<s>
Stardock	O
initially	O
developed	O
for	O
the	O
OS/2	B-Application
platform	O
,	O
but	O
was	O
forced	O
to	O
switch	O
to	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
due	O
to	O
the	O
collapse	O
of	O
the	O
OS/2	B-Application
software	O
market	O
between	O
1997	O
and	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
company	O
is	O
best	O
known	O
for	O
computer	B-Application
programs	I-Application
that	O
allow	O
a	O
user	O
to	O
modify	O
or	O
extend	O
a	O
graphical	B-Application
user	I-Application
interface	I-Application
as	O
well	O
as	O
personal	O
computer	O
games	O
,	O
particularly	O
strategy	B-Application
games	I-Application
such	O
as	O
the	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
series	O
,	O
Sins	B-Application
of	I-Application
a	I-Application
Solar	I-Application
Empire	I-Application
:	O
Rebellion	O
,	O
Elemental	B-Application
:	I-Application
Fallen	I-Application
Enchantress	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Ashes	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Singularity	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
created	O
and	O
maintains	O
WinCustomize	B-Application
,	O
a	O
graphical	B-Application
user	I-Application
interface	I-Application
customization	O
community	O
,	O
and	O
developed	O
the	O
Impulse	B-Application
content	O
delivery	O
system	O
before	O
its	O
sale	O
to	O
GameStop	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
of	O
the	O
skins	B-Application
and	O
themes	B-Application
featured	O
on	O
its	O
site	O
are	O
for	O
software	O
that	O
is	O
part	O
of	O
their	O
Object	B-Application
Desktop	I-Application
windows	O
desktop	O
suite	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
began	O
as	O
a	O
custom	O
PC	O
maker	O
and	O
expanded	O
into	O
making	O
software	B-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
's	O
initial	O
product	O
was	O
a	O
computer	O
game	O
for	O
OS/2	B-Application
called	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
did	O
not	O
receive	O
the	O
majority	O
of	O
royalties	O
from	O
the	O
initial	O
sales	O
of	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
due	O
to	O
publisher	O
bankruptcy	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
taking	O
on	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
publisher	O
's	O
responsibilities	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
market	O
had	O
been	O
created	O
for	O
subsequent	O
addon	O
packs	O
including	O
the	O
Shipyards	O
expansion	O
,	O
and	O
Stardock	O
later	O
sold	O
a	O
significant	O
number	O
of	O
licenses	O
to	O
IBM	O
for	O
part	O
of	O
its	O
Family	O
FunPak	O
(	O
under	O
the	O
name	O
Star	O
Emperor	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
went	O
on	O
to	O
create	O
OS/2	B-Application
Essentials	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
successor	O
,	O
Object	B-Application
Desktop	I-Application
,	O
which	O
provided	O
the	O
company	O
with	O
a	O
large	O
base	O
of	O
users	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
about	O
this	O
time	O
,	O
IBM	O
decided	O
to	O
abandon	O
OS/2	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
the	O
advent	O
of	O
Windows	B-Device
NT	I-Device
4	I-Device
,	O
Stardock	O
found	O
that	O
their	O
core	O
user	O
base	O
was	O
slipping	O
away	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
forced	O
to	O
reinvent	O
itself	O
as	O
a	O
Windows	O
developer	O
,	O
but	O
not	O
before	O
it	O
lost	O
most	O
of	O
its	O
money	O
and	O
staff	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Brad	O
Wardell	O
estimates	O
that	O
the	O
death	O
of	O
OS/2	B-Application
set	O
the	O
company	O
back	O
by	O
about	O
three	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
newer	O
,	O
smaller	O
Stardock	O
was	O
heavily	O
reliant	O
on	O
the	O
goodwill	O
of	O
its	O
previous	O
customers	O
,	O
who	O
essentially	O
purchased	O
Windows	O
subscriptions	O
for	O
Object	B-Application
Desktop	I-Application
in	O
anticipation	O
of	O
the	O
products	O
it	O
would	O
consist	O
of	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Having	O
put	O
together	O
a	O
basic	O
package	O
(	O
including	O
some	O
old	O
favorites	O
from	O
the	O
OS/2	B-Application
era	O
)	O
Stardock	O
began	O
to	O
bring	O
in	O
external	O
developers	O
to	O
create	O
original	O
products	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
's	O
first	O
major	O
Windows	O
success	O
was	O
with	O
WindowBlinds	B-Application
,	O
an	O
application	O
originated	O
by	O
a	O
partnership	O
with	O
developer	O
Neil	O
Banfield	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
turned	O
out	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
large	O
market	O
for	O
skinnable	B-Application
products	O
,	O
and	O
Stardock	O
prospered	O
,	O
growing	O
significantly	O
in	O
the	O
following	O
five	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2001	O
,	O
they	O
added	O
a	O
widget	O
creation	O
and	O
desktop	O
modification	O
tool	O
,	O
DesktopX	B-Application
,	O
based	O
on	O
Alberto	O
Riccio	O
's	O
VDE	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
DesktopX	B-Application
competes	O
with	O
Konfabulator	B-Application
and	O
Kapsules	B-Application
in	O
the	O
widget	O
arena	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2003	O
,	O
Stardock	O
became	O
a	O
Microsoft	B-Device
Gold	I-Device
Certified	I-Device
Partner	I-Device
with	O
their	O
"	O
Designed	O
for	O
Windows	O
"	O
certification	O
of	O
WindowBlinds	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
first	O
,	O
its	O
titles	O
on	O
Windows	O
were	O
published	O
by	O
third	O
parties	O
:	O
The	B-Application
Corporate	I-Application
Machine	I-Application
(	O
Take	O
2	O
)	O
,	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
(	O
Strategy	O
First	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
The	O
Political	O
Machine	O
(	O
Ubisoft	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
case	O
of	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
,	O
publisher	O
Strategy	O
First	O
filed	O
for	O
bankruptcy	O
without	O
paying	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
royalties	O
it	O
owed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2010	O
Q3	O
,	O
Stardock	O
was	O
forced	O
into	O
layoffs	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
unexpectedly	O
poor	O
launch	O
of	O
Elemental	B-Application
:	I-Application
War	I-Application
of	I-Application
Magic	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
response	O
to	O
the	O
disappointment	O
of	O
Elemental	B-Application
:	I-Application
War	I-Application
of	I-Application
Magic	I-Application
,	O
Stardock	O
committed	O
to	O
giving	O
the	O
second	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
Elemental	B-Application
:	I-Application
Fallen	I-Application
Enchantress	I-Application
to	O
early	O
adopters	O
of	O
War	O
of	O
Magic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2012	O
,	O
Stardock	O
successfully	O
launched	O
Sins	B-Application
of	I-Application
a	I-Application
Solar	I-Application
Empire	I-Application
:	O
Rebellion	O
to	O
positive	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
July	O
2013	O
,	O
Stardock	O
bought	O
the	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
franchise	O
from	O
the	O
Atari	O
,	O
SA	O
bankruptcy	O
proceedings	O
and	O
has	O
plans	O
to	O
reboot	O
the	O
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
resulted	O
in	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
Origins	I-Application
,	O
a	O
prequel	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
game	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
September	O
of	O
2018	O
to	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Throughout	O
development	O
,	O
the	O
original	O
creators	O
of	O
the	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
license	O
kept	O
the	O
game	O
under	O
tumultuous	O
legal	O
status	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
's	O
Object	B-Application
Desktop	I-Application
is	O
a	O
set	O
of	O
PC	O
desktop	O
enhancement	O
utilities	O
designed	O
to	O
enable	O
users	O
to	O
control	O
the	O
way	O
their	O
operating	O
system	O
looks	O
,	O
feels	O
and	O
functions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
developed	O
for	O
OS/2	B-Application
,	O
the	O
company	O
released	O
a	O
version	O
of	O
it	O
for	O
Windows	O
in	O
1999	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Components	O
of	O
Object	B-Application
Desktop	I-Application
include	O
WindowBlinds	B-Application
,	O
IconPackager	O
,	O
DeskScapes	O
,	O
DesktopX	B-Application
,	O
Fences	B-Application
and	O
WindowFX	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
utilities	O
such	O
as	O
Multiplicity	B-Device
and	O
SpaceMonger	O
designed	O
to	O
increase	O
productivity	O
and	O
stability	O
on	O
Windows	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
also	O
sells	O
ObjectDock	B-Application
,	O
which	O
provides	O
similar	O
functionality	O
to	O
the	O
dock	O
found	O
in	O
Mac	O
OS	O
X	O
,	O
but	O
with	O
additional	O
capabilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2012	O
,	O
Stardock	O
added	O
Start8	O
to	O
Object	B-Application
Desktop	I-Application
,	O
which	O
adds	O
a	O
Start	O
button	O
and	O
Start	O
menu	O
to	O
Windows	O
8	O
,	O
whose	O
lack	O
of	O
a	O
traditional	O
Start	O
menu	O
in	O
favor	O
of	O
a	O
Start	O
screen	O
received	O
polarizing	O
reception	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Start10	O
was	O
then	O
followed	O
by	O
Start11	O
,	O
which	O
aims	O
to	O
bring	O
back	O
Start	O
menu	O
and	O
task	O
bar	O
functionality	O
removed	O
in	O
Windows	B-Application
11	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
owns	O
and	O
operates	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
community-centric	O
websites	O
,	O
the	O
most	O
popular	O
of	O
which	O
is	O
WinCustomize	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
WinCustomize	B-Application
is	O
best	O
known	O
for	O
providing	O
a	O
library	O
of	O
downloadable	O
content	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
skins	B-Application
,	O
themes	B-Application
,	O
icons	O
and	O
wallpapers	O
for	O
the	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
operating	I-Application
systems	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
began	O
operating	O
as	O
a	O
game	O
developer	O
with	O
their	O
first	O
title	O
,	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
for	O
the	O
OS/2	B-Application
platform	O
in	O
1994	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
found	O
success	O
developing	O
online	O
software	O
subscription	O
services	O
such	O
as	O
Object	B-Application
Desktop	I-Application
for	O
the	O
PC	O
,	O
which	O
allowed	O
them	O
to	O
slowly	O
grow	O
a	O
separate	O
game	O
division	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Corporate	I-Application
Machine	I-Application
and	O
Lightweight	O
Ninja	O
,	O
Stardock	O
remade	O
Galactic	B-Application
Civilizations	I-Application
for	O
the	O
PC	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
successful	O
sequel	O
was	O
self-published	O
by	O
Stardock	O
,	O
allowing	O
them	O
to	O
grow	O
their	O
publishing	O
business	O
for	O
third-party	O
games	O
,	O
including	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Sins	B-Application
of	I-Application
a	I-Application
Solar	I-Application
Empire	I-Application
,	O
Demigod	B-Language
,	O
and	O
Ashes	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Singularity	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Having	O
developed	O
Stardock	B-Application
Central	I-Application
to	O
digitally	O
distribute	O
its	O
own	O
PC	O
titles	O
,	O
the	O
company	O
launched	O
a	O
service	O
called	O
Drengin.net	O
in	O
summer	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2008	O
,	O
Stardock	O
announced	O
its	O
third-generation	O
digital	O
distribution	O
platform	O
,	O
Impulse	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
's	O
intention	O
was	O
for	O
Impulse	B-Application
to	O
include	O
independent	O
third-party	O
games	O
and	O
major	O
publisher	O
titles	O
and	O
indeed	O
,	O
the	O
service	O
now	O
includes	O
content	O
from	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
publishers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
sale	O
of	O
Impulse	B-Application
to	O
GameStop	O
and	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
success	O
in	O
major	O
sales	O
,	O
Stardock	O
's	O
titles	O
have	O
started	O
to	O
appear	O
on	O
rival	O
digital	O
distribution	O
services	O
such	O
as	O
Steam	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
ThinkDesk	B-Application
was	O
a	O
productivity	O
application	O
subscription	O
service	O
,	O
launched	O
by	O
Stardock	O
on	O
14	O
April	O
2005	O
as	O
a	O
utility	O
counterpart	O
to	O
their	O
Object	B-Application
Desktop	I-Application
and	O
TotalGaming.net	O
services	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Subscriptions	O
were	O
for	O
one	O
year	O
,	O
after	O
which	O
users	O
could	O
choose	O
to	O
renew	O
or	O
keep	O
the	B-Application
software	I-Application
that	O
they	O
have	O
,	O
including	O
all	O
released	O
upgrades	O
to	O
that	O
date	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
ThinkDesk	B-Application
components	O
were	O
typically	O
downloaded	O
using	O
Impulse	B-Application
,	O
although	O
if	O
purchased	O
separately	O
they	O
could	O
also	O
be	O
downloaded	O
as	O
executable	O
installers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stardock	O
claimed	O
that	O
their	O
use	O
of	O
this	O
word	B-Application
was	O
not	O
related	O
to	O
the	O
magazine	O
's	O
business	O
,	O
but	O
did	O
not	O
have	O
the	O
money	O
to	O
fight	O
the	O
case	O
—	O
the	O
name	O
was	O
changed	O
to	O
Business	O
Tycoon	O
;	O
a	O
later	O
version	O
was	O
rebranded	O
as	O
The	B-Application
Corporate	I-Application
Machine	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
open	B-Application
source	I-Application
programs	O
do	O
read	O
and	O
write	O
proprietary	O
file	O
formats	O
without	O
paying	O
royalties	O
—	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
OpenOffice.org	B-Application
reads	O
and	O
writes	O
Word	B-Application
,	O
Excel	B-Application
,	O
PowerPoint	B-Application
and	O
other	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Office	I-Application
files	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Stardock	O
maintained	O
that	O
they	O
should	O
be	O
entitled	O
to	O
royalties	O
or	O
a	O
license	O
fee	O
on	O
such	O
software	O
,	O
particularly	O
as	O
TGTSoft	O
was	O
charging	O
money	O
for	O
their	O
products	O
and	O
because	O
it	O
was	O
considered	O
likely	O
that	O
their	O
users	O
would	O
use	O
the	O
WinCustomize	B-Application
libraries	O
,	O
which	O
are	O
run	O
with	O
help	O
(	O
monetary	O
and	O
otherwise	O
)	O
from	O
Stardock	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2018	O
,	O
Stardock	O
sued	O
the	O
Paul	O
Reiche	O
and	O
Fred	O
Ford	O
in	O
Stardock	B-Application
Systems	I-Application
,	I-Application
Inc	I-Application
.	I-Application
v	I-Application
.	I-Application
Reiche	I-Application
,	O
for	O
trademark	O
infringement	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reiche	O
and	O
Ford	O
countersued	O
for	O
copyright	O
infringement	O
from	O
Stardock	O
continuing	O
to	O
sell	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
I	O
and	O
II	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
and	O
GOG	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Litigation	O
ended	O
in	O
June	O
2019	O
when	O
both	O
sides	O
reached	O
a	O
settlement	O
in	O
which	O
Reiche	O
and	O
Ford	O
agreed	O
not	O
use	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
in	O
relation	O
to	O
new	O
titles	O
and	O
Stardock	O
agreeing	O
not	O
to	O
use	O
an	O
enumerated	O
list	O
of	O
alien	O
names	O
from	O
Star	B-Application
Control	I-Application
1	O
and	O
2	O
in	O
future	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
