FrogBoy's Blog

Over the 8 or so years I've been on Customize.org I routinely will run into some user who discovers that, egads, I actually make computer software and (gasp) SELLS it. While other people presumably work for a living elsewhere, they come here as part of their hobby. In my case, my hobby is also my job. Most people think it's pretty cool. I mean, I get to hang out and talk shop with other people who are into this sort of thing. But sometimes, you run into the quasi-socialist sect that...

With the Customize.org re-launch, it's hard not to get nostalgic to the earliest days of Customize.org when skinning was just getting started. One of the very first skinning programs was WindowBlinds. Back then, Windows didn't take too kindly to skinning and the machines were not really ready to handle things like transparencies and such. But over the years, WindowBlinds has gotten better and better and in turn increased in popularity. Now Stardock has released WindowBlinds 5.5. It ...

Over the years, there have been a lot of heated debates on Customize.org about the nature of "commercial" skins, themes, icons, you name it. Those who dislike it accuse those who are in favor of it as being "greedy" or "selling out". I've always supported commercial skinning because I believe it's the best way to get more high quality free stuff too. What I'm greedy for is to have good stuff. In the old days, I made my own skins, themes, and icons. Many of the very first WindowBlin...