worth well over what is charged for them. And I usually only use a theme for a week at most before moving on to the next one. So what's that, less than $1 a day?
Just think of what you're paying when you use them a lot longer than I do. Hell it costs you alot more than that just for a single cup of coffee these days. And that only stays with you for a matter of hours
Reply #35 Monday, August 18, 2008 4:42 PM
...to became a Master, anyone needs to do a hard job and polish all the skills to then be allowed to sell any kind of skin, example?
Personal experience: read comment #35
If someone is honest to leave a comment like that you will know that you have reached the goal!
Reply #36 Monday, August 18, 2008 4:44 PM
Its just... $4.99 for something like vstylers sexy, or mikeb`s sirus... i dunno, i think its an outrage
pstt... it wasn't really him. that was sarcasm
Reply #37 Monday, August 18, 2008 4:50 PM
I thought it a bit wonky since he's always around praising stuff. Maybe a different smiley would have got me...dunno. What can I say, I'm a munkeh...I mean, c'mon, I fling poo at garbagemen for fun.
Reply #38 Monday, August 18, 2008 5:10 PM
Go To Opra! Go To Opra! Go To Opra!
This is Jerry Springer Show here mate
Reply #39 Monday, August 18, 2008 5:18 PM
The first person to refuse their pay check on Friday for 1 year, will IMO earn the right to gripe about others working for free.
I have given over 11 years to skinning, from helping develop one of the "at it's time" top 3 most popular desktop customization programs, to skinning, to moderation and community support, all without asking for a dime, and I do not feel I would have the right to gripe about others trying to make a living doing it.
I applaud those who can succeed at doing something they love and can make a living from it.
It can take as short as 5 minutes to write a song and make millions off of it, I've heard of some artists taking a total of 3 days from writing to studio to release to make a hit song.
While on average it takes months to build a master WB skin. A suite can take even longer.
ok John .. do I get a ride in the Ferrari now ?
Seriously tho. Why hold a grudge against those who can do..
Reply #40 Monday, August 18, 2008 5:26 PM
cos if he did he would know how much hard work goes in to making a Windowblind,dock, or any other type of skin or icon set for that matter...
Take my new skin S.D.V., first off i'm making it for my self, but i'm still going to put it up on here for others to download, to give something back for all the GREAT stuff that i've downloaded.
so if someone who uploads skins week in week out want to charge for 1 or 2 of them that not a bad thing at all.
there's just no pleasing some people......
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Reply #21 Monday, August 18, 2008 2:49 PM
Its just... $4.99 for something like vstylers sexy, or mikeb`s sirus... i dunno, i think its an outrage.
Are you kidding Doronila, it was you? Damn...