Porting Themes to Skinnable Apps

from JoeUser Forums
Recently, I've read a couple of comments from some that strike me as contradictory to my concept of desktop customization. The implications being that it is less than meritable to be one that creates ports of others' works. At the same time, I've read comments from others that seem to accept porting as part and parcel to one being able to have a complete theme on their desktop if they so choose or as a stepping stone, a beginning for someone to learn skinning. I feel while the creative concept and originality of idea is mostly lost in a port, as that pretty much belongs to the original author, I see nothing wrong with the many ports out there as I feel they add to the whole experience.
skinning
4,833 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
At the same time, I've read comments from others that seem to accept porting as part and parcel to one being able to have a complete theme on their desktop if they so choose or as a stepping stone, a beginning for someone to learn skinning.


I fall into that camp 100%. Not having any real skills to speak of myself, I certainly wouldn't disparage the efforts of those who are porting, for example, a WB skin to a DX weather object. Sure, it isn't the same thing as coming up with the concept and creating it on your own. But those who I see doing it certainly don't try to pass it off that way. They almost universally thank the original author for their ideas and work, and make it well known they transfered that work to a different object. I think it is a great way to get an idea of how to create your own work.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think ports are a necessity actually and someone has to do them. Quite often when you create something like a WindowBlinds skin you'll get requests for matching skins for applications like Sysmetrix or Rainlender (if you didn't make them already ;)). People who therefore create ports and upload them are completing their own themed system and helping others possibly do the same. I don't think originality should be an issue when talking about ports. They're doing what they're supposed to do and that's all that matters.
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
I am a big believer in porting.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Porting is fine and is a necessary stepping stone into skinning in my opinion.
I don't mind people porting something that I have done just as long as they ask me beforehand to check that I am not doing it myself.

kirrasoul
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i don't really know what porting is........??
i've seen it when i uploaded here "skin is a port"
but what does it exactly means?
(maybe my english is just not good enough!)
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It used to be that there would be a suite came out, usually by Dangeruss or Treetog, who were the onnly ones doing them back then really, some people would fill the gaps by porting to apps they used, then uploading the skins for others to use. Nowadays, almost everything is ported to other apps, and in a lot of cases, it's just to cash in on the skins popularity.
I can't even begin to count the number of e-mails I've had asking permission to port. Note the distinction. not permission to UPLOAD, but to port, with the obvious motives of uploading it in mind from the beginning.
Not all ports are bad, I enjoy the work John Pasley (Snidely Whiplash) does. While everyone was doing one-click conversions of MSstyles then uploading them like they'd actually done any real work, John was taking time and effort to complete the skins to WB specs.
It's just a shame that ports are such a big thing these days. People might not belive me, but it's a thousand times more fun conceiving an idea, then making it yourself and seeing it work. Plus actually creating graphics is a beter stepping stone than just cuting and pasting them, and you'll devlop techniques that hopefully will allow you to make anything you can picture in your head, if you put in the effort.