Skins Library?

[gschoppe]

just a thought, but to get the ball rolling, could we add a configs or skins section to the forum, where people could post links to existing and new skins? I think there is a tagging plugin for phpbb that would make searching such a list relatively easy... that way there'd be a starting place and we could move from there at some point, having a database that can be used in whatever solution eventually becomes permanent.

[dragonmage]

I think gschoppe's ideas are reasonable. A forum area where people can post links to a config, and show a screenshot, should be sufficient for the time being.

[sgtevmckay]

Agreed. I also agree with a DB on the library.
Determinately something search-able.

In this I would also like to have, in situations where the skin is available at more than one site, links to all available sites that are hosting the skin.
Lets give credits all the way around, including to the sites that are kind enough to host the skins.

Eventually, I would like to have a resolution, some where down the road, where we allow the "Gurus" to bring there skins home.
Understandably; Not today

I may have other thoughts, but over time. I would like to get Rorix's and NiteShdw's thoughts.

I also do not wish to be a burden to our more than gracious host.

[sgtevmckay]

I have just finished reading, and re-reading the entirety of this thread.

I agree that we need a DB that at the very least points to existing skins; all of them.
Whether we have to track them down and create the screenshot and link, or the Guru does so themselves.

I believe that in the immediate future, attempting to get all the skins to us is an abominable and formidable task, and out of the question.

Other sites (ie. Devart, skinbase, CrystalXP, Customize, etc) have given up time and space to allow gurus to show their stuff. My feeling would be to go ahead and let them continue, as folks going to these site occasionaly also donate and help support those sites.
AT this time I have no wish to deprive those sites of that income.

But here we can either have built in, or attached a DB'ed gallery that can redirect to these sites.
I believe that for the immediately foreseeable future this is the way to go, and a system that could eventually be built on would be even better.

I believe a comprehensive search capability goes without question, and a Search for "similar" or "Related to" should be part of the DB search.
The ability to enter a short description of the skin would also be of benefit, but adding appropriate descriptions, although can be done, would take time, and I would happily donate the necessary time to do it, when the time presents itself.

The ability to see "all" will also need to be included, therefore this will be a fairly extensive gallery, and would take time for us, and the gurus, to build.

I would also establish a rule set, that anytime someone modifies their skin, that they do not start a new thread in the gallery, but update the one in existence, this will keep down the amount of images and links to off site downloads.

For this gallery I would appreciate an integration for Cooliris wall, and..............Damn now I can not remember the name of the software. It allows you, once you click an image, to see a full image and greys out the rest of the screen. Give me a little I will remember, it is used like mad at the firefox addons site, so you can see a full view. Lite something??????
I am fairly certain that it is open source software as cooliris is as well, I can supply the links to the need software from cooliris.

now a couple of my questions:
Would directly linking to the download increase the bandwidth usage her, or would it be better just to list the off site links?
Example:
We give an image and links to all off site areas (known of) to download, but we also integrate a direct link (Copy link and paste here) so that folks can download directly, without going to the download site
Would a direct download, overload the bandwidth from our host?

Now I ban not remember my next question; will write it when I remember.

What type of time frame are we looking at to develop, start, and deploy?

This also raises the question of; do we want to establish some of this Skin Gallery, prior to implementing?
If we do, then we start links on our own, and we could send invites to gurus to maintain or expand the gallery later.

I guess at this point I am not shooting for all skins here, just to be able to catalog and have downloaded/redirected all known skins from here.

Apologies for not being completely put together on this, as I just got home and felt this needs addressed A.S.A.P.

[gschoppe]

i am really short on time, so I'm going to bullet my post... it is not to be rude, just I've no time:

[*] A direct link to the download hosted by another site does not cost you any real bandwidth, but is often considered rude, as you are using the host site's (DA, customize, etc.) bandwidth without providing pageviews or opportunities for ad clicking... in general I'm against this, but a mirror, using a free hosting site, could be useful... i'm thinking rapidshare, or dropbox, or something similar (someone would need a subscription to one of this services) a private FTP would be another option, if anyone has good speed, unlimited bandwidth, and a spare box.

[*] I'm fine with cooliris, but as for the fancy AJAX based image viewers, I have a couple caveats... Firstly, they need to degrade nicely for those with javascript disabled and two, they need to support "open in new tab/window"... both of these boil down to the following code:

Code: Select all

<a href="path to image" onclick="javascriptpopup();return(false);"><img src="path to thumb" alt="skin name"/></a>

with this code, if you open in new tab/window, you get the link target. If you have JS turned off, you get the target. If you fave JS on and left click, you get the AJAX code.

[jsmorley]

How about Wordpress? It would be easy to set up a "blog" where folks could register and when they do are given "write" privileges to post entries. Wordpress is pretty user friendly for creating posts, and you can easily attach pictures, .zip files, youtube videos, whatever... They don't have to be "hosted" somewhere either, they are uploaded to the server from the users PC. (although they CAN be hosted elsewhere and linked to. It also has a nice "comment/discussion" system associated with posts, so folks can comment, ask questions etc.

It has great searching capablities, as it will do normal searching, browse by "category" and browse by "tags".

I already have it so a registered user can post a message and edit / delete it, but has no "admin" capabilities and can only edit their own posts. I need to test / tweak to see how best to enable / restrict users. It's all PHP anyway, so pretty much anything CAN be done, just a question of what...

Take a look at this, I just set it up real quick so you guys could explore if using Wordpress might work. Login with the ID "rainman" and the password "rainy".

http://uzaclan.com/rainmeter/

This is rough, it took me all of about 10 minutes to set it up. But I think it gives a hint of the capabilities.

[sgtevmckay]

Latest from our most gracious host; NiteShdw

[19:52] <NiteShdw> I don't have any problems with anything in the thread. If you want to install another software or add attachments to a forum
[19:52] <NiteShdw> I have plenty of space and bandwidth
[19:52] <NiteShdw> Oh, I upgraded my account so I can provide the admin(s) with an FTP account directly to the rainmeter.net site
[19:53] <dragonmage> NiteShdw, we were also thinking of adding a "Thank you for hosting" line and a link to your site to the forum pages. Would that be something you'd want?
[19:53] [INFO] You are no longer marked as away.
[19:54] <dragonmage> cool
[19:54] <NiteShdw> I certainly wouldn't mind. I'd actually prefer a link to my BatteryBar website over a "hosting by" line.

Let's finalize a concept and move forward

[sgtevmckay]

The first issue that comes to ind is that the skinners will be no better off than where they are now(?)
the DB and searching capabilities of Wordpress are extraordinary and well documented.

I also think that the page may be too much at this time. I love the concept, and at the same time, I would rather have folks go to the community for help, than have the skinner's doing all the help themselves, unless it is a skin issue.

Understand the single largest complain that I have is that, especially at Devart and Custoimize, the skinner posts their skin and is left on their own with no other support. I have been trying to break this, but attempting to keep pace with over a hundred skins is quite the pain.

I am still thinking something on the level of a gallery with redirect, with great search capabilities; albeit for now.

[jsmorley]

The first issue that comes to ind is that the skinners will be no better off than where they are now(?)
the DB and searching capabilities of Wordpress are extraordinary and well documented.

I also think that the page may be too much at this time. I love the concept, and at the same time, I would rather have folks go to the community for help, than have the skinner's doing all the help themselves, unless it is a skin issue.

Understand the single largest complain that I have is that, especially at Devart and Custoimize, the skinner posts their skin and is left on their own with no other support. I have been trying to break this, but attempting to keep pace with over a hundred skins is quite the pain.

I am still thinking something on the level of a gallery with redirect, with great search capabilities; albeit for now.

Gotcha... There are some "gallery" packages out there that can be easily installed, but I have in general been disappointed in the ones I have looked at. Coppermine and 4Images come to mind, but I have looked at both for something my group wanted and wasn't impressed. Maybe something custom after all...

[gschoppe]

well, for an extensible Gallery system with tagging, comments, great search capabilities, and loads of plugins, use Gallery2 http://gallery.menalto.com/ ... I worked on the project for a while, and while I thought it was a little bloated at the time, it seems like for this sort of "bastardized" use, it might fit... also, if two people attempt to load the same screenshot (like on grabbed from another site) it would warn them of a duplicate.