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Skin Spy

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Skin Spy

from WinCustomize Forums

I want to make a program that spies on you.

That's right. Spies.

But how?

I want us (all of us) to be able to get a list of the most popular skins by USE. No downloads. Not impressions. Not mentions. What skins are people actually using.

So this program would look at what skins and themes you're using and return that data to a central server and then those who ran it would have access to the page that lists them so we can download them.  Afterall, the best skins for many are probably the ones people are actually running.

We used to have something like this built into WindowBlinds but it was a pain and some people complained that it was spying (which is was). Obviously paranoid people wouldn't want to run this and we could expand it to support as many apps as peple wanted. Most popular DesktopX theme? Most popular icon package? Most popular Winamp skin? Most popular Litestep theme, whatever.

We could even have it list most popular programs. so how popular is Samurize vs. Litestep vs. hoverdesk vs. whatever. The important thing is that people would be able to find new emerging customization programs that are getting more popular and know where to download them.

So first off, what kinds of features that those of you who might want to run something like this would want besides what I mentioned?

Secondly, obviously some people wouldn't want this kidn of program since it does return info about your computer (personally I don't care if people know what skin I'm using I make screenshots) but how many of you think this sort of thing would be neat?

28,633 views 105 replies
Reply #76 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Just how "critical" is the gathering of this info? What does it matter what or whose the popular skin is? People like what they like. Mentioned above is to include "what skinning program" and "what is downloaded". And in the future would any other catagories, for this census, be disclosed before implementing?

I know, "go away"
Reply #77 from WinCustomize Forums Top
In terms of collecting the data on which skins are used, many people switch skins several times per day.
So would you want to know which skins were used and how many times each or would it be more usefull to know how many hours an individual skin was used.

For me hours is the most relevant, because some skins stay on my desktop a very short period of time.
CursorFX - Customize your Windows cursor
Reply #78 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I like the earlier suggestion of tying the "skin stats" back to my Skins pages here at wincustomize. It would be neat to see acumalated hours of usage on a given skin.

Actually it would be neat to see:
number of times loaded on a desktop
number of hours loaded on desktop
average number of hours on desktop per instance of being loaded on the desktop

(ya, I'm a stats junkie too

As well, I would like to see programs such as Litestep included in this.
Reply #79 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Current Skin Usage Stats or CSUS how about that?
Reply #80 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hmm, so if someone is using ToonXP windowblind, and you check your files to see if that person actually purchased it, and you find not, then what happens?
Reply #81 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Chas, that would be impossible, the data collected does not identify the user, just the skin.
Reply #82 from WinCustomize Forums Top
@ #80
Reply #83 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Current Skin Usage Stats or CSUS how about that?


How about Current Usage of Skin Stats? CUSS! lol
Reply #84 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'm going to hate my self for this one but.....

How about "SkinIdol", "Where every skin has the chance to be a Star"

Groan...

On a serious note, I think it is a great idea, I liked the feature when it was in Windowblinds, it was a cool way to find new skins before Wincustomize. I like the idea a lot and I will run it and let it have all the data it wants. I like the feature idea of having it keep track of each time skins are changed. Well those are my thoughts take them for what they are worth.

/me goes back to the basement.
Reply #85 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you name it CUSS, I'd try it just to have a proggie named CUSS on my computer
Reply #86 from WinCustomize Forums Top
heh, you're not going to get much better than "SkinIdol".

Reply #89 from WinCustomize Forums Top
the Skinny.

ie, 'just the facts'.
Reply #90 from WinCustomize Forums Top
absolutely not!


Absolutely not what?

the Skinny.ie, ''just the facts''.


I like!
[Message Edited]
Reply #91 from WinCustomize Forums Top

We registered the domain SkinMetrix.com in 2001 which is why that woudl be a good alternative name.

Reply #92 from WinCustomize Forums Top
tsk tsk. taking up valuable internet realestate.
Reply #93 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Why is it that people who don''t want to use something feel the need to tell the rest of us that we shouldn''t use it.Some of us don''t care. We don''t care if people know what skins we use because we want to know what skins people are using so that we can easily find stuff that is good.If you think it''s a bad idea, that''s nice. Go away. Let those of us who aren''t paranoid figure out what features we want to have in such a program.


You asked a question and you received a variety of answers.
Some are the ones you want to hear and some don''t suit .... that is not to say the ''unsuitable'' answers are posted by paranoid freaks.
Only 19 days to go and I doubt I''ll bother.





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[Message Edited]
Reply #94 from WinCustomize Forums Top
SkinMetrix...I can live with that.

Will this be a program for all to download, and see the stats? or just for Stardock to post on the site.


It would be cool to have a skinable program installed with the information on a constant update.
Reply #96 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Skinkey???


Reply #98 from WinCustomize Forums Top
*runs over to the 'what are you thinking at this exact moment' thread*
Reply #99 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Dermatex??? heh um...

Epidermal?? hehehe um....

Skin Mole??? heh um..

MoleSkinner?? um...

SkinCount? mwuahahaha um...

Vaseline?? hehehe um...

SkinInjector??

SkinBin??

lol hmmmm

I have an itch