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)

Excellent question.

Windows themes that can be purchased is indeed an abberation, the other way is not.

Let me come at this another way, as a consumer why do you pay for themes? Is it laziness? Ignorance? Or just appreciation for the builder? I've seen many free themes that are much better than the paid themes some people offer.

Please mods shut this down it has no real informational value anymore its going to just turn into another pissing contest. I think every point that can be made has been made.

I still have all this popcorn left, it's too early to close the thread.

http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/4...in_popcorn.jpg

Apparently you've never themed windows. Just about everything you said is flat wrong.

You said Well considering I have XP and my theme looks exactly like vista.. a lot.

i agree with you here Dawg (y). Insults are starting to fly and its really not necessary to continue this.

well enjoy your popcorn kyoo Just closed will be around soon enough lol(y) :razz:

I said it can be done, I have themed Windows and it doesnt take more than a few hours. It can be done from within the OS. Ever changed from Windows XP to Windows Classic Theme? All it does it change the icons (for the most part) and the color scheme. Everything is based on image files and that is *about* it.

Just because people don't charge for the theme doesn't mean they aren't making money off of it. Banner ads on sites and other internet marketing schemes allow them to earn revenue from the traffic generated by their "Free" themes.

People have different motivations and different business models for generating revenue from content.

Who's insulting who? I think the only think that could have been considered an insult is when "someone" said that blackberry users are smarter than windows users. Other than that I don't think anyone insulted anyone.

Why would you shut this thread down? There has been no name calling and as far as I can remember the words "discussion forum" is all over this place which is what is happening here. A discussion. Just because we don't agree doesn't mean that the thread should be closed as long as we are being civil.

An yet no one charges just for changing the icons and color scheme (as you saw the ones that charged for a windows theme involved a lot more) but they do on blackberry. That in a nutshell is my point.

to ask if someone spent their money on something they wanted because of ignorance or laziness would be an insult. That is just the same as calling someone ignorant or lazy, it is inferred in your comment, that is what i was referring to. For the record i am done with this "discussion". you rejected the points made by myself and others as invalid, even though it was exactly in response to what you asked. You are searching for an answer that you will not find, something that satisfies what "you" think. The only one that can convince you, is you. Blackberry themes are not the same as Windows themes, or even Windows Mobile themes. The same cannot be done with them as with blackberries, and vice versa. People charge for anything they wish, and there are always people to buy, no matter what you are talking about. Using a single example of Blackberry Themes is akin to asking why there are 40 kinds of jelly in the grocery store. Do people need to buy jelly? No they do not. But they still do, and that is the same as here. To each their own.


Anyway, Good luck in your search for your answer.

Someone? That was me, and I take full credit for it. And if you can't take a joke, then I will close your thread. Gimme a break man, I use windows ALL day long, I would venture to guess that at least 85% of BlackBerry users are windows users. IT WAS A JOKE. haha.

haha hahahaa wahahaha

I say keep the thread open, Kyoo has the Poopcorn and I am off in the truck to the post office.

Mercy, Jwilliams, can't you accept the fact that some people can charge if they want to do so?

No, I gave another option, did you not see that? If you assume the first two apply to you that is not my problem. If I said you were "fat or skinny" would you say I called you fat?

Jwilliams, you aren't making a great second impression here.

They charge becuase there is a market for them plain and simple they buy them because they want them. If you cant undrstand that then we are all wasting our time.

i said I was done and I really meant I am done arguing, i just have to laugh at this reasoning though. I really need to read that last post jwilliams1008, it made a long week a bit easier (y)

Jwilliams, your tread title says "Touchy question", yet you act surprised by the responses you are getting. Your question has been answered multiple times in multiple ways. I agree with dawg. This is beating a dead horse at this point.

I can take a joke. I didn't bring up the fact that there were insults in this thread. I searched and that was the only thing I could see even coming close to one, and thats not saying that I perceived it as such.

I can accept the fact that some people charge... thats evident and that wasn't my question. Nevermind, though I guess I'm done seeing as not one person understood the point I was trying to make.

neither is this place... I thought I could have an open discussion without people thinking I'm attacking them and threatening to shut down a thread that wasn't personal attacks.
Apparently as long as you agree with the status quo you're golden.

I thought you said you were done? Or did you mean you were done except for one last jab?

The bottom line is that some people charge for their work and some don't. Some people pay for themes and some don't.

Trying to figure out why someone would pay for a theme when they could get another theme for free is like trying to put reasoning to why someone prefers the color blue over the color red.

I will tell you that while I appreciate the work that the many theme builders put into their themes, I haven't run across one yet that I would buy - just because I'd prefer not too. Not because I don't appreciate their work (I do - in fact I envy people who can build nice clean themes), but that's just my preference.

And I like blue.

I'm not surprised by the responses, I am surprised that no one understood what I was asking.
I totally made the post knowing that people would have a different point of view, what I didn't know was that no one would have even understood where I was coming from. People actually don't understand why I would compare theming one OS to another which is unfathomable.

actually that entire post was sincere. (and i said i meant i was done arguing) I was thanking you for giving me a laugh, it was exactly what i needed after this week.

Seriously!? How many times can I say this, I am not asking why some people charge for a BB theme yet some people don't... I get that. What I am asking is.... you know what nevermind. Apparently I need pictures, flow charts, video, and a kindergarten teacher to explain it.

Please tell me there is one person that actually gets what I'm saying? I'm not saying agrees with me, just understands what I'm saying.

MrKyoo let me get some of that NASA popcorn lol

Oh, please bring play-doh and some washable markers for those who you really think are less-educated than you.

You did ask why. I will quote your question again.

Personally, I believe in Free Themes. Plazmic puts out a product (Themebuilder) for free, most of the icons found in a REAL theme are free, graphics are also found for free.

BUT...I also believe that when a person designs a them that takes quite a while to make, take the Moko themes that I have done...I made quite a few of the graphics on that theme. I feel I should be compenstated for my time it took me to develop and test.

There was another post that stated that many of the free themes are on sites that depend on traffic...that is SO true! Google Adsence and other advertisers pay an amount per page impression...the more people visiting for Free Themes, the more we make from Google.

And of course there are website that steal themes to generate their own traffic (nope not going there in this post)..lol.

Oh..and to answer another question...Not everyone will buy a theme. I think I have sold about 50 themes since I started posting them 4 months ago.

I can post a similar theme (free) and it will be downloaded hundreds of time over a paid theme.

And Peter...I still miss your work...hopefully you will be able to get them back online when Plazmic releases TB 4.3

Steve
Themes4BB.com

Seek first to understand, and then to be understood. :)

At the risk of straying back to the original topic...I think your core comment/implied question is this:

"As a consumer I would think twice about paying for something that could be duplicated easily (at least compared to a windows theme)."

Of course, any answer you get here will be personal - no one here has done any market studies on this, so we can't expect a general response that covers the BB theme market accurately...we're pretty much data-free.

So if I've got your question right, I can tell you that personally, I have paid and will pay for a theme because:

1. They're cheap, and I make good money...I fritter $5 away on many things that have much less overall utility to me than a theme...it's (to use a trite phrase) chump change to me.

2. I'm too busy to learn how to make themes (put another way, I have many other things that I have to do and want to do that I feel are better ways to spend my time). I buy software (and many other things) because I don't have the time/patience/interest/skill set to learn how to make them.

3. I enjoy "rewarding" what I consider good work, and particularly when the author is a small (sometimes very small) businessperson, which is common w/themes, and also, as when I find a theme here in the forum, I can connect w/the actual developer in a somewhat personal way.

4. I tend to stick with one theme for a while, or move between two favorites for an extended period. So in my particular situation I get a lot of fun/enjoyment/utility from the themes I use.

5. It makes my wife crazy to see all the piddly charges to my Paypal account when she's doing her frequent Quicken reconciling. (She's the family finance guru.) <evil grin>

So that answers what I believe to be your question from my personal perspective. If you want a broader overall market view you're gonna have to pay me for a comprehensive market study, including focus groups, anova tables, and lots of powerpoint presentations.

And I can't imagine why anyone would pay someone for that! :D

Why do people pay for water bottles? Because it's easier to buy them and take them with you then fill a thermos yourself and take it with you. Most themes average $5-$10. It takes several hours (maybe more) to create one theme. If I really wanted another theme, $5 doesn't seem like too much money to pay to someone who just spent hours creating it. That being said, there are many free ones out there too.

Now that is an answer. Thank you.

ok, redflea, then you win...

Here is your blue ribbon!

http://bellavitaranch.com/library/Sp...uturity2x3.JPG

Yes that was my question, and you'll see that I didn't ask why some people charge for a bb theme and others do not. Maybe everyone should re-read it again.


Oh and I didn't say anyone here was less educated than me, in fact I'm sure thats not the case. Education has nothing to do with this. A bit of an open mind would help.

Your words can stand on their own. :razz:

Look I'm smiling, should you wonder if I am kidding you or not. :smile:

Anyone ever see that X-Files episode where dude was banging his head on the police car window and then it suddenly exploded all over the car?
Yea, that'll be me in a minute or two...

People are free to pay what they wish for anything they wish for any reason they wish. That isn't under debate What strikes me as odd is that the BB community doesn't think twice about charging for and paying for themes. I would think that, with the exception of a truly labor intensive and unique theme, they would insist on it being free. It's worked out that way for the windows community. And don't say that theming a bb is harder than windows, I don't know anyone that would win that debate. And don't ask why are we comparing them.... which bb themes are the most popular, oh the ones that look like other os (iPhone, Vista, OSX, etc..).

If you want to say we pay or charge because we can... thats fine, thats your answer. I'll accept that. It's not the answer to the question I asked but then again no one has shown they understand the question in the first place.

Why? You could very easily just avoid the thread. Everyone has that right. No need to beat yourself up.

omg, PS , make room

Your question(s) have been answered.

I'm not sure there is any 'enabling' going on here (although I'm about to enable myselft to a rum and Coke in a minute). It's simple: People want to charge for their work and people are willing to pay for it.

I've reread your original post (and had some of Kyoo's popcorn, and ran from the Demon Llama). I must be missing something.

I still like blue. :razz:

Now I'm going to be banging my head. Don't you think if they had been answered I wouldn't keep asking. Oh well I'll drop the subject since everyone misses the point anyway. I'll just know for next time not to ask a question that requires debate, open mindedness, or abstract thinking.

Perhaps you could rephrase your question. I am honestly open to your question, if I could wrap my mind around it.

That was no llama. Don't you know an Alpaca when you see one?

sheessh, some people just don't understand.

Ok you keep asking your question in many different ways. Let me ask you this why shouldnt they charge for their work? Why shouldnt someone pay for it.

You got your answer but yet you asked it again. I think you just like to provoke people. everyone here has given you an answer and yet you refuse to accept it.


Move over storm my heads going through first.

Shhhh.... I am not smarter than a 5th grader.

Juwaack, if you and I have to sit and listen to JWilliam's Kindergarten teacher "learn" us some new understanding, I might just get sent to the principal's office!

I know how to get there. I was there last week with JC. ;-)

Happens to us every week. :-(

Wow this actually is kind of an entertaining thread, so figure I put in my .02. The reasons why I charge for my themes are:

I spent hours tailoring the graphics to each template and etc
I spent endless hours making, testing and endlessly rebooting my BBs
I buy BBs for the hell of testing ( I have a 8800, 8320, and a Pearl atm)
I am addicted to it, I love it when people love my themes
I love to be able to help someone on installing themes - as most people that do purchase my themes are way too busy to make one or learn to make one or a BB newbie that wants the easiest way to enhance their setup and willing to spend a few bucks for it

All this on a theme which I hope people will like.

Basically pretty much most SDKs are free on the market, the main cost for a product is the time spend making it. So what you are paying for is the time and efforts someone actually spent the time making. So to me, when I charge for a theme, I am just asking for compensation of my time which I think is fair so you dont have to go thru that same route I did. Also I am a professional IT web/graphics person by day, so you are paying for my expertise in what I believes to look good.

Also not to mention, hosting fees for a website, taxes paid to uncle sam and etc. Hours spend on tech supporting people on installing themes, so at the end of the day, $5 is a small fee to pay for someone's time and effort imho, as I pay $4 gas now here in LA already.

Free themes are cool and I also support the free theme community, but I myself just dont like to wait for google ads and etc or beg for a donation. And to me when something is free, the overall quality of the product depletes, the overall customer service experience would almost be non-existent in some cases but not all.

No I didn't get my answer... unless you count because people will pay for it being the answer.

Why shouldn't they? I said along if they can get it go for it... my problem is with the fact that they can get it. If you want my honest opinion (with the exception of the truly unique themes... i.e dimension L and the like) I don't think anyone should pay for a theme. If someone spends hours making icons and different graphics, and honestly has a different type of theme, more power to them.

If I sat back thought about how much work goes into making a windows theme and realized that the majority are free it would make me think twice about paying for something that took considerably less effort.

I'll give you an example... I won't point out the poster because I won't make it personal, but this person recently shared a theme on the board and he is charging for it. Not much mind you but its not a donation its a charge. Now when I look at it, it simply is a wallpaper and a few new icons. I don't care how long it took him to do it, lack of efficiency is not an excuse. Now that person gets a few people buying it, he's not getting rich off of it and thats not the point... but it stifles creativity. When people see that you can charge and make a few bucks off of a very simple theme, why would anyone try anything harder. There are a few themers out there that do excellent work and try new things and I completely support what they do. I just wish people wouldn't allow "Billy Bob" to charge for a basic theme. But there's always going to be people that will pay for a simple theme because they don't know any better. People who just bought a BB and hit the first site they found, saw themes and said "I gotta have it". Something other than the standard AT&T theme is a big draw, especially when they don't know what else is out there. But hey, supply and demand right?

And I believe you have just answered your own question.

Ok I am gonna pull a you why shouldnt they pay for them? you arent understanding either if some one wants to pay for it then they will if they dont they wont. Honestly what is so freaking hard to understand about that.

I am going to continue to bite my keyboard and resist joining in on this thread!!! :wink:

In a round about way... but someone also said supply was up so the market should have corrected itself. My issue isn't just supply and demand (although it is a major factor) but why quality and creativeness isn't being achieved along with that. I've looked at hundreds of themes and only found a handful I would consider different. If I see one more iPhone or Leopard theme I'll go nuts. The last time I saw a creative theme, the site got rid of it. If people want to charge, charge for innovation. Maybe if people think thats what it will take to make money off of themes, thats what they'll do. Until then we are stuck with a wallpaper and a new coat of paint.

True, but nobody said you (not you personally) had to pay what is being charged. If you don't like it, you move to the next one. If the theme doesn't get the $$ that the author would like, perhaps they will beef it up a little so that it is more attractive to someone who is willing to pay for it.

I already answered that... ;-)

But why? Why dont you understand what I am asking why shouldnt they pay? Why shouldnt they charge. Just because you dont like them doesnt mean that someone else doesnt.

I have not found one theme that I would pay for either, but that doesnt mean the person who made it doesnt deserve credit in some way or another. I think you are wrong in thinking its just a coat of paint. Its not wallpaper and colors. Its custom icons custom flash screens.

So I will pull you again and ask again please tell me why shouldnt they charge? Why shouldnt people purchase them?

How come people don't see this whole thread as a discussion about getting theme builders to put more effort into their product and not charge for crap?
Instead its being viewed as me saying I'm cheap and think others should be too. I would think people would jump on this bandwagon. Are you people actually saying you are ok with the same old themes you have been seeing forever? That you don't think there needs to be at least a little reform? You wouldn't push theme builders to be more creative? Hey if thats all true fine. So be it... you reap what you sew. Just don't complain next time someone comes in here offering a plain theme and charging for it. I'll wait for someone to be different.

To me, this statement is different than what you asked in your first post.

I dont see anyone complaining but you!

I only complain when they ask for a donation. If you want to charge just tell me you are charging. Dont ask for a donation if I have to pay for it because thats not a donation thats a price.

It goes hand in hand... If you aren't opposed to paying for a theme, you should at least want someone to try and take the next step and innovate.

well if its so easy lets see what you have to offer. Dont complain unless you can do better.

Doesn't it also go back to 'buyer beware'?

If I'm willing to pay for a theme, it better meet my expectations of quality. If it doesn't, then I might ask or my money back (not sure if refunds are even available).

If it doesn't appear to meet my expectations, then I won't buy it. If the author is someone that is known, and there is something I notice that is wrong or I don't like, I may ask for a change. Can't hurt to ask right?

And if I think I can do a better job, then I guess I'll have to prove it to myself and make my own.

That's part of the problem. Or not I guess, if everyone likes getting the same rehashed themes over and over than I guess this thread was a moot point. Maybe if this was a dedicated BB theme forum it might be different. I come from a freeware and open source background where the community serves to make a better product. For example It surprises me that there isn't a freeware version of BBSmart. Even one thats stripped down. Maybe if there was it would drive the people to make BBSmart to improve their product even more (not saying its a bad one to start out with) knowing that people could just decide to grab a free version if there wasn't something significant to move them otherwise.

Come on now... as a free market you know thats not a valid point. I willing to bet you can't build a television but does that mean you shouldn't complain if whats sold is crap?

Yep, thats great. If you see something you like, and its being offered for a price, I'm all for you making that purchase. No one is going to hold that against you. Just one question though... when was the last time you saw something truly different in a theme? Not different colors, wallpaper, or icons... I mean something totally different. You know it can be done, we've all seen unique themes once or twice. Something that average theme builders cant do. That is where the premium lies, and thats where you should hope it continues to grow.

Define what would constitute innovating.

JWilliams I get it. You are asking us all to look deeper into ourselves, and what makes us who we are. The Zen of Blackberry themes, and how our actions in regards to themes shapes the lives of everyone around us. This thread will be recalled for days and weeks to come as a point of reference to when the market of themes changed. A call to action that tears into the will of man.

I take a knee, and bow to you.

I hope I wasn't reading into this thread too much. ;-)

No I just dont buy it I dont complain about it. I buy what I like.

I think you are a guy who just likes to get stuff for free and dont like people making a profit. You sound like so many other people who have come in here fussing about the prices of software.

You started fussing about themes now you have moved on to bbsmart. So I again say if you are such an open source guy lets see you produce better. The files are there for you to see on the developer portion of RIMs site.

Dont knock things just becuase you disagree with the selling price.

How could you have known?! My father raises llamas...alpacas are even more impressive! This will be the first thing I've every won <sniff> that will gain his respect. I just can't speak...overwhelmed...you like me, you really, really like me!

;)

speech, speech, we want a speech!

"Why does the BB community enable the buying and selling of themes?"

To enable the selling of something is to be willing to buy it. To enable the buying of something is to offer it for sale. So the question is, "Why does the BB community buy and sell themes?"

The answer is obvious: A lot of people like to personalize their BBs, don't feel like doing the work themselves, and don't mind spending a few bucks for the work of someone who's good at it.

I'll hazard a guess that most BB users are not the sort who are constantly in search of new themes to switch to, so their payout for themes is infrequent and small. If I only smoked a cigar every month or so, I wouldn't care too much about the price, within reason. If I smoked 10 cigars a day, I'd take a keener interest in the price.

You'd be Columbo!

Why must you take this personal? Sure I like to get stuff for free, doesn't everyone? You are lying if you say otherwise, but thats not the point. Either you think I just want free stuff or you think I'm knocking the product... which one is it? If you want to know what kind of guy I am... I am one who will pay for quality.

I wasn't fussing about bbsmart. I only said I was surprised no one made a freeware version.

I don't take it personal. I am just doing what you have done everyone in here answered your question yet you continued to ask the same question. I was just showing you how stupid it was.

yes, I do like free stuff but i also pay for what works or what I like. I would pay for empower if I didnt already own a copy of BBsmart plus I am loyal to the company that gave me the software for free after Beta testing it.

I think that I understand what you are asking. Why do BB users buy themes when some other platform users usually give them away for free. I also believe that your question has been answered many times in this thread but here's my .02 cents.

My .02 cent comes with a story. I think there are different people with different reasons for why they are willing to, or unwilling for that matter, to buy themes. I for one am able to duplicate most themes that I see with lots of time and patients(mad props to the theme makers) therefore I don't buy many but I usually load and try most free ones.

To my story. One day I saw this theme made by Perfect Storm(PROPS) and and it was AMAZING! I don't know if you had the privilege to see his creations before RIM made him take them down(they were that good) but I think that they were mind blowing. His themes were well worth the money and I only regret I didn't buy more of them before they were taken down. That's the kind of person that I am, an innovation whore.

Others buy themes for many reasons including; to support the BB community or they have expendable income so $5 buck doesn't mean much to them to get a theme that they like etc...One way or another they see value in the product.

Someone in this thread recommended that you should create a theme and I think that is a perfect idea. You will have a new respect for what they do especially if you attempt to duplicate any of Perfect Storms themes(did I say PROPS!). Anyway, that's my .02 cents

I know plenty of people who don't care to pay for themes not because they're cheap but because of issues like copyright infringement or what not. Basically what we've started to do now is pool money together and if someone wants to buy a theme or we see posts where someone is inquiring about a theme we tell them not to and we'll provide it to them for free. All they need to do is use the Javaloader and we'll provide them with the .cod file. It's very easy to extract a theme off of a BlackBerry using Javaloader. My friends and I have shared PLENTY of premium themes with our extended group of friends as well as members on different forums and we'll continue to do so!! As long as people are out there charging for themes with graphics, icons, etc... that they didn't clear with the proprietary owners of said media we'll be there to pool our money and them share them with anyone who wants them.

I'm sorry, but what an utterly stupid statement! Just HOW do you propose that "people not allow" someone to charge for a theme?!?!?! Do you want a law, think we should be writing our congresscritters complaining that "Billy Bob" is charging for a BlackBerry theme? Did you really THINK before you wrote that ridiculous statement??? (n)

Thats excellent, but do you also provide the alx file or code to create the alx for dm installs?...
what is your website? I would like to donate to your group some themes, from
an illegal site, selling themes ... bbextras...

how do you figure they are an illegal site?