why even bother

from WinCustomize Forums
I liked coming to this site to get skins, mostly icq skins or wallpaper backgrounds. But things like limiting us on our d/l's isn't really fair. I mean I have an account, but I haven't bought ne of the programs that u have to buy, but this shouldn't b a problem, You should b able to d/l as much as u want.

I see the point in making an account, but makin us buy software that we probably don't like or will never care to use just to get unlimited d/l's from here, isn't really what I'd expect. You should have a limit on ppl d/ling if they r a guest but you shouldn't make ppl buy product's just to get wallpaper's or icq skins or skins that other ppl want to share.

I'd admit this site has some great wallpapers, but making it where we only have a limit on what we can d/l makes me go to other sites, that way I don't have 2 care about having to buy a product that I will never use. I've used Windowblinds and really, I don't care 2 much for it. There r some great skins, but for Windowblinds, it keeps messing up XP.

Y don't the ppl that own this site just do what other sites do and just let u d/l what u want, other than giving a limit, making limits makes me give this site a lower ranking than other free sites.....but maybe it's just me.....
11,271 views 48 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Do you think maintaining a site that uses up so much bandwidth is cheap? Well, it isn't. While downloading doesn't cost YOU anything, it costs Stardock A LOT of money per month. This has to be paid for somehow. Offering unlimited downloads for a fee is one way of doing it.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well, Stardock just lost me as a user on this site

I just don't like having to buy product's I don't even wanna buy...
In the end ur buying skins, and the authors r probably not even getting a dime 4 sharing them, and yet in the end most ppl can't get them cause they already brought up their max on the downloading.

Like me, I d/led a few things just to view them cause some ppl put their screenshots in ways u can't really tell of the full skin or background. But than for something u didn't want after u d/led it or even lost it. U can't get it back nemore
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well, Yob, just leave then. There are plenty of other sites that are free but have a lot of popup ads. If you've downloaded more than 100 MEGS (that's a lot!!!) and note even willing to pay 20$ for TWO years to help cover the cost of that huge amount of downloads, then, please, by all means, you are perfectly free to go where you want.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've been trying really hard lately not to respond to this kind of bait, but today, I just can't resist.

Let me get this straight, you've never contributed anything to the site, you don't like Stardock's products, yet you've downloaded 100MB of skins? Why are you here in the first place? There are plenty of sites you can download ICQ Plus skins and wallpapers from. If everything else here is essentially useless to you, why is it such a loss that you've been cut off?

As for fairness, you have not made an argument. For the record, the other skin sites are not free as you have suggested. They are paid for by advertisers. If you prefer pop-up ads over contributing to the community, go. It's not fair that everything isn't free for you? That just makes me ill. Although I am going to vomit now, I will refrain from using that obscene icon.

Finally, as a skinner, I am sick of people making claims that I am somehow being ripped off by letting WinCustomize charge users to download my skins. I derive pleasure from creating skins and sharing them with others. WinCustomize has provided me with a place to share my work with the world. It is a symbiotic relationship, my friend. Please don't insult my intelligence.

Good day.

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Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
IMHO no further statements are required in this thread. Mike has summed it up quite beautifully.
So many people are keen to criticise with little or no contribution to the site at all.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Windowblinds, it keeps messing up XP.
Bull$h1t........IMHO

Ok....had to get that out of my system.

Odd that we get these warnings that skinners are being used and abused, only after someone reaches their download cap.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Amish Boy....you 'must' like the site and its content to take the time to DL 100meg of it.....I've been here since day One....and managed about 55meg.

So, you appreciate the quality of the content, but not enough to contribute to its upkeep.
Fine.
I honestly won't miss you or mourn your departure if that is your will.
Have a nice day...
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
My home is free to stay in, but I'll charge you the air that you breathe...Don't know why that popupped in my brain. Let's see...how many air can you breathe before I will quit you from breathing..hmmmm...I think...100 hours Let me get this straigh..I don't care whatever reasons are given for covering costs or developing a browser that solely works with WC. Or the skinsuites that are promised only for subscribers.
I see that $20 as a season ticket for one year, where you can download all you want. As for sharing MY own skins...noway, only some I will share. If I want mine to share, it will be on a site where everybody can go to. Besides, if it is made with a stardock product (which I happen to like, to me it's a kind of luxury thing), people can only use it if they own that product too...right? so you can see where it ends up

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Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
And this will be my last contribution to the subject of commercialzing WC. As a comparison...Here some pensionfunds got into trouble to keep enough liquidity because of the crash on the world stockmarket. Now what will they do? They raise the premium in order to be able to comply to their obligations. That's the said truth and it's obligatory too. To subscribe to WC is not, luckily enough. Fact is, it's a try to cut down costs. Whatever reasons anyone gives beside this argument, no one will convince me that a multi million dollar business won't try to cut costs when stormy weather in the branche comes along. Sales will stall, but smartly you can renew a subscription to stardock products each year. That's almost like a premium system. But here too you don't have to renew luckily enough. It's up to stardock to develop their products in such a way that it is interesting enough to renew the subscription. End of my contribution.

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Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Remember Lecrayon, that the subscription $20. is for two years. Now that is cheap.

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Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
oops: They raise the premium in order to be able to comply to their obligations...so the people are forced to pay for blundering strategies they didnt even ask for....just wanted to make that clear.

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Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
hey wiseoldman: when I subscribed it was for one year including premium skinsuites only available for subscribers.

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Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yes, but it was extended to 2 years for everyone. Now thats a bargain.

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Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i think Mike has a point here, nothing more needs to be said,


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Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Wow That's a bonus then yipeeeeeeeeeeeee

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Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Only reason I came to this site cause I liked the wallpapers, and a few of the skins. But most of the stuff I d/led was stuff I either checked to see if I would like it, or stuff I lost when I switched pc's cause everything I had was lost cause 98 crashed on me.

and u said that the free place has pop ups and stuff, not if u have a pop up ad blocker program. that takes care of all the pop up's and ad's....But the thing I liked about this site was there was more quality of backgrounds. and very nice skin's. But some of the Skins here can be found somewhere else, but u can hardly find the wallpapers anywhere else unless the author has uploaded it there or something.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Is this character "Aafus" in a new guise

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Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
"Aafuss" Ops

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Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
So, Amish Boy, you think we skinners and artists are being abused? hmmmmmm...... I wonder how many of my 150 wallpapers you downloaded? If it will make you feel better you can send me $10 for each one you have, thereby bypassing Wincustomize and helping the artist directly! When can I expect my check?
I won't hold my breath...................
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Mine are only $7 each.........
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Amish Boy...the reason [one of then, anyway] that the Wincustomize 'collection' of wallpapers is so 'enticing' is because people such as myself 'politely' reject a substantial percentage of the submissions....and I'm doing that here for anything up to 2 hours a day, on a 56k modem and paying AUS $1.00 per hour for the privilege....adds up to about 6-700 dollars a year.

As I said, I really won't miss your departure if you're such a cheap-skate that you can't see fit to 'help' support this service you are so willing to use.

As for site running-costs, again, my annual professional income would cover about 3 months of it.
If it weren't for Stardock paying the bills, you wouldn't even have the 100meg that you do already.

Why should they be paying for you to DL 'product' from this site?

Grow a conscience, a sense of moral, ethical responsibility, or go away.

Your choice....
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Oh, BoXXi...how much should I be paying you for wrecking your 'Cutter-Cogs'?...[download plus damages]...
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
This guy's attitude got to me so badly that I had to run off, stop procrastinating, and subscribe. Even if I kicked off tomorrow, the modest quantity of stuff that I've downloaded is more than worth what I just paid to subscribe. I think this guy would be great pals with ofaj.