Weekly Poll: The Impulse Switch

Will you do it?

Published on June 11, 2008 By Zoomba In WinCustomize News

We're quickly coming up on the full launch of Impulse, our next generation digital distribution, software management and community tool. Impulse, as pretty much everyone should know by now, is the successor to Stardock Central, and will eventually replace the aging download tool entirely (though not immediately, it's going to be a phased retirement). Since early this year we've had first a private group of testers hammering on Impulse, and then the larger community in an open beta to try and iron out as many kinks as possible.

You all have provided a lot of feedback that has helped us refine the tool and make it even better. Now with the full launch approaching, I'd like to know if/when everyone is thinking about upgrading. Will it be immediately? Will you wait for a later version? Are you going to hold out until the very end no matter what or have you already switched?

Results up next week!

Comments (Page 2)

Phoon

on Jun 11, 2008

I think this will give a good idea on how quickly to "phase out" SDC.
If 90% have already switched, I don't see SDC staying around very long...

I'm a bit confused by something here. I know for a fact that a new subscriber is not given the option to use SDC and is instead directed to use impulse. Why would this be happening if impulse was not already out of beta and in full release? It's no wonder the numbers are so high with impulse use.

GhoS

on Jun 11, 2008

As much as I like the look of Impulse and it setup, I very much like being able to browse for new skins and SDC has that, Impulse doesn't and doesn't appear as though it ever will according to the reasons I have seen why it has been excluded so far from having a skin browser. So as things stand I will be using SDC until I'm forced to switch. I can browse the galleries on the webpage in a browser or even within Impulse but I find it tedious and just not to my liking. Also I was curious about the Neowin Impulse that I read about. So if we want Neowin's we have to have more than one Impulse program? Perhaps there is no way to integrate them fully, but I'm hoping there will be some way to do that as having more than one Impulse would be redundant. I know this one is for Stardock and the Neowin is a more broader product but still sounds redundant.

WebGizmos

on Jun 11, 2008

Personally I prefered SDC because its simple and did just what I needed it to...something to keep my stuff updated and chat....thats all I've ever used SDC for. I could do without all the bells and whistles of Impulse. Don't get me wrong...Impulse looks pretty and all that...its just that I like to keep it simple. But...since we won't be given a choice I guess I'll have to use Impulse. But it would be great if there were a lite version that just handled the software and chat. That would be cool. And then..I woke up.

horizon

on Jun 11, 2008

no tally for "i never use sdc and never plan to use implulse"?

iambennuris

on Jun 11, 2008

I like impulse a lot but would really miss the ability to be able to search the skins library. I use SDC for that more that anything.

neophil78

on Jun 11, 2008

Personally I prefered SDC because its simple and did just what I needed it to...something to keep my stuff updated....thats all I've ever used SDC for. I could do without all the bells and whistles of Impulse. Don't get me wrong...Impulse looks pretty and all that...its just that I like to keep it simple

ditto

Philly0381

on Jun 11, 2008

I like impulse a lot but would really miss the ability to be able to search the skins library. I use SDC for that more that anything.

I've seen this statement in a couple of other posts and not sure why people are just not opening WinCustmoize from withing Impulse. I have done this since Impulse was made available to us to test.

It's really very simple. When I open Impulse I sign in, click My Desktop, on the right hand side (no matter what desktop item you are on) you see options. I click forums, it goes back to the Community page and in a second or two takes me to the WC forums page. From their I click Home. Guess where I wind up.

liquidguru

on Jun 11, 2008

The thing that bugs me is that the Title Bar, Window Frames and Buttons do not get skinned. They have their own design. Stardock is all about skinning you desktop, so I have always wondered why they have forced their design for Impulse on us? I think it's functionality is great, but it makes me cringe when I start it up because it doesn't match all my other windows. I know you can skin it yourself, but this is rather missing the point. It should, Title Bar, Window Frames and Max Min Buttons, match whatever skin you are using.

The latest version of IconPackager does this, so why can't Impilse?

For this reason I'll keep using SDC

(oh, and it does seem a little slow to connect...)

zakai1369

on Jun 11, 2008

liquidguru: Stardock Logo>Preferences>Disable Custom Skin

vicvlz

on Jun 11, 2008

I personally liked Impulse but the program right now is still kinda buggy. My Impulse still have a hard time connecting to the servers to download product updates. My old reliable SDC on the other hand does what Impulse cannot, and that is updating all my Stardock programs. So until the developers of Impulse had fully cured the program of bugs, I'll hang on to my SDC which is hassle-free.

liquidguru

on Jun 11, 2008

liquidguru: Stardock Logo>Preferences>Disable Custom Skin

Thanks so much....it was as simple as that

WebGizmos

on Jun 12, 2008

Stardock Logo>Preferences>Disable Custom Skin

Cool Zakai! Didn't know that either!

grorgy

on Jun 12, 2008

ive been using it, but it hardly ever logs in for me, so i went back, stardock central may be older but it works for me

vStyler

on Jun 12, 2008

Make sure it doesn't have the Stardock name on it anywhere, Phoon won't be able to use it.

Me, Gonna stick with SDC till I have to switch.. call me a traditionalist

Quicksilver007

on Jun 12, 2008

I have had too much hassle with Impulse, I will wait till v2 comes out, until then I will stick with SDC, it shows any updates that I need & it can easily view any new skins. Can't say the same for Impulse

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