Thanks for posting the article.  What is said and what it didn't say is a good head's up for me.  I must confess, I feel a bit like I just discovered my significant other changed his Facebook status to single (a bit of betrayal and hurt, and yet, this is the internet, there's going to be useless drama--it doesn't really matter in the long run.)  It's obvious the money I pay Stardock, which is really hard for me to scrape up by the way, isn't enough to hold Brad's attention; that money would be better spent on something that's fully alive and has a future, so when my subscription is up, I'm going to have to put that hard-earned money towards a WinStep subscription, and learn a new skinning app.  And I may have to spend some of my spare time learning Msstyles -- I'm not going to stop skinning just because one company's CEO thinks Windows 7 is pretty enough.

from the article

Notice the underline? There is a word missing in the article that could change the entire meaning of this statement. No sense "panty bunching" over a missing word now is there?

Another line..

Notice it does NOT say "in place of".. it says SEPARATE.

Once again... "panty bunching" over what you THINK was said instead of what was ACTUALLY said.

Such drama queen behavior over nothing....

Quoted for Truth.

Ouch, I think I gave myself a wedgie. 

This does not change my disappointment.  Everyone here is aware that Stardock's emphasis has not been on skinning apps for 1-1/2 to 2 years now; we discovered, first the "End of WinCustomize" and "WinCustomize 2K9 brainstorming" threads, and following that, Brad's thread on Tough Love for Object Desktop (https://forums.wincustomize.com/366111) where he said "On October 5, 2009, after a nearly 3 year absence, I have returned to being in charge of Object Desktop again.  Being away from the desktop enhancements area has allowed me to take a fresh look at the state of the art in Windows tech, the “Skinning community”, and so forth." We discovered the down-grading of our beloved hobby by it's CEO--but by following those threads, we were always given hope that in the end, what we got would be better, probably more streamlined, but worth holding out for.

What this public article says to me, is that we can expect more of the same thing as we've been getting for the past 2 years; a downgrade of the Object Desktop experience.  I understand that Brad needs to do this, that Stardock needs to stay cutting edge of what's on the technological horizon. ("We're" getting older...we're just not as attractive as we used to be, so Daddy's dumping us for a new trophy wife; I can understand that--I did it myself.)  The ball now is really in our court.  We can say as we are, accepting our status as "second best" (I will for the present), or we can move on (I'm thinking that's the direction I'll need to go in when my subs are up.  I need to put the precious little "me" money I can get my hands on into something there is a future in).

The intent of this post is not to be negative -- it's just to be adult and to be real.  I've held on and "hoped" for 2 years.  My faith is gone, and this article pretty confirmed that there is no reason to hope for anything to improve here.

Notice reply #4, Phoon.

Your addition is also excellent. 

I really disagree, Karen and I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised... and I hope you do take up skinning Winstep... I want to as well.

Ok, I just can't help adding things to this. There was a copied and pasted part of a paragraph. Here is the whole thing

"Wardell said he’s considering launching mobile and web software-development shops and studios to keep up with hot-selling gadgets such as Apple’s iPad and iPhone and Motorola’s Droid smart phone, but would want to keep that work separate from the software and games Stardock currently produces"

The first half of the above was left out. So reading it also says "shifted away from the desktop enhancements and into practical software, such as Multiplicity."

So this tells me exactly what it says. Using Multiplicity as the software in the statement and what is going to be kept separate is this type of software and the new plans with iPad and stuff. "shifted away from the desktop enhancements" tells me nothing is being done with desktop enhancements, WB, OD, and the rest of it. When I first came on board here there were updates every other week with something. So looking at the last update we had what does that say? Doesn't take a blind person to figure out where the thoughts are going.

So that is some of my thinking and I can tell you it isn't all wrong. The word "emphasis" does sure look like the word that may be missing but even that is a guess.

If the statement above is true and you know something we don't please share it in fact. If there is no fact then it's just wishful thinking.

There really is a simple solution to this. There was never anything held back from the members till the last year. Everything was brought to our attention as to what was being updated, etc. So why doesn't someone with real information like Brad just write a thread and let us know if anything is really going to be updated or new with the desktop programs. We have programs and can use them to continue. Could they be better, sure but will they? I don't know and either does anyone else so lets hear real facts not, oh wait till you see what is coming soon. The last time we heard we were going to have a replacement "very sopon" was when we all found out Impulse was sold. Maybe also my thinking of when very soon should be is very different than others.

Last if I was told there were not going to anymore updates to the software I would be fine and just work with what is available. doesn't change the fact people are getting up set and there is nothing but guessing going on.

No. I have learned over the years to trust Brad, I.D. and Jafo. They've earned my trust as well as yours.

Whether I "know something" or not is not at issue. It is not my place to speak for Stardock, Brad, I.D. nor Jafo. In that respect I'm a member just like you.

"If there is no fact then it's just wishful thinking" does not follow in an obligatory manner from your antecedent statement. I might know nothing and yet still be correct.

When Brad and Stardock/I.D./Jafo are ready to tell you something, they will. One thing I've learned here (and in the delivery room) is patience. Things take their course without any consideration given to my expectations. All they ever led to was angst. The second thing is that when you wait patiently, you can be very pleasantly surprised.

Unequivocally: Yes.

Sorry to disappoint you, but there will be. Can't tell you when, but can tell you there will be.

People get upset and there's little anyone can do to prevent that. SD will say its piece when it does. Neither you nor I have any say as to when exactly that'll be.

Phoon....

I personally don't see (or read into) any drastic changes in the near future but eventually I'm sure there will be. I mean, doesn't EVERYTHING change eventually? And obviously Stardock is a business (WC is a website) and if desktop enhancements no longer prove profitable (and I'm not saying they aren't), shouldn't more emphasis be placed on products that are? If it were your business, what would you do? Skinning IS changing and will continue to change and although it's a hobby I love, if it ended tomorrow I'd be disappointed but it wouldn't be an earth shattering event by any means. If folks really do feel that passionately about making sure the skinning "thing" continue, maybe some emphasis be placed toward developing NEW types of skinning software themselves...

Oh, a comment one of my co-workers made today stuck in my head, "these folks are connected online but disconnected to real life". I believe I replied, "So true"....

Something that really is absolutely missing : Some OPEN AND HONEST WORDS about the state of Object Desktop and RELIABLE plans about it.

No more "It will get better !" promises, We've had that for over 2 years now. We've had wishlists and bug-lists (even initiated by Brad) over and over just to watch them disappear in the mud of the forums and nothing happen. We've seen good people just disappear for example in the course of Desktop X's downfall.

Sure fences and Tiles are successful. We have no newer builds of nearly anything than those. Look how Nexus was overtaking ObjectDock, which is not state of the art anymore and will not be anytime soon in favour of Fences and Tiles. 

I agree with you 100%, however, right now, I don't see the point to renewing my ObjectDesktop software if it's just going to stay the same.  I can always renew when/if something new and improved happens with it.  I renewed last time out of hope/faith that it was going to be improved.  Fool me once....

Vote by wallet tends to get a company's attention, that's for sure. Words vs. $$$$...the latter ALWAYS wins out.

 Stardock has been in Plymouth for ten years? Really, Awesome reporting Plymouth patch! lol!