Master Skins

PoSmedley

Join Date 04/2005

+788

I've noticed this myself, but seriously doubt we will EVER see that particular info for a few reasons, including the right to privacy by the author.

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always wondered that myself. i guess it's out plain curiousity of how much mula their making.still have to keep in mind that stardock gets 50 percent of each sale. hey it's the american way!

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Quentin94

Join Date 08/2006

+117

Hi Web about time

I noticed that to but i agree with Po'.
Just i'm wondering maybe stardock could make a resume each months of how works masters skins

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PoSmedley

Join Date 04/2005

+788

If the sales are as high as Frogboy hinted in his article, I have to wonder, do you use a 10-99 or file it as a consignment income?

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Bebi Bulma

Join Date 04/2004

+209

I think it doesn't show the download count because the skins are downloaded via an email link and it would be hard to count up those statistics to display like regular skin downloads. But it would be interesting to see those stats.

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1263

But it would be interesting to see those stats.

Perhaps one of the Masters would be willing to indicate download/success/income at some stage...as an indicator to others... or at least privately on request...but it's entirely up to them...

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vStyler

Join Date 11/2004

+910

Its pretty much standard business practice not to divulge how much money you are making, It always works against you in some regard. I highly doubt you will see these figures

Having said that, Im not making very much at the moment in case anyone is interested.

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PoSmedley

Join Date 04/2005

+788

I could see the hate threads now if the skins showed how much money they generate. I wonder how long it would take for someone to say that after a skin makes X-amount of dollars, the skin should be free.

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1263

I wonder how long it would take for someone to say that after a skin makes X-amount of dollars, the skin should be free.

You mean they haven't said that already?....

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Perhaps one of the Masters would be willing to indicate download/success/income at some stage...as an indicator to others...

Great idea for ebay, "How I skinned my way to success" book

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ShelbyGT_The_Car

Join Date 01/2004

+103

Actually I don't care how much money they make! All I care about is that people will stop trying to mess up a really good thing here. The master skins offer is one of the best things that has ever happened to this site and to the master skinners!!!
As long as they make good skins and are priced fairly - I'll buy it!
Should not matter what is said or how it is for any reason.
If you like what you see and got the money to buy it. Then I see no problems.
I hope in the future the master skinners get more respect from some of the visitors and espically members at this site. Every master skinner has worked hard for many years now to get where they are today. It is very nice that Stardock has provided them with a way to regain what they have in the past provided for free. Even though some have started their own sites and sold many skins to the public. We should be very pleased we still have the better part of the best skinners right here at WC.
With this in mind I support the master skinners program and WC/Stsradock for doing the right thing and allowing people to purchase the master skins made available.
I hope to see a lot more and a lot of new ideas with of course more master skinners too!
We should be happy and not in wonder about too much for it may bring about the wrong thing which can as usually does stop something that is a good thing.
Enough said on my part and I hope everyone will continue to make better skins.
Keep skinning happy and going for everyone!!!

SGT

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vStyler

Join Date 11/2004

+910

Lest we forget Masters still provide free content also on top of the numerous past submissions.

I think its safe to say its probably a good thing that download counts are not shown and that it will more than likely always be that way. The only time I think I can remember a sales # actually being shown by a company was # of hamburgers sold at Mcdonalds and i guess it's ok because once they have you hooked, your gonna keep going back.

..Hmmm think ill try same ploy with my skins

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It don't bother me how much they make at all, I'm just seeing that we never see them partake in anything anymore, forums and other stuff, please don't some smart ass say it's cos they are putting time into the skins, thats just naive and very dumb. I got no worries them sellin there wares, but they are starting to look the same as the last "Master Skin" but a diff font or color and passing them off as "Master Skins" imho These so called master skins should be different and unique from the last, but what i'm seeing lately they are definatly not.

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Zoomba

Join Date 11/2002

+114

You're getting an idea of popularity by the "Top master skins" list.

And as others have said, download counts would give away sales numbers, and that information is confidential to Stardock and to the artist. If an artist feels they want to share those numbers, it's up to them. No one else.

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ZubaZ

Join Date 11/2001

+892

I got no worries them sellin there wares, but they are starting to look the same as the last "Master Skin" but a diff font or color and passing them off as "Master Skins" imho These so called master skins should be different and unique from the last, but what i'm seeing lately they are definatly not.

The nice thing about a free-market like this is that if the skins start looking the same the sales will drop and the master skinner will:

stop (master) skinning for sales
lower the price for more "common" skins
get creative

No matter how you cut it, it's a partnership and everyone can win.

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vStyler

Join Date 11/2004

+910

The nice thing about a free-market like this is that if the skins start looking the same the sales will drop and the master skinner will:

stop (master) skinning for sales

lower the price for more "common" skins
get creative
No matter how you cut it, it's a partnership and everyone can win.

Reply of the year for me.

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TYCUS

Join Date 09/2004

+43

...mmmh, i would like to have the chance to post a skin as a Master Skin.

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Bebi Bulma

Join Date 04/2004

+209

...mmmh, i would like to have the chance to post a skin as a Master Skin.

Thought you were done skinning though.

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Draginol

Join Date 03/2001

+135

It don't bother me how much they make at all, I'm just seeing that we never see them partake in anything anymore, forums and other stuff, please don't some smart ass say it's cos they are putting time into the skins, thats just naive and very dumb. I got no worries them sellin there wares, but they are starting to look the same as the last "Master Skin" but a diff font or color and passing them off as "Master Skins" imho These so called master skins should be different and unique from the last, but what i'm seeing lately they are definatly not.

Of the thousands of submissions from last month, 5 were Master skins. Of those 5, I think 3 of them were Dynamic Dreams -- hardly "the same but a different color".

As for sales of Master skins, I'd estimate that a typical skin can make between $1k and $20k depending on popularity per year based on what we've seen so far.

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TYCUS

Join Date 09/2004

+43

Thought you were done skinning though

yes i'm done, but who know?

THE END...?

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Quentin94

Join Date 08/2006

+117

The nice thing about a free-market like this is that if the skins start looking the same the sales will drop and the master skinner will:

stop (master) skinning for sales

lower the price for more "common" skins
get creative
No matter how you cut it, it's a partnership and everyone can win.

Reply of the year for me.

Agree too

They are masters, they want skinning for sales->It's their rights

But i think, in past and today become master it's also by the way of help others/the community and be creative.
My only fear with "masters skins" (i agree with the concept since the beginning) it's masters become only skinners for sales and others skinners skin only to become masters and can skin for sales. IT'S NOT the way of this site for me but maybe i have misunderstood manythings since i'm here.

quote of the about:

"Masters
These are the "elders" of the skinning community. People who have been around for awhile. Only a few people will be at this class. To be a Master, not only must the user be a significant contributor to the community, but instrumental to the day to day life of WinCustomize. A Master can do everything a Journeyman can do plus they can nominate and vote on users to be promoted. The honorific "Master" is placed in front of their name A master has to think of WinCustomize as their home skin website.

Master users will also be able to sell their work through the WinCustomize store."

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Of the thousands of submissions from last month, 5 were Master skins. Of those 5, I think 3 of them were Dynamic Dreams -- hardly "the same but a different color".

I'm talking about "Themes" here, my view there wasn't thousands of skins submitted last month, there was around 10 maybe more i haven't looked properly that look the same graphically, just retouched, new fonts, diff colors, but the very same in look and concept. I have no doubt that the master skinners are top notch at what they do, every credit to them, but for a theme to be diff from the last is not happnin, some are just copying the layouts of the last skin and moving things around, that shouldn't be classed as a "Master Skin" just cos he/she has Master status, it should be totally diff from all his/her skins previously. I admit it's quite hard creating fresh stuff, 10yrs of web design taught me that lesson.
I see a few that should have Master Status but don't and are quite happy to see their great work on a website being d/loaded and used in everyday life for free by thousands across the globe.

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Quentin94

Join Date 08/2006

+117

but for a theme to be diff from the last is not happnin, some are just copying the layouts of the last skin and moving things around, that shouldn't be classed as a "Master Skin" just cos he/she has Master status, it should be totally diff from all his/her skins previously.

It's not so easy for them to make a thing totally different after try every things since many years. Thus take a old "layout" and make it better add new features and improve a lot them (included fonts, colors and place of "objects"/"frames"/"whatyouwant" where are the mater.... If they take a old layout and just move one or two thing around, one or two colors, or fonts ok i understand your view. But as i see it's not the case on Masters Skins today. They are totally or not differents but with the better work of these skinners.

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1263

it should be totally diff from all his/her skins previously

That's an opinion, not a prerequisite...

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Some of these posts are funny...like filing a 1099. If I were a master, it might put me into another tax bracket...not a good thing.

Anyway, It's not about the money...I was curious how popular these master skins are and why we don't see the download count. Skinners, generally speaking, like to see how well their stuff is liked. Come on, those of us who have submitted something have checked downloads a few times a day (using refresh button) and maybe everyday for a month or so. This is just to see how many downloads we're getting. I've done it...I'm a proud skinner...sort of. I'm also guilty of checking on other artists and how well their work is liked. The download count obviously indicates this. But, I suppose I can understand why the count doesn't show on Master skins.

But if it were about the money...I was just thinking of my Simple Vista DX theme at 126,000+ downloads @ $7.95 a pop. Wow! I'm thinking Disneyland!

You all take it easy! - Web

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