Skin reviews for those who suffer Skin Addiction!!

ok, so how do I insert new blog posts , without having them show up as comments?... as anyone who looks can see I am a blogging noob

Try posting here: http://wulfn1.joeuser.com/
If you choose the right category it'll migrate over to WC (I think)

where are you wanting them to show up?

ok well I'm still confused but I am gonna start what I said I was gonna do.

One of the latest skins I downloaded was Dark Shine by Sunx. I am currently using Black Glass windowblind by Butch123.

Dark shine looks sharp against the black translucent skin. The reds really stand out and the graphics are very nice.

I find that while I like this IP , it's not one I will use with many WBs because the red just doesn't work with certain skins.

I have looked in my themes list and noticed that I have a tendancy to download the more quirky packages and WBs . I'm not sure why this is, but it's there.

I like the originality of these themes and find that for the most part, they can mix and match well.

oh, word to the wise, the new Icon Packager build, includes a field you can click to skew the icons in certain ways. Now I don't know if this is a Vista only thing and that is why it doesn't like to work right , or not ,but I have found that  if you select one of the skew fields there(it's in colors) it will create Icons with jagged edges and it will literally mirror the images so they appear with letters or numbers backwards.

Now for Black Glass. I like the "clear" version that Butch123 made and was hoping the black glass would be like that with a nice smokey look. It's close but it isn't quite as nice as the Clear one is.

The thing I like about the clear WB is , I change wallpapers every hour, and with Clear, because the background shines through, it's like having a different WB everytime there is a change. This really satisfies my urge to change things so often,  I think that's why it's one of my favorites.

 

where am I wanting them to show up? not sure actually. I just know there's alot of people who blog, and I thought I would try my hand at it. I'm not a big "my diary" type person, but still would like to write a bit.
if I've totally screwed up, could one of the mods please lock this so it doesn't continue?
I will try Joeuser ,maybe that's where I should be.

ok the joe user link shows the exact same page that the impulse page shows, which is where I started this blog. I give up. will just shut up. Sorry for getting this nonesense in the forums on ya'll....

don't do that........this is the Community section.........I would think it's appropriate

Agree with Lantec.  Please continue.  

Thanks Lantec,
But it doesn't seem nearly important or amusing as most of the posts in here. I just wanted to create something people could read if they felt like it, comment if they wanted to and wouldn't take up useful space in forums.
I know there's got to be more out there like me who are compulsive downloaders, who might find the information I wanted to write interesting and informative even in just a social way (sort of like saying to a girlfriend, I just bought this adorable pocketbook, and it has pockets everywhere!Its made by so and so, and looks great with almost every outfit I own!.. but if you get it, know that this will look kind of different with that outfit and there isn't a pocket for my cellphone, but I really like it, you might too)

I didn't think that fit into the forums section.

Actually, I kinda like reading about what others think of a Windowblind, IP, SMX, etc. These kind of comments would be good to put in the comments of the skin you downloaded too. I know *I* would like feedback of this kind on anything I make.  

Thanks Xiandi!!
knowing people feel that way, I'll post a new "review".:

Ok, so I just saw Color Purple Flowers by Pearldrop. I downloaded it , of course!, and installed.
It is kind of fussy, but we girls need something fussy now and again, so it’ll do quite nicely in my collection.

The hue of lavender thats been used is superb. It isn’t over the top garish, and it’s girly in an upscale way. Kind of reminds me of the soaps I used to order from that cavendish catalog when I was younger.

I did a recolor on Parisienne by Boxxi. I shifted the hue to inbetween blue and pink until it looked right. It matched perfectly, while it lasted, for some reason Icon Packager keeps crashing when I recolor. I set the CursorFX to Antique Gold again by Boxxi. It works surprisingly well with the theme.

I will note though, this isn’t a theme I can have “wallpaper changer” in WB set to every hour. It kind of needs a certain style of Wall. I did notice it looks nice with a plain background as well as the one that is shown on the preview screen. I haven’t found which Object Dock background looks best with this skin but if I do, I’ll add it to the list.

[edit] A side note: This skin is supposed to be Vista, but works nicely with my XP sp2. Maybe it's because I clicked on the "vistaize me" button in WB. Either way, there's very few Vista specific skins that don't work with this computer,I think the vistaize thing is the reason.

This is something I’ll probably use again, for mother’s day. It’s defiinitely in the theme of that day.

This is the Community section and it doesn't have to be important or amusing...just community related. I'll make one suggestion...if reviews are what you're gonna do, put that in the post title and no one can complain. I'd further suggest adding a date or # so YOU can track your posts more easily.

for example.."Review of Current Windowblinds - 14APR2008" or "wulfn1 reviews #1" etc.



I do too. I always scan the comments before downloading something, although I rarely comment unless I find a problem or if something is IMO exceptional. I tend to think those comments are normally...like, don't like, have an issue....

What I see you posting so far is more than just "individual" skin comments and I think this is a good place to do that.

Hello,my name is Wizard1956 and I'm a skinaholic. I too have been seduced by the big red button! LOL Good Luck with your blog and don't worry, it will get funnier.Looking forward to dropping by.      

I would definitely do this in Joe User. There are plenty of categories to put it in. IMHO, a personal blog account with a title that let's folks know what your main area of conversation will cover would be the best way. I don't think there is anyone else doing what you want to do, so it would definitely be unique in that aspect.

Instead of a running commentary in one thread (Just adding to one thread can make your reviews hard to follow and the comments even more difficult to follow), I would pick two or three skins to review with each article (perhaps themes, artists, some you feel get lesser recognition)..and be prepared for the response. You will most definitely provoke some interesting opinions on your personal take on each skin, but as long as you keep it light and fun, I think it would be pretty interesting to a lot of folks.

You might even get a few artists to comment on what inspired the skin, etc.

Good luck.

Even though I'm not really a skinaholic, I think your reviews will be refreshing to read. So by all means keep going, and good luck.   

I would also recommend using JoeUser. I was even thinking of doing a DesktopX review-blog myself.

Vistaize me only turns parts of the skin transparent...if a skin wasnt really designed for it...the results can be ugly.  

Ok I have had some really great comments regarding this subject. I think what I'm going to do is start a once weekly article about some of the combinations of skins I've used.

I will try to include personal experience , and some neat features of each skin and why I chose each skin to compliment the other.

This is actually begun in Joeuser, which I found out when I was given the link to joeuser, it was the same page as the one I started the thread in, but it did end up here. I will have to hunt through joeuser to find out how to set it up properly, as po' smedley suggested, and I will endeavor to document the date I set the article in some way.

I believe it will be a fifty two week thing, of some sort(haven't worked out the details yet...). This thread/blog thing has really piqued my interest, and as I mentioned to Lantec, I've tried over the years to find my niche here. Because I'm not very proficient at creating skins, but enjoy putting together those that others made, maybe this is the venue I've been looking for.


I totally appreciate everyone's comments, and would encourage anyone else who has a review of a new or old skin(constructive please) to do the same.

Wizard1956 see me at the end of the session for information on our next support meeting and I'll let you know when it's your turn to bring the coffee and donuts!

Hi, am I in the right place for the 'SA' Meeting?

I like what you are writing wulfie, It is good to see a 'girlies' point of view on skins:)

Welcome elvee I've got the coffee on. I'm doomed. I just joined ODNT today, I may break the download button tomorrow  

So many possible responses to that...so little time.

I think it would be cool just to have an open conversation on individual skins among everyone. I think what wulfn is laying out can go over very well.

Nice thread

luv yr idea wulfn.......you go girl......   

and tis good reading too!!