can we please stick to the topic that we need some kind of protection for our master skins?

Jafo is trying to help us, so is Neil and so is Island Dog.

Lets try to get a solution to this asap. Neil, if you could have some kind of protective system in place for our master skins by the next release of windowblinds....i will be jumping up and down matee!! ill be sooo bloody happy and greatful!!

so im going to thankyou in advance.

This post is not about if you agree with piracy or not, its to help our site deal with it and possibly stop it.

thankyou

I have sent an e-mail to a few people at Stardock to discuss the possibility, but due to elemental it is unlikely I will hear back until mid next week.

bubbabyte isn't 'agreeing with piracy'... more simply questioning whether it's worth the bother to chase...

I can answer that. Mind you, I don't work for Stardock, so it's not an "official" answer, but Stardock's cut of master skin sales probably goes into offsetting the cost of hosting the files and promoting the skins. Naturally, authors are free to (and several do) host the files on their own sites where the net profit goes 100% to them.

Here's my view on this. Ultimately the end decision on how this will be handled falls at the feet of those creating the skins. How that decisions works out and effects sales won't be known until it's implemented. As far as this piracy thing anyone would have to agree it's an uphill battle. It's sort of like the battle anti virus developers have every day...build a better mouse trap and some clown is already building a better mouse.

If I were creating skins I would like to think I wasn't being ripped off...and if I found out I was I would surely want to do everything possible to stop it...at the same time knowing full well the battle I faced from piracy sites in doing it. Should I just say screw it? Hell no! I would look for any way I could to either stop it or at least slow it down. The guys making these skins are no different than an artist painting a picture for money...except the money they earn is far less. And anyone that thinks they are making lots from doing this is way off the mark...so every penny counts!

If some sort of encryption method is used, it would be something I would think that would have to be approved from the author, depending on how restricted the method is, some authors may not want to do it.  I don't think it's something that could be rushed out, it would need severe testing and input from paying customers I would think.  As far as blocking the ability to edit in skin studio, whilst still protecting the authors skin is quite a feat and i'm not sure how well it could be implemented, but in my opinion blocking ability to edit would be a huge issue for people purchasing the skin.  I have several master skins in my collection, most of which i've edited to my personal liking and I just don't think anyone would benefit from taking away that ability.  Someone had mentioned removing the ability to edit graphics from the author but keeping the ability to replace with your own graphics, and while that sounds like a nice alternative, anyone who knows how to use photoshop could just as easily screenshot the theme and recreate the graphic, but it would be annoying to do so and isn't really helping the cause for the author or the customer, so i just don't think it's a viable solution.

Also, regarding the last part of your comment, it's understandable to be upset.  As i said earlier i've been in the position of the author having my work pirated when i was selling themes a few years back, and yes it does suck, you do get upset, but because i've been in this position I now have the understanding that there is really very little that can be done to stop the train that is the internet.  I completely get it, I really do.  So my responses haven't been as much "oh it's useless, just give up" as it is "I've been there, done that, and failed miserably".  I'm not trying to be negative or stop anyone from trying to stop what's being done, i'm simply stating that i've been there and i know that i was stressing myself out with no result when i could have been spending that time catering to the clients i did have, that's all.

And the problem with that Karen is that not many people that do customizing will buy those kind of skins for that reason. Not many people are that proficient with SKS to know how to do that. Experienced skinners maybe...but not your average skin buyer. And editing a skin while being able to see it is hard enough...but to do it blindly would just be to frustrating. Someone may buy one skin like that and then after they discovered how hard it was to edit...they might not buy another. No matter how much I might like an encrypted skin...and there have been some...I would never buy an encrypted skin. Another reason I wouldn't buy an encrypted skin is because of the extra software I might need to use it. That's one reason I don't care for MyColors...I already have WindowBlinds. Now if I wasn't into making all the extras for skins I might.

bubbabyte ...

I mentioned in an early post in the thread that there is a 'potential' way to "have your cake and eat it too" with regards to being able to alter/edit a purchased skin.

The methodology would/could be...

All Master skins are encrypted so as to totally 'prevent' unauthorised use [piracy].

People purchase the skins as usual...and those skins can only function on a legitimate [and I guess - NEW] Windowblinds program.  In that way the Master skin's use is protected by the proggy required to run it.

Now, all that will create issues for those [smaller group] of people who want to alter them for their own peculiar taste [typically skinners themselves - as that's what they are doing].  The solution for them is to contact the skin author...after purchase...and with their 'receipt' request an editable version for direct download [eg. via email].

If at the same time the Master skinner wishes to aid in his IP protection he/she can 'encode' an identity with that editable skin so that 'if' it [the Master skin] escapes into the wild it's source can be traced.

It's a lot of work....and much of it is the responsibility of the Master him/herself but then it is his/her property that is to be protected so they can determine if it is 'worth it' or not themselves...as it's theirs to control.

Meanwhile...many, maybe most Users/Customers are not affected in the slightest.

Now, all of this is simply 'ideas'.  Whether or not it is do-able is up to Stardock and Neil, not me.

Is this a direction skinning [in general] could take?

Possibly.

Is it a direction Commercial skinning SHOULD take?

Probably...

All this talk of IP protection and I see  a skin being ripped right here in the WB gallery(they even put the rip next to the masterskin,AND featured it!)...I hope someone here is planning on protecting Z71.

thankyou soooooo much Neil! you ROCK brother

I really would like to hear the opinion of the true masterskinners like vstyler, essorant, treetog or Mike Byrant about this topic. I think the avalanche vamphotika caused, i think about the frustration of her not well selling skins, is not good for the endusers and will surely not increase the sales for masterskins.

Tim, I'm sure manni's oversight was only that. There's no doubt in anyone's mind that you're a true Master Skinner.... Certainly not in mine! 

Wasn't talking about myself, per se........but the term True Masterskinners? WTH?