Selling "Masterskins" on WinCustomize

but I'm outraged that someone thinks that the new, best thing is to try to SELL it to me!

No-one is trying to do anything of the sort.  Your own free initiative will determine whether you wish to purchase anything within a commercial world...or not...

let me guess farquard, you want everything for free?

Nothing is forcing you to purchase a Master skin.

They're rated at 5 stars because that's what people have rated them. The download count on Master skins is totally off right now for some reason. It's significantly higher than the numbers reported.

Oh the humanity!(and all those other Hindenburg disaster quotes)  
Dogs and cats living in sin!(Caddyshack I think)  

Me goes to find a cave in the mountains to await the Apocalypse.(he should sell some of his "updated" skins too)  

::The number one reason people will complain about this.::

"I want it and I (think) I can't afford it. If I can't get it free, I'll complain."

It's the old, standing out side the window of the department store, wishing you had what was inside. That mentality has been around for years.

Farquard:but I'm outraged that someone thinks that the new, best thing is to try to SELL it to me!

There is plenty of stuff on this site for sale. Are you outraged because you have to pay for the WB program too ? I really fail to see why your knickers are in bunch over this. No one is forcing you to purchase anything. Just like a Store/Shoppe - Items are offered for sale. Keep walking or pull out the wallet - your choice.

We live in a world where people pay money for colored plastic to clip onto their cell phones to make them pink.

Anyone ever notice that the ones who complain are the ones who don't make skins, don't write tutorials, etc.?

For customization to continue to grow and thrive, more people need to learn how to make skins, themes, etc.  That they may have the eventual chance to earn extra income from it creates an incentive.

Couldn't agree more Brad, hit the nail on the head. They just don't understand the work that goes into it, so it's all just "me, me, me, give it to me now...for FREE!" Leechers is what they are, all take and no give. I'm no skinner, but no complaints here about the master skins.

I could totally understand somepone's point of view if they paid $50 for say Object Desktop and all the decent stuff cost money to get. I'd feel nickeled and dimed.

But on a site that gets a ton of uploads each day, that 1 maybe 2 of all the uploads might be master skins, it seems premature complain. Especially since the ONLY people who can submit a master skin are the people who have already given so much to people for free for a long time.

I could totally understand somepone's point of view if they paid $50 for say Object Desktop and all the decent stuff cost money to get. I'd feel nickeled and dimed.

Exactly, but that's hardly the case here.

Aren't there only 3 master skins in the Windowblinds category? I can't see it now because the gallery totals aren't listed anymore, but that's like 3 out of 6000 or something, hardly anything to complain about.

Anyone ever notice that the ones who complain are the ones who don't make skins, don't write tutorials, etc.?

Well I do neither - skin or write tuts - but you'll not hear me complaining cos I'll readily pony up for a skin/proggie that grabs my interest/liking.....

The way I see it, in this commercialised/user pays world, if someone ain't prepared to part with the cash for a salable item, then they obviously don't want it badly enough ....and if that's the case, bitching about cost is a waste of valuable breath cos it ain't gonna suddenly make stuff free.

I'm not too fussed about the high price of Vista Ultimate, but I'll cop it sweet and will pay the RRP cos I really want it....when my finances have recovered from moving interstate, that is.

Dogs and Cats living together! - Ghostbusters

I become much surprised when I'm reading such messages... Are you tried to ask itself a simple questions?

Why the people who spent a lot of time to create hundreds of free skins and reached a Master level have no rights on a little financial compensation? And why they must work for you gratis every time?

The country where I live is not a rich. However I'm always ready to pay a several dollars for any thing which can decorate my desktop. Naturally I don't buy it if I have no free money. But I'm never upbraiding the person who is trying to sell it for me because I respect his heavy labour and his rights...

Anyone ever notice that the ones who complain are the ones who don't make skins, don't write tutorials, etc.?

I disagree with the above statement and throw my agreement into what starkers said. I generally do not create skins and have never written a tutorial. I do support the site via subscription(s), Object Desktop purchase(s), premium skins and suites, etc. because of the value that I see. I will continue to do so.

Oh - I forgot to add that I generally don't complain....

I think what Brad was trying to say was that skinners themselves, the people who have the first-hand knowledge of what it takes to create a skin, aren't the ones to complain.  If someone is complaining, chances are they've never skinned before.  Not that all non-skinners complain, but those that do complain often tend to themselves be non-skinners.

Those that make skins, write tutorials etc have an appreciation for the work that goes into those things.  To those who haven't, they don't understand necessarily the amount of work involved.  A task you've never done can often seem easy because you don't get what's involved.  So those complainers who don't skin etc probably think it's "easy" and since it's "easy" then it's completely unreasonable to charge for it.

For everyone who thinks this stuff is easy... open up a skin in skin studio one of these days and look at all the bits and elements.  I can't skin to save my life, but I know it's a lot of work and people should be rewarded for their time, effort and skill.  Plus, $9 for a skin?  You spend that much on your morning Starbucks run, and the skin is a heck of a lot more permenant.