Any PORT in a storm.....

from WinCustomize Forums

Seems there's a sub-culture of 'skinners' who look down their noses at anything vaguely resembling a 'Port'....as if those who do them are second-class citizens.

Porting is an essential part of skinning.  Without ports there would be NO suites, as then there'd be 'just' a WB and no Winamp to match....or a DX theme and no WB, etc.  Anyone not understanding the importance of porting clearly is ignorant about both the history and actual 'meaning' of skinning.  Do a search for 'Heavy Equipment' in just about any gallery/skin proggy you can think of, and on any skin site you like....then you'll 'know'....

I think this vilification of those who 'port' should stop.

24,739 views 84 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well said...nothing more to add or say
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i have to agree with you on that one jafo !!
DeskScapes - Bring your desktop background to life.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ditto
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
one other thing....did you recieve my e-mail jafo ??
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i guess pot has an effect on one's concept of ports
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hear Hear! Porting is the first step into the skinning realm and definitely essential. And I agree...*cough* certain illegal substances (at least in the US! *cough*) may adversely affect one's ability to *cough* judge!
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well said Admin Jafo ,right on target..
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ooooooo... something must have happened somewhere on WC lately that I haven't noticed.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

You never notice, Joe...

OZZY ... yes...I'll get back to you shortly...

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Admin Jafo I just found the following and wanted to get your imput on it...

This variation on the Deanach3 style by Sonus Kace has been
modified by me, Zsantz, in accordance with the Open Source
license under which he released Deanach3. You can do whatever
you want with the code and images. Enjoy! I enjoyed making it.
And I have more respect for the creators of visual styles than
ever before.
Thank You in advance and awaiting your reply.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Butch...the 'Open Source' or GNU licence is what Linux and other proggies are distributed under.

The licence is quite clear and specific about how you use and distribute the property.  Prime requisite is that the GNU licence itself is included and it is noted that distribution is under that licence.

I'll dig up a link...or Google can for you.....just read it and it will be clear...

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Heavy Equipment - those were the days! I'd love to see something like that happen again. I'd gladly do some more ports
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well said, Jafo.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Very well said Jafo. One of my favorite skinners on this site is an absolute master at porting. I got your back on this!
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think many people often forget the difference between a "port" and what would qualify as a "rip", the difference is usually one little text file saying "you can".

I don't think I'd put porting as a neccesity, as some people like pixstudio seem to be able to make and apply an entire suite doing everything himself. Porting seems important to me when 1 person has a strength at one thing, and another has a strength at doing something else, OR likewise doesn't care to port it, but doesn't mind if it's done. Like a person making 200 system icons, but someone else is wanting to make it compatible with IconPackager. The original author might not want to make it for IconPackager, but if someone else wants to port it for them, they often either don't mind, or would be happy for you to.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
ok great jafo....i'll be waiting
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Pfft... [môt du jour]

I still value originality over imitation any day of the week. Especially in suites. Family members share a resemblance, they do not look identical (identical twins excluded). So if you have to port, be sure not to just clone things.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
"I still value originality over imitation any day of the week"

Amen to that. Even my dog can use marquee tools and copy/paste.

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ports are fine if you wish to sacrifice integrity for cheap popularity. Can you honestly say five minutes spent in SkinStudio porting a skin is worth 40-60hrs creating a WB skin? At the end of the day the rating and popularity will be the same. I know what my conscience determines. At times I think people have lost sight of what skinning is all about
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
...suddenly thirsty for a port. Maybe Anchor Steam.
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Can you honestly say five minutes spent in SkinStudio porting a skin is worth 40-60hrs creating a WB skin?


I have to agree with you there, if the time isn't spent finishing what SKS doesn't do. Snidely Whiplash's ports are the perfect example of how to do ports from Msstyles to WBA the right way. I really think though, the type of ports Jafo is referring to is porting to supporting apps and not the SKS One Button Approach
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
At times I think people have lost sight of what skinning is all about



fuzzy i couldnt agree more .. i remember when it was supposed to be fun ... not about what everybody thinks ... It seems that many have lost site of that.
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top

This is a port...in fact both the Winamp and Litestep 'skins' are 'ports'.
97 images edited 'per-pixel' for the LS theme, some of which [27] are multi-state animations...... a further 25 involved with the Winamp skin.
Not one part of it is 'point-and-click'.

What happens is that people who dismiss ports as 'inferior' make value judgements which do not necessarily apply to all examples.  Sure, some Skinstudio porting may be better executed than others .... and it may 'seem' like an unfair advantage in comparison to those who start with an original concept - from scratch.

But what do we do next?  Differentiate between those who use SKS vs those who do it by hand?

How about those who use freeware graphic proggies vs those who shell out thousands on high-end Cad or Photoshop, Maya, etc?

The point is....everyone is a 'skinner'...either way....'original hand-made' can be 'shitty' just as easily as 'point-and-click ports can.

The LAST thing anyone 'should' want in this game is to discriminate through elitism and drive potential new blood away.

There was a time when EVERY skin was derived/ported from others...as there WAS no skinning 'tool' to make it easier for ANYONE.

Let's face it....is it all a case of jealousy that now there is a way to import/create skins which were once resigned to the realm of voodoo and dark science?   And now everyone is/can be indoctrinated to the 'brotherhood'....

Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Please allow me to throw this wrench into the mix.

Is a person that ports a skin a skinner or a porter? If they create the images then yes of course they are but if you use the images created by someone else to construct a theme, are they still considered a skinner?

I have to say no to that. A negative perspective would be to see them as second class citizens. A positive perspective would be to see them as porters.

I hope I made sense. No offense towards anyone at all. I got a headache.



Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Are her eyebrows part of the mask?