Does Wincustomize need a make over?
Tuesday, July 19, 2005 by Bash2cool | Discussion: OS Customization
it's been i think three years since Wincustomize changed its website look so should it change it's look now? Well to me ... i think they should wait till Microsoft releases Longhorn cause longhorn will be different than windows. and there will be new styles.
So should it have a new make-over? please place comments on what you think.
So should it have a new make-over? please place comments on what you think.
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NightTrainthedark
Reply #22 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 2:35 PM
All due respect Boss019, EVERYONE is dissapointed with the site performance the last 6 months. I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone completely happy with it. That doesn't mean you should walk the path of a troll. I understand your frustration but don't drag yourself into the gutter. Ask for your money back. When the site issues are resolved you can resubscribe. You don't have to subscribe again. I am guessing alot of silent people will not be resubscribing but that is the worst case scenario. The site was working pretty good before the Stardock move. Hopefully they will get it working like butter soon. Try to be part of the solution, not the problem. WC staff can do whatever they want, whenever they want. You cannot win.
Reply #22 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 2:35 PM
| That's just turning things around to take the focus off of the site problems here. |
All due respect Boss019, EVERYONE is dissapointed with the site performance the last 6 months. I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone completely happy with it. That doesn't mean you should walk the path of a troll. I understand your frustration but don't drag yourself into the gutter. Ask for your money back. When the site issues are resolved you can resubscribe. You don't have to subscribe again. I am guessing alot of silent people will not be resubscribing but that is the worst case scenario. The site was working pretty good before the Stardock move. Hopefully they will get it working like butter soon. Try to be part of the solution, not the problem. WC staff can do whatever they want, whenever they want. You cannot win.
SATYROBE
Reply #23 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 2:58 PM
Makes things worse, if you still need contacts from this site. Do backup stuff on
independent site + try to get others to subscribe (when the problem is over?, -
another vicious circle) NOW! (or forget about the site)
Reply #23 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 2:58 PM
| Ask for your money back |
Makes things worse, if you still need contacts from this site. Do backup stuff on
independent site + try to get others to subscribe (when the problem is over?, -
another vicious circle) NOW! (or forget about the site)
Bichur
Reply #24 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 3:13 PM
Specie Profiling!
Some of us walk a happy path.
Reply #24 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 3:13 PM
| That doesn't mean you should walk the path of a troll. |
Specie Profiling!
Some of us walk a happy path.
Javakhanzz
Reply #25 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 3:21 PM
Reply #25 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 3:21 PM
I think everyone's being very harsh on wincustomize. I think that a lot people have come to expect free content on the net and think nothing of the vast amount of work that goes into making a site such as this work. I suspect that the only other sites that get traffic like wincustomize are the big hitter such as amazon or microsoft and believe me they invest huge amounts of money (usually your money) into keeping their sites running correctly.
Give them a break guys.
Personally i love the site and am quite happy to put up with some page refreshes every now and again.
Give them a break guys.
Personally i love the site and am quite happy to put up with some page refreshes every now and again.
thomassen
Reply #26 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 3:27 PM
Reply #26 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 3:27 PM
Regarding HTML and CSS; I'd be happy to assist on working out a template for the site. Just let me know when the time comes.
Bash2cool
Reply #27 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 3:39 PM
Reply #27 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 3:39 PM
Javakhanzz is right give them a break. i didn't make this article to make wincustomize fell bad or anything but i am mad about the errors i keep getting.
_02
Reply #28 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 3:43 PM
Reply #28 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 3:43 PM
I have a great solution. This should become a member only site. That way we could see if the lack of money is really the cause. Get the site in shape, check and re check all the programs on many computers before they are released to destroy ours. There will be far less people to deal with as there will be far less visitors. And that will not really be a loss, since they aren't paying now anyway, and some that are, are leaving. There are plenty of sites non paying people can visit. The way I see it, the site is the least of the problems. The programs being pushed out to compensate the lack of monies received are destroying one computer after another. I myself have not updated or upgraded anything for awhile. I hardly download anything anymore, unless it is by someone I know or who I know makes good skins. Bad skins being accepted is as big a problem as the bad upgrades and programs. I have always know that quality far outweighs quantity. If the problems at hand are not addressed, and quality put over quantity, I think that it will be the end of many years of hard work and fun. It is not fun here anymore. And if I, who is considered a low man on the pole around here, can see all the people that are complaining and leaving, surely it has not escaped those in high places here. Before any more expansion takes place, what is already here needs to be tended to like a very sick child. Before it is too late. I think this could be considered biting off more than one can chew. It seems to be a new trend in business. Not enough pay or employees to handle the load, yet the push is always there. So, now that I have probably made some people mad, I will just say that I hope it changes, and all the fun and quality returns. It would be a real shame and loss if it doesn't.
Tarkus
Reply #29 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 4:03 PM
That's not what I meant. What I meant is that if the site is overwhelmed by the number of users, why not cut back on what the free users can do?
And mind you, I'm not trying to be elitist. I have nothing against the free users, and would love it if everyone had a great experience here. I'm just saying if you're not equipped to handle the number of users you're getting, and you're saying not enough people are subscribing, then it only makes sense that you should be prioritizing subscribers.
It's not free for a lot of us. Granted, none of us are going broke with our subscriptions here, and I don't expect the world for my subscription. However, it's unfair to suggest that we should just all sit back and appreciate all this free content, and not complain about any problems.
I would hope it doesn't come to that. However, it does seem like a feasible solution (at least for the short term) would be to cut way back on the benefits for non-subscribers. If there aren't enough subscribers to finance the site, perhaps there isn't enough incentive to becoming a subscriber.
Reply #29 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 4:03 PM
Tarkus - it's not like the system goes "Oh, subscriber, don't crash". |
That's not what I meant. What I meant is that if the site is overwhelmed by the number of users, why not cut back on what the free users can do?
And mind you, I'm not trying to be elitist. I have nothing against the free users, and would love it if everyone had a great experience here. I'm just saying if you're not equipped to handle the number of users you're getting, and you're saying not enough people are subscribing, then it only makes sense that you should be prioritizing subscribers.
| I think that a lot people have come to expect free content on the net and think nothing of the vast amount of work that goes into making a site such as this work. |
It's not free for a lot of us. Granted, none of us are going broke with our subscriptions here, and I don't expect the world for my subscription. However, it's unfair to suggest that we should just all sit back and appreciate all this free content, and not complain about any problems.
| I have a great solution. This should become a member only site. That way we could see if the lack of money is really the cause. |
I would hope it doesn't come to that. However, it does seem like a feasible solution (at least for the short term) would be to cut way back on the benefits for non-subscribers. If there aren't enough subscribers to finance the site, perhaps there isn't enough incentive to becoming a subscriber.
Bash2cool
Reply #30 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 4:04 PM
Reply #30 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 4:04 PM
yea i agree with clwoods that it used to be fun making skins but now i think its about compitition instead of having fun.
i noticed that a lot more skins are being made at the same time. Even i myself am having a compitition with Carvan1. he might not be having a compitition against me but i am. and i think i should stop. i used to make 1 or 2 skins a month now i make 2-4 skins a week! anyway i think that this site should be fun cause it's all a hobby to us isn't it? 
i noticed that a lot more skins are being made at the same time. Even i myself am having a compitition with Carvan1. he might not be having a compitition against me but i am. and i think i should stop. i used to make 1 or 2 skins a month now i make 2-4 skins a week!
anyway i think that this site should be fun cause it's all a hobby to us isn't it? 
_02
Reply #31 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 4:10 PM
Reply #31 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 4:10 PM
I see I have a typo in #28 It should be in all instances, Quality over Quantity.
Boss019
Reply #32 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 4:11 PM
Reply #32 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 4:11 PM
This one small issue aside, the large picture is that admin, trying to hold things together, downplays the problems either by disappearing from the forums when the issues get too specific, like all of the extensive problems people had with the new builds of various programs, or they answer by downplaying the problems and making some pretty damn condescending comments to people. It's what they have to do to keep their jobs. But feel sorry for them....hell, Jafo says he spends lots of money out of his own pocket to work here. Um, yeah. I'd just like to hear some truth from them...not garbage like "Go start your own site if you can do better" or "Don't walk the path of a troll, don't drag yourself into the gutter." Hey, this is MY OPINION. The site is slow...fine. There are lots of problems with the new builds, fine. But own up to them, down treat me like a 6 year old that will believe everything Mommy and Daddy tell him. This isn't whining, or being a troll, it's just being tired of listening to the kind of stuff you hear out of politicians. There may be some truth there, but a lot of bull too.
Bones2112
Reply #33 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 5:01 PM
Reply #33 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 5:01 PM
But the # of subscribers we get is pitiful. We have plenty of bandwidth. What we don't have are enough IT people.
Sounds like a catch22. There are lots of ways to bring that number up. First off maybe get some great looking skins in the subscriber section. Something new by Pixtudio or Skinplant, something that makes people want to subscribe to WC. The current skins are years old, time for something fresh.
Have another subscription drive, but this time have a drawing out of the new subscribers to win some Stardock products.
WC compared to other sites from Stardock like GCII, Totalgaming.net, is way slower. The other sites mentioned fly compared to here.
There are lots of ways to make it happen, not just these couple suggestions. As far as people getting all the content of the site without subscribing, eating up bandwidth, there are ways around that too. DA has features available for subscribers only, WC can do something along the same lines.
Sounds like a catch22. There are lots of ways to bring that number up. First off maybe get some great looking skins in the subscriber section. Something new by Pixtudio or Skinplant, something that makes people want to subscribe to WC. The current skins are years old, time for something fresh.
Have another subscription drive, but this time have a drawing out of the new subscribers to win some Stardock products.
WC compared to other sites from Stardock like GCII, Totalgaming.net, is way slower. The other sites mentioned fly compared to here.
There are lots of ways to make it happen, not just these couple suggestions. As far as people getting all the content of the site without subscribing, eating up bandwidth, there are ways around that too. DA has features available for subscribers only, WC can do something along the same lines.
Sleeping Dragon
Reply #34 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 5:23 PM
Reply #34 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 5:23 PM
I've had my share of complaints here, but honestly the folks in charge don't want to see these problems either, and are working to get them resolved. You think they like to see so many site bashing threads? How about some solutions? It is very easy to complain but not so easy to come up with resolutions for these problems. Bones is on the right track, I believe. Let's sell a couple of skins or have a fundraiser. Sell a Tiggz or Danilo suite for $15. Have another GUI Olympics where skins are only available to subscribers.
....something.
If money is the issue, let's raise some money.
....something.
If money is the issue, let's raise some money.
Jafo
Reply #35 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 6:16 PM
Reply #35 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 6:16 PM
| It's what they have to do to keep their jobs. But feel sorry for them....hell, Jafo says he spends lots of money out of his own pocket to work here. Um, yeah. I'd just like to hear some truth from them |
Oh it's the God's truth, matey.
The difference between thee and me? I persevere with the site issues and do what I volunteered to do....help keep people happy here by treating the recalcitrant and the genuinely decent just the same, chasing upload issues, explaining why Moggy-the-photo wasn't accepted, getting between children pulling hair and spitting, helping to keep Wincustomize.com a [mostly] friendly place to be.
It simply takes a bit longer to do it lately when site issues arise.
You want condescending comments? You want the 'truth'? I find much of your site interaction here obnoxious. There....a bit of 'truth' for you..... much less 'political'....much more 'honest'.....
So...we're not allowed to say 'heavy traffic load'....'not enough money'....etc, because those reasons are only 'excuses'.....and what you want it to be is 'incompetence' because that will be some tacit vindication of your presumed superiority.
In reality I steer clear of T-Man and the crew who are dealing with the site coding.....they don't need interruptions from people, unless there's valid input. When the guys have it sorted we can chat about the urbane, but in the meantime those who care about the site and its community will keep at it in spite of the childish foot-stampings of the spoilt brats.
Oh, sorry.....
What I should have said....PC and all....
"Please be patient"....
)
Boss019
Reply #38 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 6:32 PM
Reply #38 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 6:32 PM
You are the one that started all of this garbage and made me actually take a look at what's behind your well scripted words and "old buddy Jafo" personna. You just did it again, totally trashing my comments....which are ALL VALID,and calling names again. That's all you have...there are no excuses for the way you and some of your fellow admin treat the people here.Just make my "Opinions" out to be some kind of attack and trash me. My point is made. You just showed what you got, nothing.
CerebroJD
Reply #39 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 6:37 PM
Reply #39 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 6:37 PM
#38
Where did he call you names?
Your comments are invalid, mostly unfounded, and aimless.
You have no point to make, so how did you make it?
Where did he call you names?
Your comments are invalid, mostly unfounded, and aimless.
You have no point to make, so how did you make it?
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Reply #21 Tuesday, July 19, 2005 2:28 PM
thomassen, that is a logical assessment and it would definately improve the site's 'themeability' and page rendering time in the future, once the database issues are resolved.
Boss019, Frogboy clearly explained the issue. I realize you expected such an explaination and apparently you are unwilling to accept it, but it doesn't change the facts. You offer no solutions, only the same complaints over and over. It's beginning to sound like you are simply looking for someone to argue with.