It's freeloaders like you
I can't leave this unanswered. All I'm asking you is to read at least this comment.
To start with:
According to todays official policies I'm rather an appreciated community member, a level 4 user, than a freeloader.
(Level 4: Current Stardock customer. These are users who have either purchased Object Desktop Network or some other Stardock product (Stardock is WinCustomize's sponser) within the last 2 years. These users get all the benefits of a registered user plus:
* Unlimited File Downloads. Say good-bye to file limitations! No more annoying messages preventing you from getting your download to work.) Kind words. No bad languange.
Then:
In my comments I'm writing arguments why I think mandatory subscription is a wrong solution. Admitting that operating such a site must cost a fortune.
In return I get answers like: You're sucking the blood of the community, get lost.
Furthermore:
I write, that I'm paying for the applications, and I'm stating that authors upload their work for free. (By means that THEY won't get paid.)
In return I get answers like: Why do you think bandwidth and servers are free? You don't appreciate us.
Then:
I write that if I MUST subscribe for 20USD to download skins, I guess I rather consider stopping paying 50USD to renew my OD subscription, and I ask whether this is not a bigger threat by introducing such a new policy.
In return I get answers like: we will have to shut down the site because of you, shame on you.
And of course there are the always shiny happy people like: it's nice to join a community, I subscribe every 3 months. Which is their business.
To be serious, I myself feel fed up wit the "go away you parasite, you won't get anything for free" comments, without getting a single comment on my arguments. I don't even know what am I doing here, this is not funny at all.
I beg for a relevant comment on my arguments from "the other side".
Finally forgive my poor english, I'd check back for answers before leaving wincustomize.
BRGDS
ethsza |
ethsza "it's freeloaders like you" was probably an unfortunate comment. It should have been aimed at an attitude to freely obtaining site content, and not to you, personally/specifically, so on behalf of the Wincustomize team please accept our apology.
Stardock customers ARE benefitting/contributing to the site, but what is needed is the site itself to effectively cover its OWN costs of existence....to make it self-sustaining/perpetuating....independent of and not dependent upon financial support from ANY outside source other than its own members.
Now, mostly the skinners/uploaders have absolutely no issue with the reality that hosting their works costs money and the most logical solution is 'user pays'....in other words, he who downloads content from this site needs to pay to do so.
This works in EXACTLY the same way that a car owner must buy tyres and petrol each time they are needed/wanted....even AFTER already buying the car itself. The Stardock software, just like the car does not come with an endless supply of 'consumables'.....at least, they SHOULDN'T.
Currently, the Wincustomize socio-economic model has people being 'rewarded' with full access to content thanks to their own 'contribution/s', be that subscription, Current SD Customer, or skinner/site contributor [the latter through promotion 'level'].
All this is well and good, except not enough of the 3 million visitors are in one of these categories. They 'contribute' nothing to the site's commercial viability.......YET.
The Status Quo [not the group] needs to change. It should NOT be about current contributors buying more frequent subs...or ones for others as gifts.
It SHOULD be about each and every site visitor's willingness to support the site and contribute by paying for that which he is so eager to receive.
If he won't do that without a push then there needs must be a push.....one that cannot be side-stepped...
