Revisited: The WinCustomize Toolbar

What are your thoughts, several weeks on?

Monday, October 22, 2007 by Zoomba | Discussion: WinCustomize News

Three weeks back, we launched the WinCustomize Toolbar to the community.  It was our first in a line of new experimental services we're looking to offer the community.  Now that everyone has had some time with it, and we've worked a bit to iron out some of the kinks, I'd like to renew the discussion, and share a little bit of insight into why we've launched this toolbar initiative.

  1. Another way to reach our users
    For me, the most valuable aspect of the toolbar is the ability to easily send a note to all users running the utility.  If you're running the toolbar, you'll see an entry for "News".  I can post notes and announcements in that space that I feel warrant special attention.  Think of this space as something between the front page news space, and the monthly newsletter.
  2. Adds quick access to popular content
    I know most people have bookmarks to their favorite galleries, but what if you were a new user?  What if you were looking for software, skins and news but weren't exactly sure where it was all located yet?  Through the link lists I can add to the toolbar, I can provide quick and easy access to any part of the site.  This is especially important when we add new galleries, as you might not notice them on the ever-growing list on the right.
  3. Supports the site
    Every time you do a search with the WinCustomize toolbar, the site gets a little bit of money from Conduit (the service that provides the toolbar).  If you already use something like the standard Google Toolbar, there's little reason not to switch to us, since Google is also our default engine.  It's a small way you can help support the site
  4. Easy to change/update
    One of the problems with most communications tools is that they're built once and updated rarely.  I have the ability to modify the toolbar on the fly, and you'll get the updates automatically when you next launch your web browser.  This means it's much easier to respond to community requests for content and functionality.

Like I said, it's been 3 weeks now, and we have a fairly consistent core group of people still using it.  I'd really like to know what everyone thinks of it after some time, and if you removed it since installing it, why.  And if you could change one thing about the toolbar, what would it be?  I really want to turn this into something that is valuable to everyone who uses the site, but I'll need your help making that happen.

If you haven't checked it out yet, you can get it for free for IE or Firefox (sorry, no Opera or Safari).  It's 100% spyware/malware/virus free, so it's safe to use.  I've been running it at the office and at work for over a month with no troubles. 

Download the toolbar now!

16 Reply 7 Referrals
messiah1
Reply #1 Monday, October 22, 2007 2:34 PM
Not entirely certain how I missed this...maybe I'm just retarded. Anyway, I'm going to install and use it, 'specially since Google is my default and if what you say about Google being the engine...why not right. And I use Google ALOT so maybe that'll contribute a tiny bit from me to you.   

Philly0381
Reply #2 Monday, October 22, 2007 2:44 PM
I did load it when it first came out, then uninstalled it, mainly because I use WinCustomizer Browser to get here and MSN Preimum from my DSL to search the web. I do use IE7 but not all that much. I'll leave it one this time, didn't know you would be getting some coins out of this, anything to help the site.   

skybright
Reply #3 Monday, October 22, 2007 2:57 PM
I rarely and I mean rarely use IE. I really don't use Firefox very much. I use a little known browser called The World browser. It is a simple browser no tool bars at all; Only a links bar and you are on my links. So, I just press your link and I am here. Simple and good enough for me.

Digital3000
Reply #4 Monday, October 22, 2007 3:24 PM
The one thing I never like about toolbars is the search box. There is no need for one when Firefox as well as IE have it built in already. To me it looks tacky having 2 search boxes in the browser. That is the main reason I do not install these things. Now if there's an option to take that out, then i'm all ears.

vStyler
Reply #5 Monday, October 22, 2007 3:36 PM
maybe I'm just retarded.

You said that   

I'm sure plenty people will find use for the toolbar, seems very helpful, myself.. just stuck in my ways I guess. Keep up the good work!

koolet22
Reply #6 Monday, October 22, 2007 4:00 PM
I just install it. looks pretty cool.

elvee
Reply #7 Monday, October 22, 2007 4:07 PM

I will give it another go. One day I was cleaning out some old programs I rarely use and noticed the WC Toolbar said 500+ MB. I was like 'nope, can't have that' and uninstalled it. Well it turned out I uninstalled both WC Toobar and LogonStudio in one shot. Under Add and remove programs, these two programs were listed together as WC Toolbar. So I don't know how that happened. I am on XP Home SP2.


2of3
Reply #8 Monday, October 22, 2007 4:10 PM
I'll install it as soon as I get home. Letcha know what I think then   

ShelbyGT_The_Car
Reply #9 Monday, October 22, 2007 4:57 PM
Heck I just thought the WC Browser was so good till this comes along!
With this and the sound packager going well. I've got tons of stuff going on here now.
Like wow - whats next?
Cool~!

SGT

RomanDA
Reply #10 Monday, October 22, 2007 5:15 PM
I had a major problem uninstalling this from firefox. it didn't change my "right-click" search BACK to google... it took me days before i found an XML file in my ff folder with the community search in it. Not sure why it didnt remove this when it was uninstalled.

ALMonty
Reply #11 Monday, October 22, 2007 7:11 PM
1 Couldn't get the Radio to work. I have Jave enabled.
2 The Wincustomize label could be a little bit smaller.

Besides that it's pretty cool.  

Xiandi
Reply #12 Tuesday, October 23, 2007 12:48 AM
I installed it when it first came out. I use it all the time. I find myself skipping all over the internet and it's so easy just to hit the WinCustomize logo to pop back home. Overall, the toolbar is very useful.  

I would love to be able to put a button on there somewhere that would take me directly to the recent forum activity or to my personal site.

2of3
Reply #13 Tuesday, October 23, 2007 12:51 AM
I would love to be able to put a button on there somewhere that would take me directly to the recent forum activity or to my personal site.


seconded!

kashingdo1
Reply #14 Tuesday, October 23, 2007 2:16 AM
It bothers me everytime when seaching in Google it always broght me to some kind of wincustomize.com of links. I don't want to hijack by wincustomize.com when I search Windowblinds or other Stardock products.  

elvee
Reply #15 Tuesday, October 23, 2007 6:55 PM

I don't want to hijack by wincustomize.com when I search Windowblinds or other Stardock products.

Well Naturally WinCustomize and Stardock will be first on the list when you search for items pertaining to either one.


Fuzzy Logic
Reply #16 Tuesday, October 23, 2007 7:06 PM
One thing I would change on the toolbar is the crappy cut & paste icons, WC logo and media player - yuk!

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