Just some investigatve thinking

from WinCustomize Forums
Wow this is prob a can of worms from what i have read on these fourms but im intrested in buying WB5, have spent almost a week looking at this and other sites. I personaly am one that likes to find out as much as poss about something b4 i spend my hard earned money on it. I have tried the trial of WB5 and found it intreging enough to lean very hard towards buying it. On a slow day at work i stumbled across this program and others because like most ppl i have become utterly bored to death with the standard look of windows, so much so that i hardly want to touch my pc anymore. After long days of "tweeking" all the icons i can and getting some nice wallpapers it worked for a while, but alas i still find myself looking for something more from windows. Perhaps now i have found it. My question to you is this, how satisifed with the OVERALL proformance of WB some of you are (this is the can of worms right here, some posts are by ppl that only wish to blather on about "WB f'ed my system up blah blah blah its SD's falt, f*ck me i want you all to die" im only looking for constructive feedback, to the pro or con), what kind of compatiblty probs have you come accross, even with some very obscure proggys. any input would be greatly wellcomed.
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8,001 views 21 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've used WB in one form or another for several years and have never had any *major* problems. Ocassionally when I install the latest beta from OD.net I will have problems but it is typically fixed very quickly. I have had programs that don't like WB, but if you use the per application settings to keep the app from getting skinned everything works just fine, even if that app does end up looking like crap.. So, if you have tried the demo and it worked for you, you will be happy with the full version because you will have an endless supply of skins to choose from, and that can't be a bad thing.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Once you have it you will never look back. I haven't had major problems. If anything comes up, just post your question or issue in the StarDock Support section of the forums-- peeps here are very helpful. I would point out that users encounter difficulties at times, but alot of the "broke my computer" posts came from people using cracks & warez-- not from legitimate use of WB5. As you may have seem, even those peeps got help here-- and their PCs weren't broken, just blackened a bit-- temporarily...
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have taken windowblinds for a ride beyond comprehension. It is a solid program that you will not be dissapointed with. Once you find the right theme that suits you perfectly, the 20 will be well spent. It has its quirks that in a short time you will become familiar with. Nothing of drastic consequences, I mena things like a skin not fully loading until reboot, bad skins (nothing that can harm your system), or an occasional issue if you run the beta versions but they always get tended to in the next build.

I am not associated with Stardock at all. Just a happy customer. If in 6 months you are not satisfied with the program. Come to me, I will give you yor money back. No BS. Based on your being tired of XP Luna, I know you will be happy.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
if you love tweaking, you should buy the whole package...i've been using (feels like a drug addiction) stardock's software for a couple of years, and couldn't live without it...you can finally have your 'own' windows..well worth the money
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
WindowBlinds is solid and stable. You may have seen some people posting threads with issues, but also keep in mind the many thousands (more? I dunno) of very satisfied users.

Keep in mind that when using some programs which theme themselves strangely or unexpectedly, things will sometimes look a bit weird. But WindowBlinds provides a way of excluding applications like this, so on the rare occasion that you do encounter odd behavior, the fix is right at hand.

As liquidguru said, the ObjectDesktop package is the value buy. But as far as WindowBlinds alone goes, I don't think you'll be disappointed at all.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I would have to agree with liquidguru, the whole ObjectDesktop package would provide endless hours of tweaking and countless variations, etc. It might cost a bit more, but in the end, you get so much more for it, and at a considerably discounted price to purchasing the individual programs seperately.
If you enjoyed the trial version of WB 5, and have a fairly up to date PC with a graphics card that supports per pixel, etc, then you'd surely be happy with the full version with those additional features activated.
As for bugs/instability, etc....I've been using Stardock products for over a year now and have yet to come across an issue which isn't easily resolved, and with the support available from here or at Stardock, you can't go wrong, really.
The whiners and big girls blouses who continually bitch about the proggies are quite often using pirated, unstable stuff anyway, as aimzzz has already said, and are not actually referring to the genuine article.
So go on, go ahead, bite the bullet and splurge out on the best customization software available. However, I suspect that WB5 will only whet the whistle for more, so go the whole hog and get ObjectDesktop for an extra $30 and have unlimited opportunities.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The whiners and big girls blouses who continually bitch


ahem-- being female doesn't make us whiners, Sir starkers...


Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
yeah!!!!!!!! what she said!!!!!!
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
ahem-- being female doesn't make us whiners, Sir starkers


...but he wasn't talking about women, he was talking about big girl's blouses. There is a HUUUUUUUUGGGEEEE dif.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've been running WindowBlinds since 1998. Version 1.x ......... does that tell you anything?
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've been using WB since version 3.0 and have never looked back, and to be honest, I couldn't do without it.
Personally, I've found the support to be absolutely fantastic, I also have the whole Object Desktop suite which is great
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Been using WB for nigh on 6 years or more. Little niggly problems happen however they were usually my fault. Solid as the proverbial rock. However think about buying the complete set, Object Desktop. Going A la carte is too expensive.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you get WindowBlibds & then realize you just have to have Object Desktop, there is a discount for already having bought a SD product...
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
So far i have seen some good comments, only thing is i have a personal dislike for Win XP (mostly cuz of the way it looks, hence my intrest in WB5) and consquently run Win2K Pro. Guess ill have to suck it up and put my copy of XP Home on my pc. Btw i run an AMD 1700 + on an AK 77 Pro 2 sticks of 512, 1 30 gig and an 80 gig, and 128 meg G-force. Never really had any probs with compatabilty with this set up for the 8 yrs (with some upgrades to it) i had it.
Thanks for your thoughts
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
BLAH!!!!!seems the old lady wont part with the $$$ for OD, guess i have to wait till xmas (id use one of the smile's but they all look like they got to take a huge dump. Anyway thanks for your feed back and you can rest asured you will see my name again.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well, you could always get just WB and upgrade later. It only works out as $5 more.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I've never had a problem with WB.....one or two minor glitches, but never anything that caused a drama of any sort.

Over the same 7 or 8 years I've also used Norton [Symantec] products....

I still use WB....

I'll never use Norton again....

Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
lol Jafo i read your post on norton, i found it humours thou im sure you didnt, norton can fall off the face of the earth for all of me.
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Minor glitches once in a while since 2003 - full ODNT package (best value).