Feel free to ignore if you want, but I felt like it might be helpful to describe my experience.
The current subscription and pricing model for Object Desktop, or other software like WindowBlinds 11, makes it hard to recommend.
I personally am on a Classic subscription for $20/year. This is an awesome deal. I really am happy with it, and will probably be a lifelong supporter as long as I can keep this deal.
Being able to spend $20/year for updates if I want, but also able to continue using the last version if I can't afford to renew it, makes this very reliable and worth spending my money on. I really appreciate it.
At $40, that's pretty steep. I could somewhat get away with suggesting that to people under the pretense that if they want to, they can continue to use their last version in perpetuity after the year of support is up. But the new subscription model no longer allows for this.
And speaking for myself, $20/year is not a bad price at all that I don't mind paying for updates.
But $40/year or lockout? For most of my friend group, that's not a good deal. It's too much to swallow and so, despite seeing all the cool things I can do with Windowblinds and Start and Groupy, etc., it's just not something they're willing to bite on.
Anyway, if your sales are still going well, then all this is pretty irrelevant. But if we did have a cheaper price OR if the license allowed perpetual use again, I would have an easier time convincing friends to give it a go.
Hello,I believe, Stardock always welcome user input on its product. As a user myself I can understand your input pretty well. I have forward your comment to Stardock Support Team for their review. We appreciate your feedback.
Thank you.
Basj,Stardock Community Assistant
That was and still is the case for Object Desktop renewals
Since yours is a Classic Object Desktop subscription, it will retain all of its attributes, including that the included apps will continue to function even if the sub is allowed to lapse - at the versions available at the time it did
This is laid out in great detail here:
https://support.stardock.com/space/SHC/1496285185/What+is+an+Object+Desktop+%26+Subscription+Software
While 'New' Object Desktop' subscriptions will have this attribute, that they will cease to function if the sub is allowed to lapse, 'permanent licenses' of any individual app are still available if they do not find that the entire suite is providing the value they want.
While true software subscriptions are not a trend we are starting (we are actually late to the effort), it puts pressure on us to keep the value proposition current - clients have to see continuous effort and features to make it compelling. We feel we are up to that challenge.
We very much appreciate the feedback, orocrimson.
Sean DrohanStardock Product Lifecycle Manager
Yeah I'm well aware and as mentioned I'm quite happy with that. As long as that remains the case I will continue to support it.
The post is specifically about suggesting the software to friends, who obviously can't take advantage of such an offer.
As for permanent licenses, this of course requires buying things a la carte which can make the price even steeper. If not for the permanent license, it'd be easy to recommend Object Desktop as a one-stop theming solution, but without Object Desktop, the requirement of purchasing Windowblinds 11 (which alone is $30) as well as Start11, CursorFX, IconPackager, and SoundPackager all separately is itself too difficult of a sell. They all kind of fit in the umbrella of Windows theming and it wouldn't feel complete to me without having them all.
Mind, I'm not necessarily saying that Object Desktop or these applications are a bad value, just that the current proposition creates a lot of friction that turns away my particular friend group.
One thing I can definitely recommend to people though is Groupy, at least on Windows 10. Such a game changer and a great price. If I wasn't grandfathered in on the classic Object Desktop license I'd definitely still buy Groupy.
My classic was going to expire in a few days so I just renewed.
However, I'm utterly disgusted by the fact that new users have to pay $xxxx per year or their product stops working.
Whoever started that concept in the software industry should be strung up by the short and curlies.
I feel the same way as the OP
To be honest, I thought about upgrading my Classic, but damn I'm not paying $50.54 for an upgrade when everyone else is $30 or less.
Hello,Sorry to hear you are having issues. But, from what I understand the price for renew subscription will always be the price you paid when you first paid for OD subs.
If you read through the link Sean post in reply#2. You should see it in there.
Thank you.Basj,Stardock Community Assistant.
Yours would not be $50, veeber....
Use the 'Renew' option on your account \ downloads page to see how much lower it will be
https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products
That said, clearly, I am still failing to adequately explain how OD renewals will work. However, I am running out of ways I can think of to explain it. I am open to any and all ideas.
The Original [now called 'Classic'] Object Desktop Subscription service was offered to Customers with the promise/undertaking that during the period of active subscription [being paid for] all included products and all updates would be available to the Customer to download and use. If the Subscription ceased [the Customer stopped subscribing] any and all products the Customer had at that time would continue to function exactly as they did during the Subscription. Forever. What did NOT continue was access to updates etc as the Subscription to them was no more.
These Original customers entered the Subscription agreement [contract] with Stardock under those rules so Stardock was legally obligated to continue to honor the agreement - hence the modern reference to 'Classic Object Desktop.' Original Subscribers do not and cannot lose functionality of their downloaded software.
Stardock 20 years later is moving to a revised Commercial Model in line with many other Software vendors in that once a Subscription to updates/support/etc ceases so does the software's functionality.
This is an important and significant change as the reality of supporting software to Customers long after they have ceased financial contribution is untenable when Stardock's software function and compatibility is at the whim of the OS developer [Microsoft] and outside Stardock's immediate control.
It is IMPORTANT to distinguish that all of this is specific to the Object Desktop Subscription Service and in no way affects the Stand-alone lifetime product purchase model.
I'll leave this to Sean to add to if necessary...
Sorry I was going by conversion rate, which is what I had to do previously.
Originally bought for $19.99, renewal is £39.99 (conversion rate $50.25) I'm not sure how the pricing would work being two different currencies, if I have to renew with the same or not/
Links in #2 are easy to understand.
Well hold on, they don't, not even for Classic subscribers. This never did, at least for as long as I'm aware.
Even in the old subscription model, you only get 1 year of support. 1 year of updates. Then you can just use whatever your last update was for as long as it continues to work. They did not support old versions, did not support people who weren't continuing to pay the subscription, but they just didn't lock you out of what you already had.
If Microsoft broke Stardock software in an update, you still had to resubscribe to get updates so that it'd work again.
This is what the new subscription changes. It simply locks you out of your software after a year, instead of just no longer providing updates.
Basically before we owned whatever versions we paid for and got to use them for as long as we want/as long as they didn't break. Now, (new) subscribers don't own anything, and cannot use the software at all unless they renew their subscription.
You have clearly misunderstood. At no time did I say Support and updates continued after the end of a subscription...I said the programes remained totally functional and did not expire.
The section you quoted is my statement that it is untenable to continue support without payment when the breaking of the program is the fault of the newer OS the user [and Microsoft] think isn't going to be a problem for existing program functionality.
Yeah, there's definitely something that I'm not understanding. You said the change to the new subscription model was important because providing support for users no longer paying was untenable. But, like you acknowledge, they weren't doing that anyway under the old model. So I don't understand that point.
The point is that under the old (Classic) model, the software would work (w/o updates/support) until MS OS/Security updates broke it.
Under the new (subscription) model, at the end of the subscription, it stops working, period.
The change is with Microsoft's infatuation with constant revision and GUI alteration which now is far more frequent than when Object Desktop Subscriptions first started.
In the modern era it is far more important for a user to opt into a constant update process ie Subscription so his machine is kept up to date with whatever Microsoft throws at it. User inability to avoid or prevent Microsoft from the forced updates means his system is at their mercy....
The problem with this argument is that Fences is the software to first introduce the subscription method. Fences 4 never once broke from a windows update and really didn't need very many updates. Therefore, Fences in no way needs to be a subscription due the changes and problems coming from Microsoft.
So, it is my view is that the new subscription model is part of a broader trend in the saas market. A lot of companies want to be a part of this saas market. But, in my opinion, it is starting to over saturate the market. Just look at how many streaming services there are now. Everyone is wanting a peice of the subscription pie. It is bubble and bust because a person simply can't not keep subscribing to every last thing under the sun. This is why I agree have with the OP here.
I think that's incorrect. The subscription model applies to all of Object Desktop apart from purchases of stand alone programs...
I think folks just noticed it in connection with Fences 4 --> Fences 5. It first applied to the multiple changes in Start11, if memory serves...but in fact, it doesn't really matter as it applies to all SD programs, equally as far as I know, just not stand alone as they're lifetime licences...which MS will eventually break permanently.
As for bubbles? I don't see Adobe's popping anytime soon...nor anyone else's. You can be sure SD did its marketing research and homework assiduously and came to its own conclusions.
What bothers me is MS continually breaking SD's improvements, and eventually having to rent my OS..an OS which is becoming customization-proof.
Here are a few examples of software subscriptions to which I subscribe.
When an Adobe subscription expires without renewal, the software ceases to function.
When an ABBYY FineReader PDF subscription expires without renewal, the software ceases to function.
When a Quicken subscription expires without renewal, the software will allow you to review your ledgers, but not allow new entries. So, basically it ceases to function other than maintaining your existing data prior to subscription expiration.
This model, which Stardock has adopted, seems to be the standard in the industry.
And not unreasonable since devs have to get paid to keep the software advancing and functional.
In your given context (television \ media entertainment), the market also gave clients what they were asking for (for decades); an a la carte option for television - to not be paying a cable company for 500 channels, only 10 of which they regularly watched.
While it was clear to any sober observer that a 'be careful what you wish for' was looming, it also showcased what can be done when any service provider (Netflix, HBO, etc) can count on sustained \ predictable revenue; the quality of content has increased dramatically. You would never see 'Game of Thrones' quality on CBS, NBC, ABC, or any other network that does not have a direct subscriber at the end. You would also never have seen the star power drain from film into television as it has. Some of the greatest talents in entertainment (Anthony Hopkins, Julia Roberts, Matthew McConaughey) have made the jump from the big to the small screen.
If one can separate the natural 'its all greedy corp guys that did this' from the actual result, it would be clear that the bottom line is. If you can better predict a revenue stream, you can better plan out your projects, small or grand, while mitigating risk.
I totally agree. Revenue prediction is one of the most important parts of running a business.
Revenue prediction is one of the most important parts of running a business.
This doesn't equate to better products under this model. The end user assumes the risk that the development will produce worthwhile features/enhancement. It's too easy to scale back since you have the end user locked in. I absolutely despise these models and have been burned by them. To borrow the streaming services example, look at what's happening now. These started off with value. Now prices are being raised, content is being dropped, and production quality is suffering. I'm not suggesting Stardock will repeat this cycle, but there is a ton of prescient.
Yes, and those who are not happy are cancelling their subscriptions. Whether you keep or cancel your subscription is a vote for how the company is performing. So, in a way, the company is likely to be more attentive to the customer's needs.
This was also predictable but winners (who balance value and cost) and losers (those who fail to) will shake out of the process. This is true for anything 'new' to the market and has been so since the 1st cave paintings were sold . That is the beauty \ brutality of an open market, it does not care about feelings, only results.
For us, its the polar opposite - I said as much in my prior reply.
A very recent example of this attitude can be seen with the release of DesktopGPT. It's not going to be 'Helldivers 2' popular (God is stingy answering those types of prayers), but it is a very nice value add for our Object Desktop clients
https://www.stardock.com/news/527525/stardock-unveils-desktopgpt-a-new-app-for-bringing-ai-to-the-desktop
Your feedback on it, and all the things we have discussed here, is most appreciated, auxmax001.
I was actually going to respond to something along those lines. If you look at the streaming wars, you either have to be the best or the platform will fail / get bought by Disney (joking)
It is kind of a bummer too because there have been a lot of shows I liked that just get cancelled after one season for the simple reason that they were not the next "game of thrones"
I think my point is that the market is getting over saturated. It is not the a subscription in itself is bad, it is more that there are too many of them right now and that makes enjoying them harder too.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
Sign in or Create Account
