Touchy question about charging for themes...
 

I respect all the hard work and art that goes into making themes. That being said....

I change the theme on my computer all the time. I get bored easily so I'm always on the lookout for something new. My PSP also has themes and I change that occasionally. In all my years of changing themes on either I have never run across one that I had to pay for. Why is there a premium on BB themes? I can't imagine the demand is larger or the development is more intense. Why does the BB community enable the charging of themes?

Don't get me wrong, I say if you can make money doing something go for it and hell if I ever decide to get into theme building I might charge if the demand is there but... As a consumer I would think twice about paying for something that could be duplicated easily (at least compared to a windows theme).

Sorry if I'm out of line and I don't want to ruffle any theme builders feathers so if I'm wrong about all this maybe someone could "educate" me.

well its the reason that you stated, many people put many hours into the creation of themes. Noone likes to work for free, if you pour yourself into something that you created out of nothing, IMO you have a right to charge for it. The battle between free and charged runs on EVERY software platform. Open Source vs Closed, etc. There will always be ttwo sides to this, and everyone can have their own opinion (its even encouraged :razz:) Having created themes to use for myself I understand how difficult it can be to get one that looks perfect (at least in ones own eyes). I do however, also support the free themes. Basically, leave it to beaver, er, the creator

Here's what I always told people who complained when I charged for themes:
If you don't think it's worth the price, don't buy it.

I really can't understand why people feel it is their right to get something for free. If someone can give me a logical reason I'd love to hear it, but all I've ever heard is "Anyone can just make their own for free." That's always made me wonder why they just don't...

Well said, PS, well said.

Ok first of all I didn't complain about charging for themes. My question is, and I'll restate it more simple for those people who didn't catch it the first time. why when a much harder platform to theme (such as windows) is always free, something that has less demand and effort such as the blackberry have premium themes.

Again I am not complaining, simply starting a discussion. Like you said, if I didn't think it was worth it I wouldn't pay.

It goes back to what Sith says - if someone puts the time and effort into making it, and they want to charge for it, and someone wants to pay for it....then no harm no foul.

If someone wants to provide them for free, that's their perogative, too.

I have only attempted to make a theme (a long time ago), and I am not sure I would charge for them. At least at first - since they might not be the best quality.

There are other themes that are quite polished and I think they are well worth the $$.

Bottom line, if a person creates a theme and wants to charge for that work, they should! I fully support that as well as if choose not to buy it.. Like PS stated, "don't buy it." The sense of entitlement that folks have expecting everything for free puzzles the hell out of me.

Of couse, this is just my view :smile:

Because we are smarter than most windows-based products users?

Ok I'll restate my point since everyone assumes I feel I am "entitled" to free themes as on poster said. I am not questioning whether a theme creator should charge for a theme... If you paid attention to my first post you'll see I said "go for it". I am simply having a discussion about why people in the windows theme community don't charge for a more labor intensive work but BB themers do. Put it this way, if you saw two restaurants side buy side and one gave a four course dinner away for free and the other charged for toasted cheese sandwiches and a bag of chips, wouldn't you be curious why?

Apparently not as a consumer. If someone tried charging for a windows computer theme they would be laughed at and then someone would turn around and duplicate that theme and give it away.

I'm guessing its a simple supply and demand issue. There aren't enough theme builders to keep the market honest.

The market is honest, and obviously thriving. There are people and places that sell the windows themes, perhaps you might have missed them. It is not at all a hypothetical question, but there are other markets in which some people give away what others charge for.

Same for ringtones, some people make and give away ringtones, some people make a buck off of them.

Someone might WANT a toasted cheese sandwich, and therefor would be forced to pay for what he wanted, IF his toasted cheese sandwich is what the buyer chose to have.

Where are these places that sell windows themes?

lol, I've never bought any, so I don't know offhand. Change your analogy to ringtones, same difference.

Not really. A theme is a theme.

To say that is deflecting the whole argument. I guess the answer is... that no one has an answer for why people charge more for less. Can we agree on that?

WinCustomize: Suite 18 by adni18 for WindowBlinds

This looks a lot like a windows theme that costs some money.

oh man, why are you doing this? You have been given several answers on why people charge for themes. Because you don't understand it, doesn't mean you can't accept the answer, simply that if someone wants to do so, they can. And you know what? Some people do pay for them, which means it is market driven. If NO ONE would ever purchase them, it would put them out of business. Just like buggy whips--most of the producers of buggy whips were put out of business after the turn of the century because people weren't buying them any longer.

is there really a point in continuing this thread?

Why do Blackberry theme creators charge for Themes - Because they want to charge for them
Why do Windows theme creators not charge for themes - because they dont want to charge for them


Obviously there are abberations on both sides, windows themes can be purchased, blackberry themes can be free. Does anyone need any more clarification than that? :razz:

There are several places that charge for themes including microsoft. you know xp plus isnt free.

I would never pay for a theme but I do understand why they charge for them. Its a free market why does sprint give away GPS and other carriers charge for it because someone will pay for it thats what America is all about free enterprise.

That is a suite that uses a program that you pay for that applies sweeping changes and adds functionality that cannot be done without windowblinds.
It's not a simple coloring of the windows and a new wallpaper. That even reinforces my thinking that premium efforts deserve a premium price. When a blackberry theme relies only using only 3 templates and doesn't add any functionality, I don't see where the premium falls.

it is much easier to change the look of windows than a Blackberry. you dont really have to do much of anything. you dont need any software that isnt included in the operating system. You can also customize the OS while it is running. This is not true of blackberries. Everything requires an additional piece of software, and time and testing.

What does your windows theme have that isnt native to the OS. How is it changed from normal? And also why are we comparing the blackberry to a PC anyway...? For a truer comparison, why not try PocketPCMall.com - Welcome! look a site with both free, and not free themes and software for Windows Mobile. (a much closer approximation to the blackberry than a PC)