[Frisbee]

Originally posted by chezpaul:
Everyone of you guys rich or poor do have enough money to buy yourself a computer (a mac no less) and an internet connection.

I didn't pay for my mac, I don't pay for the internet connection. I don't want to have to spend hundreds of dollars on things that I probably wont use more than a week. I bought shapeshifter a few hours after I heard of it, because I knew that it was a long term investment that would also get much better very quickly. But a theme? No matter how good it is, I wont use it very long. Everyone else I know uses themes the same way... ShapeShifter is a theme CHANGER.

Edit: I can't believe a thread like this has reached 100 posts...

[chezpaul]

If U won't use the theme for more than a week then don't buy it. That's all.
I'm not saying all themes and all theme creators should sale their themes. I'm saying that it's not a bad idea to sale ones theme if it's a good one and if U're in the business of creating themes.
For U to buy it or not, doesn't really matter. There will always be people to buy good stuff, regardless of what they say.

As for serialization. I use a lot of music software and they all work with challenges. They come with a software that grabs a digital ID from your motherboard and then gives U a serial created from that ID. It works quite well and there aren't that many kracks out there. Maybe that's what U call a DRM or whatever...

Anyway.. I'm done... ;-)

[Fonzie]

I can't understand why some people assume that everything has to be free(ware). If there's a highly respected themer that wants to charge for a themesuite then let that be that - no one is forcing you to buy- let alone look at it/use it. Money is what makes the world go 'round.

There has to be more than puperty-teenage kids on this board who has just a little bit of money. If you can spend $20 dollars on a themechanger, then you can spend $5-$10 on a theme/themesuite.

[Jaey]

Originally posted by Fonzie:
If you can spend $20 dollars on a themechanger, then you can spend $5-$10 on a theme/themesuit

Yes, but would you want to? Like Frisbee, I cange themes at least once per week. Why pay $5-10 for something I'm barely going to use? ShapeShifter, on the other hand, I use all the time. Paying for a theme, to me, is like paying for a gumdrop or something: It's goood and fun, but it doesn't last long. I can understand, maybe, paying a dollar for a really good theme (like a kickass kind of candy). One that comes with icons, safari skins and desktops and all, but I don't use most of the themes I have often enough to get my money's worth. I think that if someone is going to charge for a theme, they should release a free version... without the safari skin or something.

[Fonzie]

I'm not talking about the kind of themes that we just saw in the Unsanity contest- but something more refined. We all know what great talent Max, BBX, Swiz et all has, right? If one of them decide to make a kickass suite with icons,safariskins,konfabulatorwidgets etc. AND they decide to charge then they should. I wouldn't mind. Those who don't want to buy will just have to live without or resort to other channels.

If you are allowed to view a full screenshot of the theme, think www.pixtudio.com then you can hopefully decide if it's something you like before you buy. No-one is putting a gun to your head, saying "buy this or you'll die!!"

I agree that it might be turned into warez. But that also applies to Windowblinds-themes. I don't know.. maybe themes should be free - but may I remind you that nothing is this world is free unless you live in the jungle somewhere.

[Mrjinglesusa]

Not true. Themes are free.

[bbxstudio]

Bah, all this arguing over whether it should happen or not makes no difference. If anybody tries it, they'll do well if they're good and sink if they're not. Sure they'll get pirated - but so does any serial number activated piece of shareware out there. DRM would be nice, but hardly necessary.

In any case it'll be hard to argue with having more complete and polished themes produced if the themer thinks they might actually recuperate some of the cost of development and distribution. It's just like all the other shiny decorative things out there you desire - if you can afford it, you can have it - if you can't afford it, you can't (although you can always steal it... pretty indefensible in most cases). Whether or not you have the money is irrelevant - do you really think you have the right to demand that all the stuff you want be free for the taking, simply because you can't afford it?

Any paykit that comes out is probably going to be pretty good if not seriously cool (it would have to be) - and probably about half the price of a single CD probably. Is that really so unreasonable?

Some people seem to think of all themes in a disposable use-em-once-and-chuck-em context... I don't understand what these people are worried about here. Not like they'll be needing them anyways, is it?

The argument that they're only eye-candy and therefore worthless doesn't hold water either... you'd pay more to sit down and watch a single movie in the theatre than you would pay for one of these things. You'd probably spend more renting a couple of cheesy videos even. Worth less to you than a Saturday night of Freddy vs. Jason flopped out on the couch? Then what are you crying about? If they're truly that worthless to you then there's no harm in just passing on them, now is there?

The argument that you paid for your switcher so all themes (even the ones that really rock and come with a ton of stuff) should be free is pretty weak as well - you paid for your Mac, yet surprisingly software still costs you money - you paid for an OralB toothbrush, but somehow Crest isn't free - you paid for your DVD player, but video rentals don't magically appear at your door - you bought a bigscreen plasma TV, but cable and satellite didn't come with it... in all cases the delivery system costs money because it required money to develop and bring to market, but (surprise) so does the content - without which it would be useless.

It's not like you're going to get asked to pay for crappy stuff - and if you do, don't buy it. It's that simple.

[Fonzie]

right on the money bbx