Nope, I can't explain it, I myself am confused by the lack of understanding some are having with this.




Hey Brad, at least Zubaz gets all the letters in his words, granted not in the proper order but they are all there

For those worried about anything being dropped. As long as you archive all in SDC and back-up those archives you will always have them, forever.

peple . . who love peple . .  are the luckiest peple in teh world!

 

I'm unsure as to whether or not my posts are perceived as pinchpenny complaints?

1. TweakVista average as a utility.
2. WindowBlinds 6's new feature I really didn't use
3. SoundPackager - I'd didn't care for
4. Premium suites - necessary
5. IconPackager - I don't use
6. SkinStudio 6 - I don't use
7. ObjectBar - Whilst better than Vista's sidebar - I'm happy with the Vista sidebar
8. RightClick - Love this utility
9. DeskScapes - Fun, but gets boring after a while
10. LaunchPad - Not very good
11. Desktop X - I don't use
12. Premium skins - necessary

For me the premium skins / suites were the only components I got any use out of, so I still don't see much value in a subscription renewal.

Don't get me wrong. I really like stardock custom support and service - you guys are awesome. It just am starting to find ObjectDesktop a little old.

Jinksy: WindowBlinds 6 has more than one feature over WB5.5.

I should also point out that WB 5.5 was released within the past year which added support for Vista skinning.

I have to say that all this is rather confusing and mind boggling for a new subscriber. I just barely bought OD so I don't have to worry about renwing for quite a long time. And by then I might have given Vista a try. Doubtful, but it's possible. I'm quite happy with XP and from experience through the years, I know it'll be at least a year before I'm ready to touch Vista with a ten foot pole, mine or anyone else's. It's simply not worth the hassle, the bugs, the incompatibilities, having to probably upgrade my machine and not to mention I get to pay an arm and leg for all this fun. No thanks.

I really like my XP and I really like OD. If, when the time comes to renew, the price from the current is only $5 more then I don't see what the big row is about, as long as there are still usable XP upgrades. If it all goes to Vista then no, it won't be worth my dime. I think it should be less about the $5 increase for renewal (or whatever it is going to be) than what we're getting for it in terms of upgrades for programs we use. Because, as I understand it, I'm not going to be out any money for the upgrade to Ultimate in March or whenever it gets released. There is no extra $20 charge. Only a slight increase of the renewel at the end of the subscription.

However, there is too much conjecture and personally my renew date is too far in the future for me to worry over.

On another note, I'd rather see the Premium content dropped and ObjectDock incorporated. Give me something I like as opposed to things I'll never use. The premuim WB and Suite included in OD are nice, just not what I would have chosen, or will ever use. So, for me, they weren't of any value at all. Not complaining though, as I didn't buy the suite expecting to get any Premium content at all. Getting to choose which ones I got would have been a great touch and added a bit more fun to the whole thing though.

Two cents worrh from a new customer.. at an ungodly early hour. So forgive me if it all doesn't make sense.

Another thought occurred to me (several in one day!):

Don't Theme Manager and MyColors have overlapping functions? Are there plans in the works to merge these two apps? I know we've had a lot of issues historically with the two not getting along very well, and it seems as though it would make sense for OD '08 to include one or the other but not both as separate, independent entities.

No complaints here..... and if the OD Ultimate renewal price is around 39 - 40 bucks, then it is still very good value and well worth the price. Anyone who thinks otherwise obviously has a math problem and concerns about having to dust the cobwebs off their wallets.

Ok I dont post much but some of the content in this thread has been bugging me for days now so.....



Are the moaners just ignoring what Frogboy said (and which I quote above)?
I am baffled by the negativity about ODNT 2008 and I would have to assume that they either ....
A. Can't read
B. Can't understand plain English
C. Are completely stupid
D. All of the above
E. Are not completely stupid,can read and understand plain English but just like to moan regardless of the easily understandable facts patiently provided by Brad and others.

As for those who can't seem to accept that as the products develop and become better,with improved user interfaces and features and the like,and new products are added (that's not to mention a years free updates to all software in the package)that price increases will happen then all I can say is life must be tough for you driving round in your Model T Fords and watching your black and white televisions while your kids clean chimneys and your wives beat your clothes clean on a rock by the riverbank.
Progress is progress and these things cost,albeit not very much.

Ok moan over now,back to the lounge to open the fine single malt I got for Christmas.

Same here... I cannot think of/do not know of any better value software anywhere. OK, so there are a couple of changes, but certainly nothing to complain about when considering the content included in the Ultimate package for an extra $5.00 or so.... $10.00 for the wife and I, but it'll be a no-brainer when it comes time to renew, we'll just do it.

Speaking from a personal point of view, Object Desktop is one of the best software values out there today. I purchase a lot of software throughout the year, some with a decent price tag and most, if not all of them, are rarely updated and if some developers do charge for an update, they are not always at a discount either. 

I can't figure out why you bought Object Desktop in the first place.

It would be like someone complaining about being unhappy with a Playstation only to later learn that the person doesn't really like games much.

If you have Windows Vista, WindowBlinds 6 is pretty huge in terms of new features (WB 5.5 made WB 5 work on Vista, WB 6 skins the new parts of Vista both of which came out in 2007).  Sounds like you would have been better off just buying WindowBlinds.

Most people wishing to complain about things fall quite snugly into this particular category ....;)

Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that this thread was meant as a self affirming moment for Stardock, WinCustomize and its long time customers.... customers that won't pay the price for these changes. I was under the illusion that opinions were welcome when in fact they were not. At least not ones that do not match your own. Please, feel free to raise the price all you want without further complaining from me. I won't be submitting either. I will be sharing this experience however.

"After 6 months" I can presume that many of you are full of yourselves and not open to criticism. If you cannot respect new members and their opinions, it will hurt you in the end. Especially with a 40% price increase. You don't give a damn, so I don't either. I'm not going to lose any money with these changes. My sites will not suffer & I do not rely on "good will" submissions from people - who's opinions I will ridicule in return. I no longer believe this price increase is a bad idea. I think this increase will put these sites right where they need to be financially & submission wise.

From this point on I will only take, not give. That includes deleting my submissions.
(Only 2 so no worries from me.)
Maybe now you can put that shotgun away xscorpx

Happy New Year to all of you.

A few years back I downloaded the demo version of WindowsBlinds and loved it. So I purchased OD. Initially I got a lot of use most of OD's components, but as time passed and after multiple PC upgrades my usage patterns changed.

Since Vista the only components I still have installed are ObjectDock, RightClick and Keyboard LaunchPad. This suites me find and as I said for me there's now 'wow' factor in OD 2008.

I think someone needs to reply to this as you appear confused and your statements are misleading people. We have so far as a recap:

1) Current users of Object Desktop will be upgraded to Ultimate free
2) Renewals after that will cost $4.95 extra
3) If you renew now, you pay the old price

If you choose not to renew now, the future increase is just over 12% - very low over a period extending from 1996 to 2008, and not taking into account all the extra applications now included in ObjectDesktop which didn't exist in 1996. Sounds like excellent value to me!

As for not accepting criticism or not respecting new members or their opinions, that simply isn't true. Go ahead and criticize all you want. The problem is, you are presenting opinions based on false facts. You can't really expect that to go unanswered, can you? 

I'll assume you accept I am entitled to an opinion? Object Desktop, to me, still represents the best value for money of any software I have bought.

It must be truly baffling and disheartening for the folks at Stardock to read some of the comments made in this thread. But I'll assume they expect, as a business, that some folk will stick the boot in regardless of what is said or done, and carry on. There's not much else you can do in that situation.

At the end of the day if you don't think its good value or you're not getting anything out of it, buy something else! Its your choice, no-one is forcing anyone to do anything

No....go for your life....knock yourself out...opine to one's heart content. "Go for it", even.

Just don't categorize all those respondents who both understand the news/upgrades and are happy to see it is all 'good' as something/one akin to arse-kissers.

They are not.

Frogboy did nothing more than announce what's in store for OD users/subscribers.  If anyone cannot follow it's a simple process to ask for clarification, however attacking one another for different views is not an ideal survival trait.... not here, or anywhere.

To those still following....'6 months' or not, everyone's entitled to a comment.  If such is perceived as naive or uninformed then do the 'right thing' - enlighten.  That's how we all learn...;)

ok all I see is their offering 2 package deals,, one will be more $.. but hey why aren't these guys allowed a little raise? SD hasn't raised a price in what ever? Not to mention over the years the content levels have gone up, as well as the quality/stability of the programs. They are willing to upgrade most of use who are already Subscribers for free,or at a reduced rate to reward our past loyalty.

But yes lets begrudge them a few bucks a year, and throw a tantrum.



shakes his head as he walks away. **how sad**

*nods in complete agreement*

well said HG

You are entitled to your own opinions. You are not entitle dto your own facts.

Your complaints are based on a false premise. The Object Desktop of today is going to become Object Desktop Ultimate and ODNT users will be migrated to that version free of charge.

There is no foundation for your complaints.

Me thinks you bene hangin garound with Zubaz a bit muhc... Zubisms are creepin gin.

Please note 'Zubish' is the correct term.

I got kicked from IRC for inventing it...

What part of the following statement DON'T people understand? Are they not reading it or are they just blind to it? I've been a subscriber for many, many years. FREE is good. Thanks Stardock. I'll stick with you til the internet (or skinning) dies.