Is OS Customization dead?

[Dot Matrix]

Once off XP, I just lost interest in customizing. I was satisfied with the look of Vista, 7, and 8 (Though I have added Metro icons to my setup.). As I've gotten older, I need an OS that just works, as such, I've stopped installing third party junk to my systems.

[neo1911]

I think the current young guys/girls in their teens grew up on iPhones and don't know if customization thing exists because of locked down nature of operating systems. For guys like me above 25 yrs, we have changed priorities, jobs. Now have family, etc. So too little time to tinker around.

That's why we see just a different wallpaper in most of the replies in Show your desktop thread of neowin.

[PGHammer]

  On 07/08/2014 at 22:52, Scraggles said:

Sucks :( We all used to be so... individual. We're becoming the lemmings they wanted us to be. The internet is a ###### place lately.

It's not dead - as has been pointed out, Object Desktop (and all of its components) are still around - in fact, they all will still work on Windows 8+.  (Other new components - such as Start8 - were created specifically with Windows 8+ in mind).

 

What HAS happened is that it has, by and large, become moribund; Object Desktop (and the components thereof) isn't even the largest source of Stardock's annual revenues.  (That, in and of itself, is a major change from even five years ago.)

[neiio]

Check out my latest desktop.  I don't think it's dead, just lazy.  :D

 

[Beyond Godlike]

  On 07/08/2014 at 23:09, duoi said:

I think the biggest part of the problem was that, for me at least, it resulted in instability. Once the "coolness" wore off, all you're left with is something that is only 90% as stable as it could be.

 

That, and the Start Menu changes in Windows 7 really ended any point for customization. The only real useful accessory these days is Bins, and even its usefulness is questionable.

 

 

The glory days of it for me were XP.  The themes on XP were actually inventive and refreshing.  I think the transparency of Aero took away alot of that going forward, and most themes became clunky and not really useful for any productivity.  For example, Clearscreen sharp was my windows 7 theme for years because it wasnt distracting or had huge obnoxious buttons.  

 

I havent really looked at 8.1 customization, and things like Windowblinds are so glitchy, that I see the glitches and hate them within a day.  WB themes are also ugly for the most part - and stardock rarely make anything thats stable. 

 

Android as well...CM themes are obnoxious.  I used to live using CM based roms for the themes, but quickly realized it wasnt useful to me. 

 

Only things im looking forward now are OSX dark mode...lol

[Gabe84]

I side with the old guys. I used to customize a lot, but now I don't have neither the time nor the will to look for tools, experiment them and possibly fix any damage done to my OS.

[monkeylove]

  On 09/08/2014 at 04:13, mrp04 said:

As far as I'm aware that's not possible. Don't remember ever seeing that option in 7 or Vista either.

 

I found out one way, but it involves hex-editing some files, etc. I think this is what developers do when they make customized themes and skin packs.

 

I'd like to add that I need to do this because the white background sometimes hurts my eyes.

[kala-kas]

  On 09/08/2014 at 10:16, monkeylove said:

I found out one way, but it involves hex-editing some files, etc. I think this is what developers do when they make customized themes and skin packs.

 

I'd like to add that I need to do this because the white background sometimes hurts my eyes.

 

Well, dear friend, I might have a solution for you: either WSB or something that I have created while back: http://www.betaarchive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=28246 No HEX editing needed, although you do need to know what to edit. I basiacally know everything there is to know about MsStyles, so if any questions, feel free to ask. Been doing tons of research over two last years on it and I know quite a bit, how to, where to.

 

Havent worked on a full editor for a while though, should finish it some time...

[+Anarkii Subscriber²]

I think the biggest problem now is Windows 8 themes are no longer themes which skin the whole OS, but more just boring backgrounds. 
I havent seen any customised desktops for windows 8 since the montly desktops threads were opened, and every Metro screen does look the same. 
So yep, OS customisation is dead for sure :(

[kala-kas]

And because its highly decreasing trend I havent really finished the full editor, I do not see the demand being there for themers. Yes, it might give some life back to it, since it would be free not 25$ like Windows Style Builder, but I too think the customization will be dead soon

[theyarecomingforyou]

  On 09/08/2014 at 11:13, Anarkii said:

I think the biggest problem now is Windows 8 themes are no longer themes which skin the whole OS, but more just boring backgrounds. 

I havent seen any customised desktops for windows 8 since the montly desktops threads were opened, and every Metro screen does look the same.

There are UX themes for Windows 8 but they tend to be incomplete and the UX installers are notoriously unstable. In the end I gave up, as it's more hassle than it's worth.

[tsupersonic]

I also no longer do it either. It was nice to do in the days of Windows XP, but with Windows 7/8, the UI just works as it is. Plus, I love how MS added UI features like aero snap, transparency, win+tab, etc. The only customization programs I use are Starisback on my Desktop only, and 7+ Taskbar tweaker. 

[fusi0n]

  On 07/08/2014 at 22:55, perochan said:

OSX has Geektool. That is about it.

..no. They have tons of ways.. LiteIcon.. You can change just about anything in OSX.. 

[NinjaGinger]

Windows is so locked off for custom look. Every time a new version of Windows comes, there is less to customize,7 Glass, 8, Gone. Whats left?

[Chasethebase Reporter]

I think it's also the fact that a lot of users are happy with the OS' default look, I know I'm not alone in saying Luna wasn't the prettiest of default themes.  :laugh:

 

That's the only reason I customised, so that I could have a better default. 

[simplezz]

There's a lot of customisation going on in GNU/Linux. It helps of course that there are loads of different DE's. I've seen some really unique stuff done with Conky.

[Max Norris]

  On 09/08/2014 at 11:49, NinjaGinger said:

Windows is so locked off for custom look. Every time a new version of Windows comes, there is less to customize,7 Glass, 8, Gone. Whats left?

Windows XP:

Change icons? Yes

Change visual style? Yes

Replace theme engine? Yes

Change sounds? Yes

Change cursors? Yes

Add transparency/other effects? Yes

Add Explorer extensions (Tabs, toolbars, etc)? Yes

Replace file manager entirely? Yes

Replace start menu? Yes

Replace the entire shell? Yes

System monitoring programs (Rainmeter, Samurize, etc)? Yes

Sidebar programs? Yes

Widget programs? Yes

Multiple desktop programs? Yes

Custom dock? Yes

Custom toolbars? Yes

Change boot logo? Yes

Replace the console? Yes

Windows 8:

Change icons? Yes

Change visual style? Yes

Replace theme engine? Yes

Change sounds? Yes

Change cursors? Yes

Add transparency/other effects? Yes

Add Explorer extensions (Tabs, toolbars, etc)? Yes

Replace file manager entirely? Yes

Replace start menu? Yes

Replace the entire shell? Yes

System monitoring programs(Rainmeter, Samurize, etc)? Yes

Sidebar programs? Yes

Widget programs? Yes

Multiple desktop programs? Yes

Custom dock? Yes

Custom toolbars? Yes

Change boot logo? Yes

Replace the console? Yes

Did I miss anything? Not sure what's "locked off."

[Anibal P]

Honestly don't have time to waste "tweaking" or customizing windows, Win 8 looks fine, it's not XP levels of horribleness, so I don't waste time on it anymore 

 

There's nothing stopping you, but most of us don't see the need anymore 

[Zeph3r]

  On 09/08/2014 at 13:11, Anibal P said:

Honestly don't have time to waste "tweaking" or customizing windows, Win 8 looks fine, it's not XP levels of horribleness, so I don't waste time on it anymore 

 

There's nothing stopping you, but most of us don't see the need anymore 

 

 

  On 09/08/2014 at 11:28, tsupersonic said:

I also no longer do it either. It was nice to do in the days of Windows XP, but with Windows 7/8, the UI just works as it is. Plus, I love how MS added UI features like aero snap, transparency, win+tab, etc. The only customization programs I use are Starisback on my Desktop only, and 7+ Taskbar tweaker. 

 

Same here,  I like the Windows 8.1 desktop UI, the only changes I made were to remove the start button, add some metro themed cursors and set my color scheme.

 

And on Windows XP I had dragons breathing fire when I opened the start menu and magical effects for minimizing/maximizing.  I must be getting old.

[Migra]

CandyBar for OS X is also dead! To me it seems that GUI customization is almost dead!

[Brad Bodnaruk]

Dead or Non-existant? huh, Far From it.  Stardock's Object Desktop has been my favourite software package for the past 10 years. I use just about every tool in it. Customized OS to meet my needs. I have used it on every OS, from windows 98, XP, Vista, 7 and now 8.

Skinning and coloring and animating is the way I go.

 

www.stardock.com

www.wincustomize.com

http://www.stardock.com/products/odnt/

 

check it out.

[dead.cell]

  On 09/08/2014 at 06:33, neiio said:

Check out my latest desktop.  I don't think it's dead, just lazy.  :D

 

<snip>

Oh hey! I follow you on DA! You make some great stuff. :)

 

Yeah, I was getting into customization mostly because I feel Windows 8 just needs a few tweaks to be perfect.

 

Unfortunately, I'm not sure what caused my last issue, but my girlfriend's account could no longer run explorer.exe so I had to refresh the whole system and start over. I think that's one of the things that can be off-putting sometimes, granted I've never had this issue before.

 

I think what I'll do is create an image of my drive with Macrium before I start tweaking again. :P

[mantragora]

  On 07/08/2014 at 22:25, Scraggles said:

... Am I missing something?...

Yeah, one big bookmark on this page. ;)

 

[Deihmos]

The masses do not care about these things. I know I don't...

[compl3x]

The novelty of having a skinned GUI has completely worn off for me.