WinCustomize Subscription Totals Won't Make The Goal: What Next?

With the WinCustomize Subscription Not Even At The Half Way Poin... What Now?

Published on October 25, 2005 By joetheblow In WinCustomize Talk

We have talked about this extensively on other threads, but now with the moment of truth upon us the question is what will happen to WinCustomize?

If this site was owned by a person and that crash with the server happened, it would have been a lost.

In fact, the idea that this happened only shows how much work is going on behind the scenes of this site that has to be costly and probably more than Frogboy will admit.

After reading the Does Stardock 'need' WinCustomize? thread as well as other threads on the message board/forums, the question is now what is next.

I think the answer will be more extreme that what we been talking about. Will it be a totally subscriber only site period (this would avoid the multiple account thing because even if you do that you will only get so much and view so much)?

What happens to the Wincustomize User Pages? How will un-subscribers be able to view it or download from it?

Will there be whole sections of WinCustomize off limits to outsiders?

I think the immediate response will be no downloads unless your signed in (unless its wallpapers, CursorXP or something) Not sure about the rest. I am guessing with the need for new restrictions that there will be a total site redesign for subscribers.

Personally, I think it is a sad day for all of this come November 1st 2005. The other sites just don't compare. I visited one site of the alternates to WinCusto and my browser crashed because of the pop-up attempts. Can you believe that?

I don't think many people will like the subscriber idea and will think Stardock is leaching off of artists. People will leave probably from what I read of some of the comments. I find that funny since most of the comments of 'leeching of artists' came from people who started off here and got there notoriety due to the 'leeching' of hosting their stuff, keeping it save, and organizing a community around it.

I always said that WinCustomize is a symbiosis between the artist and Stardock. On can not live as well without the other.

But with the restrictions soon to come on its way, what will happen to WinCustomize? What is next?

Comments (Page 2)

markdotnet

on Oct 25, 2005

My $0.02... I think that blocking people from uploading would kill some of the ingenuity. There are many excellent skins and items from a few and many mediocre items from a lot. Then, every once in a while, you run across the excellent item from an unknown or a first timer. Personally, I think WC is excellent and fun and for $20 for a two year subscription, that is truly a no-brainer. That's why I resubscribed even though I'm only half way through my renewal from last year. However, I think that rewarding uploaders, even though they might not be subscribers, would be a good idea to flesh out some new ideas. Frogboy and the rest of the power-folks can judge what kind of reward would be appropriate. Best of luck.

By the way, are there any Object Dock programmer types that would consider doing a project for me? I'm willing to pay!

Reppiks

on Oct 25, 2005

My testimonial or opinion, whichever! I've hung around here since 2000, enjoyed the free version of Windowblinds, downloaded a bunch of blinds, wallpaper, etc. Two things happened on my end. First I got a "Used" computer capable of running XP, enough processing power I could run a few more of Stardocks apps, which leads to more skins, icons, well you get the picture. Now my conscience started getting to me, the more I understood what it takes to operate a place like this and attract the many talented artist willing to share in this community, I felt truly compelled to support this place. So in 2002 Icoughed up the money for ODNT (and yes I had to stash a few bucks each week to come up with the money). Within a month or two I went for the subscription to WinCustomize. I'm sure there are some people that $20.00 isn't in the budget, yes the kids have to eat before you skin your windows, that's the priority. Don't wine, just to the right thing for your budget, skinning is a luxury not a necessity. The others that are suffering from the "post dot com bust" get real, even bad advise from a financial planner cost money! Bottom line, If you want to enjoy what there is available here, become a member of the community that helps to support the site. For me, knowing I help with my subscription, I feel like I'm more a member of the community instead of feeling like a bum hanging out on a park bench waiting for someone to forget and leave there lunch by my bench.

ethsza

on Oct 26, 2005

Hi Reppiks,

I respect your opinion, but I think you're wrong in a couple of things, maybe the metaphors you have written are just not right.

The basic idea - paying some subscription makes you feel member of the community - this is all right. You will pay, hundreds will pay, hundreds will not pay. However my metaphor for this would be that I go to a restaurant, order a decent lunch, eat it, enjoy it, pay for it, and then before leaving the waiter tells me, that now that I have payed for the food, I have to pay for coming into the restaurant as well.

From my point of view, if I have to subscribe to access the otherwise free content that I use with my otherwise payed software, however there are 2 WB skins a year I download, neither I will subscribe to WC, nor will I renew my OD subscription.

The community feeling is great. Helping out --I do it regularly-- feels great. Paying to be able to keep up the operation of a community is more than acceptable.

But WC is a business driver for Stardock. It's not a nursery school. They do it to keep up Stardocks business, to keep up their job. (Even if someone might volunteer for some reason, there's a reason otherwise noone would do it.) They do their job very well BTW, I enjoy their products very much and enjoy WC. But I'd be more willing to pay 10 bucks more for OD every year and keep the download area free, than paying for the applications, and paying for the site that "sells" the product I have already purchased.

BTW does it make any sense to advertise Stardock products in banners on WC? The returning visitors know Stardock products, read the news entries about them. Once I got fed up with multiplicity ad, I started to filter out stardock ads on WC pages.
Why can't those banners used for paid advertisments, and finance the operations from its income? Everyone wozuld understand ads are needed. I'm not saying I wouldn't admit that operations of WC is costly, I just doubt I should be paying for that.

PurrBall

on Oct 26, 2005

and beer.

Winmodify

on Oct 26, 2005

I have this idea I am probably gonna tryout on my skinning website.

Slow the connection down for non-subscribers, let them DL 1MB in 1minute
and for the subribers ofcourse the fastest speed available...

Kevin_C

on Oct 26, 2005

From my point of view, if I have to subscribe to access the otherwise free content that I use with my otherwise payed software, however there are 2 WB skins a year I download, neither I will subscribe to WC, nor will I renew my OD subscription.

I don't think any of this has to do with your current usage patterns on WC. The changes aren't caused by someone like yourself who is a customer of Stardock, and downloads very limited content from WC. The problems are caused by the people who you see posting sometimes who have either illegal copies of Stardock apps or they are using the Shareware versions and download every wallpaper, WB skin, IP theme and DX object that is released. I hope that WC remains free to use to people like yourself who aren't trying to take advantage of the situation but there has to be something put in place for the people who believe that everything in the world is free.

I do agree that there aren't a lot of compelling reasons to subscribe to WC but I do it because I download A LOT, I mean I've downloaded gigs of stuff from this site, and because of that and because for me the subscription is a good deal even without extra perks I do subscribe.

I personally like the idea of only giving non-subscribers and non-customers a very limited view of the site, show them the thumbnails of the subscriber content but only allow them to download certain items. Also, add pages with nothing but an add on them between when they click on download and when the download actually starts, make them look at that add for 10 seconds, if they have an Ad-blocker that's fine but make them stare at a blank page for 10 seconds, or have a text version of the ad on the page also. I mean, make it painful to get the content. I really only think that this should apply to people who are truly feeloading from the site, if the person has purchased an SD product but not a WC subscription they should not get the same treatment. It seems like there's this push to alienate even SD customers. No offense, but someone who paid $50 for OD should not have the same hassle as someone who feels Shareware is the *free version* of a program. I'd also suggest time bombing the shareware versions. It's obviously too easy to use the shareware version indefinitely because there are lots of people who admit to doing it on these message boards. It's pretty clear people don't get that Shareware means "limited time use", and if they don't get that they won't buy your product no matter how much they like it.

Well, I've rambled enough now but I do hope this can be handled well because I love coming to this site and I can't imagine a future without WC as a part of my daily routine.

Bichur

on Oct 26, 2005

let them DL 1MB in 1minute

if you can get me a DL speed of 1 MB in 1 minute, I'm yours

Chasbo

on Oct 26, 2005

Whatever it takes. If Brad cannot make a go of it without the subscriptions then he needs to make this a subscriber site. Simple. It's his business and he can do what he wants with it. Those of us who do not subscribe but have purchased Stardock software will feel ripped off. Does purchasing Stardock software help pay for the site? If it does than I'd say we would be ripped off.

SKoriginals

on Oct 26, 2005

Well, I was alot like Reppiks in how things worked out for me.

I'm sure the biggest problem WC has is browsing, uploading and downloading. Maybe there should be restrictions on the uploading and downloading. Already non members can only see skins rated 3.5+ stars. I think there should be tougher upload approval restrictions. Which would cause a better database of skins and less of them. And tougher approvals would help across the board making WC "THE" place to put your skin (even more so than it is now) with less skins meaning less browsing and less downloads. Maybe also get rid of alot of the very low rated and outdated skins.

Maybe susbscribers only should have access to skins rated 4.5+ stars for download. But that would boil down to the fact that there are alot of other places to get the same skins for free. Leaving it up to the artist themselves on what they do, meaning they would have to restrict themselves. This sorta leads me to another point. The skin artist do as much for this site as Stardock themselves. Without great artist out there creating skins then what would really be the purpose. Maybe if WC gave some sort of benifit to the really good artist (determined by either Dl's or ratings or votes or whatever). Otherwise what reason would the artist have in doing such a thing? I think if WC did do some things to benifit the artist themselves then maybe the artist would in turn be more willing to create WC exclusive skins.

These are all just rambling ideas I have had, nothing more.

Bichur

on Oct 26, 2005

Does purchasing Stardock software help pay for the site?

I'm guessing it's where part of the budget comes from.

seldomseen

on Oct 26, 2005

I do hope this can be handled well because I love coming to this site and I can't imagine a future without WC as a part of my daily routine.

Well said, Apprentice f0r3. I, too, visit on a daily basis, and dl a large amount from not only WC but other sites as well.I hope to see WC alive and well far into the future, and try to keep my membership accts paid up, also. I wonder if we could have a "Donate-O-Meter" as some sites have,say on only the Home page, showing maybe "This Month's Goal", "Amount So Far", "Amt Needed". I know, for me, such a widget on a site I want to support often motivates me to chip in a couple of bucks now and then... .

Chef Garry

on Oct 26, 2005

I've subscribed to WC since it's beginning and will continue to do so. Mine doesn't run out for another 7 months at which time I'll renew for sure. Kudo's to Markdotnet for renewing early but IMHO the situation re non-subscribers needs to be resolved. Buying an extra might be good for Stardock (and Brad) in the short run but doesn't resolve the issue.

Like most people here, I think that non-subcribers should be given a preview of everything without being able to download more than a minimal amount - if at all. Sure some people will be ticked. Heck we still get complaining when these people hit the 50 mg limit. So they go away? So what? It's not like they've contributed anything but escalated costs.

Sure skins can be downloaded from elsewhere. Don't want to pay, then by all means go elsewhere. Isn't that what free marked economy is all about? The reason I'm here (and I think most of us are the same) is simply because this site has the best available stuff with the least effort to find it. And the community, can't forget the community.

Likewise with the forum - no subscription means you can read but not post. Everyone gets to make their own decisions regarding how they spend their time and money. If paying for WC subscription doesn't suit - so be it.

Those with a OD subcription might have a middle ground with some downloading - a limit of some sort. After all, when you bought WB etc. you bought the program with a number of skins included. Did you really buy unlimited access to more skins or did you buy a program?

It's time to take a hard line. Stardock raises this issue every 6 or 8 months. If it's not just a marketing ploy (sell more subscriptions) then bite the bullet and make the hard decision.

(what jerk wrote all that?

)

ethsza

on Oct 26, 2005

After all, when you bought WB etc. you bought the program with a number of skins included. Did you really buy unlimited access to more skins or did you buy a program?

The skins are free (like in free speech, not in free beer

) work of the respective authors. If they upload it for free, I download them for free. Whether on WC or other places. If there won't be free sites, I won't download them. This is what I thought when bought OD.

Fuzzy Logic

on Oct 26, 2005

The skins are free (like in free speech, not in free beer

'Free' as you call it, involves someone spending thousands per week paying for bandwidth and servers, maintenance etc. It's freeloaders like you this site needs to get rid of. You really piss me off

After reading that, it's clear now is the time to cut off all non-subscriber downloads. Let people get their freebies elsewhere and keep this site for people who appreciate it.

NightTrainthedark

on Oct 26, 2005

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned is that fact that if freeloaders are completely blocked out, the site traffic will decrease immensly. Therefore reducing costs to run the site. It will be interesting to see. Maybe the site will be closer to self sufficient. Doubtful, but it will be interesting.

I still think that the most important elements in any of this are the Skinners. They need to upload Wincustomize only, premium skins help, but what does that do for resubscribers? Currently, as is, resubscribing doesn't have any benefits. It is mostly a donation to the site. Sure you get your wincustomize site but I don't think that matters to many.

Done for now.

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