Object Desktop 2008 Preliminaries

from JoeUser Forums

It's almost time to start talking about what's happening with Object Desktop in 2008.  2008 will be the single biggest change to the product since its release.

Here are some highlights:

Two versions

In 2008 there will be two editions of Object Desktop:

Object Desktop normal which will remain $49.95 and it will include:

  • Object Desktop LaunchPad
  • WindowBlinds
  • IconPackager
  • DeskScapes
  • DesktopX
  • SoundPackager
  • Theme Manager
  • MyColors with 3 premium themes included

And there will then be:

Object Desktop Ultimate Edition which will be $69.95 and add:

  • TweakVista
  • WindowFX
  • SkinStudio
  • IconDeveloper
  • StyleVista (new program in development)
  • LogonStudio Vista
  • ObjectBar
  • RightClick
  • Keyboard LaunchPad

ALL current users of Object Desktop at the time that 2008 edition is launched will be upgraded to Ultimate Edition.

Another big change is that the user experience of Object Desktop is going to dramatically improve. Gone will be the days of a new user simply getting a serial # and being expected to download Stardock Central to get started.  Instead, a user will download a complete Object Desktop package which will allow them to easily upgrade to updates versions.

The inclusion of MyColors is a pretty big deal as well in that now users will be able to much more easily add new premium themes.  What we'll be doing is that every so often we'll add an additional premium MyColors theme to every active Object Desktop account. So the longer someone is an Object Desktop user, the more stuff they get.

Stay tuned.

67,777 views 108 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sounds like the new year will be something that most people will want to be a subscriber to Object Destktop so that they can experience the upgrades, I know I do and will. Thanks for the news.  :CONGRAT:  :HOT: 
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sounds great. Can't wait. Hope it's early and not late. Anything else on the plate? Sorry, I'm tired.
Start11 - Customize the Start Menu and Taskbar in Windows 10/11.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
looking forward to it. it's always nice to have the latest :)
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hummmm $20 bucks more and for some things I don't use, not sure how to take this  (:( . I like the part that if you have OD already you will get the upgrade. I don't need any of the Ultra Ed stuff except SK but now it looks like it's going to cost to use SK.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I don't see ObjectEdit -- having this program revoked from SDC won't make me happy.

Will the renew subscription be the same for Ultimate as it has been previously? I don't want to have to start paying more to get my same set of softwares.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Woohoo! and only 11 days to go !  ;p 
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hopefully it isn't released on September 3rd 2008 X-(
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Gone will be the days of a new user simply getting a serial # and being expected to download Stardock Central to get started. Instead, a user will download a complete Object Desktop package which will allow them to easily upgrade to updates versions.
End of quote


Can You get more specific on this one, please ? I really like to have SDC to manage OD. And what about Thinkdesk ?

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sounds good for 2008,can't wait. :D 
What will StyleVista do? :) 
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Why not put objectDOck plus in there instead of the mycolours for us Europeans non-loyal types???
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think it's a tough job to say that I'm all about saving money, however, it doesn't look like a very good move from my point of view.

As an XP user, the only thing I personally need from from the Ultimate Package is SkinStudio. As it stands, it looks like you get the $20.00 either way I guess, through my purchasing as part of the Ultimate Package, or as a stand alone app.

I'd also like to be clearer about "download a complete Object Desktop package".

Will the 'My Colors' come from the 'Inspired' range?

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Is ObjectZip still going to be in there? Might be a good idea to list "everything" since when I first bought ODesktop there was a lot more in there (34 things listed) than is listed now (8-9). I'd hate to lose ObjectZip. And I don't see IconPackager listed in there either....just IconDeveloper. Just checking.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Looking forward to be a continuing OD subscriber and it looks like 2008 will just make it better!!  :D 
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Frankly speaking I only need Windowblinds and Iconpackager from all these. It would also be nice to have CursorVista included. The rest can be excluded as I really only want eyecandy for my desktop, and not extra features (ie ObjectDock, etc). The current plans throws in a bunch of software that I will not need.

***Maybe a eye-candy pack can be created at a more moderate cost***

In fact isnt it funny to not include Skinstudio with Windowblinds? I would imagine having the ability to make skins for Windowblinds without having to pony up $$$ is very important.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
MyColors with 3 premium themes included
End of quote


Will these premium themes be selected by Stardock or will the subscriber get his choice?

I'm not too sure that getting a MyColors theme for some team/organization I've never heard of is much of a value add.  :NOTSURE: 

Letting the subscriber choose, however, would definitely be a plus!  :) 

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Draginol said:

ALL current users of Object Desktop at the time that 2008 edition is launched will be upgraded to Ultimate Edition.
End of quote


I'm curious about what the re-up fee will be after OD '08 is released. Will it go up for the users that got the free upgrade to Ultimate?

WebGizmos said:

And I don't see IconPackager listed in there either....just IconDeveloper. Just checking.
End of quote


Draginol said:
Object Desktop normal which will remain $49.95 and it will include:

* Object Desktop LaunchPad
* WindowBlinds
* IconPackager
End of quote



JaLoonZ said:

In fact isnt it funny to not include Skinstudio with Windowblinds? I would imagine having the ability to make skins for Windowblinds without having to pony up $$$ is very important.
End of quote


Actually, not really. This seems to make good business sense from Stardock's POV, because, let's face it, most people who download and buy WindowBlinds will probably never make a 'blind. It take a lot more time and artistic ability to create a high-quality 'blind than your average "JoeUser" has (myself included). So the "standard" version of the OD package includes the items that the user would need to apply and use most of the content found at Wincustomize, with the notable exception of a few proggies (like CursorXP/FX and ObjectDock) that have free versions available for separate download.


pictoratus said:



Will these premium themes be selected by Stardock or will the subscriber get his choice?

I'm not too sure that getting a MyColors theme for some team/organization I've never heard of is much of a value add.

Letting the subscriber choose, however, would definitely be a plus!
End of quote


If experience is any guide, I would expect that the MyColors themes will be nonpartisan (so as not to alienate any particular college football or NHL fanatics out there) and not chosen by the user. Most likely, they will be themes along the lines of Magic and Winter Wonderland. Of course, I'm just guessing, and I don't work for Stardock, but this is how the Wincustomize subscription works, so . . . .

Overall, it looks like some pretty interesting changes. I'm looking forward to seeing more "official" premium content (not that we don't have terrific Master skins out there) and tighter integration among the various components.





Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hi,

Yeh well, what can I say... a lot of nice words to announce a 40% price increase. I really have no clue how any client can be enthousiastic about this. But looking at the reactions above, there actually are some. I guess I'm missing something.

Martin
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
There not adding an Ultimate Edition, that is what we have now. They are increasing the price and adding a cheaper version.

Current users Upgraded???? Renamed you mean.
All I see in my future is a price increase. I take that back, mycolors is added and StyleVista will be added, far as I am concerned I rather see it stay the way it is now, and have those two new additions be considered Ultimate.

But that is just my 2 cents.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
There not adding an Ultimate Edition, that is what we have now. They are increasing the price and adding a cheaper version.

Current users Upgraded???? Renamed you mean.
All I see in my future is a price increase. I take that back, mycolors is added and StyleVista will be added, far as I am concerned I rather see it stay the way it is now, and have those two new additions be considered Ultimate.
End of quote


I totally agree... Right now the price to upgrade is $34.95
It would seem that the upgrade price for "Ultimate" could easily be $54.95, or more!!!

Right now I use, and would like to continue using are:
- WindowBlinds
- IconPackager
- DeskScapes

- TweakVista
- SkinStudio
- IconDeveloper
- LogonStudio Vista

Instead (or perhaps in addition), I would like to see packages that users could customize, so they can get what the want, at a reasonable price.

I started using Windowblinds back in 1998, and I stated subscribing to OD in 2001.
With this I may consider NOT renewing next year.
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I feel that Skin Studio should remain in the Normal (regular) version. Also,it seems to me that the Ultimate Version is primarily geared to Vista and there is a substantial number of customers that do not plan to downgrade to Vista any time soon, if ever ... myself included.
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Just to be clear, I understand that forgetting any other pressures, with the introduction of Vista, there are added demands on both support and development. I don't begrudge a price increase. It's the way it's been structured and presented that concerns me.

It was only in August that SkinStudio 6 was annouced as 'A New Era In Skinning Begins!':-

"With SkinStudio 6, combined with the upcoming WindowBlinds 6, users can expect a whole new era in skinning thanks to the drastically reduced amount of effort involved in getting into skinning as well as the amount of work necessary to create outstanding looking skins."

No mention was made of deliberately repositioning it as an 'added value' item and possibly out of the price range of some people. I think when anything is structured to make access to skinning tools more difficult for some members, then I will flinch a little and raise it as a concern.

I accept that not all the information has been made available, and look forward with others to understanding the new structure a little better.
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Not sure all of these are good news ...  :NOTSURE: Each time something was a major changing in Object Desktop (and/or software) it was very buggy (and/or) not going in the way i liked: exemple is the changing from Component Manager to SDC and more recently WB skins now in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\Stardock\WindowBlinds (and same way for Iconpackages, that's why i'll never update my IconPackager 3.20.128  :( ) ...
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
dark angel, your od2007 sub is good for one year. if you want to continue your sub and get updates to the apps, you're going to spend money. the price for current customers before od2008 was 35 bucks. i'm not sure what it'll be now.
Reply #25 from JoeUser Forums Top

In case some people forget, basic SkinStudio is free.

Existing users get Object Desktop Ultimate so I don't see how existing customers can argue they're getting a bad deal out of it.

The renewal price of Object Desktop Ultimate hasn't been set but will probably be $39.95.

I also think some people desperately need to go and look at how much things cost and then come back and argue that Object Desktop isn't a great deal.