Registered your software?

from WinCustomize Forums
Just curious how many people downloading skins and such here have registered the program they're downloading skins for.

One of the things we've thought about to keep bandwidth use under control would be to look at someone who's downloading many megs of WindowBlinds skins and see if they've registered WindowBlinds or purchased Object Desktop and bring up a dialog nagging them or something.

Some people using the shareware version are of course just trying out skins but if they've downloaded 50 megs over the course of months, obviously they need to register it or stop using it (or at least stop using the bandwidth here).

Just curious as to what people here thought on that. Yea yea, the flames will start but Isuspect most of you register your software.
44,031 views 157 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've registered for the whole deal (ODNT), and i don't go downloading every post i see... i look though what's up and download what i think looks good. Personally i think that would be annoying, but it would most likely make me register after a while (if i haden't already).
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
hmmm, this should get interesting!

Purrrr... Me? Well, I'm a reistered user so I have no worries
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
/me registered ODNT many moons ago...
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yes, I've mooned many people since I first registered ODNT.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Far as I know I am regg'ed. Filled out all the info, in the Console. Does that constitue Regg'ed?
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I ain't regged nothing! I only use freeware stuff!

/me is only a poor skinner!

(Saving up to reg NS fullpack, though!)
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
mines registered:) I download things here and there..depending on how nice my 56k/crappy isp is to me that day...
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
my registration runs out in ten days Time flies....
Don't know when I'll be able to re-up but it will definitly be up there on the priority list.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Bad idea.
This is supposed to be a site all about windows customisation/skinning, don't bring the whole heavy handed element into it.
I can understand the dilemma with the bandwidth, but nag screens?
If introducing nag screens was the case, shouldn't all the other progs be the same?
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
And I'd like to quote from the 'about' section:

"The site is largely independent of Stardock other than using its resources."


Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Listen to Hippy, this site is about skins, not big brother checking up.

btw my wb is registered.
I don't use iconpakager coz iconphile is better and who would want desktop x when they have a registered copy of HoverDesk?
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
50 megs??? Wow, I haven't downloaded 50 in the whole year... I don't see a problem with that. A nag screen after such a huge amount of downloads seems fait to me.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I basically agree with what you are saying, Brad.
But someone mentioned a system about skins and themes being automatically uploaded to all the skinning sites at once, and if this one was full of nag screens, wouldn't people just download the skins from one of the sites that doesn't nag?.
Maybe this is your aim?

I have had DesktopX (demo) for about 2 weeks now, but I have had no luck trying to buy it, the credit card accepting software just declines my card every time. Have YOU registered that software Brad? lol.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
fait = fair
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I agree with Hippy. The site should be about sharing skins, not about whether the person downloading them has registered their software or not.

Registration is something for stardock to worry about, not wincustomize.com. Unless you want to blur the line between the two more.

BTW, registered ODNT last month!
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
STOP PRESS:: I finally had my card accepted, so I am now the proud owner of DesktopX-enhanced.
WOO-HOO!!
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ah. That scared you BoXXi, didn't it? You registered within a day! See, Brad? It works
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
No, seriously. How many people actually download 50 megs worth of skins and wallpapers? Do you have stats about that Brad? I'm just curious...
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hehe, blame Snowman....
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've been a happy registered user of ODNT for a long time now and here's my outlook on it...

Let's face it, the world is full of free-loaders. As long as someone (including myself at times) can freeload, they have no initiative to lay out cash, fill out forms or even post a damn comment! (another story in itself)

However, as has been discussed before and I've clarified before, you have a choice. Make it harder, and you will lose users, no two ways about it. Now, unless you're running banner ads and the # of hits or click throughs counts, this won't be that big a deal. OR WILL IT... for every 20 users that say screw it, a few of them may have been potential registerees for both the site and the software.

However, I also believe there will come a point where some people will ask themselves why they bother with any effort when a zillion other people haven't.

Force people to make the effort, and you will weed out a lot of freeloaders but also some potential good eggs. A gamble no matter what you do.
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I look at it this way..

Wincustomize is a glorified advertizing expense for Stardock. The fact that the site and all the skins on it are here is actually advertizing the product better than any banner-ad ever could. The other programs here, are by being here, advertized by Stardock. If anyone should pay, it's them.

As a user of Stardock's products, I am comforted by the fact that there's a nice archive here. If I was being checked up on and nagged however, it becomes less of an advertizement, and more of a warning... not to use your product.

Listen to Hippy. There are enough Big Brothers as it is.. the recording industry, the horrible tv shows..Microsoft.. Adobe... let's not make it worse.
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Many software producers offer free content ONLY to their registered users. Nothing new or wrong with this. The big difference is that these softwares cost hundreds and even thousnads of dollars - not 20.00. Stardock provides tons of bandwidth to support "freeloaders". Not exactly fair is it?

Some claim that this site is an advertizing expense. That's true to an extent, but when the cost of advertizing a product outstrips the profit, it's not doing anyone but the still 'potential' customer any good.

Sure, provide some access, but not unlimited access to shareware users. If those people who get a nag screen after eating up a significant allotment of bandwidth decide to never purchase the product because of a gentle reminder, then so be it. Why should Stardock provide them costly access after the user has had fair time to eval the software?

Begin personal rant: Come on people, we're only talking about 20.00 here, for WB anyway. I don't mean to offend, but how long does one need to SAVE to accumulate 20 dollars? Do you not have a PC and an ISP? Those weren't / aren't cheap. Go out and mow or rake ONE yard. Wow! 20 bucks! Easy. Sell some old CD's, Spend a Saturday as a "day laborer" doing some manual labor. You'll have probably close to a hundred dollars to buy software with! End rant.