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Ordinarily, you'd be at the right spot, but we've recently launched a brand new community website... For the community, by the community.

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Welcome to the DNN Community Forums, your preferred source of online community support for all things related to DNN.
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HomeHomeOur CommunityOur CommunityGeneral Discuss...General Discuss...Lance May: Skin DevelopmentLance May: Skin Development
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4/27/2007 10:13 AM
 

Hello all. I wanted to let the community know that I existed, and I thought, "what better way than with the "Announce It!" forum?"

I would have liked to post here when my first commercial skin was available, but I figured I would wait until I had a couple to show, as not to completely waste everyone's time. This is my first attempt at getting into the skinning "business" (aside from custom skins for clients) and any feedback, be it good or bad, would be much appreciated.

The site is lancemay.com, and for now the works are all skin. I will be working on public modules for DNN as well, but I wanted to see how I faired as a skin developer (not attempting to pose as a large "design studio").

My third public skin is a beach/ocean based skin called Serene. It is comprised of soothing pastels and a simplified layout. The purpose of this skin was not to show off, but merely to calm the site's visitors.

Please let me know what you guys think of my work, as again I'm just a designer/developer (not a "design studio"), so your feedback means a lot to me. Thanks much in advance.


- Lance 'ji' May
 
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4/29/2007 8:13 PM
 
Well, I've just released another skin: Sassy. This is my first commercial dark, and again I'm very in need of feedback. I've seen the views on here and the visitors on my site matching up to an extent, but I've still not gotten any "you suck" or "good work" yet. Please let me know what you think about my work. If I need improvement, or if my work is commercial quality, I'd like to know about it. Thanks much in advance.

- Lance 'ji' May
 
New Post
4/30/2007 8:49 AM
 

I'll bite.   I just have some recomendations for you since I consider myself a typical DNN consumer.

You need to provide expamples of your admin skins.   
You also need examples of the pane layouts on your skins even if it is as simple as a screen shot when logged in as admin.
I see mention of containers included in most of your skins but again no screen shots of the individual containers.
Provide 1 page per skin on your site so that users can play with them in their browser of choice.
Allow for more choices by providing multiple CSS files with your skin purchases.   I would like this for easy selection of colors, and menu styles.
On your "darker" skins watch carefully your choice of standard icons.  The standard DNN icons do not mix well with darker backgrounds.
Double and Triple check your menu settings and it's CSS for consistency.  This is my biggest turn off, "jumpy" menus, and inconsistent 2nd and 3rd level menus.

Keep up the good work!  It's always nice to see a new skinner offering even more affordable choices.

 
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4/30/2007 12:42 PM
 

First of all I will agree that you have some nice work there.

I will also add that I too recommend that you setup 1 demo page per skin, as well as a screen capture showing the available content panes.

For myself I finid it much easier to make a decision on a skin if I can "try it" before I buy it.  The more detail you can show the better!

 


-Mitchel Sellers
Microsoft MVP, ASPInsider, DNN MVP
CEO/Director of Development - IowaComputerGurus Inc.
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Visit mitchelsellers.com for my mostly DNN Blog and support forum.

Visit IowaComputerGurus.com for free DNN Modules, DNN Performance Tips, DNN Consulting Quotes, and DNN Technical Support Services
 
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5/2/2007 9:34 AM
 
Thanks guys! I really appreciate the advice. I've tried to implement what I have the facilities to at the moment. I now have a demo site for each skin (other than my most recent which is always displayed as my site's skin), and will make it a point to do that from now on.

Thanks for the kudos as well. I know that my skins are a bit different than the standard "business skin pack", but I was really thinking that there was a market for the "novelty" skins (as long as I could eventually have enough that I have something for everyone.

As of right now, my dotNET pack have all of their screenshots in place (in the skin, that is). To be honest, I stopped on the rest because covering all of the little nooks and crannies seemed to be a lot more work than I was really expecting to put into a $20 skin. I guess I can go back and repackage with thumbs and previews. If you guys think that my work is worth the effort, and that that would make my customers happier (or gain me new customers), then I have no problem with it. I just noticed that getting dotNET done was a lot harder of a process than I felt it was worth. Sorry I underestimated those values.

Thanks again for your time and consideration. Hopefully it will help to rebuild me... better, faster, stronger... wait... anyway; as a better skin developer.

- Lance 'ji' May
 
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