In Draginols latest blog entry,
DesktopX for games, supporting skinners, and more, he discusses a new skinning strategy to produce quality skins for Windowblinds. "the authors of the top 10 new (non-ported) WindowBlinds skins will start getting a percentage of WinCustomize subscription sales", is an exciting step forward for Stardock, encouraging quality skins and once again showing how they support the community. Its so exciting, even I want to be a skinner.
But I've got a problem with skinning... it's all been done before
Seriously, how many versions of Luna or Aqua can you use? How many grey, blue or even ugly looking wood simulation skins can you produce before its all been recycled? The portion of the Windows interface that Windowblinds (and msstyles) skins is finite, and after a while the creativity becomes limited.
So whats to be done? The easiest, and most viable solution is for Stardock to introduce semi-transparency in Windowblinds. I've talked to a few people behind the scenes, and it can be done. Semi-transparency opens up a world of free-form skinning possibilities, breaking down the finite boundries of the Win GUI.
So do me a favor, push for Stardock to add semi-transparency to Windowblinds. Post it on your blog, in forums, tell your friends. Lets put some very friendly pressure on Stardock to take us into the next generation of skinning.