Newbie Question

Can people use the skins without any Stardock software?

from Stardock Forums
I have some clients (bands) who want skins (desktop and media player) that they can distribute to their fans via their web sites. However, they don't want the fans to have to buy a program just to use the skins. Would the Universal Skin Format allow for this? From what I've read online, it seems it will work for WMP and widgets, but I'm just not sure about the desktop. How about icons, cursors, etc?
Although I've been doing graphic and web design for years, I'm brand new to skinning, so please excuse the ignorance.
Thanks
skinstudio
7,704 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sounds more like a Directskin application. You'll want to contact sales@stardock.com and see if they can help you. There's also dshelp@stardock.com which can answer technical questions concerning Directskin.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Windows media player and winamp can be skinned without any external apps. Windows (TM) windows will need a third party app.

Alienware packages a bunch of their stuff with a custome ThemManager (I think).

You are going to need some apps to do all you want I think.
Fences - Organize your desktop icons today!
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
Since Theme Manager is free, would they be able to use it to install a USF skin and not pay for anything? My idea is that the bands would be able to tell their fans to "put us on your desktop." Sure, they'd have to download something, but if it's free, I don't see much of a problem. I'm mainly concerned with providing the following:
Desktop (wallpaper, taskbar, program frames)
Windows Media Player
Would that be possible?
If I were to add icons, would they have to pay for an app that would apply them?
I purchased Object Desktop so I have the app to start skinning, I just want to make sure that the fans will not have to pay anything to a third party.
Thanks
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Theme Manager is free for personal use, not for redistribution. You may want to contact me directly at lkuperman@stardock.com to discuss this further.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
You misunderstand. I wouldn't be distributing it. As I said earlier, "they'd have to download something, but if it's free, I don't see much of a problem." Next to the link to download the desktop file, there would be a list of system requirements, including "Theme Manager" with a link to your site. That would be okay, wouldn't it?
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You misunderstand. I wouldn't be distributing it. As I said earlier, "they'd have to download something,



For them to download, it would have to be uploaded first - that's the distrubution point.

You can create a free suite - but the end users would still need the relevent software programs to utilize each part of the suite (Windowblinds to use WB skins, Iconpackager to use an icon package, CursorXP to use cursorxp cursors, etc).

Not all of the softwares have a free version - they have a trial version - so major parts of the theme won't work after 30-60 days.

So, in order for all of the theme to be useable indefinitely, one of 2 things needs to be done:

1) For some of the theme components - the end user would have to buy the relevent softwares that don't have a free version OR

2) Your clients would need to purchase the relevent license to utilize something like Theme Manager OEM which would also install a licensed version of relevent software that won't run out (and would only work with the themes [of your clients] that it's licensed for. (example is the one mentioned above - Alien Ware - all the components are installed and can be run, but it can't be use to install other themes not from Alien ware). Hence (I blieve) koop's post:

Theme Manager is free for personal use, not for redistribution. You may want to contact me directly at lkuperman@stardock.com to discuss this further.


My post is not official, it's just what I've gathered from readings.
It is also only taking in account that which is needed to have a theme on the desktop.

I also believe from what I've read - once you start using skins and such for client promotion - ("put us on your desktop.") you have stepped beyond "personal use" which would also put you back to contacting koop to further discuss the strong possibility of acquiring a needed license.

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

"For them to download, it would have to be uploaded first - that's the distrubution point."

You misunderstand. The link to download TM would be to the STARDOCK site, NOT to download it from the band's site. I'm not an idiot. As I stated in one of my posts "Next to the link to download the desktop file, there would be a list of system requirements, including "Theme Manager" with a link to your site."
I would NEVER have the SOFTWARE download from the band's site! How more clear do I have to make it?

"You can create a free suite - but the end users would still need the relevent software programs to utilize each part of the suite (Windowblinds to use WB skins, Iconpackager to use an icon package, CursorXP to use cursorxp cursors, etc)."

AGAIN, I'm not talking about WB skins, I'm talking about skins saved in USF.
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
"For them to download, it would have to be uploaded first - that's the distrubution point."

Again, you misunderstand. The link to download TM would be to the STARDOCK site, NOT to download it from the band's site. I'm not an idiot. As I stated in one of my posts "Next to the link to download the desktop file, there would be a list of system requirements, including "Theme Manager" with a link to your site."
I would NEVER have the SOFTWARE download from the band's site! How more clear do I have to make it?

"You can create a free suite - but the end users would still need the relevent software programs to utilize each part of the suite (Windowblinds to use WB skins, Iconpackager to use an icon package, CursorXP to use cursorxp cursors, etc)."

AGAIN, I'm not talking about WB skins, I'm talking about skins saved in USF, as stated previously.