For some reason the Parable of The Seeds comes to mind...

(1. Some fall off to the side and are taken away by birds.
2. Some fall onto stony ground, grow quickly, but then die just as quickly when things turn bad.
3. Some fall among thorns and grow a bit, but then are choked off by the vines.
4. Some fall onto fertile ground and deliver a massive return to the sower of the seeds.)

I thought something was wrong with Impulse so I uninstalled it. Then I reinstalled it an still found no updates to any of the software I have from Wincustomize/Stardock. So I will just leave it on my computer and see when, if ever, updates start happening.

Dr: The problem here still is, that people trivialize the massive problems SD development ist having at the moment and are devotional thankful if someone official at least writes something, regardless if it happens in the end or not (like often enough). I am waiting for Brad's 100th 'We will get better' article every day... Being here for nearly 10 years I am watching all this with deep anxiety.

c242.... Not trivializing. I want the fixes as much as you, please believe that. I also know that a seed has to fall on fertile ground. Reiterating doesn't seem to help...

Dear Zu!

Yes. This is true. But all of these events/actions occurred in the faraway past. We are talking about the present. And we want get updates for our favorite software in the present and in the future!

At least we must know a truth (even if this truth will be bitter) about the state of software development. But don't talk us about the games. This is another area of business which can not be grounds for revocation support of paid software. Where is DesktopX 4.0? Dammit! How many months (or years) you need to finish it? (By the way my sons are grew up and married during this time...) 

I think it's time to stop lying here. We do not need to hear 'leaves without figs' anymore. Please, let us know if DX was died like ObjectBar and we will never talk about it on this page...

I agree with Carl. It's really very painful to observe the agony of DX...

Regards.

https://forums.wincustomize.com/139524/page/2/

Good read. Only that it is from 2006. Not much of a change from then.

Oh yes, this has been epic, only that NOTHING changed again :

https://forums.wincustomize.com/365759

Quote :

'Keep an eye on Object Desktop starting today and going forward. You’re going to see some pretty rapid changes coming.'

Yeah, sure.

It has been made plain that we, the end users, are responsible for creating plugins for (finishing) DX4.0.

This is a joke? Why do we need any plugins if DesktopX has dozens of uncorrected bugs? Who must correct them and make all DX features compatible with Windows 7? May be the 'end users' too?

I paid for software, which was supposed to help me make gadgets and customize my desktop. However I didn't spend nor one cent for happy chance to create plugins or something else for it. Eventually this is not my job.

I must pay for subscriptions every year and I do this regularly. Do you really think that I (or somebody like me) must work on plugins or updates for a programs which I (or somebody else) have bought? Do not make me laugh! It's responsibility of Stardock...

According to Frogboy, yes.....

https://forums.wincustomize.com/373347/page/1/

According to Frogboy he prefers to write the 20th iPad advertisement and blog about how he is a cyber person rather than caring for us unworthy and our silly concerns...

As much as we may like it or not the owner of a company gets to act and do as they please. 

As customers we get to decided whether or not we remain customers. 

It really is as simple as that. 

For me, I'm hanging around because the customizing programs still hold value for me.

So...no more updates? EVER?

There'll be updates, I'm sure. Few and far between, maybe. One thing is certain, we are responsible for making new plugins, if we want them. We are going to have to fix the old ones, if we want them fixed.

Frogboy said that DX was always meant to be developed by the users, not by Stardock. I'm not saying I'm happy with this, I'm not. I couldn't code a padlock. But it is what he said.

I do remember that Brad once stated that if we keep whining about DX, he'll just retire it at 3.5, which is why you don't see me bitching about it much. I can't help, so I shut up.

I'd rather have DX 3.5 as is, than no DX at all.

BTW, anyone who hasn't already needs to make a back up copy of the current (3.5) plugins because the newer version won't have them. This also, according to Brad.

And what really sucks is that DX 4.o comes with a few of my skins preinstalled, and I can't get it to work for me...lol...ironic, huh?

I was in a deep silence for about half of year... What has changed during this time? Nothing!

And, to be honest, I don't care how someone would interpret my words. Even if he (or she) decides that I'm whining about DX. I'm so tired to listen lies and hope for a miracle that I don't give a hoot...

I've learned to live without DX. There are only 3 or 4 stand alone gadgets which I'm still using on my desktop. And I'm sure that all of them will work without any updates on each versions of Windows in the next 10 years because I've never used built-in DesktopX features for my main projects except the exporting *.dxpack to *.exe.

So I can sleep in a calm. The only one thing that compels me to write a few words here - is my bewilderment that such wonderful project has been destroyed so quickly and senselessly. And I'm very sorry that Brad talks and does it...

And that alone should have made a big uproar with users and customers. But as valid complaints and bug reports are considered 'bitching' and 'whining' here also (that has become a real culture here) Brad is in the position to get away with it. Still has been an absolute no go and a slap into the face for everyone caring for DX. I will not stick my head into the sand because of Brads absolute power phantasies, sorry.

And this whole thing is not about plugins. What sense do plugins make without the framework (DesktopX) working right ??? And what help should developers of plugins rely on if even the main program is not cared for ?

We've had so many great DX widgets, Gadgets and Themes, discussions, 'I love DX' campaigns and the like. Where did that lead ? Nowhere. So anybody still hopes DX will come any further with some people developing some plugins ? May I laugh ?

But this is not about DX only. ObjectDock suffers from Fences (an app that I still consider minor) development, the promised RightClick rewrite in my eyes will never happen and was never intended to happen. CusrsorFX still has problems and incompatibilities with Multiplicity, IconPackager still did not arrive fully in the 64-bit world and the list goes on.

From what I can tell, the DX framework does work right, the plugins are outdated and still the XP versions. And I might add that DX works great on XP. All the meters are accurate, plugins work.

But we have progressed way past XP, and as far as I can tell, the DX framework is fine, the plugins need revamping.

I'm not sticking my head in the sand, I just know that Brad IS in the position to get away with it simply because he owns the company and can do what he wants.

There is a difference between helping the situation, reporting bugs, suggestions on how to fix, and the other end which is bitching and moaning. The latter won't help, so why do it?

As an example, someone I know is repeatedly complaining about how the meters aren't accurate, or they jump around, etc. I ask him why he mentions those things every time like they're gonna change...lol. I have no control over the plugins not being right, since I'm no coder. So why keep on about it, it isn't like it's gonna make me a coder and all will be good. It helps nothing.

Just as the whining and bitching don't help make anything better with DX and the other apps. We should either wait until it gets fixed, help if we can, or quit subscribing and turn away from "bad software". We don't have to be here/use this. We choose to.

Someone once said in a recent post where the OP was complaining about the quality of skins here at WC that if the OP don't like what we have to offer, don't download it.

I say the same for SD products. If all we're gonna do is complain that it isn't what we want it to be, then just don't subscribe. No one is forcing us.

I know a lot won't agree with what I just said, it is just the way I feel. I, for one, will tough it out and wait, because I have faith that things will get better around here.

Going out on a limb here and assuming RND is talking about me.

I am  a TESTER. Troubleshooting is what I DO.  When something isn't right,I either fix it or  I report it. If it isn't right 1,000 times, I'll report it 1,000 times. Not all widgets/meters have the same errors for the same people. In fact, different themes have different results for me, even if the same script or plug in is used.  I can't fix DX, therefore I report what I see with each theme I test. Apparently, bugs in DX are considered acceptable, so no testing should be needed then. Looks like I'm out of a job.

I've used meters and gauges of one sort or another most of my life. I started building Heathkit and RadioShack DIY kits and  my own test equipment well before many WC members were probably born.( things had tubes then) If it isn't accurate  or works inconsistently, I have no use for it. The quality of my electronics troubleshooting/repair depends on the accuracy of my testing. It's not in my nature to do things half-assed or rely on guesswork.

I didn't like the resource drain of sidebar on Vista, but 7 is much better. Between that(SB) and Nexus, I find myself using DX less and less. If DX gets fixed, I'll embrace it once again. Until then I prefer to use what works.(Now, not two OS's ago.)

I'm willing to wait, but I'm not getting any younger.   

I'd love to see an update for WB so that the tray arrow isn't constantly disappearing on 7 and that the flashing button text color can ACTUALLY be changed.

I have reported a long list of bugs and issues, here is a blog post summary from 2007:

http://www.thomthom.net/blog/2007/08/desktopx-bugs-issues-and-feature-requests/

And that post was a rewrite from a post I made in 2005.

All of which I have reported to Stardock support and all of which I have reported here on the forums.

The response has been minimal. Some reports where closed without any feedback at all. I'd be happy to help out reproducing an issue if the support team had trouble with my original report.

Now, I have been moaning, but that is because of 5+ years of not getting any response to the long list of issues I have reported, and tried to follow up. Nobody tell me I'm not entitled to be disappointed after spending a lot of time reporting proper bug reports.

Once in a while I come back here to see if there is any news, I want there to be, good or bad. DesktopX has been one of my favourite apps for a long time and I still hope it'll get back on production. But five +  years?

DesktopX: dead or alive?

Suspended animation...

/me reaches for the paddles...