Stardock.net founded

New start-up creates on-line software subscription service with compelling content

For Immediate Release

Monday, August 23, 1999

Contact: Brad Wardell (bwardell@stardock.net)
Stardock.net, Inc.
(734) 762-0687

Canton MI – Stardock.net was officially launched today. This new company is dedicated to establishing itself as the premiere application service provider (ASP) as well as creating content targeting Broadband users as well as supporting traditional Internet connections.

Stardock.net is already geared to release its first product – Object Desktop which serves as the content for its first subscription service aptly named “The Object Desktop Network”. It is a suite of desktop enhancements designed to make using Windows a more productive and pleasant experience. Users can currently subscribe to the Object Desktop Network for $49.95 for the first year and $2.95 per month subsequently. Each month, new programs (called components) or updates are provided to subscribers and their configuration maintained centrally. If a user opts not to re-subscribe, they keep the components they’ve downloaded during their service. Stardock.net will also be targeting ISPs who are interested in increasing their content to their customers, for ISPs, The Object Desktop Network will be available via a monthly service.

“We’re modeling our product services like a magazine subscription service,” said Brad Wardell, President & CEO of Stardock.net. “We think customers should be able to keep the content they’ve had access to even after they are no longer members. After all, they paid for that content in the first place. Because Object Desktop is made up of a growing number of components that are relatively small in size, we can provide content to our customers in reasonably sized chunks.”

Stardock.net’s Object Desktop Network has been in beta for over a year now with several thousand paid subscribers using its components. It will be officially released on December 3, 1999.

“The Object Desktop Network has worked great for me,” said David Bryant, an analyst at a major financial service. “Not only do I get a lot more value and service with it than over a traditional shrink wrapped product, I can evaluate and comment on new components as they move from their earliest development stages helping ensure that the final version will serve my needs.”

One of Stardock.net’s biggest challenges has been ensuring that Object Desktop has the content that makes it compelling to join. By its “component” nature, Stardock.net has had to create an entirely new way of developing software – a large quantity of unique software that is small in size but still compelling enough to pay for. Stardock’s results have been a definite triumph already.

For instance, some of Object Desktop’s components are quickly becoming household names in their own right. The upcoming release of WindowBlinds, a component of Object Desktop, has over a million downloads and is already one of the top 30 most popular downloads on C-net’s download.com of all time. An impressive statistic considering it’s only been available for a few months for download. WindowBlinds is small (under 1.4 megabytes), is unique in that it is the first program that can completely change the Windows GUI, and its popularity demonstrates that it is compelling.

Another popular component made available separately is IconPackager which allows users to change every icon on their system in a single click. It also has a large following of icon package authors who take their icons and create a pre-made package that when applied changes the appropriate icons on the system. In its first week available as a separate download, it became one of the top 50 most popular downloads on Download.com.

The third component of the Object Desktop Network that is also available on its own is Control Center, the ultimate virtual desktop manager that also can monitor available system resources and organize programs. It recently received ZDNet’s highest review award of 5 stars.

These are just a few samplings of the many components available on the Object Desktop Network.

"What's been particularly impressive about the Object Desktop Network is the number of strong core components that make it up. Many of the included software applications such as WindowBlinds or Control Center are visitor favorites and themselves quickly become top downloads. Our visitors are simply amazed when they discover the whole suite can be purchased for just $50, in addition to the fact that they will receive free updates and new releases for an entire year. Stardock is quickly becoming a household name for software you just cannot live with out,"said Nate Mook, web-master of the popular website BetaNews.com.

Stardock.net already has great depth in content for the Object Desktop Network but is waiting on more of its components to go “1.0”. The final touches are being made on Component Manager, the actual program that downloads and manages all these components before making it generally available. Stardock is projecting the Object Desktop Network to become generally available in November. However, it will be announcing WindowBlinds and IconPackager releases in the next couple of weeks.

Stardock.net has an aggressive plan for expanding its subscription offering. Next year, it plans to launch the Drengin Network, a subscription service similar to Object Desktop except for games. Stardock Corporation, Stardock.net’s founding company, was the developer of the popular “Entrepreneur” strategy game and is currently finishing up “Business Tycoon” with “Galactic Civilizations” in the works. It also has a host of other unique entertainment titles available to it through its extensive developer network.. As a result, it already has a built in content provider for the Drengin Nework. Pricing and availability for the Drengin Network is not available at this time.

“The real challenge in creating a subscription software service isn’t the network infrastructure, it’s in creating content that lots of users will want. I think given that few components we’ve made available as stand alone products already rank amongst the most popular downloadable programs on the Internet, we’ve succeeded there,” said Wardell.

Stardock.net’s website is http://www.stardock.net.

Stardock Corporation’s website is http://www.stardock.com.

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Customer Testimonials:

"With the Object Desktop Network, I get instant access to the software I want without the upgrade hassles of a shrinkwrapped product. Every time I bought a new program, I used to worry about the latest version being released 3 months later. But with ODN, upgrades for a year are included free. No coupons, rebates, or phone calls to customer service! Thanks
Stardock!" – Jerry Davis, Object Desktop Network Subscriber.

“In the fast paced development world, where everyone wants more for less, it is nice to finally see such an idea come to fruition. For just a few George's, I have been able to completely revamp the look and feel of Windows (Icon Packager, Window Blinds), Increase my WorkSpace 10 Fold (Control Center), and edit files at the speed of Light (Object Edit). StarDock is a company focused on the customers needs and continues to amaze me with the amount of function provided for a such a reasonable price. The products that Stardock provides have significantly improved the way I do my job. Finally a set of products that lets me work with Windows the way I want to, not the way Microsoft thought I would.” – Richard Ingle, Object Desktop Network Subscriber.

“I like the fact I can easily keep the products "up to date". No more wondering if there is an update and where it might be located. Just crank up Component Manager and you know within seconds which applications are updated. Uninstall, download and install all from the same interface, couldn't be easier.” –Carlton Wyatt, Object Desktop Network Subscriber.

“With the Object Desktop Network Stardock has totally scrapped the traditional software model. Gone are the days when you would buy a piece of software one week and it would be out of date the next, now you know you always have the latest version. What’s more, the development process is so open that you can download a new test release of a Stardock product everyday.” –Ian Thomas, Lemnet.com.