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SaturnRingHalo

Join Date 07/2019

Presales Questions

dangers of Windows updates, renewal price, & using selected apps

1] If Windows 10 automatically updates, and we've got these kinds of desktop enhancements installed, what's the worst that can happen? Could a system be rendered unbootable by a clash between any of the Stardock software and a Windows update? Could we potentially lose data?

2] Yearly renewal of Object Desktop is currently 20$, and that's about the maximum I can afford to spend on this kind of software. May I ask, has it been stable at that price for a long time? Is there anything preventing the renewal price from increasing year on year?

3] I'm only interested in using three of the apps included in Object Desktop. Is it possible to pay for Object Desktop annually to get the updates and bugfixes, but only install and use selected apps from the package?

Thanks.

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ALMonty

Join Date 01/2002

+242

1) I've been using StarDock software for 17 years and have never had a crash or loss of data. The most I've seen is a program glitch from an Windows update and StarDock fixes the problem asap.

2) This is unknown. Time will tell.

3)Yes. I have an Object Desktop subscription and have only a few programs installed. It makes more sense buying the whole package then buying the programs individually.

On a side note: you can install these on 5 machines of your own and get updates for one year.

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RedneckDude

Join Date 04/2009

+2197

I can answer the 3rd question. Yes, you can use only the parts you want. ObjectDesktop is a suite of seperate programs.

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RedneckDude

Join Date 04/2009

+2197

Monkeyman beat me by a few seconds...lol.

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ALMonty

Join Date 01/2002

+242

Took me a while to write that and I'm always afraid that someone will beat me to it.

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ALMonty

Join Date 01/2002

+242

Why does everyone double post accept me?

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Thanks for the replies.

> On a side note: you can install these on 5 machines of your own and get updates for one year.

Sorry, can you elaborate on that a little? I don't quite understand what you mean. Thanks.

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ALMonty

Join Date 01/2002

+242

I can see that was a little confusing. Meaning you can install this software on 5 machines. I have some apps on my desktop and my laptop, also my windows 7 machine. As for the updates you get them for a year from the time you bought it. If the program your using moves from version 10xx to 11 you will have to pay a lesser amount to continue to receive updates.

I forgot to mention, It's a good idea to download your individual .exe programs from the StarDock website and save them to an external HD. If you let your subscription laps you can still install these incase you format or change computers. The programs are yours they just won't be updated.

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basj

Join Date 03/2001

+1520

Hello,

You can refer to these for more details information : https://forums.stardock.com/486310/object-desktop-support-faq

Let us know if you still need more information.

Thank you,

Basj
Stardock Community Assistant.

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LightStar

Join Date 12/2002

+1469

Quoting ALMonty,

reply 6

Why does everyone double post accept me?

Because the forums are messed up and have been for a few weeks.

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Thanks for the replies.

I have installed the 30 day demos of Fences, Start10 and ShadowFX.

Do I need to uninstall those before buying Object Desktop?

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basj

Join Date 03/2001

+1520

Hello,
I have forwarded your questions to the Stardock Support team for their assistance. Please keep an eye on this thread for any updates. We appreciate you feedback and patience.

Thank You,
Basj
Stardock Community Assistant.

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Thanks. Although I'm surprised that the question hasn't come up before.

I'm guessing that 'Object Desktop' is a download and license-key manager for the standalone apps.
So that I just keep the trials installed, and apply the license key(s) which Object Desktop gives me after purchase?

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One thing I still don't understand, although I've read the FAQs...

It appears that with the individual, one-off-payment licenses, I am allowed to download incremental updates (necessary in case a Windows update breaks something).

But if I allow my Object Desktop subscription to lapse, then I cannot access the future incremental updates for the versions of the apps that I have?

Thanks for clarifying.

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Quoting basj,

reply 8

Hello,

You can refer to these for more details information : https://forums.stardock.com/486310/object-desktop-support-faq
Let us know if you still need more information.

Thank you,

Basj
Stardock Community Assistant.

Thanks i find it.

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RedneckDude

Join Date 04/2009

+2197

Quoting SaturnRingHalo,

reply 13

It appears that with the individual, one-off-payment licenses, I am allowed to download incremental updates (necessary in case a Windows update breaks something).

But if I allow my Object Desktop subscription to lapse, then I cannot access the future incremental updates for the versions of the apps that I have?

Correct.

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So with Object Desktop, access to all updates ceases as soon as the subscription lapses.
With the individual apps, you have access to incremental updates until a new version is released.

Thanks for clarifying.

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RedneckDude

Join Date 04/2009

+2197

With the individual license, incremental upgrades (Fences 2.0, 2.1, etc) are offered with most Stardock software at no charge. Version upgrades however (Fences 2 -> Fences 3) are usually paid upgrades. With Object Desktop, those version upgrades would be free.

So, if you buy a single program, you'll get upgrades up to the next version number, could be more than a year, whereas with ObjectDesktop you get a slew of programs with upgrades for a year, then you renew subscription at a reduced price. With ObjectDesktop, you also get access to betas.

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So to be absolutely crystal clear:

1] I can buy Start10, Fences and ShadowFX for 16€ and use them on five computers. I get incremental updates. Every 3 years or so I may have to upgrade them individually at a reduced price when a new version when released, otherwise my older version instantly becomes abandonware and will not get incremental updates or bugfixes.

2] I can buy Object Desktop for 23€ (summer sale) and use the apps on five computers. Every year I must resubscribe for about 20€. As long as I'm subscribed I get incremental and version updates. As soon as I lapse, the versions I have will still work (if I saved them), but are totally frozen so I do not get incremental updates or bugfixes, since the Object Desktop license keys are very tightly tied to the subscription.

Thanks for this final clarification.

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Jafo

Join Date 03/2001

+1753

Quoting SaturnRingHalo,

reply 18

So to be absolutely crystal clear:

1] I can buy Start10, Fences and ShadowFX for 16€ and use them on five computers. I get incremental updates. Every 3 years or so I may have to upgrade them individually at a reduced price to a new version (if one is released at all), otherwise my older version instantly becomes abandonware and will not get incremental updates or bugfixes.

2] I can buy Object Desktop for 23€ and use the apps on five computers. Every year I must resubscribe for about 20€. As long as I'm subscribed I get incremental and version updates. As soon as I unsubscribe, the versions I have still work (if I saved them), but are totally frozen so I do not get incremental updates or bugfixes.

Yes,

However [and it's a big one]

The simple process of permanently subscribing to Object Desktop is far more economical than the individual purchase and management of individual programs, particularly as and when you decide to use more and more of the apps included within the Subscription.

Long-time users [such as myself] have had an on-going subscription for a couple of decades now....so it's a no-brainer that I'm kept up-to-date with all the apps used [by me] and of course - early-access to Betas etc that are not available to non-subscribers...

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Thanks.

I'm only really interested in three apps, and don't want to have to install more software than is necessary in order to solve my problems with Windows 10 - some of the other apps are nice, but ultimately superfluous. It therefore makes more sense for me to get the three individual apps, I think.

Even if a new version was released for all three, every single year, the upgrade price would still less than the 20$ Object Desktop subscription. But it seems like version upgrades are actually much more infrequent than that. The main disadvantage of an OD subscription, for me, is immediately losing incremental updates if the subscription lapses. I agree OD would probably be more economical and hassle-free for someone interested in using four or more apps.

I wrote a little FAQ about the stuff I've learnt about Licensing and Support in another forum post.

Thanks for your assistance.

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