WinCustomize Answer Guide

You have questions? We've got answers!

from WinCustomize Forums

If you haven't checked the about site and subscription info pages, make sure you do so:

   Subscription Info

   About Site

Here are some common questions:

Q: How much can I download from WinCustomize.com?

A: If you don't have an account, you can download up to 5 megabytes before having to create an account. After you have an account, you can download up to 50 megabytes (sometimes 100 megabytes depending on the time of year) before you need to contributes something to the community.  Customers of Stardock who haven't purchased anything in over a year and don't have a WinCustomize subscriptions can download up to HALF a GIGABYTE of content.  Active customers or current WinCustomize subscribers can download an unlimited amount.

Q: I can't afford to buy stuff, how can I contribute?

A: There are many ways to contribute to the WinCustomize community. You can make skins, themes, icons, wallpapers and upload them and gain the access of Apprentice (or higher access) which provides unlimited downloads, a personal page, and other benefits.  Or you can help out in the forums with new users and help spread the word of skinning throughout the world.

Q: Why should I have to pay you guys to download the hard work of artists?

A: You're not paying us for their skins, themes, etc.  You are contributing to the fund to pay the monthly BANDWIDTH that this site uses.  This site gets around 4 MILLION unique visitors each month. Advertisements only pay around 15% of the site's costs.  The rest has to come from somewhere and since bandwidth is a major expense, it makes sense to ask those who are using a lot of it to help pay for it.

Q: What exactly is a WinCustomize subscription?

A: These premium subscriptions are for ONE years. After the first year, users can renew for TWO years at a time at the same cost as the initial subscription. A subscription provides unlimited downloads, no advertisements, personal web pages, a personal photo album with reserved storage for your images, a personal blog site, the WinCustomize skin browser, some premium suites, and more. You can get a subscription in the STORE.

 

11,575 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Q: What's the benefit of actually getting a subscription?

A: Well besides the unlimited downloads and higher rank, there are a few perks. For one there's the WinCustomize SkinBrowser, which some people prefer over Stardock Central since it is a slimmed down version of it. Also there are a few special suites that come with the sub. The biggest perk with the new site imo is the Photo Album, which allows you to upload around 100 megs of your own pics to show off or for your own use. Also, the personal websites are quite cool.

Q: Wow, I don't even know what to start with! What program(s) should I try out first?

A: I'm sure that most will agree with me here, start out with WindowBlinds. Just download it and give it a whirl and start changing skins...you'll catch on quickly.

Q: Why is the site down? Augh!

A: Well, you're reading this, so it is up. However WC does have a few spurts of downtime every so often. This usually occurs because the guys at Stardock are updating a service or the servers themselves are having troubles. If you're really worried as to why, hop on the IRC to try to find out.

There's a start for me. I'll add more if I can think of some.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

This thread is better suited to being a repository of answers rather than a letter drop for questions.

If you have specific problems unanswered by the info here then post seeking help within the forum/s....

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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Q: How do I ask for help?

A: You post a question in the "Stardock Support" messageboard

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Q. How do I install windowblinds/cursorxp/bootskin/logonstudio/icon packager/rightclick/wallpapers/ETC??

A. CHECK HERE FIRST! ----> http://cordelia.wincustomize.com/articles.aspx?p=1&view=2&sort=1&direction=0&SID=5314&UID=1143580 <---- She's made a tutorial for just about everything.

Q. What about everything else??

A. ASK IT AT: https://www.wincustomize.com/Forums.aspx?ForumID=165 NOT in this thread.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

This was a 'wasted' comment in answer to the wrong question elsewhere...but works here....

Q: What do all this thingies 'Citizen', 'Journeyman', etc mean?

A: 

User ranks 'start' at Exiled and 'end' at Admin....they list as...

Exiled, Visitor, Citizen, Apprentice, Master Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, Wizop, Admin.

When you create an account you 'start' at Citizen.

The previous 2 are states of 'demotion'.  Visitor retains site access but is devoiced [cannot post comment to forums, etc]. Exile bars site access.

With input, contribution, and experience you can be promoted [by Admin or Wizop] by stages up to Journeyman....by which stage it is recognised you are a significant contributor of value to the skinning community...whereby even your rating 'influence' reflects your knowledge/experience.

'Master' is much like 'Life Member'.... a title reserved for specific acknowlegement...and one that must be voted on by the admins/wizops, whereas all prior can be/are at the discretion of any one of them.

'Wizop' is the level where administrative controls for forum moderation, etc are bestowed and naturally that level is also achieved through recommendation and vote.

'Super Wizop' is a new one...to distinguish from the forum moderators...and is generally what/who used to be 'wizop'...same promotional rules apply.

'Admin' is much the same as the previous two but is reserved for Stardock personnel who are hands-on with the site coding, policy direction and such....[remember Stardock owns and pays for Wincustomize].....except for me....I'm the odd man out....but conveniently in an alternate time zone to the Stardock crew which makes good sense, I guess...

Most of what this all boils down to is that if/when someone new to the site asks for help, etc....the 'quality' of that help should be easily gauged by the ranking of the person giving the advice.

In site protocol issues.....to put it simply, an exile or visitor cannot request you do something or not do it....[as they have no voice]....whereas if a Wizop or Admin asks you to do or not do something.....it's probably wise to listen...

All these levels are a 'reward' method...to which can be ascribed some feature or advantage that others 'lower down' may not have....eg 'strength' of rating....works that bypass moderation automatically....no download caps, etc.

This promotion process....being a 'reward' system naturally goes both ways...up AND down.....make a faux pas of sufficient magnitude and you 'can' go backwards.

There's no real value in a one-way only street.... 

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

  Q: How do I ask for help?

A: You post a question in the "Stardock Support" messageboard 

...or you actually read some of the other threads

 
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Remember, guys...this is a thread for posting ANSWERS, not QUESTIONS....