Serious Heartburn with IconPackager Icon Properties Message

Unprecedented, Most Intrusive, and Invasive

from Stardock Forums

I have SERIOUS HEARTBURN with the unprecedented, most intrusive, and invasive embed of an IconPackager message in my SYSTEM ICON PROPERTIES POPUP.

"You must register IconPackager (only $19.95 standalone or $49.95 with Object Desktop) to use this feature.  Please order at www.stardock.com."

Are you implying the presence of a trial install of IconPackager has shut down standard Windows OS XP functionalities, or what?!  Rather than encourage purchase, you have advanced your cause light years in the opposite direction.

Pic attached here.

http://www.refugesl.com/library/IconPackager.jpg

And it doesn't stop there.  Everytime I OPEN IconPackager I get a splash banner reminding me its a trial version, listing the days before expiration.  I can live with that.  But then, to SPLASH THE SAME SPAM BANNER TO ME AGAIN ON CLOSE?  Just too much!  Way too much.

Taken as isolated items, you tend to say, hey don't getchurself in an uproar.  Well, to me these are all RED FLAGS of a direction a company is taking, of the marketing, promotion and merchandising tactics it is beginning to use.  All indicators of a shift in how its choosing to position its products.

So does the company have similar plans to embed more intrusive spam into my system from all of your other products also?  Huh?  How about a huge splash banner popup every time I open a window skinned by a trial version of WindowBlinds?  And why just Stardock, why not similar spam from every other software company in the world.  Think about it.  You're treading on very thin ice here.  Very thin.  Shut it all down NOW, while you can still make a graceful exit.

Tell your new, amoral, wet-behind-the-ears marketeers to just BACK OFF.

You're threatening to change my entire view of your corporate personna, and THAT AIN'T GOOD!

Reminds me of the intrusive RealPlayer installs that took over all your media associations without even asking!  And made it almost impossible to uninstall.  Never touched a RealPlayer product again.  EVAH !

If this is where you're headed, I'm OTTAH HERE!

iconpackager
8,606 views 11 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Uhm...what? That Icon tab is added by IconPackager, and you can't get everything for free. Unless you want a serial txt for that too....
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ugh...can't edit. Been so long since I used the trial, or even unskinned XP in general, but can you change individual icons in straight XP, without IP? If so it is pretty crappy that the trial would disable a built-in feature.
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
Just it's presence alone, regardless of it's effect, is an unprecedented intrusion. I expect nothing from a trial version except as a vehicle to encourage purchase. Messages like that WITHIN a trial app. Fine. Will live with anything at that level. So long as it stays INSIDE THE APP itself, NOT shotgunning its SPAM to me EVERYTIME I open Icon Properties. This just STINKS ROTTEN.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
it's been there a very long time with the trial versions

as far as I recall, trial WB has a countdown also
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok, it's a 30 day free trial. If the little splash banner annoys you so much go back to vanilla XP. If you like changing all your icons to a custom package with a couple of clicks then buy Icon Packager or Object Desktop.

Bichur's right this stuff has been in the free trials ever since I can remember.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
it is a trial to enhance aspects of the GUI and has a time limit
so buy it or remove it like everyone else - surely you do not expect it to be free forever, lots of software is time limited and/or restricted in its functionality
eg Paint Shop Pro and other Corel graphic programmes, Adobe, MS Office - once the time is up they are crippled (and these cost a lot more than Stardock programmes)
Do you think Real care you did not buy, get a grip on your self importance, you will not change software companies distribution or sales techniques.
See you health provider for your heartburn.
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
QUOTE: "I expect nothing from a trial version except as a vehicle to encourage purchase. Messages like that WITHIN a trial app. Fine. Will live with anything at that level. So long as it stays INSIDE THE APP itself, NOT shotgunning its SPAM to me EVERYTIME I open Icon Properties"

Peeps, I don't need a tutorial on trial apps. If you take the time to reread my comments, the focus of my issue relates to the spamming of my entire OS, even when the trial app is CLOSED. I don't need continuous reminders of features not available to me, when I'm not even using the app. After more than a 4-year hiatus from this environment, I am re-entering it cold, with legitimate, valuable, first-impressions. Impressions the professional staff here encourage, even if they are negative. If I respect the sincerity of their intentions, then I take the time to offer appropriate feedback. I'm willing to risk that legitimate feedback can and does make a difference. Whether it does or doesn't, it's still my choice, and has nothing to do with getting a grip on my self importance. The puzzling question is why you choose to express hostility and sarcasm toward me, over comments that have absolutely nothing to do with you. If you don't believe in the efficacy of feedback, what are you doing in this forum in the first place? What's that all about? Huh? Also, some of us live on limited budgets which do not offer the luxury of immediate, spontaneous purchases. And the last time I checked, a legitimate investigation of products prior to purchase is what trail packages are all about. No? So enough on why I haven't made my purchases yet okies? Finally, the fact this stuff has been going on for years is something I have not experienced. And again, the last time I checked, since when does the duration of something legitimize its existence? Have a chat with the Jewish community on that issue. tc. =)
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Desktop customization apps by their very nature integrates into an OS.  Whether you have applies a Icon Package or not, you installed an app that does integrate.  It doesn't "close" like a normal app . . it becomes one with the OS.

So IP added a tab to the properties of a shortcut (as teh full version would).  Selecting that tab is indicative that you want something on it.  Information stating that it's part of a trial seems to make good sense to me.

In regards to the tone of the replies: it seems that they are reflective of your initial post (whether intended or not).  Tone is very hard to convey in text but yours seemed to not be looking for help but a rant.  To expect anything else in reply seems naive.

In any case . . . it's raining out.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Reminds me of the intrusive RealPlayer installs that took over all your media associations without even asking! And made it almost impossible to uninstall. Never touched a RealPlayer product again. EVAH !
End of quote


Off the top of my head "Real Player" gives you the options to do what you want with file associations. Also as Zubaz has pointed out in some ways or another. Having such a way with yourself here will not get you anywhere with finding some kind of success with fixing your problem.
For one I see you are a past customer and should be familiar with some of the programs from the past. You do not like spam... well buy the product then. I can think of a lot of other programs that are worse. Plus a lot of them are free - so they say anyway.
Give it break and come on home to use the best software there is on the net today.
Stardock has it all.
Plus I fell you may need to have someone look at that system of yours to see if it is setup correctly. When you buy the programs you get the best support there is anywhere here on the net to go with it. There are members and Stardock employees here who will do just about anything to get you fixed up.
But again I must stress you have to be willing and have a proper attitude to do these things. No one wants to try and work things out with unreasonable people. Think about it for yourself - would you? want to help someone who is not exactly easy to work with? NO ! I'm sure you would not want to do so. This is how others fell too. So give it a chance try things a better way and we are here to try and get you going.
I hope you do not see me wrong and think I'm just pushing things the wrong way. I do my best to help people here and try to get them to realize whats what.
So get back with us and lets try to fix things the way you want them a bit more. OK



Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
Thank you, Shelby, for your sensitive comments. They are appreciated. The experience with Real Player goes back to pre-Millennium practices. So if they've shifted their stance on things, that's good. Maybe feedback can and does make a diff. When you reach a certain age, things that happened 10 years ago, still feel like they happened yesterday. I was mesmerized by Pong. The response of both Zubaz and yourself make it easy to believe Annie was right, "The sun will come out tomorrow." Again. Thank you.