ysvry - This is by far the best argument against having different skins for Blender that I have seen.  Usually they're based on the notion that because Blender is "better," having skins would be "worse."  This is basically a circular argument.

Your argument on the other hand, is quite valid.  If user "A" and user "B" are each using different skins, then it does become difficult for those users to discuss how to do something.

On the other hand, if user "B" is coming from 3dsmax and can put Blender into a mode where its UI is a reasonably close approximation of 3dsmax's interface, then he may not need to bother user "A" to ask how to do stuff.

All in all, I think having a good skinning system would be advantageous.  By good, I mean something where all of the following are true:

1. Any user can quickly figure out how to modify the skin to their liking.
2. Skins can be easily saved and shared. (XML doc with buttons and such embedded?)
3. Switching between skins is made as easy as possible, i.e., no re-start of Blender required.
4. Standard skins cannot be modified in the UI, other than by saving a copy.  This means any user can quickly revert to one of the standard skins if they screw up their customized one.

#3 is especially important to mitigate the costs imposed by your argument.  A tutorial could easily say "this tutorial written for the standard Blender skin...", and somebody following the tutorial would choose that skin before starting.

Another advantage of #3 would be for professional users transitioning.  If you're a Max user making the switch, you don't have time to learn how Blender's UI works, except perhaps as an on-the-job self-training exercise.  So you can switch over to standard Blender, try to do stuff, and when your deadline starts to loom, just switch back to the MaxClone skin.

I believe that if serious effort were put into providing the ability to make Blender feel like other apps, it would start to gain a much stronger following.  Removing barriers to entry is quite important, even if those barriers are purely psychological and educational.

-- Early Ehlinger, President, ResPower, Inc.
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