The end of WinCustomize
...as we know it...
Tuesday, January 6, 2009 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
The new subsription drive has started...
This is a site that gets 90,000 visitors a day. And today it's gotten 9 subscriptions or renewals during the subscription drive. $260 down, $49,740 to go in about a month to re-do the site.
There are two different visions for the site. Let's call them the community versus commercial views. I'm on the commercial side. Zoomba/ID/jafo are likely on the community side.
We've estimated that the new site is going to cost around $50k to make. Stardock is going to pay for anything that the community doesn't come up with. But in return, the more Stardock pays into it, the more say it's going to have on the design.
I'm pretty sure that the core skinning community is no longer big enough to pay the bills and that's fine. Skinning has become one of those ominipresent things that, because it's not a niche, doesn't really have a strong core following like it used to. It has millions of users but relatively few who really care about a "skinning community" any more than people really care about a core World of Warcraft community. Skinning is everywhere these days.
The new WC, the commercial one, will be radically different than the WC we have today. First, the S-corporation that runs WinCustomize will get disolved and become part of Stardock Software (which makes WindowBlinds, Object Desktop, etc.).
Second, WC will be funded out of Stardock Software's marketing budget.
Now this may sound bad but let's face it, most people come here for Stardock related content. When this site started, programs like Winamp, Hoverdesk, WinStep, ICQ Plus and others were pretty significant. Today, it's pretty much all about WindowBlinds, DeskScapes, IconPackager, wallpapers and a that's about it.
The community won't disappear but obviously the site will become much more Stardock oriented and the days of WinCustomize as a quasi-independent entity will come to an end.
See what we have in mind: https://forums.wincustomize.com/335824
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Reply #122 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:15 PM
Reply #123 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:49 PM
Well, I tried to renew my subscription earlier to show my support, but had problems with the purchase.
I made my choices, put in my payment information, thought I was done, but then got the message that I hadn't made any purchase. So I went to do it again, but was prompted to enter all my payment info again. So I put in a call and an email to stardock sales, got a return email with ticket#, but to give it up to 2 days for a response.
I'm usually patient and would wait, but I'm kind of worried about my payment info being 'out there' and don't want to do the order again in case I'm making a double purchase.
Any ideas?
Reply #124 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 4:10 PM
What problem did you have?
Reply #125 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 4:15 PM
I made my choices, put in my payment information, thought I was done, but then got the message that I hadn't made any purchase. So I went to do it again, but was prompted to enter all my payment info again. So I put in a call and an email to stardock sales, got a return email with ticket#, but to give it up to 2 days for a response.
I'm usually patient and would wait, but I'm kind of worried about my payment info being 'out there' and don't want to do the order again in case I'm making a double purchase.
Any ideas?
What's "out there" you can't do anything about.
Don't do anything til you get the 'thumbs up' from SD.
Get "Life Lock"...if you're really worried (Identity protection). HERE.
*sigh....great time for that to go wrong...See Murphy's Laws.
I.D. might have a solution.
Reply #126 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 4:24 PM
Oh i just dont know what to think at this point
Reply #127 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 4:26 PM
Island Dog, this is part of my email to sales...
I entered those two choices into my shopping cart.
Next page, I entered my personal information.
Next page, I entered my credit card information.
Next page, it said 'Sorry, you can not complete your order until you have added something to your shopping cart.'
Then I go 'shopping' again, I have to go to different webpages to find the two subscription links.
Then when I try to checkout, the page wants me to type in my personal info and credit card info all over again.
It just seems like the transaction is still open, but at the same time, I don't want to go any further because I don't want to purchase twice.
Dr. JBHL - I'll look into lIfe Lock - thanks for the suggestion.
Reply #128 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 4:44 PM
I entered those two choices into my shopping cart.
Next page, I entered my personal information.
Next page, I entered my credit card information.
Next page, it said 'Sorry, you can not complete your order until you have added something to your shopping cart.'
Then I go 'shopping' again, I have to go to different webpages to find the two subscription links.
Then when I try to checkout, the page wants me to type in my personal info and credit card info all over again.
It just seems like the transaction is still open, but at the same time, I don't want to go any further because I don't want to purchase twice.
Dr. JBHL - I'll look into lIfe Lock - thanks for the suggestion.
You're perfectly welcome.
I don't think your info is "out there". I think sd payment site is secure and since you didn't complete the transaction, it was "aged"/purged from the docket. If I'm wrong nothing happened anyway since you didn't complete the transaction. If there's a "shopping cart (or basket) option, check to see if it's empty. That'll be your first transaction which hasn't been aged out and is in "buffer". empty the basket and cancel the purchase. Your personal info will disappear.
I could be wrong but I don't think so....give it a try.
Reply #129 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 4:46 PM
Is there any chance somebody could give us a mock up of what the sight will look like in the new direction?
Reply #130 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 4:52 PM
Shopping cart seem to be empty now. But I think I'll wait till SD confirms that they haven't received my order before ordering again. Thanks for your advice.
Reply #131 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 4:54 PM
There's no type of mockups right nwo.
Karmat: It looks like the shopping cart timed out on you.
Reply #132 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 5:33 PM
Good idea. I really am glad I could help. I.D. seems to agree...so I wouldn't worry. SD sales responds quickly so if there's no email from them tomorrow, you could go ahead and get what you want. You can also email them at:
Reply #133 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 6:28 PM
just in case, i better horde any cool skins i can save from xion. 
Reply #134 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 6:45 PM
Might be a good thing, change, wait.. I'm a Taurus, we don't adjust to change that well hehe
Reply #135 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 6:53 PM
Frogboy realizes there is a difference between users, and subscribers. Subscribers support WC and Stardock. A lot of users are users of third party software like winamp, sysmetrix, etc. that have no connection to Stardock other than the fact that we skin them. Stardock gets no support for hosting those skins. So the new WC Browser, by default, would only show skins for Stardock products, but we can choose, in options, to show those others that interest us individually. And naturally, like Impulse, would push Stardock products. Nothing wrong with self promotion. As for Frogboys demeanor, he is always very business oriented, as is expected. Try running a multi million dollar corporation.
Reply #136 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 7:01 PM
I could always market my incredibly lame seahorse.. no, that wouldn't work
Reply #137 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 7:02 PM
Reply #139 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 7:42 PM
I feel like quoting Forrest Gump for some reason
Reply #140 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 7:52 PM
Maybe you should save your depression to see what happens, and WHEN it happens, then be depressed. From the way I'm reading this (and moderators, correct me if I'm wrong), the forum will still be here; the galleries for the skins that are installable with Stardock products will still be here. I'm hoping there will still be tutorials and people who can help me create my own skins.
From my reading of this thread, what WON'T be here, are things like galleries for wallpapers, Winamp, Xion, and programs that ARE NOT Stardock-based--things that are sucking up room on the server but drawing in no business for Stardock.
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Reply #121 Wednesday, January 7, 2009 3:00 PM
You must admit ID that it a bit weird with the site owner posting an article called "The End of Wincustomize....as we know it" and in the next breath, by the way, would you like to subscribe? Would not anyone on the edge of deciding to subscribe or not simply wait and see what develops with the site? Seems self-defeating to me. Why promote subscriptions for a product that is about to be redesigned? Although, it has been noted that Brad said IF the subscriptin drive fails, but he certainly was clear that he thought there was little to no chance that it would succeed. As I said, I have already subscribed to this new drive, but if I hadn't, I would certainly wait and see what actually developed before doing so. I imagine others would react that way and thus doom the subscription drive.