~mrbiotech

Richard Kulesus

To WindowBlind, or not to WindowBlind?

Tue Jun 29, 2004, 8:52 PM

Mood:

Copacetic

Have had a number of emails from theme-users recently requesting WindowBlinds skins to match. Although I'm willing, here's the dilemma I'm faced with:

1) I stopped using WindowBlinds. It's a great program, and I'd recommend it to anybody, but my personal copy has not been updated in several years.

2) WB's been upgraded so significantly that the number of elements skinnable by the one application has nearly doubled since when I published my ONLY WB skin (CrimsonMetal). CrimsonMetal sucks in comparison to the existing plethora of themes, and I'd be tempted to rebuild it from scratch, but turnaround time on a WB theme must be 3-4 months (for a decent one), whilst I can bring an AstonShell theme from concept to completion in 2-3 weeks.

3) Time is at a premium. In addition to working on a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology (no, I'm not a graphic artist), I'm trying to raise my three children, maintain church responsibilities, and flesh out my first DEMO CD (music, I love Guitar before theming was an issue). I just don't know if I'm willing to plunk down the time required to make another WB theme.

Tempting, but I can already see the hours that must be invested in a good WB theme.

What do you think?

9 Comments

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~slimm03

Jun 29, 2004, 9:10:11 PM

thats a very hard decision my friend..esp with all those responsibilities..wb has changed a lot since the last one you made..but it didnt suck though...from looking at your themes...your themes are awesome..and when i look at them..i can just picture a wb skin for it..from lookin at them i know for sure the wb skins will be awesome...but its a lot of time you need to give up on...but i wish you good luck ...i know for sure you'd make some killer-ass wb skins

~mrbiotech

Jun 30, 2004, 8:20:20 PM

Slimm, you just gave me an idea! If anyone's interested in collaborating, I'd be more than willing! Things I such at: 1) making icons 2) making animations 3) coding (to some degree) 4) taking the trash out when Marci asks.

I'm sure there are talented people who could easily cope with the above elements. The fourth, well, I think that's one of those things a guys just gotta do for himself.

If anybody's interested, PLEASE!!!

--
SkinYourScreen.com [link]
SkinWiki [link]

~TechRonin

Jul 3, 2004, 8:45:47 AM

I would have to vote for XP styles (since I do not use windowblinds.

~mrbiotech

Jul 3, 2004, 2:44:13 PM

Just checked out a demo version of StyleXP. Good program! I do think, however, that WindowBlinds is a better product. It renders faster, skins more elements, and provides additional functionality not inherent to WinXP itself. StyleXP effeciently changes what is already there in XP, but doesn't appear to add any more features (transparency, rollups, minimize to tray, WA controls in a windowed border, etc.).

I'm also leary of anything that actually alters Windows core system files. Because I work in academic research (in which we have MANY Microsoft contracts) I've got to avoid anything that violates the MS EULA, which StyleXP, unfortunately, does. If I weren't in the academic setting, I'd be tempted to use it, but I've got no option but to play by the rules.

I was kind of surprised, however, that StyleXP/StyleBuilder is the same price as WindowBlinds/SkinStudio. With an additional $10, one can purchase the whole StarDock package (of which ObjectEdit has become my most frequented).

Good suggestion, nonetheless!

--
SkinYourScreen.com [link]
SkinWiki [link]

~slimm03

Jul 6, 2004, 5:05:05 PM

so after doing that research and seein that windowblinds is a better program, does that help you to keep going further into making a windowblind skin? as you said about stylexp...it is a good program, but it doesnt do that much, the software used to make stylexp skins dont have all them great features that skinstudio and or other software that stardock offers, im thinking windowblinding is a better way to go, if you dont like what you come up with a lot, theres always updates, more updates more time for you to learn how to add features and make the skin the way you want it, i know that you can do it, you got madd skills bro, good luck , hope to see one from you soon

~mrbiotech

Jul 6, 2004, 9:45:57 PM

Y'know, slimm, you're absolutely right. I should stop complaining and realize the fun it will be. It'll be a bit, though. Spent the majority of a sick-day making a RainMeter version of DominantNegative, can only imagine what a WB will be. Thanks again for the motivation!

--
SkinYourScreen.com [link]
SkinWiki [link]

=adni18

Jul 28, 2004, 1:33:58 PM

Hey Richard,
WindowBlinds are getting more and more complicated for the skinners.
If you are a perfectionist, which I am sure you are from your excellent works, you will find it hard and too much time consuming to make a perfect skin and I don't know any more if be worth it...
I see some total shit skins which are having comments like "best skin I ever saw" "another great skin" etc... I hope you know what I mean.
I know that skinning is a big fun, I am not also a graphic artist, I am a Dentist

Bottom line is that I agree 100% with what you have said above.

Regards and take care

--
Have a look to my personal site at this [link]

~mrbiotech

Jul 29, 2004, 12:06:18 PM

Very much agreed!

Especially on the "best-skin-I-ever-saw" issue... seems like people are rating/commenting based on something besides the quality of the actual skin in question. The community is changing, I think.

Really neat to know that you're a Dentist!

Nothing pleases me more than seeing such exceptional and rare talent (as yours) coming from people you wouldn't expect it to, namely, people outside the graphic-art profession.

My compliments!