I am just wondering if there has been a study about this. How often do people that are non-subscribers get 404? If it is as bad as some has stated here, isn't it a bit unfair, that works from people, freely submitted here, get a lower chance of being seen by visitors? Just a thought...

Lecrayon, visitors only see ratings of 7 or above. It doesn't matter about the 404.

So? You mean the rating that is given by moderators, or the latest rating. And I don't see a connection between that and not being able to access.

How many site with really heavy traffic suffer from significant slow downs and occasional 404's? (For example, I clicked on a link to themexp to see something and gave up and I'm on broadband.)

Is it unfair of those site owners that they don't get additional servers and increased bandwith? If they do, they need some revenue source to support the expenditures.

Also, I thought all registered Stardock app users also got priority access here, or is it only WC subscribers that get priority access?

At any rate, would it be more fair if all users couldn't access and use the site during peak traffic times?

Frankly, I don't feel guilty if my 0.83 cents a month gives me a better chance of access while the site uses that revenue to buy more servers and pay for bandwidth to improve things for all users. If people really can't afford to subscribe then they are in the same situation as I am on sites with heavy loads and no other alternative means of attaining access.

im not complainin or anything, but i haven't been able to download anythiong for over 2 weeks, i have an account and im goin to get around and buy a subscribtion im just sayin the traffic has gotten so high its been 2weeks since i have been able to dl anything, i always get the server is busy messege, im just pointing this out,

Super: try emailing the site admins as advised above. I know I used to be able to access and download without problems when I wasn't even logged in. I haven't tried lately, though. Site traffic went up considerably after WB being featured on Tech TV, but to not be able to download anything in two weeks sounds really bad.

yea i know, i only can get wallpapers, becasue u can just right click those, it makes it really hard to learn skinning when u have nothing to learn from Ill be sure to e-mail in

C-net (download.com, hotfiles, winfiles, etc.) has started charging people to submit their files to them.

Just to keep things in perspective.

hm, i don´t think you can compare a skin site with download.com. a lot of the content there is shareware, so the uploaders hope to gain some profit from being hosted there. anyways, might be an interesting poll to see how many people are willing to pay for uploading here. i wonder if these payed uploads would still be moderated

Ok Wombat_1. I`ll shut up. Pointing out a migration-path from what used to be a free service to Ob Desktop users- & being forced onto a pay-model to get skins freely available elsewhere is a no-win arguement for me on this site anyway.
I wonder how many other people will be as disappointed in this development as I am?

ODNT users have no restrictions. In fact, no Stardock customer, regardless of how small the purchase, faces no restrictions. And on top of that, they get priority access to the bandwidth.

Only users who have not purchased anything whatsoever and have citizen access or lower face any sort of restrictions.

Moshi: Most files on Download.com are freeware. In fact, I spoke to C-net on this today and I seem recall the figure being 3/4ths of files being freeware.

"I too purchased object Desktop from Stardock - but that doesn`t stop the main problem of how the hell you get anything to download off this site anymore. For the last couple of weeks, I havn`t been able to download one windowblinds skin. Not one. Pretty disappointing. "

Hey my car doesn't work right. Fix it! Can you be any more vague?

Maybe its your ISP?. Maybe you are having connection timeout? Maybe you have saved them to your harddrive but forgot where? Maybe you do not have the appropriate software install to view the skins? Maybe you have ran out of drive space? Maybe you are using an extremely old browser and its not compatable? Maybe your hard drive is full and you cannot save the file? Maybe you are using a Mac instead of a PC? Maybe there was a server error? Maybe your cache drive is full? Geeesh, there could be literally thousands of reasons you cannot download. Maybe its against your religion. But without a clue as to what the symptoms are how is the problem supposed to be resolved. I know. Lets just blame someone else and say they are doing it on purpose just to get your money! Yea thats the problem. Can't be anything else can it?

What T-Man is saying is that there MUST be a logical reason for your inability to DL and it has nothing to do with some form of restriction or alienation from the site, considering you're an OD subscriber.
As with any problem-solving, it requires systematic 'error verification/elimination'.

Me?....I blame them Commies...

I used to love this site...

Server Busy makes me !

mad cat, I'm a bit confused. I am pretty sure all of the stardock software expires after a certain number of days or uses. If you bought any of the software you have no chance of getting a server busy message. You say you used to love this site, I'm sorry if I'm understanding wrong but sounds like you've been here a little while. After this while how can you still be using new skins? Unless of course you are using a hacked version in which case you deserve server busy 24/7. Then again maybe you're not using a stardock product, in that case you should contact the people who made the product for possible free downloads.

Why is everybody always complaining about free stuff.

Not sure what is going on here. I need to read the thread again. It seems people are assuming that if they get the 404 error that it is because they did not buy the Wincustomize browser. Or for that matter the Object Desktop group of programs. I am not sure but I believe that if your getting this it is more likly some other error than "oh they will not allow me to download".

I have to admit I did not know that visitors just see works that are 7 and above. That has its good points as well as its bad. I personally feel it has more bad points. If anything it should be 6. Just above "average" if that is the object of having such a system.

as far as artist submitting free stuff and stardock using them is, as I have written before, a 2 way street. Stardock gets more skins for people who bought the software and others. Artist get to practice thier art and get thier name out there. Artist will get better in time, and so will the product (hopefully). This is not the big corporate monster beating on the little guy (artists). Many artists get a whole lot out of Wincustomize and Stardock for providing a STABLE place to hold thier work AND a STABLE software to work on.

Once again also I would like to state that it would be better to have more facts or something to explain what is happening. And calling people names in a title of a post probably will not get you the answer you want (if you were looking for an answer in the first place)

You read the thread again Joe?
I think everyone has to be displayed, but then again there is a policy behind it. OOOPS, I meant every work
From what I have learned, luckily the average (latest) rating is taken for displaying, and not the rating given by the moderator. (that is if the work gets 2 or more rates)
It is a bit disturbing if visitors get the 404 very frequently, and let's hope the new equipment bought from win subscribers will solve this. There was a thank you by Frogboy, I thought that was cool.

Hey NecroticisM, from the words of Eddie Murphy's "Family Barbeque" stand up routine circa 1983: "If you don't like it, get the fu*# out!"

you guys are such stupid idiots...

this site WAS free and still SHOULD be free..thats why people like it! We don't come here to have you lamers act like you're beter tahn us and diss us. This WAS a kickass site...but for the last month I haven't downloaded a single thing...always get the server busy message..

I wouldn't mind clicking on some more banner ad's or some shit.. i mean that would be cool and the site could get more money because less people would go elsewhere...

I think this WinCustomize+Stardock thing was bullshit I liked both things way better before

And if you people are going to go "OMG NOOB" or "THEN LEAVE" or "THEN PAY" or some other stupid dumbass remark, don't bother, cuz I don't care and I'm not gonna even read it

No, Just Bye!

Ace, what are you doing here then?

Hey, how is an 'Exiled' managing to post? Thought that had been stopped...

For all you impatient People Crying Bout Busy Servers And Not Being Able To Download Stuff Because of it. Tommorow's Another Day. You'll Get Over it. And Just Think About What you are Bitchin About BeFore We Start Crying on The Message Boards

Fuzzy....my guess is he is a 'nuveau-exile'...