I'm not saying that the site can't have appealing themes, I would just like a theme that is optomized for speed.

I seem to be getting a lot of "no little boy, return to your corner" recently

Ya babble to much Jobe. Go start another thread.

where I can babble anew? Oh WOW! *big grin*

WOM, still think my posting style makes me seem more mature than my age?

Jobe: Have you been to the "Edit Account" link at the top and optimized for speed instead of display? If you haven't, then that would speed things up for you a little.

Your like a coin. One day you are and one day your not. It must be tails today.

BoXXi, I'm on the fastest theme I've found.
Also, I've selected "Optimize for: Speed"
and "Icons: Hidden"
and "Max #of skins per Page: 5"
and "Hide posts older than 1 days"

as well as reducing every other option I could find.

but I always turn up?

Then take a downer, that will speed up everything around you.

I guess you are on a modem then? If so then I feel for ya! I just spent 4 years on a 31kbs modem until about 3 weeks ago when I got Broadband. I could never go back !

Ok WOM, I've taken your advice and started a new thread.

BoXXi, yup, I'm stuck with modem... for another year Damn I really got suckered by that CompuServe deal, that service is almost as bad as AOL. Yes, yes, I know, it's owned by AOL... I just didn't believe that even AOL could trash such a good service so effectively.

Let me crystalize this as best I can. I am NO artist. Yet...I download tons of artistic works from many amazingly talented people everyday from this site. When Pixtudio comes out with another skin that costs money...I am happy to pay the bill. I will download the Orion icon set and pay the money with a massive smile on my face. I am currently using Chad's H2so4 WB skin and will contribute my $20 to him for some amazing work. Quite frankly, I would pay many of you for the amazing work you all do. I'm honored to use your work and cannot tell you how much I enjoy it.

I'm a level 4 user that is happy to pay my small (even tiny) part to keep a site like this running. I've been paying for ODNT since March of 2000. The products Stardock release are excellent. The website has continues to upgrade itself to handle the bandwidth problems that ALWAYS occur.

I am sick and tired of this constant argument about paying money for something as awesome as this. The fact is...with the amount of money I have paid...I am definitly getting the better end of the deal. Simply put...IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY THEN GO AWAY! IF YOU DON'T GET IT THEN DON'T DOWNLOAD IT! STOP YOUR PISSY WHINING AND GO AWAY...JUST GO AWAY!

AMEN BRO!

It is frustrating for servers to be busy, but to selfishly act as if there are no legitimate reasons for the congestion is simply ludicrous. What's also funny is that it's also not only WinCustomize providing higher priority to premium members, because I've seen some a game site full of files that also provides exclusive access to paying members, while having non-paying members wait hours to download the files that they desire. In other words, sites are being congested, and ads don't cut it, but subscriptions might. This is what's going to happen, because I doubt that anybody is going to appear that will provide free unlimited bandwith for all.
Of course, it could also be a conspiracy by all webmasters to make money by pretending that more and more sites are being congested.

ToeJo, very well put!
As for paying for site content, nothing new there.
I've been a paying member of the DORNA site for a couple of years, and it's worth it to me.
Either an annual subscription or a pay-per-event are available, perhaps this is a possible avenue for WC?
But as we know, US$20.00 (A$40.00) is a pretty good deal anyway!
If one wants it enough it can be done, I managed to subscibe to a Czech site which has NO English in the sign up at all!
Bloody Trolls again .... PULL!

Thanks Paxx, thanks Frogboy. That's very clear to me now. For all those people that get angry at me: I am a WC subscriber from the day WB was released, I am an OD user and renewed the subscription just a couple of days ago when I was warned by the component manager to renew. I also have Mormegils icons. I do factfinding on this message board not only for myself, but for everyone to understand how this site is run.

Actually I did submit skins, not as many as most of you, but I did. There are VERY VERY talented people on here and that is a fact, I just don't feel that we should pay for things like that. When was the last time any of you got a royalty check? Huh sig? Huh SuPeRhErO? Have any of you recieved a royalty check? I understand that increased users=busy servers that was a very good point. But at the time my mind was clouded with ignorance and disappointment.

Jadachris2003...when was the last time you got a bill for the widely accessible hosting of your works?

Just one of my themes has had 882 downloads of 4,087 meg apiece....that's 3.604 gig for ONE item....not even a particularly 'popular' one.
Along with all my other stuff, and just like all the other people/contributors here....it'd be fairer if WE were charged for the bandwidth our skins/walls/themes are monopolizing...

what royality check, i dont need one

i havent expected any sort of compensation from the day i started uploading. There are alot of people, so if you pay you should get priority. And to get rid of the server busy just click refresh a few times or come on during off peak hours. Thats what im doing til i can afford a subscribtion.

You dont have to pay for it we could have a site witha ton of popups and our emails sold off, but they dont because they have found a way that workss

Good point this IS free to upload your skins to wide public exposure

well il say this ...i bought object desk top ..it was worth it to me to have the extras ...il buy a subscription here..why? cause its worth the extras to me .... if ya dont want the extras dont pay.. but dun gripe if ur not payin, that ur not gettin the extras .....is free ta come here but if ya want the goodies ya gotta contribute ta help pay for the extra costs ... an its not like they tryin ta break ur piggy bank ...is cheaper than a years subscription to any magazene.. and more fun

these just my 2 cents

i smell a new conspiracy

QUOTE: "it'd be fairer if WE were charged for the bandwidth our skins/walls/themes are monopolizing"

Frogboy mentioned something similar a while ago. so will that happen soon

moshi....no, I was merely trying to make a point, showing the converse...

So many people DEMAND that life must be free, yet we, the site's supporters help pay for its existence via subscriptions, interaction, content, etc, and others just 'take, take, take', without any consideration towards 'giving'...

Royalty check? I haven't submitted any skins so that's not an issue. That jibe also is a nonstarter because no one uploads skins here in the anticipation of receiving royalties.

The site is no doubt costly to maintain, even with a volunteer admin staff, and subscriptions are available for those who wish to support the expense of running the site, bandwidth, hardware, etc. That's an increasingly popular model for sites since ads alone do not support site costs.

Additionally, some of us would not support a site that engaged in other means of paying the bills such as intrusive pop ups and banners, email selling and spam. Some sites exist solely on a profit model; this one does not.

I've subscribed and/or donated a few bucks to several different sites because I find it in my interest to support them. If my and others' WC subscriptions result in improved site performance for all users such as the recent server purchase, that's a plus for all users. (By the way, I've received a 'server busy' notice in the past as well so I'd venture that no one has guaranteed access all the time.)

But since you seem to distrust the website admins to the extent that you readily accuse them of fraud (ie, putting up "BS" server busy notices to get people to subscribe) perhaps you'd be more comfortable taking your custom elsewhere. If not, then as with other heavy traffic sites, you compete for access with other users.