I'm probably going to kick myself for saying this but......

Purchasable script packs would a nice add-on. For instance - scripts that could be used to create a gadget - where the design would be the larger focus of the creator. This would give a motive to the devs to create scripts and script packs which wouldn't only sell themselves, but would help to sell the main product (DX/DXPRO) while offering profound improvements to the program for those who desire it. (Read *me*) Protection measures could be put in place to hide parts of the script so that they are not shared illegally with others. One could even create DX gadgets who's only purpose is to create other DX gadgets.

One idea for a script pack (if the idea is ever used), would be scripts that website owners could use to give to their users as brand-able gifts. Maybe some API implementations for things like YouTube, or Facebook etc. would be one way to implement the idea. This could get a lot of people interested. Not just website owners, but bloggers and other pseudo site operator types as well. There are a million ideas and it could be a way for devs to make more money for Stardock, as well as members - say "Master Scripters".

It could significantly broaden the author base of DX as long as the scripts are well documented, or "plug & play". It would be a great selling point for DesktopX/DesktopX Pro IMHO. The nice thing is that people wouldn't expect to get them for free as many do for skins. They would expect to pay for it, and they would like to do so because of the extra functionality that the extra money achieves.

I hope I've articulated this correctly. I know what I see in my minds-eye. I hope it translates well to those who could actually make it happen.

 

 

Or I could do it for you....lol.    

Well personally, I think Stardock is missing out on a massive opportunity in the education market. I'm not sure what is taught in schools these days, but it strikes me that DesktopX would be a perfectly good introduction to programming for young kids.

You can do really powerful stuff relatively simply and introduce a large number of design and programming principles.

The widget principle is ideal for converting into "projects" and kids would feel that they were doing their own things, by choosing the newsfeeds they want etc.

My daughter is only 3, but give it a couple of years and I will be teaching her how to program using DX.

I think that the boat has maybe been missed on this. DesktopGadgets.com was dropped relatively quickly, probably because developers weren't happy with the large commissions required by Stardock. Currently the only way to "sell" DX content here is as a Master Skinner. I enquired when lauching DeskNotes (Link). However, I was told that before I would be allowed to become a Master Skinner I would have to create some more recent DX content. Sorry, but I think I've paid my dues on that front, and was quite offended to be honest. If a gadget is good enough for sale then it shouldn't matter who makes it. I agree, we don't want a plethora of $2 weather gadgets, but then why not set the standards high! As it is I built in eSellerate functionality into my Gadget and pay them 11.9% which is a lot less than Stardock wanted. If anyone wants eSellerate scripts in the "template library" should it appear I'd be happy to help.

Having said that, is the market there? I launched DeskNotes over a week ago and it's had less than 300 downloads and 2 registrations. Now I've had nearly nearly a million downloads of my stuff over time, and if I'd launched this a few years ago then I'd have expected at least 10 times that by now.

Don't get me wrong - I don't want downloads like some people gather Facebook friends; for the sake of ego - it's simply a reflection of interest.

If Stardock isn't interested in developing DesktopX and the "community" isn't there then maybe we are all just wasting our time? Maybe the time is right to disappear again, and spend the next year developing some "projects" for my daughter and her school. Maybe there will be a chance with the next generation!

It's things like these that sometimes make me very angry here. Way to tread people that have been here for so long. And even considering what You personally have done for DX. Nearly everyone ist still using Your scripts...

I agree - that is a travesty.

wasn't fired up at all, just wanted to clear my POV, also thanks for that beer

Your greatness

 

I have found that the only way i can make any "real" money with DX is by creating gadgets for a specific customer.  For example, I have worked for a Advertizing agency on 4 different gadgets that they used in a sales campagine for their customers, and with just 1 of these I have made more than EVERY sale of EVERY gadget i have sold on my own site (http://www.commercialgadgets.com) and on WC.   If i could find about 3 more of these agencys to work for, i would be REALLY happy.  

DX is one of those products that has a REALLY loyal following, but that SD makes little to nothing on.  teh 50/50 split is really the only $ they make on DX Pro (after the inital sale of the sw).  Im not happy with the 50/50 split, but if it helps SD keep making updates and fixes to DX Pro then im all for it.  I would be very interested to see what the #'s are on sales of DX and DX Pro for hte past 4-5 years.  I think we would all be saddened by these #s.  

This is a REALLY awesome idea.  I think i need to contact my son's school district and see who is in charge of teaching programming, and offer my help and experience.  As i do their web site this shouldnt be too hard. LOL

 

Martin, I am really saddend to think that WC would not have made you a "master" about 5 years ago, as you are the sole reason i learned DX and your weather scripts are STILL the ones being used in about 90% of all new weather widgets.  You MORE than deserve to be a master.. and i think i will become a pest to my "friends" to see that this happens.

Hi David,

I'm not happy too but I'm ready try to work with this split. And I think we can "make any "real" money with DX" only if we will create and upload at least 1 new gadget per month (or make the major updates for previous uploads to support them). And a bit of advertisement... Otherwise people will lose their interest to the gadgets. 

This is not the easy way. But this way is realistic. We must to shape the market, if we want to work for it.

I AGREE!!!!! Martin was a Master here   before I made my first script!

Found out that "when" the HS teaches programming, its done via the states "cyber campus", so its an on-line thing.

I just dont have the time or energy to expend on making new master gadgets.. these things take me dozens if not hundreds of hours, and my ROI is about .0001.  Meaning if i got paid by the hour id make about $.0001.  I see the WB's that people sell hundreds of and the amount of effort that goes into those vs dx gadgets and its just sick.  So for now, i will make things that i want to make for me, or if someone buggs me enough.  And when i can get it, make gadgets for the ad agency.

I would love to be able to move dx into the "main stream" but im just not sure how, and i think this is the main problem with getting new version of dx.

Maybe that should be the conversation before we move on to what we want in the V4, or maybe they will both blend into the same thing.

I am sickened that you would even think that.  (And I wait for the photoshop of it) 

Personally, I think one of, if not a large part of the reason for that is,
people are lazy (myself included most of the time),
and just want to download stuff that works out-of-the-box.
A large portion of the Widgets here, MS Sidebar Gadgets, Yahoo Widgets DO just that.
However, I have stopped browsing the varios Gadget etc. galleries,
because it's just flooded with stuff that with a little tweak or extra line of text,
is exactly the same gadget.

For example, after browsing 3 pages @ say 20 gadgets per page,
and finding that 45 of said Gadgets are some kind of search Gadget,
it gets REALLY old, REALLY fast.
Weather Gadgets are another thing that are completely overdone.

Whereas Gadgets (or Widgets) for a particular function are:
not available/don't do the things what a user wants or needs/are available in one format, but not in another.

Case in point, I currently run Yahoo Widgets, MS Sidebar AND now OD Plus for particular functions.
I just bought the ODU package and OD Plus, with the intention of getting rid of Yahoo and the Sidebar completely.
Can't do it, coz on the Sidebar, I have one Gadget in particular, I want to keep, which is NOT available as a DesktopX Widget,
granted, it is only eye-candy but still...
and one Yahoo Widget in particular that contains a function I wanted, and is also not available as a Widget.
For everything else I have found DesktopX Widgets to replace my other stuff.
Vad_M tried to help but couldn't, which I appreciate and understand.
Thread is here: https://forums.wincustomize.com/349243

As a result, I have to keep Yahoo and the Sidebar running, defeating the purpose of using DesktopX on it's own.