Posted by malebolgia on 11 June 2004 - 23:21 · 92 comments & 7440 views
In what must surely seem a match made in computer heaven, Alienware, the leading manufacturer of high-performance computer notebooks, desktops and professional systems has formed a partnership with Stardock, the world-wide leader in the development and distribution of software that customizes the Windows PC desktop.

Under the terms of the partnership, Alienware will pre-install Theme Manager from Stardock on all their new systems. Theme Manager allows users to change the Window’s visual style, icons, wallpapers, in short the entire appearance of the Windows desktop with just one click. Alienware users will be able to choose from a special Alienware theme, a second theme that celebrates Alienware’s new line of ALX computers and of course the default Windows XP theme. Additional new themes will be made available for Alienware fans as either free downloads or for a small fee, depending on the theme. Users will also be able to buy additional Stardock customization products.

News source: FileFront


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There are 92 additional comments
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Quote this comment Reply to this comment #1 Posted by Marshalus on 11 Jun 2004 - 23:30
Nice.
(6 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #2 Posted by cal2002 on 11 Jun 2004 - 23:30
What? Alienware, the high preformance PC maker right? 75% of the people who buy those machines what nothing running and taking up RAM, no?
Quote this comment #2.1 Posted by Mav Phoenix on 11 Jun 2004 - 23:46
Wtf are you talking about?
Quote this comment #2.2 Posted by cal2002 on 11 Jun 2004 - 23:50
Same thing CaKeY is.
Quote this comment #2.3 Posted by qoa on 12 Jun 2004 - 01:48
It's not the year 1999. Running windows blinds is the same as running stylexp and a visual style in terms of ram/cpu load.
Quote this comment #2.4 Posted by Mav Phoenix on 12 Jun 2004 - 02:23
Actually less, depending on the skin.
Quote this comment #2.5 Posted by CheeseCow on 12 Jun 2004 - 09:12
Or actually more, depending on the skin.
Quote this comment #2.6 Posted by Mav Phoenix on 12 Jun 2004 - 20:37
^2 shay!
(2 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #3 Posted by CaKeY on 11 Jun 2004 - 23:41
Yeah. I get the feeling the first thing most Alienware owners will do is uninstall windowblinds.
Quote this comment #3.1 Posted by divertom15 on 12 Jun 2004 - 21:52
actually first thing i would do is reformat the hard drive to get rid of bundled crapware
Quote this comment #3.2 Posted by briangw on 14 Jun 2004 - 00:52
amen brother!
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #4 Posted by threetonesun on 11 Jun 2004 - 23:47
My guess is they did it so their own theme would appear. Makes sense, it would look stupid to own a Alienware and run the Windows classic theme on it.
Quote this comment #4.1 Posted by Joshie on 12 Jun 2004 - 00:02
It's true that Alienware isn't exactly a minimalist's first choice...
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #5 Posted by Liquid on 11 Jun 2004 - 23:48
I always wondered if alienware would do this and now they are. COOL!
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #6 Posted by bangbang023 on 11 Jun 2004 - 23:51
It's a pretty cool partnetship, if you think about it. Alienware has always been redesigning what a PC case should look like and Stardock has always focused on changing what the desktop looks like.
Quote this comment #6.1 Posted by Spamcan on 12 Jun 2004 - 00:47
It's just too bad the cases aren't as sturdy as they look, the outer plastic casing on their desktops is extremely flimsy. It's not really a huge deal but it can make dragging the machine to a LAN party a real bitch..
(2 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #7 Posted by Adnan248999 on 12 Jun 2004 - 00:10
Sounds fantastic and its also a big step forward for stardock marketing long live alienware and stardock though i can't afford an alx
Quote this comment #7.1 Posted by bangbang023 on 12 Jun 2004 - 00:24
cmon now, you don't need BOTH kidneys
Quote this comment #7.2 Posted by welshkid on 12 Jun 2004 - 08:56
lmao
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #8 Posted by mko on 12 Jun 2004 - 00:43
A match made in heaven?

On on the basis that they are both overpriced considering you can DIY for much cheaper.i.e. build your own PC and download uxtheme.dll

I can just imagine the first time you turn on your computer "REGISTER WINDOWBLINDS TODAY! ONLY $20"

Also notice how they are using Stardock just to promote their own Alienware theme? Besides choosing WinXP default theme(which is already free) anything else might incur a cost. Sounds like a modified version of Windowblinds which probably will be half-registered i.e. if you use Alienware theme it won't nag you to register, but if you want to choose another theme you need to register anyway.

I just hope this doesn't add to the cost of an already expensive Alienware PC. I mean surely someone will rip this for registered Windowblinds Full users to use, possible even a conversion to visual style.
Quote this comment #8.1 Posted by qoa on 12 Jun 2004 - 01:47
My video card came with the version of windows blinds that will be on there more than likely. It's a crippled version that will only an Nvidia theme, complete with logos on the title bars and an evga theme, with logos everywhere. In this case it'll be the same thing with an ugly alienware theme.
(8 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #9 Posted by Pas on 12 Jun 2004 - 00:59
mko, you are nothing but a blabbering fool. if you don't want an alienware machine or the use of windowblinds, then don't buy the machine or the app. just because you don't want either doesn't mean you have to coem in here and degrade the two and the announcement of their collaberation. obviously, alienware thinks highly of stardock and the theme manager or this collaberation wouldn't happen. go troll elsewhere, dude.
Quote this comment #9.1 Posted by moeburn on 12 Jun 2004 - 01:28
God forbid a discussion forum have anything to do with discussion

If you can't take the heat of someone disliking someone, I suggest you leave the internet. Now.
Quote this comment #9.2 Posted by Mav Phoenix on 12 Jun 2004 - 01:50
Pas is right, I guess you don't know what a troll is. Discussing is one thing but bashing is another. It's a matter of class.
Quote this comment #9.3 Posted by obake on 12 Jun 2004 - 02:00
What the hell is wrong with you, Pas? mko was simply stating his opinion, and I, for one, agree 100% with him. I'm going to reiterate what moeburn said: if you can't take the heat of someone disliking someone, I suggest you leave the internet. Now.
Quote this comment #9.4 Posted by Pas on 12 Jun 2004 - 03:15
no, mko was not expressing an opinion. he was trolling in every sense of the word. the only comments the dude makes concerning a skin or skin app is to bash stardock, it's apps, or anything to do with the company. if he wants to discuss the collaberation of alienware and stardock, discuss it and bring forth some value. bashing the companies involved is not discussing or expressing one's opinion. leave the internet, huh? that's a good one.

Last edited by 13583 on 12 Jun 2004 - 03:29
Quote this comment #9.5 Posted by mko on 12 Jun 2004 - 03:19
ok ok I can admit perhaps when I said
QUOTE
On on the basis that they are both overpriced considering you can DIY for much cheaper.i.e. build your own PC and download uxtheme.dll


Is a trolling quote. However as for the rest of what I've said I don't see any 'bashing'. I'm simply predicting what is going to happen. And I don't retract the above statement either, its simply 2 companies which are overpriced and which both are very much 'superficial' - Alienware being the more as I suppose Windowblinds IS a theming program however people still shop based very much on looks and not performance.

The internet is filled with trolls, much worse than you may ever see on Neowin. I suggest you grow and realize the internet isn't like a kids playground - your opinion isn't always the 'good' opinion and sometimes people are wrong.
Quote this comment #9.6 Posted by Pas on 12 Jun 2004 - 03:28
ok, i'll grow . damn! 46 already.
Quote this comment #9.7 Posted by frogworm on 12 Jun 2004 - 07:03
no, what Pas wants is a Politically-Correct post on the internet that shows some positive feedback besides some possible negative ones. Sounds a lot like my speech teacher last semester. The internet does not have to have anal-retentive people who bark at a poster who just gives negative comments, it is possible they could not think of any positive ones. Let us have our opinions and not bash or censor us by calling someone a troll cause they just give a list of things they don't like. That does not nessisarily equal a troll...


P.S. some programs Stardock makes are half-decent and some products Alienware aren't exactly overpriced if you compare them with other companies so whoopty-do. Buy what you want, it is called the power of the wallet.

Last edited by 10128 on 12 Jun 2004 - 07:28
Quote this comment #9.8 Posted by werejag on 12 Jun 2004 - 09:08
right on frogworm.
(2 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #10 Posted by moeburn on 12 Jun 2004 - 01:27
I hate it when people spend $2000 of their ignorant parent's money to go out and buy an Alienware pc, and then play counter-strike on it at 640x480.
Quote this comment #10.1 Posted by Adnan248999 on 12 Jun 2004 - 01:39
QUOTE (#10.0)
I hate it when people spend $2000 of their ignorant parent's money to go out and buy an Alienware pc, and then play counter-strike on it at 640x480.

lol very true
Quote this comment #10.2 Posted by divertom15 on 12 Jun 2004 - 21:57
or the people who play quake 3 on it with the a** textures @ 640x480 so they can get a 500fps framerate for braging rites.
(5 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #11 Posted by phiberoptik on 12 Jun 2004 - 01:30
Nice.

I can now get my Alienware PC all hooked out with the spinners on it, so that I can finally run Object Desktop with all the options on high and not have to worry about using over 500mb of ram. hmmm... noooooooooo...
Quote this comment #11.1 Posted by Mav Phoenix on 12 Jun 2004 - 01:51
Yeah, because we all know it takes that much RAM now.
Quote this comment #11.2 Posted by Ivand on 12 Jun 2004 - 02:43
All Stardock's apps use A LOT LESS ram than the previous versions, and those words come from a uxtheme.dll user....
Quote this comment #11.3 Posted by demorgoron on 12 Jun 2004 - 03:59
my wb skin is taking up 500k of ram only,intead of the 6 or 12mb of the
Quote this comment #11.4 Posted by CheeseCow on 12 Jun 2004 - 09:07
QUOTE (#11.2)
All Stardock's apps use A LOT LESS ram than the previous versions, and those words come from a uxtheme.dll user.

There is no point in talking about a previous version, unless you name it; right?

I am pretty sure it uses a lot more RAM than the 1.3 version I first bought, since it only skinned fewer controls. And RAM usage surely isn't the problem with any of these applications - and finally they don't use much memory just to be "loaded", it is first when you start up applications it will need memory to paint the controls. I did tests with this over at DA a long time ago, and it is the size of the individual processes (viewable in task manager) that increases with WindowBlinds and the uxtheme.dll hack.

By how much depends on the theme used, and when I did the test, which is starting to be a couple of years ago, stylexp used considerably less, even when compared with one of the minemalistic skins that came with WindowBlinds.

But I am sure you do know what you are talking about right, you wouldn't mislead people out of ignorance?
Quote this comment #11.5 Posted by ryokurin on 13 Jun 2004 - 11:17
1.3? So your using a version that existed before windows XP existed and comparing it to uxtheme? How is this a valid test? Theres been 3 versions released since that! Believe it or not it does use less memory than it did then.
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #12 Posted by norky on 12 Jun 2004 - 02:14
cool. now stardock can move all their tech support to guatemala too.
Quote this comment #12.1 Posted by CaKeY on 12 Jun 2004 - 02:31
lmao!
(4 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #13 Posted by bangbang023 on 12 Jun 2004 - 02:23
There just has to be a bridge somewhere around here because damn there are a lot of trolls
Quote this comment #13.1 Posted by werejag on 12 Jun 2004 - 09:11
just becuase you dont like the comments doesnt mean its trolling. dont read its your right
Quote this comment #13.2 Posted by gawdflesh on 12 Jun 2004 - 19:49
Decree from the king of the trolls himself.
Quote this comment #13.3 Posted by Pas on 12 Jun 2004 - 20:11
would somebody, anybody, please post a link to a thread or news article concerning an msstyle skin or anouncement concerning tgtsoft or any of it's affiliates where a stardock user has trolled? i'd really like to see if the trolling goes both ways. i want to see a post where a stardock user says 'this skin would be better if it was a wb skin' or a news article concerning tgtsoft apps where a stardock user flames the app. i've never seen any of either, to be honest. it may have happened, i just have yet to see it.
Quote this comment #13.4 Posted by werejag on 13 Jun 2004 - 23:35
QUOTE (#13.2)
#1 Posted by gawdflesh on 12 Jun 2004 - 13:49

Decree from the king of the trolls himself.

and that from a person that cant understand that just becuase you dont like an opinion doesnt mean its trolling. you have a lot to learn.
(3 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #14 Posted by AthleticTrainer1981 on 12 Jun 2004 - 03:09
It still amazes me how immature some people are in this community. IF YOU DON"T LIKE IT, THEN DON'T USE IT OR BUY IT.

But damn people lay off the trolling
Quote this comment #14.1 Posted by werejag on 12 Jun 2004 - 09:09
just becuase you dont like the comments doesnt mean its trolling.
Quote this comment #14.2 Posted by CheeseCow on 12 Jun 2004 - 09:11
a) There really isn't much trolling going on here
b) Neowin has admins to clear out the goo

So please stop flashing your badge, we are allowed to don't like the partnership if we so please.

I would much rather install the junk I want by hand than getting it pre-installed, but then again I would rather build my system from scratch too. So it makes the Alienware systems less interesting for me, but I am sure there are others who doesn't see it that way.
Quote this comment #14.3 Posted by Eduardo on 12 Jun 2004 - 22:32
if you dont like to read negative comments about something, dont open your eyes
(3 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #15 Posted by mko on 12 Jun 2004 - 03:21
And if you don't like my opinion... don't listen?
Quote this comment #15.1 Posted by AthleticTrainer1981 on 12 Jun 2004 - 03:26
It's not your opinion that people find annoying....it's the way you present your opinion.
Quote this comment #15.2 Posted by werejag on 12 Jun 2004 - 09:10
he can express it anyway he wants. get over it and dont read it
Quote this comment #15.3 Posted by Mav Phoenix on 12 Jun 2004 - 20:40
^He doesn't have to.
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #16 Posted by imtoomuch on 12 Jun 2004 - 03:29
"Additional new themes will be made available for Alienware fans as either free downloads or for a small fee, depending on the theme."

Does this mean that the Alienware format will not be normal .wbas or does this just talking about the premium themes available for WB?

Also, is it the full version of WB installed or is it the shareware version?
Quote this comment #16.1 Posted by greenreaper on 12 Jun 2004 - 16:25
It means that they will be special WBAs that will work the Alienware version of WindowBlinds. And it means either Alienware will pay for them or the customer will. If they want to use all WB skins, they can pay for WB. If not, they get the program for significantly less and only pay for the skins they want.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #17 Posted by |CiN|FuL on 12 Jun 2004 - 04:13
What if someone tries to port the theme to a visual style? Some user is bound to not want WB and might want to do that...?
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #18 Posted by Lain on 12 Jun 2004 - 05:55
that's cool that they are doing this....but i can't afford one of their pc's but it's cool none the less!
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #19 Posted by [a fire chronicle] on 12 Jun 2004 - 06:50
thank god i didnt but my alienware yet. i can now.
(3 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #20 Posted by WishX on 12 Jun 2004 - 06:53
Have I been living in another world? Since when has anyone "paid a small fee" for themes? Maybe I'm just spoiled by the Completed Visual Styles thread here at Neowin.
Quote this comment #20.1 Posted by Sawyer12 on 12 Jun 2004 - 16:19
Wasnt there an instance of some bloke selling themes on EBay that he stole from here ?
Quote this comment #20.2 Posted by CaKeY on 13 Jun 2004 - 05:04
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=169516
Quote this comment #20.3 Posted by ghos on 13 Jun 2004 - 22:30
I guess you don't feel good artists deserve some compensation for their hard work. Although I haven't seen anyone offering premium msstyles anyway. Windowblinds has them, and mostly by single artists or well known companies like The Skin Factory. I haven't personally paid for any styles myself, but I see the value in it. I suppose there aren't any msstyles that charge a small fee, because that format is more limited than Windowblinds.
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #21 Posted by Varsity on 12 Jun 2004 - 07:00
They should team up with a uxtheme patcher instead.
Quote this comment #21.1 Posted by Mav Phoenix on 12 Jun 2004 - 20:40
I'm sure MS would love that.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #22 Posted by jedimasterk on 12 Jun 2004 - 07:04
No comment!. UNIX/Linux user!.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #23 Posted by aaron901 on 12 Jun 2004 - 07:16
pretty cool if you ask me.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #24 Posted by WitCh-Fire on 12 Jun 2004 - 07:54
Pretty cool to see a Hardware company make in-roads with a software company. Business-wise....thats a pretty nice step. Regardless of what people think, creating partnerships is a good stride for just about any company to take.
(2 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #25 Posted by Alien Venom on 12 Jun 2004 - 09:02
This is indeed a step in the wrong direction for Alienware, being partnered up with a company whose responsible for BLOATware.

I mean seriously, ObjectDesktop -- you can get the same functionality with freeware tools and ones that use way less resources.

It doesn't make sense to me, for a company who specializes in releasing massive, OEM machines who are stategically built to maximize FPS in games; I can't see how ObjectDesktop and other software by Stardock would help.
Quote this comment #25.1 Posted by Mav Phoenix on 12 Jun 2004 - 20:41
No, you are wrong.
Quote this comment #25.2 Posted by Danrarbc641 on 12 Jun 2004 - 21:40
QUOTE
I mean seriously, ObjectDesktop -- you can get the same functionality with freeware tools and ones that use way less resources.

Less resources? Prove it!
(3 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #26 Posted by icexswipe on 12 Jun 2004 - 10:42
uhhh alien venom, windows blinds uses same resources as visual styles
and i dont know what u mean by 'bloatware', there are many minimal skins and many visual styles are ported to wb, and also theres skin studio, with which u can port them urself easily.

most people on this board are afraid to try windows blinds coz they are afraid it might be better and not as bad as they thought, u can ask this to the people who have actually switched over. just try it, no harm.

obviously the users will be able to choose if they want to use the alienware skin or not, but im sure they would use it, if they had the knowledge that windows blinds uses the same resources as windows visual styles.
Quote this comment #26.1 Posted by elliot on 12 Jun 2004 - 13:51
I can't speak for other people but i've tried it twice now, and each time i've uninstalled it within the hour
Quote this comment #26.2 Posted by Alien Venom on 12 Jun 2004 - 20:16
Same here. Every time I've tried it, there was always a window or two (like the display properties window) that had no visual style applied.

The program cheats visual styles. I'm not at all saying that it uses more resources than Microsoft's engine. I use classic anyway.
Quote this comment #26.3 Posted by greenreaper on 12 Jun 2004 - 23:07
Skinning display properties is an option. Stardock knows that some people want to feel safe in being able to go back, so they leave it unskinned so that people don't think, "Oh, if it crashes all my windows, Display Properties will crash too and I'll be doomed, doomed!" - and yes, some people are like that. Maybe you think those people shouldn't be skinning their computer, but they're still people who have money so Stardock has to cater to them.

You can enable it from the bottom of the Basic Options screen in the WB config program (Display Properties/Appearance/WindowBlinds/Basic Options)
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #27 Posted by AthleticTrainer1981 on 12 Jun 2004 - 13:31
I posted a similar comment over in a firefox thread, but I think it applies here also:

I have been doing a lot of thinking on this matter. And I may have figured out why we have so many msstyles/windowblind fans here.

It is because it is something different, something that we chose to use. Since there is little choice in choosing the OS (and I by no means dislike the alternatives), we want a choice in how the OS looks and feels

Just my thoughts. It's not whats faster/better/easier to use/more stable....it's what appeals to us. So for some it's windows classic, others it's Luna, and for some it's a complete alternative.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #28 Posted by stncttr908 on 12 Jun 2004 - 14:05
Eh, good for them. Still shouldn't really give anyone a reason to buy an Alienware.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #29 Posted by V_F on 12 Jun 2004 - 14:53
Great to hear this for Stardock, Alienware and The SkinsFactory, I do hope its a big success for them which I'm sure it will be.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #30 Posted by nanackle on 12 Jun 2004 - 15:27
bloat bloat bloat
(3 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #31 Posted by Frogboy on 12 Jun 2004 - 16:24
The whole bloat thing is just bizarre.

So Windows XP with Luna isn't bloated. But change the visual style to somethign else and it magically becomes bloated?

In the bigger scheme of things, there's nothing bloated about visual styles and skinning. Heck, my last Dell came out of the box with so much crap being loaded into my system tray that if it didn't hide most of them my system tray would be bigger than my taskbar!
Quote this comment #31.1 Posted by Dark Warhawk on 12 Jun 2004 - 20:14
Lol, point taken, although it’s not that bad with dell, but valid point. The thing is this though that this version of WB will be crappy use one skin otherwise you will have to buy it. Seems sucky to me after paying over 2 k for a pc and the type of people that would buy one would be hardcore gamers and I can a sure you they will not want this and will just uninstall it anyways just like I uninstalled most of dell’s crap. Gamers don’t want anything taking up ram that don’t need to be regardless how little it may be. And trust me when you play a game like Far Cry you need every bit of ram you have.
Quote this comment #31.2 Posted by Alien Venom on 12 Jun 2004 - 20:19
$2k? That's it? I guess you haven't seen PCI Express machines. Anyway if I am going to pay $4000+ on a computer , and it's from an OEM company, like Alienware, I sure as hell better get a crap load of software (in addition to the bloated crap that comes from Stardock) for free too.
Quote this comment #31.3 Posted by XanDaMan on 13 Jun 2004 - 06:52
How much bulls*** has to come from your mouth until you realise...

StarDock products aint rubbish, and certainly aint bloated.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #32 Posted by gawdflesh on 12 Jun 2004 - 20:43
Ok...could someone tell me where exactly the idea that Alienware will be including a crippled or shareware version of WindowBlinds, as some of you seem to be inferring? Because I sure as hell can't find anything in the above two paragraphs that would lead me to believe that. Yeah, it says "Additional new themes will be made available for Alienware fans as either free downloads or for a small fee, depending on the theme.", but that doesn't mean that you can't add themes you download on your own. I get that they mean Alienware-created themes from Alienware might cost something. However, I'm not saying that I believe either way, because honestly I don't care, since I'm (#1.) not big into theming, and (#2.) I'll never own an Alienware. I just find it really crazy that people read something a certain way, come up with their own details out of the blue, then freak out about it. Wait until more details about this deal come out, then bitch to your hearts content if you want. But at least get your panties in a wad over something factual that has been confirmed.

And the whole concept of bloat is retarded. We're talking about systems in excess of $4k in some cases, with outlandish, garish-looking cases and system stats pushed to the limits. I don't see the problem with a little skinning app taking up 10-20 megs of memory out of the probably 1.5-2 gigs they'd have available.
(2 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #33 Posted by jack_canada on 13 Jun 2004 - 00:22
they need a cool skin to match a cool computer!!!!!
Quote this comment #33.1 Posted by mko on 13 Jun 2004 - 01:38
Give me performance over looks anyday
Quote this comment #33.2 Posted by Danrarbc641 on 13 Jun 2004 - 02:48
QUOTE
Give me performance over looks anyday

Luckily Windowblinds offers both, especially with the video cards Alienware includes (hardware acceleration in WB)
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #34 Posted by TasT on 13 Jun 2004 - 03:06
Jeeezh folks, I have used WB since Ver 1.3 and yea 1.3 was kinda buggy.

Now with version 4.3B running I have experienced no proformance degration or any other problems. However just like with msstyles a bloated theme could slow things dowm a tad. 99 percent of the time I use skins that I have developed myself and have had no problems. and by the way did anyone notice that Stardock is now a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. I know MS is the devil and all but why would they certify a software maker that "slows down their OS?"

As far as the Alien ware thing goes I think it pretty cool and definatly good for both parties.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #35 Posted by Valkyre on 13 Jun 2004 - 08:52
And this is why I build my own computers. No bundled crap.

To be fair, I purchased WindowBlinds and I like it, but I always want third party stuff to be OPTIONAL.
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #36 Posted by sorlag on 13 Jun 2004 - 12:41
Stardock should fix that bug that blacks out scrollbars when resizing windows...
Uninstalled it, cause it has blackout bugs and it crashes min once a day...
Quote this comment #36.1 Posted by ghos on 13 Jun 2004 - 22:36
Perhaps you used a badly written skin. I have used WB since version 2.xx and have never seen the scrollbars blackout like you describe. Nor since using WB on XP have I ever had it crash on me due to WB. I suspect you have some other program that doesn't play nice with WB. Often times there may even be an option in WB that will help it work better for you, but people don't seem interested in finding an answer, they just drop the program.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #37 Posted by smoke on 13 Jun 2004 - 20:33
I think it's cool that they are doing this. But whenever someone even mentions stardock in a news post there usually is a ton of comments mostly arguments. I think it's ridiculous... it's as if there is a group of people who have a vendetta against stardock. I myself use what fits my requirements best and that means a mix of freeware and stardock stuff. I use litestep (barebones) with desktopX, objectbar and mobydock as my desktop, and then windowblinds to skin my windows. This whole thing about stardocks products being bloat though is not true. As I should know because I run all that on a comptuer MUCH less powerfull than an alienware. With as much money as you spend on Alienware computers and how they tout them as the most high perormance systems you would think that you could run any customisation program even if it's bloated and not get a performance hit. I'm sure with an alienware you can afforrd under 2mb of usage for a WB skin and pretty much 0 cpu utilisation.
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