I was a longtime user of Object Desktop. For many, many years I subscribed and enjoyed getting new skins to apply to my computer. I still use Xav73's skins to this day. The lack of update to some programs was an issue at times but things generally got done. Then Impulse came out and we were told it would be wonderful and great and a new version of OD would come out and it would be world changing.
Not so much.
Impulse did keep things updated but I never saw much change in what was available that I wanted to use. Windowblinds still worked pretty well but the Mycolors stuff that attempted to take over for suites never worked right on Windows 7 for me and then several things started breaking that I'd been using for some time. I'd say it was my system except this happened on all windows 7 installs I tried it on. I found I had to do more fiddling to get things skinned properly. Personally, I still use suites and prefer them. It's too bad some of Xav73's objects he created for the desktop won't work under 7.
Impulse always seemed like just a way to push users to get games and advertise to us and get us to buy buy buy when nothing was really changing to make for a new GUI experience. Desktop X can kinda sorta make a complete change to your experience but it's not any different from what I can see from it's XP incarnation. Screensavers are sorta animated now but nothing earth shattering.
So, all this is to say, I didn't see much changing after I changed to Win 7 and installed OD. Really, it's nice and all but it's not moving forward. Things still take a lot of work if you want to skin your computer like the Enterprise (but why would you want to?) for example. And if I have to do lots of work to get everything just right it's not worth the $35 to re-up every year. Therefore, last year I let my OD subscription lapse for the first time in a long while. Today, I went back to see if anything new had been done by Stardock only to find the latest releases of new on the website are still TWO YEARS OLD! If the website is posting news that's that old, then I'm willing to bet the products haven't moved forward at all since I let my sub lapse. So, it would be a total waste of my money to re-subscribe.
What I want to hear from all you guys out there is this: give me a reason, give me several reasons why I should buy OD again. Why should I buy Stardock's stuff now? I don't want Impulse pushed games; that's not what I'm here for. I see Impulse is, mercifully, going away after the corporate <scam> buyout that I found rather revolting anyway. What I want is new skins that do new things to my GUI. What I want is the EASY ability to do wholesale changes to my GUI, not so it looks like OS/X but looks completely different, unique and fun to use and look at. I want that new GUI to make the use of my computer easier. That's what I want. Is Stardock and OD going to move forward and provide this?
Anyone, Bueller, Bueller?
Actually the response by Neil was much more straight to the point, thus much more coherent
Again, indeed.
My opinion is that the biggest issue is communication.
It hasn't been the games that has distracted us. It's been Impulse. And now that it's found a new home, we can get back into the groove.
Though there is still some transitionary stuff with Impulse until mid Fall so it's going to be gradual. But *I* have more time.
Brad, i read Your new report and I agree with things wholeheartly. For example letting OS support from the stone age (speak: "XP") go. Reading Your report and that Impulse was a good reason for the lack of resources makes me more patient and waiting what the future will bring. Communication is the key indeed.
Another reason why communication is important (and something I'll strive to improve) is that there are a LOT of other things going on in our industry that affect the desktop enhancements.
For example, when we first started, on Windows, our business model was to find developers who wanted to work on cool stuff in their spare time. They'd get a royalty and users would get a neat little program.
That's because most desktop enhancements don't make anywhere near enough to live on.
But today, it's hard to find new people who want to do that because those kind of people want to make iOS stuff. As a result, only the developers who went on to become full time with us have been able to keep improving the programs they were involved in because those programs were sufficiently popular to sustain development.
When we got started, if you were a college student or a day-time developer looking to make some extra money at night, you'd make desktop enhancements. Today, you make iPhone stuff.
"The year is 50 BC. Gaul is entirely occupied by the Romans. All of it? Well, not entirely. One small village of indomitable Gauls still holds out against the invaders."
Hey. I'm still here. I don't work for Stardock and I don't make iOS applications either. lol
Glad to see you back, Brad, this place wasn't the same without you.
Yea, we're a dying breed. I'd love to work with you, Rabbit. You doing C++ / C# yet?
Ahah, nah. I committed to classic VB in the beginning for NextSTART (it was to be a simple application, after all, so you use whatever does the job faster), now, after all these years, converting it all to C++ is pretty much undoable, unless I want to go the way of the dodo (like Netscape did when they decided to re-write their browser from the ground up - took them so long that by the time they finished IE was already the dominant browser).
Not that I couldn't switch to C++ if I wanted to (I wouldn't touch C#), mind you, I used to make huge applications in pure Assembly language back in the day, so any other language is kind of child's play after that. The problem is that no matter how experienced you are becoming *fully* proficient in any new programming language (i.e.; knowing most of the ins and outs) still takes about a year of using it every day.
Anyway, a programming language is nothing but a tool and I think I proved by now that classic VB is more than powerful enough for this task (even .NET would be capable of doing this job, but you would have to throw at it systems with 12 Ghz CPUs and 128+ GB RAM ).
This said, you know I love my independence. It's great being able to do what I love, the way I want it - and still be able to make a living out of it. Of course, in my case it helps a lot that I don't have any plans whatsoever to take over the world, eheh - a small cosy place in the sun is enough for me.
Yep, still here.
Yes, I have read most of the posts. Entertaining. I figured I'd get some responses but not so many. Thanks to those who defended me from the pike of the "observer."
It does look like something is happening to OD and I'm glad. I didn't like impulse and didn't like it even more when GameStop showed up. They aren't a favorite of mine anyway nor is any big corporation. So, I'm glad that's gone. That's also why I referred to Impulse as a scam. After all, I wanted OD and nothing else pushed on me. The sale itself is not a scam though so I hope stardock can gain from that and develop more new neato programs and modify what they have. By the way, when I was programming regularly, I loved their plain text editing program.
Anyway, I still use the programs! They do make the desktop nicer though in the transfer over to a new computer that nice animated Dragon theme disappeared. I wish I still had it. Very good skin that. But I did stop paying for the updates so, of course, I don't deserve them. That is the capitalist way, when it works, and I agree with it.
I will be waiting to see what nice programs pop up and hopefully can either renew or purchase again the full Object Desktop. Honestly, instead of 34 or so dollars, I'd be willing to part with $50 for the pleasure of supporting good programming. I know that's not much but neither does my job pay that much these days after many years of level funding (even with promotions). I will want to put it on my home computer and maybe my work one, which it's still on, but I'll let the licensing decide that. I am very protective of programmer's rights not to have their stuff stolen, being one, at least a one point, before becoming more sys admin.
Someone asked about the old links I referred to. They are the ones in the "Recent Community Posts" and "News" section of https://www.stardock.com/products/odnt/. Being an off and on webmaster, I can appreciate when something gets missed but that does look bad to have the "recent" stuff listed as 2009 on the first page after the click.
Again, thanks for the offers of help and I will keep an eye on things because I really do want to get the package again. But I will wait and see.
There! See, Smeagol was reasonable and not that snide, though I did have to calm down after Jafo's posts who I seem to have ticked off. By the way, I love the Blue Thunder reference.
Hopefully, I will be repurchasing O.D. in the near future. Oh, and by all means, let the XP support go. I use Win 7 and only XP to run my son's FunKeys. Win7 is my mainstay and will be unless I (continue to) fall in love with Linux. As a sys admin, I have to use linux, os/x and win 7 and still xp but can't wait 'til I don't have to.
Much better toned.. post.
Do you mean one of these (Dragon and Molten)?:
https://www.wincustomize.com/explore/windowblinds/6427/
https://www.wincustomize.com/explore/windowblinds/6568/
Don't have Win7 versions, might be a little funky but better than nothing if you really like it.
From the OP in https://forums.wincustomize.com/411679
Lol, ive been over to Freds about 10 times since you first asked, still havent a clue, it is, i know, an Ovation.. with a broken string..
It's not my place, or guitar, but....Promise, I will ask next time.
All I was trying to say Drzues is essentially this;
Stardock is a private company in which the CEO (Brad/Frogboy) will only be doing it if it is what he wants to do and enjoys doing it. Suggestions are fine but insistence is not. That is a fine position to be in that most of us would die to have and I congratulate him on achieving that status/freedom.
So.. breakdown... Brad is THE HEAD of Stardock and while he cares greatly about customer satisfaction there is a firm line in the sand and he will do what makes him happy. If someone does not like it ( and is in any way rude about it) then he will gladly show them the door.
I know from experience on that.
Overall, Brad (THE head of Stardock) is not going to put out a product that he himself is not happy with just to make a buck. Stand by and wait until he feels fairly comfortable with the results and be respectful in the feedback is about all he asks..
(Brad if I'm wrong in this assumption I apologize)
Yes, subsequent 'tone' has mellowed, thanks....
I'm often 'ticked off" by attitudes voiced on these forums but have become thoroughly competent over the past decade at hiding the bodies.
Yes, it's a Blue Thunder 'reference' however my use predates the movie by a half dozen years or so ...[ I'm an FIA and FIM 'Observer']....
Been awhile since I stopped by this forum. It use to be one of my favorite places to visit.
I suppose one can call me a "longtime" Stardock user. My purchases date back to 2005. I stopped buying from Stardock about 18 months ago. My purchases stopped when I was forced to install Impulse to purchase/install/update anything. While I understand the company's need/decision to distribute electronically, what I don't understand is the "attitude" I received from support when I explained my position regarding Impulse. It was much like Jafo's first response to the OP.
IMO something happened to Stardock as it grew larger. A once fun and enjoyable company to deal with stopped being fun and enjoyable. It will sadden me to hear the flaming responses this post will generate, but I understand. I'm just one lost customer in a sea of many customers and the stark reality is no company can please everyone. I've thoroughly enjoyed the Stardock software I purchased. Everything worked as advertised and was fun to use. I wish the company continued success.
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