New style/skins site popping up everywhere!

[unenergizer]

I feel as if I need to make this post. I need to state my position and opinions as an artist and coder.

When I started my site, I was criticized and ostracized. Why? Maybe other developers fear that we may take over the market? Personally I don't have an answer to that question. However, we all know that new skin/style sites are being born almost every month. I believe this is NOT bad at all. I think that more of these sites should pop up honestly. Why do I say this? Simple. At one point in time vBulletin skin sites were actually a niche. I believe that vBulletin customers should have plenty of sites to choose from. Not just 2 or 3, or even 10. With more sites coming up this will force the current designers (including myself) to step up their design services and start making more and more professional skins (this means better skins for the customer). Each and every artist has their own style. Now your style (directly speaking to skin developers) may not fit the needs of every customer or potential customers (this includes myself). Thus I believe it's a great idea that more artists are offering their own style of skins. Heck, it only makes vBulletin more powerful and more unique.

Now, I know that I may once again be criticized for this post. Though this is okay, this mainly shows me that other developers are jealous, scared for their business, or the fact that they don't like competition.

So I will start a poll, just to get an insight of the people who share my opinions or oppose them. This poll will be private so developers can vote honestly.

[MaestroX]

Hi unenergizer,

For the end user, more choice is always going to be good, and with more competition prices will be driven down and quality will be paramount in the production of new styles.

Obviously style sites that have been around for a long time might look upon new competing sites as a threat, but really if they are confident in the quality of their styles, they've got nothing to worry about.

Every site gets good and bad feedback, its nothing to worry about

the only thing that will pop up from this situation is that the bad coders/designers will loose their place... and this is good... not only for the good designers, but for the clients... they will have to choose among more designers, and the quality will raise...

the designers who complain are usually the ones with the less capabilities to be unique and interesting... i know from experience.. lol

[smacklan]

Competition is always a healthy thing...I wish you all the best with your endeavors!

[cheat-master30]

Originally Posted by unenergizer

I feel as if I need to make this post. I need to state my position and opinions as an artist and coder.

When I started my site, I was criticized and ostracized. Why? Maybe other developers fear that we may take over the market? Personally I don't have an answer to that question. However, we all know that new skin/style sites are being born almost every month. I believe this is NOT bad at all. I think that more of these sites should pop up honestly. Why do I say this? Simple. At one point in time vBulletin skin sites were actually a niche. I believe that vBulletin customers should have plenty of sites to choose from. Not just 2 or 3, or even 10. With more sites coming up this will force the current designers (including myself) to step up their design services and start making more and more professional skins (this means better skins for the customer). Each and every artist has their own style. Now your style (directly speaking to skin developers) may not fit the needs of every customer or potential customers (this includes myself). Thus I believe it's a great idea that more artists are offering their own style of skins. Heck, it only makes vBulletin more powerful and more unique.

Now, I know that I may once again be criticized for this post. Though this is okay, this mainly shows me that other developers are jealous, scared for their business, or the fact that they don't like competition.

So I will start a poll, just to get an insight of the people who share my opinions or oppose them. This poll will be private so developers can vote honestly.

I generally agree. While many large sites seem to hate the idea of not having a semi monopoly over the market, competition is a good thing, and it can easily cause quality to improve (*Hopes such competition comes along against Windows to cause it to improve, and other Microsoft programs*). I like how this will probably turn out as well, and I hope it also brings more actual original designs and less palette swaps of the same base skin. As for making vBulletin more powerful and unique, that's also good, as that helps vBulletin already with the wide range of modifications and the like, so maybe the same will happen with styles also drawing customers to vBulletin?

[ZatroX]

true, reason there isnt as much vb styles community is cause of coding. I know alot of designers who are good at making skins but do not release these cause they simply dont know how to code. This includes me, i have tons of skins and (no offense to anyone) are better than most vb skins here. But in vb, it seems coding is better than designing. So its hard to have a vb style community. i Have www.zatrox.biz but im going to release alot of skins but mostly for php nuke cause coding php nuke is way eaiser, tough i use a vb forum