[Jwilliams1008]

Originally Posted by JSanders

[/I]Your question(s) have been answered.

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.

[juwaack68]

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

[JSanders]

Originally Posted by juwaack68

and ran from the Demon Llama). I must be missing something.

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

sheessh, some people just don't understand.

[Dawg]

Originally Posted by Jwilliams1008

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

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.

[juwaack68]

Originally Posted by JSanders

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

sheessh, some people just don't understand.

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

[JSanders]

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!

[juwaack68]

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

[John Clark]

Happens to us every week.

[gadgetbean]

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.

[Jwilliams1008]

Originally Posted by Dawg

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.

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?

[juwaack68]

Originally Posted by Jwilliams1008

But hey, supply and demand right?

And I believe you have just answered your own question.

[Dawg]

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.

[Thatzmister2u]

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

[Jwilliams1008]

Originally Posted by juwaack68

And I believe you have just answered your own question.

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.

[juwaack68]

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.

[Jwilliams1008]

Originally Posted by Dawg

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 already answered that...

[Dawg]

Originally Posted by Jwilliams1008

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?

[Jwilliams1008]

Originally Posted by juwaack68

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.

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.

[juwaack68]

Originally Posted by Jwilliams1008

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?

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

[Dawg]

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.