My small rant about Stardocks.

from WinCustomize Forums
Let's get this thing out of the way, im not a skinner or an artist in any way. I just want to apply some of the AWESOME skins available for download on this and many other sites around web, from very talented people.

But im not allowed to do that! Why? Because the shareware versions (IF available) of Stardocks Applications are THAT limited. I do not want to edit, I am not pro-piracy or anything, I just want to apply these skins. This prevents this "scene" from growing bigger and getting the exposure and recognition it deserves, and does not allow the real artists to show their work to a wider audience.

All Im asking for is Shareware versions of Stardock's software without any limitations regarding applying and using the skins, leaving the limitations for those who want to edit and create their own skins, they will eventually buy it after FULLY using these great skins.

Those were my 2 cents, I hope i dont get misunderstood. PEACE

SubZero
3,100 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
SubZero, yes it is always frustrating to have a product which is limited or restricted in some way, but that is done to at least provide you with a free 'taste' of the program's abilities, but with the promise of even greater results provided a payment is made. At least to a certain degree it is 'try before you buy', which is a concept well known in the computer world but not in many other places.

Visions of people hopping around on the one free shoe before returning to the store to purchase the other.....

Best solution is to just buy the darn thing and enjoy all of its capabilities...
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have to totally agree with Jafo. Unfortunately this is the real world, and in the real world unless a shareware company puts some kind of limitation on applications (be it restricted features or a 30-day trial period) they won't see many registrations at all. It would be nice if we could release products with no limitations whatsoever, but alas, things being the way they are this would be the equivalent of shooting yourself in the foot.

Generally it is the 'motivation' of getting rid of restrictions/nag screens that drives users to register the products they like. Sad but true.

Jorge Coelho
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http://www.winstep.net - Winstep Software Technologies
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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Subzero, I'm sorry but you have it the other way around. Skin artists are the ones who make a software popular. Without good skins, an application wil never get popular. Besides, there are a lot more users than skinners.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
WindowBlinds lets you apply skins. DesktopX lets you apply skins. IconPackager lets you apply icon packages. I'm not sure what he's talking about.

If anything, these programs give away too much (particularly DesktopX).

As any shareare author can tell you, most people won't pay unless they have to. The more "Crippled" the program, the better the sales most of the time. A developer has to strike a balance between having lots of users and lots of customers.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
/start random thoughts

with WB you could give the full power but limit the skinz to the 3 or four that come with it. That would also cut down on the bandwidth at sites that have a lot of wb downloads....

SubZero, why would I pay to build skinz for you? If anything Skinstudio should be the free app. WB and other programs like it live because people like myself, Froggy, Paxx, Tog, Alexandrie, Ect... Take the time to make skinz that in turm make the product apealing to the average user that does not plan on building his or her own skinz. If WB were free and I had to pay to get UIS info ( sometimes it feels like it) or pay to use Skin Studio I along with most would just be users and stardock would be our only source of skinz and trust me Most of them are programers not artist so WB would probably have a short life...

The way it's set up right now there are free version of both Skin Studio, WB and you can also edit your own skinz with notepad.. and though they are feature limited they are not time limited... I once told Mr. Wardell myself that I would not feature limit WB but I would put a 90 time limit on it with no nag screens till you fire your computer up at the end of the 90 days and wb is no more.....

Unfortunatly this would not work well because it would be very easy to hack...

/end random thoughts


Just some random blathering from TasT
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
TasT is a consummate random blatherer....
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
it's always a bit amusing to mac users, including myself, when pc users wish for a more forgiving shareware system. [no offense ]

in the mac realm, shareware generally has a time limit, nags, and crippled features.. all in one. one very popular icon changer actually plays a computer voice message at -every- boot up asking one to register. "you could register right now.. go ahead.. open your wallet." one new window modifier only works for 30 minutes each time you boot your machine. there's often the time delayed startup routine too.

basically, windows users have it pretty easy ;]

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
/me begins to understand why i use a PC