So with Impulse over to Gamestop and the digital distribution competition no longer something we’re participating in we’ve developed a new digital updating client – Stardock Central (what’s old is new again).
But unlike the old “big” client, the new one is very…very simple.
(sorry for the lame screenshot, I’m caught up on my games on this new machine and haven’t installed any apps yet).
Your Stardock purchases will show up here once you login. Just pick what you want to install (or update) and press a button and it’ll use our massively fast CDN to install it (we have a long-term agreement with our CDN except now the only thing using its bandwidth is our stuff so the download speeds are kind of ridiculous – it’s like being the only guy on a 1 gigabyte line).
The new settings includes an option to have it simply update your software automatically. So you can either choose to stick with older versions or always have it up to date.
..
OK, let’s say you don’t like to have to install a client at all. That’s fine too. You can update your software and games via the web as well:
Pick whether it’s software or games and it’ll look at your account, when you last updated, and off you go. The installer will figure out what you need to install (i.e. if you have multiple machines with different versions) and off you go.
It’s designed to be as streamlined as possible.
UPDATE: TRY THE LATEST VERSION HERE:
https://www.stardock.com/products/stardockcentral/
The web version will let you do this. But yea, the app will have to get updated first.
This will be interesting I think. Just look at some of the responses. I'll wait till it hits something first. Not sayin' what that somethin' is ... the fan ... or ......
Just like with Impulse, which I will miss, there will be those who won't be happy with anything. This new app will be no different. No matter how good or perfect it may be, some will complain.
May as well accept that fact.
Seems to me alot of those who hated Impulse have been crying since it's gone. Seems to be the norm these days.
I can't wait to get hold of this baby!!
I'm looking forward to the new app as well. Most, but not all, of the bitching about Impulse came from the gaming side & a few purists who still obsess over how many processes are running at boot (not that that's a bad thing). Most of us found Impulse to be just fine for the purpose, archiving issues being the only fly in the ointment. Sounds like SD has chosen an elegant solution to the archive issue - making sure you don't need them by providing the native installers.
I'm good with SDC handling release versions only at first, since it sounds like access to betas will 1) be available on the MyAccount page and 2) be added to SDC at some point. My point related to SD 'wondering' whether we'd want access to betas added to SDC - it was not a 'pre-complaint', just a 'Well, Duh' reply.
A good proportion were non-gaming ... getting all angsty about having to install one program so that they could install one other.
They studiously ignored the reality that MOST users of Impulse had more than one proggy installed which made it actually quite SENSIBLE.
Clearly there were several people overly 'precious' about their computers which beggared the question why they were bothering AT ALL with skinnables and/or games in the first place....
Now, IF the new SDC has an IRC client I may yet be able to 'retire' the OLD SDC ....
You aren't going to retire anything. You still have the first graphic you made 30 years ago.
Bring on this new SDC, sounds great but going to the store isn't a big deal since ID has been letting us know when there have been updates. So can we have it tomorrow?
One other thing I used to see frequently regarding Impulse rants was the installation of the systray process (I think "Impulse Now"?). Sometimes people wouldn't take the time to figure out how to disable it, or ask how to disable it, they'd just see it and flip out. Based on the whole approach of this new manager I'd guess that's not going to be an issue. It would be something to keep in mind though if some sort of auto-notifier is in the works.
I'm not a gamer and loved Impulse. Things were so easy to update or search for new things.
Now, I've managed to buy two additional years of Object Desktop because nothing was showing up under Impulse/GS when I tried to update it, even though I knew they should update, the accounts page just shows full downloads and the classification is Production, whatever that is. I'm really hoping to see something new, that works, soon, because I really don't want to have to figure out each item that is included in OD that I have to update since some of them don't work with my system.
I haz a sad...
I'm really interested about that.
Impulse was a failure. It still is. It was abadoned a lot earlier before it was sold, although the start was very promising.
Gamers Bills of Right was marketing and never been applied. I thought that at least for stardock title that was true, but now I see they are released on Steam.
But at least SDC is coming back (refreshed) and I like the Stardock of these old days, that do its job, create good software and games and give a simple and essential way to download them without other interests in the middle. So I'm happy about this and I wish you a better end that with Impulse.
Impulse most definitely was not a failure, nor was it abandoned. Its successful sale is testament to that...
And I still have it and will not get rid of it until it serves absolutely no purpose. My ODNT sub is good till 12/31/2014. Will Impulse work for me that long? Until I renew?
I would doubt it.
I don't know about 'work,' but I can't update anything through Impulse anymore that is part of ObjectDesktop. It's way frustrating!
Try here: https://store.stardock.com/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/myaccount/products
Thanks, but I don't know what needs updating and what's just a straight download. They're not marked as updates and they're HUGE which makes me think they're the full programs which I don't need. Just the updates if any are available. And they're all marked "Production." What does that mean?
Maybe I just hate change, I don't know. I do know, they're making it much harder than it needs to be.
At the moment we are not pushing updates only. We are just pushing updated full installers.
Which apps do you think are "huge"? What defines huge?
Deskscapes at a full install for 55megs is reasonable. For an update, it seems huge. That's something I'd expect from a Microsoft update. Not a Stardock one. But as I said, I couldn't tell if they were updates or full installs and since I made the mistake of renewing my Object Desktop twice because I thought Impulse must not have done the first one since nothing would update through it, I was hoping the updates would show up on my accounts page then as that. Updates. I don't need to install everything again.
So, that said, may I ask when I'll be able to just get the updates and not the full installs?
You actually do need the full programs. That's the point (for now). Consider 'Production' version to equal 'Release' version (i.e., not alpha or beta).
I like the store page we have now just fine. I'm sure this updater will appeal to many people, but I'm glad to see that a simple download webpage will still be available for those of us who prefer it that way. Who says you can't please all the people?
I have the full programs. I don't want to install them again. I just want to keep track of any available updates. However, since I renewed my OD, it appears that they only way they'll show current registration is if I do reinstall them. For me, that's a fail, but I'm hoping the new updater will come soon and in the meantime, I just won't use the programs...
I disagree. Impulse came out of nowhere and had a good start, no doubt. It has interesting feature and some for too long not fixed bugs (who says backup and archive?). Was definetly important to push Steam out of its shell, It was gaining ground back then, then its improvement stopped, like its developement was abandoned. And meanwhile Valve did a great job to fix the great mess Steam was. Impulse was inferior in catalog, support, deal and publisher negotiation, it went against all the point in gamers bill of right, regional prices and regional lock were a common. It just give up too early. So its ideal conclusion was to became GameStop Store, where the hate starts and ends
GameStop needed a way to reach users who gave their personal information to Stardock (and maybe wouldn't have given to GS) and Stardock needed a way to get rid of Impulse and return to its previous state to avoid firing other employee. I think it was for the better, I'm still confident Stardock could create great products like it always have and Elemental was a sign that something wasn't going in the right direction.
The thing I'll miss more about Impulse is the community blogs and the never implemented idea that was suggested back then. I could bet a lot of users ceased to use it.
The buttons could of at least of been schemed to match your WB. (Including Metro, if anybody really wants that. ) But it looks like it's designed to cut straight to the point, not bloated like Impulse was.
For now i get 2 questions:
1°) Will it be possible to restore .impulse archives and / or old SDC archives ? (hope it will at least for .impulse)
2°) I still have the old "SDC" installed. Will i have to uninstall the old version (which keeps many keys in registry, remaining component manager, builderblinds and so on) ?
Picciu ... I think that one user's impression of Impulse doesn't qualify the statement that "Impulse was a failure".
Don't confuse your personal experience as the determinator of a program's worth.
It is historical fact that each and every permutation of Stardock's product delivery systems has met with disdain and resistance, only to have it's being replaced lamented subsequently.
Yet each systemic replacement has been better than the previous, in spite of the vocal minority.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing...
As for region pricing and/or exclusion ... that applies to ALL product distribution. Everywhere. It is only more apparent with online distribution systems....
Stardock's User Base can be counted in the millions. Vocal animosity towards Impulse can be measured in the dozens, and even allowing for perhaps 'thousands' of silent negativity it's overall acceptance is arguably several orders of magnitude to the PLUS...
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