Everything sadly must come to an end. He revolutionised MSN Messenger skinning, in my views and has definitely gone a long way from one skin to a great multi-tude of skins. His work extends from the great Mess.Be to Neowin.net with great praise from all. I am personally a large fan of his and I wish I could do what he can. His MSN Messenger skin based on the linux mascot is one of my favourites. Even when I thought there was no way he could improve his skins, he miracously and unbeleiveably did it! As time passed we became what I would call good friends. I trusted him and he trusted me. He even let me test his skins,an oppurtunity so many dream of having. His work is admired by so many others, skinners and "messers" alike. I would even go as far as saying that everyone of you "messers" would be honoured if he did a skin you requested or a skin based on your software.
Recently he moved along to help and be active in the Messenger Plus! forums. There he was a hit as well. People there loved his skins. Thanks to him -- we now have a new generation of skinners. With every new release of MSN Messenger -- he was there, updating his skins for those hungry-skin-using users out there. I guess it's safe to say that although he updated the skins, when he did so, he wasn't exactly the happiest of us all. I mean seriously, if you were annoyed at something, a new program that you have to update your skin for, would you carry on and update it? I know I wouldn't. Where I would have given up, he never ceased. Where I would have stopped with one, he made many. Where I would have failed, he prevailed.
It's been an honour being his friend, colleague in a way and skin tester. It has been an honour to also report such news as this to the Messenger community about his skins. His work is greatly appreciated by myself and I'm sure by others too. This person is none other than the great skin god, Rolando. I believe he wished to go out with a bang. As with his decision to end MSN Messenger skin production, he is also releasing one last skin. His decision is final, no matter how hard I try to persuade him to stay, he has good reason to left the MSN Messenger skinning scene and I highly doubt he will be forgotten anytime soon.
Regardless, I fully support his decision -- even though I'm still trying to get him to stay. I do believe, this is a rather sad day for the MSN Messenger community that has grown a substantial amount over time. If you have any problem with this post then please inform me somehow, but bear in mind, what I say here is what I truly mean. This post is quite personal and I hope it will not be removed anytime soon, I do hope it will pass over time but will not be modified no removed.
In honour of the once great MSN Messenger skin god, Rolando.
I end by saying,
That I believe that this is a rather sad day for the MSN Messenger community.
Great work Rolando, I do wish you could have stayed. You are an asset to the MSN Messenger community beyond imagination -- in my honest and true opinion. Your work surpasses that of any I've seen before (no offence to anyone intended) and you are a great friend, colleague and role model to me.
- EvilSeph
Quote from Roland Underground:
Well this is my 6th and last skin... It is a fully skinned MSN Messenger skin based on GANT Icons by Mattahan and Reluna VS by Bant. Here's a
screenshot.
Download GANT MSN
Closing Message by Rolando:
Well it's been a great 8 months... After 148 thousand visitors, 53 thousand downloads, over 900 emails replied to, and a countless number of hours spent on this project, I decided to close Roland Underground, which gave you 6 MSN Messenger skins. There is no reason other than I don't have any time. It has been a great time and please don't expect anything else... For all of you who want to have my skins they can still be found in every new version of MSN Messenger - Windows X
Rolando
