I'm seeing/hearing this more often than I like... with people moving on and the forums getting quieter and quieter... 'tis almost like a graveyard at times.  So many old timers and forum regulars have departed, and quite a few of the newbies don't seem to hang around long anymore, so yeah, activity levels are on the decline and that's sad.  Eventually people will find no need or encouragement to purchase or renew subscriptions and the site will just fold... which may be the plan, given that games development is/has become so lucrative.

I hope that's not the case and that Stardock will continue to support Wincustomize and the customisation community.  After all, customisation was its bread and butter prior to its foray into gaming, and there are millions of customers who have remained loyal no matter what, so I sincerely hope that Stardock believes it has a commitment to those people... myself included.

While I've not experienced too many problems myself, either with the site or the software, I do believe C242 has made some valid points, particularly with regard to ObjectDock 2.  I purchased OD2 with the belief that development was ongoing and that features missing from OD1 would be added in the very near future, but that has not been the case.  In fact, I have reverted back to OD1 Plus to retain the features I need/enjoy using: eg, flyout menus. 

Now while it is not imperative that I have these features, I do notice that others have complained about the lack of updates to Rightclick and other apps as well as OD2, so yes, there is a need for Stardock to prioritise these apps and take them off the back burner, not necessarily for myself, but for all those customers who invested their money based on assurances of updates and ongoing development.

The other thing that would be nice... a fully functional site with a bit of speed.  While there have been some cosmetic changes, there have been few improvements under the hood with regard to reliability and slow page changes.  I don't experience these issues very often, but they are annoying when I do... so I can imagine the frustration and anger of those who experience them regularly... all the time.  So please, Stardock, how about popping the hood a doing a few fixes there... after all, WC is your showcase as well as our meeting place.

I hate to say it but the site is starting to remind me of time wasting pc games...it just seems pointless to even try and post anything anymore. If whatever I'm trying to post doesn't take the first time I just don't bother trying a second time anymore. And if this post actually works I'll be amazed. None the less I'm losing interest in coming here since nothing seems to work anymore like you would expect it to or once did. So...I can take a hint...and soon so will everyone else.

Honestly, I think you could have left the Porshe out, but you told the truth as you see it, and although the honesty was probably not welcome...it was still your right to express yourself and your feelings and I can't disagree.

Someone said to me that he feels like we're being treated like the whiney kids in a room at the end of the hall...and I have to agree that I don't feel honesty or honest criticism is at all welcome. Unfortunately, false praise is just that and won't help the site improve. I feel like we've been ditched for the game market. If that's the decision, so be it. Just be honest and say so.

WC/Customization seems to have become the ugly redheaded stepchild of Stardock.

Or some abandoned project formulated in the Mad Professor's lab.

Or maybe its Stardock siblings have outgrown it and now its the runt of the litter?

Fuzzy, that is the most logical idea I have heard in a very long time.

Thing is, what if that's what's intended?

There'd be no need for staff on a defunct website, though... but there'd be no showcase, either.

With the advent of Impulse (were the customisation forums in Impulse a precursor to WC's demise) and Stardock's increased foray into gaming, Impulse may be considered enough advertising and/or exposure, and a specialised customisation showcase may be deemed unnecessary.  If so, that would be a mistake...  but who am I (as a lowly pensioner) to advise/comment on corporate matters!!!

In any event, it would be nice to know what is happening/will happen to this community.... being kept in the dark does not inspire customer/skinner confidence... or loyalty if the indications allude to an abandonment (withdrawal of TLC) of WC.

While I'm not completely happy with WC in it's current state, I hold on to hope that it will get better. I may be a bit naive here but I just don't think SD would spend all the time , effort and money on rebuilding and updating the site just to abandon it.

My personal opinion is that they could have gotten it firing on all cylinders and with all the old sites functionality before letting it hit the road, avoiding most of these constant breakdowns. It's almost like WC is still a beta and beta's,  imo, are for software. A website should just work. 

Wizard, that's so true.

And Bara, [if I may be so bold] thanks for the update.  I believe.

thanks for the update... 

Yes, yes, but, have you got a solution yet to Starkers' excessive farting?

A few SBD's are enough to bring down any database...

 I smell a rat......

bara, it sounds like BOTH a server upgrade AND an additional database monkey are needed.

best of luck with the problem.

harpo