This is my newest skin release… I hope everyone will like it. Yesterday, I’ve got e-mail from my good friend Mark Hess from USA, everyone will know him under forum nickname radicalb21… he is proud firefighter by the way…
He asked me if I could make skin for avast! with 9-11 theme. Here is copy of his e-mail:
Hey Sasha,
It’s Mark Hess again. First let me say I love and use your skins constantly. The skins I use are Lite-On, Flat ‘n’ Simple, Pirate, Corporate, and also your newest Nippon. After looking at your newest skin I got an idea and was wondering if you could a post 9-11 skin (i.e. firefighters holding the flag, or something with NYPD or FDNY logo). I know in my area of work doing public safety that is firefighting, EMT, HAZMAT Team, 911 Dispatchers were very much affected that day as was I when I found out I lost a few brothers that day. I was just wondering if you could do something along those lines. Let me know what you think. Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks again for your help.
Of course I took some time and I came up with this… this is the smallest thing I could do to show some respect for all those brave people who died on September 11th in WTC… see picture previews in attachment…
By the way, skin is finished and fully functional, I just have to wait for Vlk to perform usual tests, and to upload it in avast! skins download section…
Hey Craftec,
It’s radicalb21 again. I really appreciate you doing this for all are fallen brothers that lost there lives on 9-11. I work in the public safety field doing firefighting, emergency medical services, HAZMAT (Hazardous Material), and I’m also a 911 Dispatcher. I was very much affected that day as I was working at my county’s 911 Center when that incident happened. I was also chosen to go help in the search and rescue part of the operations which went one for numerous days after 9-11. I lost a few close friends that day from FDNY. I just had to do something so when my county asked for volunteers I jumped at the chance to help search for my fellow firefighters, and police who were affected by this horrible incident.
I hope everyone will understand why skin is made with those dry colors… it represents tons of concrete, and I really wouldn’t like to see that skin in green, bright yellow or some other light colors…
Well… I’m just a bit uneasy about the theme of this skin.
The thing is, what I absolutely hate is when a company tries to promote their products by abusing common symbols, especially if these symbols tend to “strike right into the heart”…
I just find it a bit out of taste… :-\ (maybe not a bit)
Skins are of course not a promotion/commercial but anyway… well I don’t know.
Well, I completely agree with you Vlk, but look at that this way…
Alwil didn’t make that skin and Alwil doesn’t force anyone to download it and install it… it’s just another ugly skin by some ugly guy from uglyland…
It’s not like Alwil is trying to promote anything… why ? 'cause avast! is well known even without these skins, and I really think avast! doesn’t need additional promoting… everyone knows how godd is that product… this is not Bush’es political campaign, this is just try to show some respect for all those who died in there…
Hey VLK,
I thought it might be a good idea. I wasn’t trying to cause any type of problem. The thing is I’m a firefighter as well and I lost a few brothers (fellow firefighters) that day that were close friends of mine. I wanted to do this with the help of Sasha in memory of them and all the other people that lost there lives that day.
It's not like Alwil is trying to promote anything... why ? 'cause avast! is well known even without these skins, and I really think avast! doesn't need additional promoting... everyone knows how godd is that product... this is not Bush'es political campaign, this is just try to show some respect for all those who died in there...
Yes but isn’t having a 9-11 skin similar to e.g. having a company that makes paper-weights start making the Twins style – because they sell well. Oh yeah, they do - but isn’t that called hyenism??
I can see that there’re always multiple ways to look at the same thing but this particular 9-11 skin idea makes me nervous. Anyway I’ll ask the the other folks here what they think about it…
S.Z.Craftec, i really love your work and this skin is great as usual. But i have to say that i agree with vlk, and i don’t think that politics has something to do with Alwil. I mean this software is not used only by americans. I’m not from a side or other but i trully don’t think that skins should have a politic, religion or else flavour. Keep avast fun and neutral !! ;D
I don’t wanna argue with no one… but I’ll just repeat myself…
This has nothing to do with politics or anmything like that… we could talk about that for years, and years… this is just for those poor people who lost their lifes in there without any possible reason… they were there in worst possible moment… some of themlost their lifes trying to save some other people who already died in there…
Oh, it’s just a skin, I like to draw… I don’t wanna make discussions about what’s politicaly correct or not… I HATE POLITICS no matter if it comes form Croatia, UK or USA… those politicians all are the same… croocks, nothing else… if people in this forum, avast! users and Alwil software find it offensive in any way, I’ll agree with you guys… burn the skin, erease it… it’s just skin nothing else… no hard feelings.
Okay Vlk. You can post back there replies or they can post there own. I’m sorry if I caused any problems with this idea that wasn’t my intent. It was only in memory of my fallen brother firefighters & EMT’s and everyone else who lost someone on that day. I know first hand what it was like at ground zero as I helped in the search and rescue afterwards. The long days and long nights that I never thought would end. The country constant support in various ways helped lift some of our spirits and helped use to deal with the task we had ahead of us each and every day. We in public safety are always saying " WE WILL NEVER FORGET’. Thats why I say it is in memory of those that lost there lives that day.
By the way, i was thinking of a skin with a chemical laboratory theme (sort of virus theme). I always thought that an antivirus should look like a “medical” software as malwares are called viruses which is related to medical term.
I just can’t believe this… POLITICS ? Where do you see politics in this ? I hate politics, I ran away from f…g politics from my politicaly corrupted country. I hate politics… but this is just for those who gave their lifes to save someone…
I know very well that all avast! users are not from USA and I didn’t say that ever… But that skin is just one more option… All users are not from Japan either, and you guys like to have Japanese skin NIPPON in skin download section… I think, that’s not right…
My only concern was about the fairness of offering a 9-11 skin - i.e. if the fact that avast uses the sensitive 9-11 theme doesn’t give it an unfair competitive advantage. That’s all… Otherwise i DO like the skin, I really do…
Like you i hate politics (and also religion). Sure there is a japanese skin, but the skin is not about people who died in Hiroshima or Nagasaki. You can make an american skin, i have no problem for that. It is just that for me 9-11 is positively linked to politics and war in irak…
S.Z.Craftec, you are my friend and that is why i give you my opinion. I have a total respect for your ideas, your kindness and your work.
Like you i hate politics (and also religion). Sure there is a japanese skin, but the skin is not about people who died in Hiroshima or Nagasaki. You can make an american skin, i have no problem for that. It is just that for me 9-11 is positively linked to politics and war in irak...
S.Z.Craftec, you are my friend and that is why i give you my opinion. I have a total respect for your ideas, your kindness and your work
OK, Hiroshima and Nagasaki is totaly different story. I didn’t make Perl Harbour skin ;D
War in Iraq is politic’s and economic’s game… I don’t wanna talk about that 'cause I don’t agree with any kind of violence. Once again… skin is dedicated to all those who lost their lifes under tons of concrete… simple human beings made of flash, blood and bones… no politics or/and politicians at all. Skin has 3 simple firefighters on it, not George W.Bush…
…but, as I said before - if users ot Alwil decide not to use that skin, it’s vbery simple… just erase it and forget it. I am not gonna be mad. I already showed some respect for those people, I don’t have anything to be ashamed of… I can make another skin with totaly different theme in about 2 hours from now… no problem at all… SkinBuilder is so easy for me now, and I’m not gonna be mad… it’s just, don’t mention politics in front of me, I’ll go crazy when I hear that word… you know what I like ? 5 simple things…
1.) To be alive (great feeling, believe me ;D)
2.) I like chocolate
3.) I love my wife… sex too ;D
4.) my beautiful car
5.) I like avast!
Hey VLK,
It’s radicalb21. That was not the intent of the skin at all it was in memory of all those who lost their lives that day especially the firefighters, and police.
I am for the skin. A Lot of people died. this was the WORLD trade center, american, french, germans all kinds of people died! I am proud of sasha. and if Vlk does not want to put it on the avast skin page, I will host it on my webspace for all to download, (once I get it setup monday)