It is working as designed and it works well. 

If I buy a song off of iTunes and lose it, I'm out of luck.  Yet you expect us to keep track the particular iteration of a given program a user purchased indefinitely? That's insane. 

Object Desktop is not just some bundle. If it were, it would cost a lot more. It's a software subscription. 

With Object Desktop, users not only get a ton of great programs at a fraction of their individual cost but also get updates and re-downloads for an entire year after purchase.  It's a good deal.  

If you think it's not a good deal, then don't purchase it. Frankly, I'd rather not deal with customers who have unreasonable expectations. 

Just tried archiving everything right now and ran into a number of problems:

1. I can't archive programs I can not install (i.e. WindowsFX is not available on widows 7 so it won't let me dl and just archive). Thats just ridiculous so if I want to run the Virtual XP component of Win7 down the line and my expiration is expired I can't use the programs because there is no wya to get it. Brilliant.

2. similiar problem w/ the MyColors themes: can't dl and archive unless I have mycolors installed??? Why do I need to install my colors now to create a back up?

No its not. See the above posts. I can backup my mp3 off of itunes in any manner I chose. You do not allow that. No one said maintain every iteration of the SW. I simply said provide better backup and archving options. If a user chooses not to take precuations its on them but if you are making it difficult for users to do backups then its on you.

As for not purchasing no problem. I rather not deal with poor CS. I will be letting my subscription laps for sure as most of your programs are now redundant, useless, or don't work in Win7 x64. In fact if you want to put your money where your mouth is I am even willing to have you refund  my subscription fee (since you are making all this money and don't want to deal with customers) and I will give up all those great "future updates". Of course I expect to continue to have full access to my archived app versions per the license agreement.

Enjoy the shrinking economy and user base.

I just read all these post and I have to say I did not know I had to Archive my stuff If I let my sub expire and have to say I then went to stardock.com and see NO mention that customer has to Archive after sub run dry

it dose how ever stat this >>

Q: What happens when my subscription expires? Will the programs I’ve received still work?

A: Yes. When you purchase, you receive everything currently available on the Object Desktop Network as well as free updates for one year. Once your subscription has expired, you have the option of renewing for additional years for $34.95. If you choose not to renew, you keep everything released prior to the subscription expiration.

Think of it like you would a magazine subscription. If you let your Newsweek subscription lapse, you can still read all the old issues (you just will not get any new ones). 

...............

so if your stating now that we have to do this (Archive) before sub runs out IT SHOULD be made Clear when one purchase ODNT

oh and it also stats this to  >>

A Year of Free Updates
When you purchase Object Desktop, you automatically get a 1-year subscription to ObjectDesktop.net and not only get all of the features Object Desktop has today, but all of the features for a full year.

This means you will receive all updates and new programs added to Object Desktop throughout the year automatically. What you download is yours forever and at the end of the year, you can continue your subscription or stick with what you already have.

can you please put a link here that stats SD will not provide Archives for expired subs

I've just downloaded WindowFX from Impulse Anywhere for standalone/offline installation without a problem.

All my other purchased programs, games etc are available for download too. I don't see the issue

May I ask what OS are you running? With the latest impulse client on Win 7 x64 when I try to install WFX I get an error that the program is not available for my OS. I get the same error when I try to dl and archive. I am guessing you have an OS on which WFX WILL INSTALL so you probably are not getting the error. This happens w/ all the programs not available on Win 7 (IconX, BootSkin, WFX).

I used Impulse Anywhere, not the Impulse client http://anywhere.impulsedriven.com/home.aspx. Log in there and download your software. It's a website and nothing to do with what O/S you are running.

You don't need to install anything to download, but you will need Impulse installed to install the programs.

Seems there is always an snswer to a question, whether the question is hard or easy. 

See, now this is usefull info. This should be on top of the website! In all the three pages you are first person to even mention it!

It seems as if the web site allows you to make .dat file online for activation thorugh the website. I have a few questions though - and I am not sure if you can answer them:

1. The site has you dl a data file and an installer, so why does impulse need to be installed for installation? Is it because your reg info is in the impulse client and the installer uses the reg info to create an activation code which you submit to the site?

2. What happens when your sub is expired? I assume potentailly you would have had dled and archived a full version of the program before the expiration of your sub but can you come back after the subscription is expired and still generate DAT files for activation?

3. Why two files? Why not just have a zip or an installer so both files are dled at the same time?

Thanks for nay info you can provide fuzzy logic!

p.s. I thought when you archived off of the impulse client that was also a full program (i.e. it's not just an update that needs to have something pre-installed for it to work)? Otherwise how can you backup your version during your subscriptions?

TIA!

1) Impulse is a download manager and an installer. The files you download are specific to the program, but will user the installer part of Impulse (without Impulse running).

2) Don't know. My sub has never run out but I assume you can still download the last version of the software you purchased as that is Stardock's policy. But if you have downloaded and stored the files safely, it doesn't matter.

3) Don't know - technical stuff All I know is it works.

It's a good idea for anyone wanting to archive their applications to use Impulse Anywhere rather than Impulse. Archives created with Impulse only work on the O/S they were originally installed on. Not much use if you change O/S... It's a backup of your current configuration only.

Once you have downloaded all your app's data and install files, and Impulse, and archived them somewhere, you are good to go anytime, anywhere

http://www.impulsedriven.com/help/  

@ TheRealFEI

Above link is for you also,yeah that pretty much covers it apart from read before you buy then read instructions & familiarize oneself with each & every program

Another damn good piece of info that needs to be in blinking neon lights. Seriously if someone had posted this stuff earlier instead of flippant remarks that it has worked like this for eleven years I think people would have been much happier. The CS aspect of SD is just horrible!

Two more questions:

1. Do you store your DAT files (the ones generated through the site) as well, or they machine specific (i.e. a re-install on a new computer req. you to generate a new .DAT?

2. Do you have generate a new .DAT file with each upgrade of the SW on the same machine? I.e. I install and activate WB 7.0 and then upgrade to 7.5 hwne it comes out do I have to generate a new .DAT file or will the old one work.

Thanks for linkage but the half a page blurb on impulse driven does not give any real insight on how things work. Specially all the questions regarding the DRM, and post expiration activation.

thanks for that info fuzzy logic

I have 1) Question all my stuff was there but Bullet candy

where do I get that Archive at ?

The files contains all the information you need for any installation.

For a major updates you will have new files to download. Minor updates would be done through Impulse (these would be part of your subscription).

As it's not a Stardock game it's possible it's not available as a download for licensing reasons. SD would have to answer that one.

I just want to point another thing out here: You don't have to archive your stuff after your subscription expires. It's simply that if you reformat your computer or buy a new computer you can't access newer versions of Object Desktop once your subscription expires.

Really, like i said, it's always been this way and until this post I can't recall it ever being an issue.

Nice work Fuzzy.  "Fuzzy Logic" = "Rational Clarity".

I'll bet that Impulse Anywhere server is getting busy, I know I gave it a workout.

Yes, but myself and apparently others have taken this initially to mean that if I format my HDD and my subscription ran out I can re-dl the latest version which was available at the time the subscription ran out at any time. However, this seems not to be the case. In fact, if you do not archive your applications and your sub runs out when you format, have a hdd crash, or buy a new computer you are SOL? Is this not the case? Hence the need to archive the latest version/update when your sub runs out.

Excellent point, Bebi. I wish I could reinstall my earlier version of Deskscapes as the latest one is giving me a hard time. However, I didn't archive it because I didn't know how to. Asking in the forum 3 times got me no response.

Open Impulse,My Software, Right Click on program you want to archive, select Archive Application,

Please e-mail [email protected] and refer to this post.

Frogboy's last post confused me again.  The bold text is getting to me.

You don't have to archive your stuff after your subscription expires. It's simply that if you reformat your computer or buy a new computer you can't access newer versions of Object Desktop once your subscription expires.

For simplicity, I'm going to use example version numbers for this hypothetical scenario.  Please read carefully.  I'm trying to be very specific.

Stardock releases a major version, version 2.0.

Updates/patching ensues, and they release version 2.1 which really gets me excited and I buy when v2.1 is current.

More updates/patching ensue, 2.2 gets released, followed by 2.3.

My sub expires while version 2.3 is current.

More updates/patching ensue, going up to 2.4.

Per Frogboy's quoted post, I wouldn't need to archive - so for this scenario, I do not archive.  And so let's say I've bought a new computer.  I feel like re-installing ODNT on the new computer.

I install Impulse Client on my new computer.  Which version of Object Desktop stuff is available for download?

Case 1: Do I get to install the version that was current when my sub expired (2.3)?

Case 2: Do I get to install the version that was current when I first purchased the subscription (2.1)?

Case 3: Do I get to install the last major version prior to my subscription start (2.0)?

I don't expect the current version available at time of reinstall (2.4) of course.  It wasn't available to me when I did have a subscription.  Prior to this thread, I would have expected v2.3 - the version that was current when my sub expired.  Frogboy's last post (quoted) leads me to believe this is the case, as did Jafo's (iirc) page 1 post.  But at least one in between post led me to believe I'd need to have archived some version before my subscription expired - and no updates to bring that version to 2.3 would be available.  Still other posts suggested 2.0 or 2.1 would be all I could obtain - and even then only if I either emailed SD support or had pre-created an archive.

I think my question would be answered if Frogboy (or anyone that really knows) could tell me which of the above Case examples would be correct, case 1, 2, or 3.  (Or is it none of the above?)

Good gravy peoples.  What's wrong with realizing what the policy was all along, that you did an oopsie by not archiving, and quietly and politely asking if there's a way you can re-get the older version?  Surely that'd work far better than copping a "My rights has been violated!!" attitude and pissing off the owner/president.  I mean, no need to be a wilting flower, but no need to be a <redacted> either.  There's a time and place for pissing off Brad (like explaining what the Elemental AI is doing wrong and providing data showing why its screwed up... that and saying the Wolverines/Spartans are going down hard next season, but I digress...) and this isn't it.  The jollies you guys are getting for all that venting is likely the sum total you're coming away with.

+1 ...;)

Was that a general rant in response to any of my posts or just a general rant?