Feature Friday: New and Updated WindowBlinds Skins!

Friday, March 3, 2017 by Island Dog | Discussion: WinCustomize News

We’ve had a bunch of new and updated WindowBlinds skins submitted over the past few weeks. Since we have started a new month, lets take a look back and feature some of these fantastic skins.

You can see all the latest WindowBlinds skins here: https://www.wincustomize.com/explore/windowblinds

Pinpoint by DaveBax

 

True Classic by codewar65

 

Blue Sapphire by don5318

 

Black Sails by LightStar

First Previous Page 1 of 2 Next Last
Hankers
Reply #1 Friday, March 3, 2017 9:47 AM

Excellent!!!!  

Sed
Reply #2 Friday, March 3, 2017 10:11 AM

Best of the best skinners too

Jaroepz
Reply #3 Friday, March 3, 2017 10:17 AM

Great stuff thank you guy's!

 

DrJBHL
Reply #4 Friday, March 3, 2017 10:47 AM

PaxMayne
Reply #5 Friday, March 3, 2017 10:58 AM

Sorry but WindowBlinds is dead, I stopped using it. There are no good skins coming out anymore. And Stardock doesn't seem to care. They can't be bothered to make their own from time to time to keep their customers happy. Too bad...

Daiwa
Reply #6 Friday, March 3, 2017 11:28 AM

Not dead here.

Pontorezka97
Reply #7 Friday, March 3, 2017 11:42 AM

I totally agree with you PaxMayne 

windowblinds he dead

or rather lives only here on the site and beyond it has long been forgotten and stardock or do anything for their clients to save and bring them

werewolf
Reply #8 Saturday, March 4, 2017 5:28 PM

hmmm, I've seen a ton of really great skins come out so far this year. I will always be a loyal customer of Stardock though, not just some Saturday morning fanboi.Through the good and the bad. Always good products.

teddybearcholla
Reply #9 Saturday, March 4, 2017 6:16 PM

Uvah
Reply #10 Saturday, March 4, 2017 6:59 PM

werewolf

hmmm, I've seen a ton of really great skins come out so far this year. I will always be a loyal customer of Stardock though, not just some Saturday morning fanboi.Through the good and the bad. Always good products.

Amen to that.

delve-miller
Reply #11 Monday, March 6, 2017 6:11 PM

  Consider me a fan.

roflmfaoo
Reply #12 Wednesday, March 8, 2017 10:30 AM

I have been a fan for many years, but I have seen the decline of skins being released as time has gone by, there are only a select few that release consistently. I do feel that although Stardocks time is taken up by other resources, If loyal members were given more of a chance and incentive to produce high quality skins people would be more so inclined to consistently release more. I feel that peoples efforts go by unnoticed, although I know that this isn't the only reason, peoples lives have gone on. People have families and things in life which affect whether they can release new content etc... I personally haven't done anything for a long time because I felt that aside the select few that encouraged me with kind words, I felt that my work wasn't worthy. There is a ranking system in place to encourage people to progress and better themselves and despite my efforts this wasn't acknowledged. This wasn't the only reason, I too have grown older and now have a home to run, work to do, life to live and cannot devote much time to skinning anymore which is sad. I only wish that Stardock/WinCustomize realise this and take action. Encourage people to create more skins, employ a rewards system. This will surely help build a bigger skin base and active community for people that love UI. Sorry for the long write up but I just wanted to express my opinion. 

ronshillington@comcast.net
Reply #13 Wednesday, March 8, 2017 11:07 AM

I too have been saddened by the "decline" of activity here. I don't think it is a decline of quality, just quantity. I will say I wasn't surprised at the unintended consequences of an aggressive Pay To Play program. "Ordinary" skinners are now between a rock and a hard spot. The fantastic skins that are for sale have lots of talent AND lots of time in them.....because they can generate a tangible reward for that time. The other folks just don't feel like they can compete, I believe.

I have a suggestion.

I discovered that Start(x) makes even OLD skins run WELL! Not perfect, but amazingly close to "working smoothly"........ Could Island Dog coordinate an effort to contact past skinners and get them to donate to a, newly created repository for past skin sources... with permissions? What a great way for people to learn the "tricks and traps"!

I realize that everyone gets the source to a skin but they DON'T get the permission to buff old stuff up and post it, so they don't try.

I think that could put enough new stuff in front of members to keep them coming back, more often, for a look.

I'm just sayin'!

Daiwa
Reply #14 Wednesday, March 8, 2017 1:17 PM

This has been through no fault of Stardock.  They've done a remarkable job at overcoming the obstacles MS keeps throwing in front of them and keeping alive the ability to modify the GUI to suit the user.

That said, the degree of difficulty and amount of time necessary to create quality skins have both risen dramatically with Win8 & Win10, not to mention the need to maintain compatibility with Win7.  I was an avid skinner for a long time, spending many enjoyable hours doing so, mostly for my own use (I've published a couple), but since the release of Win7, the time demands have been such that skinning has dropped off my list of hobbies.  I suspect that is the case for any number of other devotees.  I am content to use published skins now, but I'd be interested in a tool that can update old skins with little fuss, if that's indeed possible.

Neil Banfield
Reply #15 Wednesday, March 8, 2017 1:30 PM

It should be noted that a Win10 skin should be identical to a Win8 one, and a Win7 one will no doubt be basically the same too.  Even a WinXP skin will work pretty well on Modern OSes with WB as WB will recreate missing sections where possible from other parts of the skin.

DaveBax
Reply #16 Wednesday, March 8, 2017 1:46 PM


I am content to use published skins now, but I'd be interested in a tool that can update old skins with little fuss, if that's indeed possible.

Actually if I remember correctly you made your last skin in 2007. You want to start the hobby again just PM me and I will be there to help. 

As far as a program to update old skins. From what I know that can't be done. Really comes to knowing SKS and where an image is required and not required. Of course finding all the text settings are another story. lol. 

starbucksphreaq

I realize that everyone gets the source to a skin but they DON'T get the permission to buff old stuff up and post it, so they don't try

Most old skinners can't even be found. If a old skin is going to only be buffed up as you say that is to what? Another OS it works on or just a few added images. To do that one needs to know SKS in and out. I say buff one up for yourself and see how you like it. My opinion is say it doesn't work well on win7. Buffing isn't what is needed. Reconstruction is required. Hence knowing SKS very well. You're though process isn't bad but SD can't get those permissions. You try and send a PM to an non active Skinner stating what you would like to do and see what happens. 

More skinners are needed and welcome, so lets get started. 

Daiwa
Reply #17 Wednesday, March 8, 2017 2:46 PM

Neil -

Thanks for that and for all you've done to keep WB alive and kicking.

 

DaveBax -

You are correct (Granulated, I think).  Long enough ago that I don't think I could recreate the images if I was so inclined (was a complicated & tedious bit of work using PSP8).

Appreciate the offer of help.  Now that I'm not as busy as I used to be I have no time for anything it seems, but you never know.

ronshillington@comcast.net
Reply #18 Wednesday, March 8, 2017 5:46 PM

Well, I appreciate your consideration, for sure.

I will get off this soapbox with one last possibility... could you just upgrade the pictures that show the older blinds to the current resolutions? That shouldn't take somebody more than a couple of days. It looks to me like we need more users WAY more than we need more skinners and maybe this little tweak would help.

I think we are seeing yet another revolution in user demand for a WOW experience. Neil and the crew are now competing with VR/Hi Def/Real Time/Surround Everything.....you get the idea.

I think the fact is, that the UI market moved to touchscreen Boxland because that was what was being offered by the Biggies. I think that market is now moving back to more highly rendered sub-environments because the horsepower for such graphical embellishments is now getting cheaper and smaller.

If you guys can keep a customer base interested in SOME kind of graphical sparkle that changes easily there may still be hope that a swing in the User Interface Canvas will regenerate a growing market for a Windowblinds/Start approach.

Boy, would that be nice!

Daiwa
Reply #19 Wednesday, March 8, 2017 9:37 PM

I can confirm from first-hand experience that it is possible to get 'permission to use' from old skinners. 

Only requirement might be public attribution of the IP to the original skinner.  Some, maybe a bunch, may still be reachable by PM here.

Daiwa
Reply #20 Wednesday, March 8, 2017 9:45 PM

DaveBax

Of course finding all the text settings are another story. lol.

Oh, really? ... ...

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