The best Windows 8 theme - It's absolutely amazing

[Boz]

By accident I stumbled upon an amazing theme for Windows 8.

If you were looking to get Windows 8 to suck less visually I've made my installation gorgeous and now everything is even better than Windows 7 I had.

Here's what I have:

Visual theme/style is Snowy 2.0 here http://carborunda.de...ows-8-358919115

EDIT: Theme is updated to Snowy 3.0: http://carborunda.de...ows-8-363931948

You can adjust colors as you would in WIndows normally and it comes with multiple scenarios (with ribbon, without ribbon, with white active window caption, with dark active window caption)

1. Installed UXStyle.com

To get really cool effects, dock and stuff I refreshed my apps from Stardock with latest versions.

A) ObjectDock Plus 2.0 (better than ever right now). It's almost identical to OSX dock.

B) Decor8 for adjusting backgrounds of the lock screen, background on the win8 metro start screen, and a couple of other things. Excellent little utility

C) Start8 (I'm sure people already know what it is)

D) WindowsFX 5.0 (works awesome! with Windows 8 since it's updated)

E) IconPackager 5.1 (works fine with Win8) Scratch that Iron Packager 5.1 messes things up in Windows 8 -> DO NOT USE

F) Since I spent lately most of my time in OSX I couldn't get use to non-antialiased text in Windows. It just looked terrible for me, especially when writing code. It was just so terrible on the eyes.

So I am using this awesome awesome little utility https://code.google.com/p/mactype/ The best font smoothing for Windows. Depending on what presets you set it is 99% the same as OSX. It's amazing.

G) I also got used to using Win key/CMD on OSX instead of CTRL in Windows, so I used one cool app as well called SharpKeys http://sharpkeys.codeplex.com/ that will allow you to reconfigure keys so I did a switch between CTRL and WIN keys in windows so when I switch between OSX and Windows all my software and shortcuts feel the same (it was always an issue when I switch to windows to mentally adjust to hit CTRL keys instead of Win flag key - which is CMD in OSX)

H) If you want to get an excellent OSX like screenshot taking utility I highly highly recommend FastStone http://www.faststone...ptureDetail.htm .. Not only that this utility works even better than default Windows or OSX screen capture shortcuts and ways, but it allows you to upload to your own FTP. So you can hit Win+Print Screen capture rectangular area and you can either have it in clipboard or you can upload it all automatically to your FTP and it will copy to clipboard the URL to your screenshot to share. It's amazing and one of those apps I can't live without.

I am now complete and love Windows again. No issues whatsoever so far. Everything works as advertised, fast, light etc.

I hope you enjoy it too as this is really exactly what I hoped I would be able to do on Windows 8.

My Desktop as it is now

[jamieakers]

Can't help but feel ... you shoulda bought a Mac?

[Shaun N.]

Can't help but feel ... you shoulda bought a Mac?

the problem is, knowing Boz's setup and that he already has several Mac's he should stick to them

[Boz]

Can't help but feel ... you shoulda bought a Mac?

I already have a Mac.. 2 in fact Mac Pro tower and Mac Book Air.. and I have OSX installed on this computer as well as Hackintosh.. I boot from one into another and the reason I have these things is to make them look similar when I boot from Windows to OSX and vice versa when I work.

There are things you can't do on OSX and there are things you can't do on Windows. I develop software, build stuff for mobile and I need both.

But this is not about me.. this is about people making their Windows look pretty.. what i posted actually makes it much more useful, easier on the eyes and it actually helps with productivity.. I suggested utilities I use for those who want it.. you don't have to install them at all if you don't want to.

[notchinese]

Looks good, but I prefer the stock flat look more.

[+InsaneNutter MVC]

Awesome that does look pretty good, I shall give the theme a test.

Cheers for sharing! :)

[Scorbing]

Can't help but feel ... you shoulda bought a Mac?

It's amazing how some people hate Macs and OSX but yet they want their Windows OS to look like it.

[BajiRav]

It's amazing how some people hate Macs and OSX but yet they want their Windows OS to look like it.

The only thing that bothers me in this case is having two "docks" on the screen. :/ I guess suits his taste.

[spudtrooper]

I'm sorry, but That's nasty..

[link6155]

In my opinion, there's better themes then this. To me, this theme feels like cheap plastic. I think "Base" is the best windows 8 theme, although that's a pretty biased statement since I am the creator of Base :p

More info here: http://fav.me/d5xf3on

[ahhell]

That is the worst Win8 theme that I've ever seen.

:|

[Scorbing]

In my opinion, there's better themes then this. To me, this theme feels like cheap plastic. I think "Base" is the best windows 8 theme, although that's a pretty biased statement since I am the creator of Base :p

More info here: http://fav.me/d5xf3on

nice!!!!!

[vcfan]

you should be banned from being a windows user.

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

i remember back in the day when the MAC transformation pack was a big thing, as well as the vista transformation pack.

[Guest]

I'd like this more minus all of the gradients.

nice!!!!!

In my opinion, there's better themes then this. To me, this theme feels like cheap plastic. I think "Base" is the best windows 8 theme, although that's a pretty biased statement since I am the creator of Base :p

More info here: http://fav.me/d5xf3on

I kinda like this but they were too heavy handed with the contrast of the pixel lines. I also hate the red.

[Tweaker]

Back to the topic, great theme Boz. I'm using a little tool called WinAreo Glass along with the theme and it gives the theme a glass appearance just like in Windows 7.

[CptMalSG1]

Can't help but feel ... you shoulda bought a Mac?

bahahaha! MY EXACT THOUGHT. <3

I'm a pc guy but from the way you have it set up and you saying its the BEST.

[123456789A]

Is there a way to make the borders a little more narrow?

[PsYcHoKiLLa]

Much prefer these :

Nite Smooth

Slan Theme

Work Theme

Of course you'll need the Ultra UX Theme Patcher to install them, then restart, then just copy the files to C:\Windows\Resources\Themes and choose a theme.

[Detection]

I know everyone has different tastes so no offence to OP, but I don't see the amazing part of that theme at all, nor the one above, XP, Vista and 7 all look better themed, but ignoring my personal view of 8, I think visually it is fairly nice as it is

[Tweaker]

Enron here is a tool that will allow you to adjust the borders on Windows 8.

TinyWindowsBorders.zip

[GarakObama]

What is your configuration for Mactype?

It's working worse than GDI++ did. It only works in one or two places and most of the time it looks terrible like Ubuntus font rendering back in the early days.

[0sit0]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. I hate the Win8 Desktop theme. It feels so unpolished in so many levels. Especially when using a dark theme you cant read the Window title and the contrast between objects is minimal. Will definitively use this one.

[cropcircles]

Awesome that does look pretty good, I shall give the theme a test.

Cheers for sharing! :)

:)

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

Really enjoying this - thanks! :)