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An attempt to stop skin ripping
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Menthix
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RE: An attempt to stop skin ripping
quote:
Originally posted by blessedguy
wouldn't a "Report Ripping" button in the database be better?
You know where to contact me.
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04-05-2008 09:37 PM
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blessedguy
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RE: An attempt to stop skin ripping
quote:
Originally posted by MenthiX
quote:
Originally posted by blessedguy
wouldn't a "Report Ripping" button in the database be better?
You know where to contact me.
we know where to...but people who just donwload the skins?
anyway...that was just a suggestion
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04-05-2008 09:45 PM
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Menthix
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RE: An attempt to stop skin ripping
People who just download skins generally wont report a skin rip or have a clue what that even means. I thought about it for a while, but figured most people will just use it for requesting support, asking how to install skins, and any other purpose except reporting an actual rip or problem. The people who are the experts on this, you guys as skinners, know where to contact me, and other people who really care will find their way to the forum or contact the original creator directly.

Thanks for the suggestion though, i didn't mean to burn it down.
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04-05-2008 09:57 PM
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blessedguy
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RE: An attempt to stop skin ripping
quote:
Originally posted by MenthiX
People who just download skins generally wont report a skin rip or have a clue what that even means. I thought about it for a while, but figured most people will just use it for requesting support, asking how to install skins, and any other purpose except reporting an actual rip or problem. The people who are the experts on this, you guys as skinners, know where to contact me, and other people who really care will find their way to the forum or contact the original creator directly.

Thanks for the suggestion though, i didn't mean to burn it down.
Take it EZ, you didn't burn it down.
but what you're saying is true! =O
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04-05-2008 10:01 PM
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aNILEator
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RE: An attempt to stop skin ripping
quote:
Originally posted by ResourcE
I ask to all of you gays for forgiveness
The majority of us are not homosexual. :dodgy: :P </joke>

quote:
Originally posted by CookieRevised

In fact, I think it will increase it, since the learning curve will again be lower with the aid of this basic skin. People who want to learn skinning and want to dive into it right away can use this skin. If they can't do what they want to do with this basic skin they can easly read the documentation. And because they have a working example, it would be even easier to understand I think.


Yes but the way Willz is suggesting will use some very advanced/long winded work-a-rounds for the RLE issues. Defining all those states in the styles etc for _multi RLE's (bearing in mind messenger uses at least 3 different tags to do the same thing, but some only work on some elements others not, (another proof of Microsoft's 'consistency' to it's own systems and standards 8-)) ) Something that I don't think new skinners will notice or understand should they start a skin from scratch, and there is no way anyone can expect Willz to document every change and explain how it works, that's just ludicrous and would be sooo long and technical/boring no one would bother to read it fully or take it in.

I myself have been working on a Template skin, that would use the original resources, with similar purpose in mind to what Willz has proposed, but I really just think I may as well delete it, and weeks of work, now seeing as willz is just going to go ahead and do it instead. 8-)

Although Willz is a good friend and contact of mine I do get pretty annoyed/depressed with his eliteness and skins, mostly because everything will always get compared to his works and people will want his options, his quality, his turnaround, and will always go for the 'willz' skin over some other, and anything less than that will be seen as inferior, and thus get slated or rated badly for something as petty as a custom options panel (or lack there of).

Guess it's just jealousy, although saying that I don't have those feelings about Zer0-G, Ev0-3 or Iron Man. *-)

This post was edited on 04-05-2008 at 10:42 PM by aNILEator.
04-05-2008 10:36 PM
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Willz
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O.P. RE: RE: An attempt to stop skin ripping
quote:
Originally posted by MenthiX
I can imagine there are skinners who wouldn't like people modifying their creations, it's the opposite of what Willz is trying to achieve. /quote]

Yeah I totally do not like this "skin mod" idea :P because If we do allow mods it will simply open the door to people just adding in a crappy image that does not suit our skins into the skin and then releasing it. Menthix has several examples of these mods gone horribly wrong, I'm sure he'd be glad to show you some :P

If the mod idea were to be implemented I'd simply quit skinning, remove my skins and call it a day :P

Like Ev0, Iron Man and Zero-G are my own homegrown designs (Zero-G was with mk as well but yeah) and I spent a lot of time and effort to get it that polished. Its like my own work of art sort of and I really want it to stay the way I made it. Its sort of like saying "hey I don't like the mona lisa, how about you let me paint something on top of it to what I think is better :)"

Ok maybe not that extreme but you get the idea. The point of this skin is to get people who do not know xml and css to be able to create skins easily without having to resort to editing other skins.

To people complaining that it will restrict creativity...... I'm sorry but thats a load of crap. Editing a skin an existing skin with just a single image replace is way more uncreative than editing a skin based on the original WLM. People who don't know css and xml will always go the easiest way out, nothing will change that but at least I can make it so they leave other peoples work alone.

The people who are interested in skinning will expand on what this skin has and will most likely not stick to what I have put down. It's not as if theres a lock on the skin that goes "I'm sorry but you can't add anything else you must stick to what I have put here kthxbai"

One thing I see this skin being used for is its precoded options, people can start a skin without having to worry to code in settings (unless theres some special ones they want). It saves people time and skins can be released more frequent.

There is only one way to hide a button in WLM..... so I don't think people can be much more creative with that :P. I've gotten lots of positive feedback as it is already so I know I'm on the right track. I do agree with cookierevised, this should not be included with Plus because as he said not everyone will skin.

lol and Nile :P you know the saying if you cant beat em join em ;)


This post was edited on 04-05-2008 at 11:34 PM by Willz.
04-05-2008 11:26 PM
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aNILEator
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RE: An attempt to stop skin ripping
quote:
Originally posted by Willz
lol and Nile (Smilie) you know the saying if you cant beat em join em (Smilie)
Shush, I already know our convo's :P the world needn't. :-#
04-05-2008 11:55 PM
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ResourcE
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RE: An attempt to stop skin ripping
I agree with Willz & aNILEator and LOL,i made a mistake ,instead of typing "guys ive typed "gays" looooooool :P

And,aNILEator,you need to know that i will always support you,and will support anyone that will help people understand the skinning better,no matter is he Willz or aNILEator or Basilis or someone else.

But,i ask you Willz and aNILEator :

DO NOT RELEASE that template !!!(or what is it ^o)) for making skins easily . Its not interesting then ,you just replace the images ... and DONE

The fun is when you do all from the beginning ,the testing ,the work,the hours past in front of the PC ,the search throughout "style" and "definition" files , and of course ,the most interessting :P :

"The crashing of WLM when you did something wrong":P

I know all of these cause , I "was" a Skin Ripper,which I'm not know ,and i know what is to do your skin from the beginning and to do it just with replacing images :S

My next skin which is well .. almost done,it's made just by me with no skin ripping :D:);)
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04-06-2008 08:42 AM
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Aardvark
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RE: An attempt to stop skin ripping
Hmm somehow I don't think this will stop people from skin ripping - however it may stop a few. I myself might be guilty of "skin ripping" - if I'm using a skin I like but there are several resources which I find a bit dodgy I may go to the effort to remove those resources and go with the messenger default, but I in no way shape or form "release" the skin, in fact I don't even package it again for my own installation later on (which would probably be a good idea).

Anyway, I agree that if it's a ripped skin, don't accept it into the database. But if that's not enough, create some sort of watermark in the skin which can't be removed as to preserve the integrity of the original creator, and perhaps if the skin has been tampered with the watermark will state it has been so. That's probably not very feasible but I still think it's worth mentioning.
04-06-2008 08:55 AM
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ResourcE
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RE: An attempt to stop skin ripping
I have an IDEA !!! :D

If we can only make somehow the
<Name>xxxxx</Name>
  <Description>yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy<Description>
    <AboutUrl>http://zzzzzzzzzzzz</AboutUrl>

non-changeable,then,the ripping would be stopped about 90% :D and the name of the author will be still there so the ripper can't release it :D
ResourcE
04-06-2008 09:05 AM
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