carolelee carolelee

I am choked!!!

▼

I am choked!!!

Choked

from WinCustomize Forums
When I "purchased Windowblinds" awhile back I was under the impression I had "indefinite downloads(with windowblinds)now I'm not allowed to download anymore because I'm a past customer? Why renege? Is this the right approach to keep customers? I am left to wonder what has happened to this place I used to call home?
27,403 views 65 replies
Reply #51 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The customer 'hopes' it's forever....it's only natural....but it's also wishful thinking.

If the wording is specifically 'unlimited downloads' it cannot be extrapolated to be also 'unconditional'....eg, what if Stardock shut Wincustomize.com down permanently?

What if skinners ceased to upload the blinds?

This is all a bit silly arguing semantics....not when the commercial reality is very evident...that every day this site and its content is run/hosted/paid-for mostly by a company that received a one-off payment of $20 maybe over a year ago.

This is really about a need to have people 'current' customers/subscribers to continue paying for the content/upkeep.

At 'worst' wording needs to be changed to be one-hundred-and-one-percent crystal clear what a 'current customer' is and what he/she can expect by being one.

I'm not 'Stardock'....but I knew exactly what it all meant....even subscribing myself for the server drive....though a subscription does nothing for me re access, etc....but it's a fact of life that 'someone' HAS TO PAY.....and it can't always be 'that other bloke'.....sometimes it's me, too....

Reply #52 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Annie, you are correct to support it and I don't disagree.....forget it, my point dosen't matter, it was lost a long time ago
The Political Machine 2024
Reply #53 from WinCustomize Forums Top
the wording 'unlimited downloads' would refer to no 'cap' on the annual download, as with the subscriber not having a limit.

Nothing as I ever recall mentioned 'unlimited' for eternity.


I think the operative word here would be 'annual'
Reply #54 from WinCustomize Forums Top
At the very least Jafo, you understand what my whole point is.....the wording(because it didn't exsist at the time)I know nothing lasts forever(not even my old computer that I threw out with the trash) In the future I hope that everything is "crystal clear" when it comes to wording......no one likes to be misled!
Reply #55 from WinCustomize Forums Top

carolelee....I think it's very safe to say that if anyone was/has been misled it was definitely unintentional.

I know the guys at Stardock....and they are not that type of person....

Reply #56 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok..::laughs:: Perhaps "I" was misunderstood..(I thought I made it clear in my first paragragh)

arolelee,
Im sure it's frustrating (nag screens just are!) and I know that Stardock & Wincustomize policies can seem a bit vague (ok, for some of us this is an understatement!..LoL)


By that I was suggesting that perhaps you had misunderstood what was being offered upon your purchase.

The next part of the reply just dealt with my own opinions and insight..

Anyway, you have "No Arguments" with or from me..I apologize for putting in my 2cents to begin with..::laughs and sighs::

Take Care,
Zero.
Reply #57 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I hope Jafo cleared things up for you carolelee!
Stay happy my friend..
Reply #59 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Double Zero.....no problemo.......Jam......you are a true buddy....cheers
Reply #60 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I know it's slightly off subject, but here's what I do

Once every few months I create a cdrom with all my object desktop skins on it , just the newest ones I've dl'd or ones that have been modified. because my puter has crashed so many times in the past( not this one,.. the old nasty wME one). it keeps me current, doesn't clog up my puter with extra files I might not use everyday, and I have a backup of the skins I paid for already for just such an emergency.
I'm surprised WC doesn't sell a monthly cd with the newest skins on it. guess that would also add to the cost of running the site, but it'd still be neat.
Reply #61 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Once every few months I create a cdrom with all my object desktop skins on it , just the newest ones I've dl'd or ones that have been modified. because my puter has crashed so many times


That is a great idea wulfn1! I do the same thing, keeps me from having to DL to replace..but..unfortunaltey..even these days not everyone has "Burning" capabilities..Zip Drives are cool..but now days a decent CD Burner is pretty cheap..cheaper than Zips I thing..I know the disks are definitely!

Anyway..
Good input,
Zero.
Reply #62 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The e-mail received with the serial number for your product contains ther following:

"It is strongly recommended that you make a backup of all files
downloaded in case you need to reinstall the software at a later
date. By making a backup now you will cut down on the support
burden of our staff, as well as ensuring your peace of mind.
Thank you. "

Seems to me you haven't done this, instead choosing to re-download over and over. Perhaps that is why you are angry.

I first purchased WindowBlinds in version 1.1 (used the free one before that), then 1.3. I then purchased an ObjectDesktop subscription. At no stage have I seen anything about unlimited downloads other than during a subscription.

Anyway, it's already been said. Contact Stardock, they are the only ones who can help

Reply #63 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Do you expect "All you can eat" buffets to feed you everyday for a one time payment? The sign doesn't say "all you eat, during one visit", but you know what is meant....
Reply #64 from JoeUser Forums Top

When I "purchased Windowblinds" awhile back I was under the impression I had "indefinite downloads(with windowblinds)now I'm not allowed to download anymore because I'm a past customer? Why renege? Is this the right approach to keep customers?

You having an "impression" does not make something objective reality.  No where, at no time, have we ever stated nor implied that if you bought WindowBlinds you would receive unlimited downloads on WinCustomize for all eternity.

WinCustomize USED to provide no bandwidth cap to people who had ever purchased anything from Stardock. But the problem came to be that someone would purchase say a copy of WindowBlinds 2+ years ago and download gigabytes of content.  You yourself have downloaded 2.1 GIGABYTES of content from WinCustomize.com.  The new system is quite fair - for the first year after a purchase, a user can download an unlimited amount of content.  But after that, there's a cap of half a gigabyte.  Stardock has not "renegged" on anything. We never claimed or implied that someone would get a life-time of free downloads for their $20 purchase. It's simply not sustainable.

Your $19.95 purchase of WindowBlinds was for that -- WindowBlinds.  And since December of 2003, when you purchase WindowBlinds, you have received numerous free updates to WindowBlinds including the recently released WindowBlinds 4.5, which, by all accounts, could have been released as a whole new version given the immense amount of new features that have been put into WindowBlinds.

In my opinion, anyone who has downloaded more than a gigabyte of content should really consider supporting WinCustomize.com with a subscription purchase.   Given how inexpensive our software is, to expect unlimited downloads from our sites on top of it just strikes me as unreasonable.

Reply #65 from JoeUser Forums Top

By the way Mike, as I said before I had previous problems with my computer, hence the downloads......get it? Please read carefully before you make your comments!Oh....by the way, I did pay for those GB's

You having problems with your computer is unfortunate, but it's really germane to the bandwidth use. Someone still had to pay for that bandwidth.  Secondly, no, you did not pay for those GB's. Technically speaking, WinCustomize.com's costs are subsidized by Stardock via new purchases of Object Desktop -- not stand alone program purchases.