Ok a little while ago i didnt know what to think,now that i have given it some thought, well it all comes down to people surfing the web, for free stuff (myself included) i used to download from WC, after quite a few i realized a subscription would be a good thing, as i already had downloaded a lot of free skins,so the 29 bucks to me was worth it, and i have no regrets either of spending the money, and in march i will renew, but i think the best thing would be to have a limited area where non subscribers could go to get a limited choice of downloads (Give them a good taste) maybe they will realize that spending the dough is a good idea, at least i do, i have gotten many times my moneys worth here, with the forums alone, the help i have received, the new and friendly people i have met, just a great place to hang out, i do have an addiction though, to MyColors,i think i have purchased all but a few (NHL and NBA home teams only, as well as NCAA) but the rest, there are just a few i dont have, i know mycolors doesnt support WC, but WC led me to mycolors that is how i found it, i think i will probably renew my subscription early instead of March, and if i do that is my new date from say today, or does it pick up when my present one ends?? Just some of my thoughts, yes i ramble and jump around, but what better place to do it than here,???

Well I've come to the conclusion that this thread is part of a larger conspiracy hatched by Stardock to gauge community wants and needs, likes and dislikes, so it can,,,,

* redesign Wincustomize and cut costs without pissing too many loyal customers off.

* provide improved products and services via the savings made

* asssess who the loyal customers are and reward them with a new, you-beaut WC

* wheedle out non-customers and traitors and have them summarily shot in front

of a firing squad of crack marksmen holding pea shooters loaded with mushy peas.

Other changes will include a Zubish dictionary in the new and improved tutorial section. However, while Zubaz will be its moderator, it will be like a wiki, where subscribers can add Zubish entries of their own.  While some may see this as a bold new move that's fraught with danger, the powers that be at Stardock have decided, in their infinite wisdom, to allow subscribers to skin the English language as well as Stardock apps... and why not, surely it's the next progression in skinning.

The next thing is that a 'Coffee Club' will be added to the forums, where subscribers can sit around and chat over an expresso and discuss unimportant matters.  However, while the title suggests coffee, that will not be readily available until Stardock perfects the software responsible for delivering piping hot coffee into users homes/offices via the new touchscreen technology being heralded as the future of computing.  Stardock will also announce with 'some' regret that this new feature will NOT be available to users of Apple Macs.... and most certainly not the new 'keyboardless' laptop, which, according to recent tests, delivers 120% alcohol instead of coffeee, and Stardock doesn't want drunks behaving badly hanging around its social gatherings. Can't say as I'm sorry tho... serves them Mac zealots right.

In putting the levity aside for a moment, what I'm seeing here is mountains being made out of molehills that haven't been put there yet, so let's not go getting our knickers in a knot over something that has not happened.  And even if/when Stardock staff take over the running of WC, things are not likely to change that much with regard to community because most Stardock staffers are community members.  They may not be as active due to working to provide us quality goods and services, but they are still members who appreciate the community for what it is... ie, Karmagirl starting and participating in fun threads along with the rest of us.

Oh yeah, the wider conspiracy????  Well, given the recent economic crisis hitting the World, Stardock plans to resolve the World's economic woes by targetting bankers with specific software loaded with subliminal honsety messages which are aimed at combatting greed and cheating within the banking fraternity.  Personally, while I welcome this technology, I'd much rather see it applied to the US Congress so that the skinning community gets its own bailout package... you know, something that subsidises struggling skinners and rewards them for all their hard work.

Starkers, the world needs more people like you who think outside the box and still possess the ability to dream big.  Thanks for the dream! 

...

Crikey, Mikey!!    TG, know what's funny? I have gotten so used to thinking there's no Scroll to Top button, I forget they are there.  I think that's funny.

The World is overfilled with doom, gloom and depression (and I've suffered more than my fair shair of the latter), and creating a little levity to help offset some of that is preferable to wallowing in its misery.... as in, better to act the fool than suffer like one.

As for the dream, you're more than welcome, Karen.

I have big dreams too, but I don't see Al Pacino ever asking me to marry him lol

Me too... I don't see Dolly Parton coming here and smothering me with her... um, affections, but I live in positively optimistic hope that WC will remain the great community it has become over the years, thanks to Stardock and the wonderful member contributions along the way.

Thanks people, you've all helped make this place something wonderful and to be proud of.

Johnny Depp may open up his island for you Karen, don't give up

??????  Isn't that a bit drastic, TG??  Sure thing may change a little around here, but the people you've come to know and love as friends will still be here... for you and with you... and to leave in such a way will sadden all of us. Please reconsider.

*Is in need of food*

I'M PAIDED UP TILL 2011 , WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT ?  

How about a possible list of skins that would be good to go

to upload and download ? this is not clear to me ...

we still keep skins such as :

walls,logons,bootskins,dreams,screen savers,screenshots(a biggie for some) etc.?

and commenting still be allowed ? on all skins ?

our site pages with notifications etc remain?

How will Skinners be effected ?

...........................

and by the way , who won the last Stadog(friday)contest ?

.........................

that's all for now ..  

Sheesh!  if you're gonna go, then go.  Don't keep coming back to say the same thing over and over again, it just gets incredibly annoying.  Unless that's what you're actually trying to do.

Although I've voiced some concerns regarding these possible changes, I do think it's silly to go and leave a community, especially when one claims to actually care about the people and friendships built in it.

I'm happy enough to hang around see how things turn out, and I would indeed enjoy seeing the site's functionality improve.

Time will tell how it'll all pan out. 

That's it!  Life as we know it isn't going to end... rather, WC will undergo some changes to make it a more viable site, not just for Stardock, but the subscribers/paying customers as well.  To read anything more into it/Frogboy's posts than that is premature and like convicting a would-be criminal before the crime has been committed.

I must admit that I've not always been happy with some decisions and/or changes, but it's a case of taking the good with the not so good and making the best of it... and in doing so, I've enjoyed my stay here and forgot all about whatever the heck it was I didn'y overly like earlier in the piece.

Well spoken. I couldn't agree with you more and I also want to wish Stardock/Wincustomize and all its great moderators good luck with the new changes.

The bottom line is this...what will be will be. Nothin you can do about it. I just thought it odd to post the drive and the next day post the End of WC...as we know it. But I'll still be here in some form or another...it's not like I have any pressing engagements. But it will be interesting to see the rebirth or whatever is going to happen.

wait a minute...tailsgirl is...gone?? gone?? what..why.. was getting to know her..she is err was a very friendly person with lots of charm. does anyone have her email to stay in touch?