Another Fee ?

I believe you are somewhat misinformed, but good luck to you.

Sigh....and to think Brad just made an article about this *very* thing.

The software costs a lot to develop and yet Stardock charges a relatively small price for it. Not to mention the money it costs to run this site (and it's a lot as well). I don't think asking users to help out and pitch in is asking too much. You know what they say: TANSTAAFL (there ain't no such thing as a free lunch).

When trying to access Windowblinds or Wallpapers I am asked to get a new $20 subscription. Cannot download anything anymore because I haven't "Purchased " anything in a few years.

No free lunch? I purchased Windowblinds. How many times do I have to purchase it??

The software has gone through many changes and revisions since a few years ago when you originally got it. A ton of new features have been added. Is it so wrong to have users pay a small fee for these upgrades? The developers have to get paid somehow. (If I told Microsoft I already paid for their Windows OS and expect all subsequent new version for free, they'd laugh at me).

That $20 subscription has a lot of benefits: check here for a list of all the benefits it gives you.

Past Stardock customers get a capped limit on downloads here at WinCustomize, why???? because it costs Cash to run the site and buy bandwidth,server space,etc, and a fraction of $20 only goes so far (WC gets a small portion of that $20).

Yes you don't have to spend any more $$ to still get skins. Deviantart occasionally has a few uploaded.;) Here at WC to get a unlimited download of skins you have to be willing to help support the site, by offering up cash or contributing enough to the community to merit a Promotion (Acting rude is not a step in the right direction for the latter).

Final Statement. When I purchased WindowBlinds No One from Stardock, in there documentation, stated that the download was temporary in any way. Nor did it refer to any "CAPS" on downloads. Not only did I purchase WindowBlinds but I also purchased other programs for a total of over $50. As to the statement about buying Windows, I receive all of my updates for my Widows XP Home edition for FREE.

stymie, did you ever read this?

WWW Link

seems to me that this is perfectly clear about downloads...but maybe that's just my impression.

I think there is some confusion here about the relationship between this site and the software itself.

When you purchased WindowBlinds you purchased a software product which continues to work  You did not purchase a WC subscription, but Stardock also provided unlimited downloads on Wincustomize to current customers.  As your purchase was a few years ago, you now fall into the past customers category and the unlimited downloads period has ended.

You are still able to download skins from other sites to use with WindowBlinds as well as use the software that you purchased.

There are a couple of options if you wish to continue to download from this site.  You could purchase a WC subscription for $20, or you could purchase some Stardock software.  In your case the cheapest would be an upgrade to WB6 which I believe would cost you $15.  This would reset you to current customer status as well as giving you all the new features that WB6 has over WB5 (or 4 depending on which build of WB you are using)

You bought Windowblinds...you didn't buy Wincustomize....go to Deviantart or a dozen other sites and get your free blinds.

Edit: What Neil said! (nicely)

a few years? every dollar?  perhaps an increase in your allowance is due. :NOTSURE: 

  

i gladly give my allowance to stardock. Well, when my wife lets me anyways. *whipped*  

You do realize that support for Windows XP, as all operating system, will end eventually. That means you will have to upgrade to a newer version of Windows if you want updates. I'm sure you don't expect Microsoft to give you a new version of Windows for free, do you?

Why then would you expect Stardock to give you updates for free, forever? You should do as Neil suggests and buy a newer version of WindowBlinds and you will get free updates(and blinds)for a while.

Yes, and when you bought WB years ago, you got all the update for FREE, up until the next major version change. Same happens with Windows (I have XP, if I want to upgrade to Vista, I gotta pay for it). It's entirely reasonable.

At any rate, this is an exercise in futility. This person obviously has an entitlement complex and we're beating a dead horse here.

Entitlement is contagious, need to start rallying the CDC for a vaccine

...and charge for it