is there any advantage of WB over windows xp?

[ivanhope]

i want to know if makes any sense to buy the software and use it instead of windows xp styles

[jbrukardt]

To put it simply, no. In fact there are many disadvantages to WB, mem hog, messy themes, cluttered app. Just to name a few. Stick with a uxtheme patch

[Veiva]

To put it simply, no.  In fact there are many disadvantages to WB, mem hog, messy themes, cluttered app.  Just to name a few.  Stick with a uxtheme patch

584885029[/snapback]

No, that is just a myth.

Windowlinds is fast, uses less memory, skins the shutdown dialogs, and other thigs.

Frogboy can tell you more.

uxtheme has better themes though....

[jbrukardt]

No, that is just a myth.

Windowlinds is fast, uses less memory, skins the shutdown dialogs, and other thigs.

Frogboy can tell you more.

uxtheme has better themes though....

584885042[/snapback]

I know that its a common conception as well, but i have experienced this from personal experience. Think about it, it uses an additional app to theme, uxtheme uses none, any additional app is gonna use more mem

[martinsc]

WB is just a great little app...

btw, before you buy it, you can try the trial version and see for yourself, that the stories about mem hog are just myth...

[Veiva]

I know that its a common conception as well, but i have experienced this from personal experience.  Think about it, it uses an additional app to theme, uxtheme uses none, any additional app is gonna use more mem

584885047[/snapback]

If you test the same theme on windowsblinds and uxtheme, wb uses less memory.

You have to disable the winows theme mgr if you want more memory.

And why does a different app use more memory? People can code better than MS employees. They aren't the best...

[martinsc]

If you test the same theme on windowsblinds and uxtheme, wb uses less memory.

You have to disable the winows theme mgr if you want more memory.

And why does a different app use more memory?  People can code better than MS employees.  They aren't the best...

584885057[/snapback]

(Y)

[AgEnTsMiTh]

To put it simply, no.  In fact there are many disadvantages to WB, mem hog, messy themes, cluttered app.  Just to name a few.  Stick with a uxtheme patch

584885029[/snapback]

You obviously have NO clue what you are talking about.

[dreamz Veteran]

i want to know if makes any sense to buy the software and use it instead of windows xp styles

584885019[/snapback]

different (though maybe not better) themes, sometimes faster (though sometimes not), more extensive skinning process (may not matter to you).

try it and see.

i still love the uxtheme hack and visual styles.

[insanekiwi]

no advantage. wb or uxtheme use little memory. uxtheme is just more comfortabel imo, i don't like the fact using a 3rd party app to load my themes.

[JustVince]

no advantage. wb or uxtheme use little memory. uxtheme is just more comfortabel imo, i don't like the fact using a 3rd party app to load my themes.

584885141[/snapback]

I agree I've tried both and I'm just more comfortable with uxtheme.

[thornz0]

windowblinds is seamlessly integrated, and if you disable the theme service (not a good idea if you switch between msstyle and wb) is in many cases, but not all, faster.

plain and simple, if you want a complete skinning package with the abilitiy to colorize themes and generally a bit more speed, go windowblinds, if you like what msstyle themes can do, hey its free, and thats always a nice perk.

[#Michael]

To put it simply, no.  In fact there are many disadvantages to WB, mem hog, messy themes, cluttered app.  Just to name a few.  Stick with a uxtheme patch

584885029[/snapback]

Once again, someone spittting **** out their ass without thinking. WB uses the same if not less memory to use then the uxtheme engine, most are very minimal and easy to use, and the app is very simple.

Try sticking to what you are good at (god only knows what that is :angry: ) and leave the advice to others.

WB is an outstanding piece of software. It is what micosoft should have created for XP in the first place.

[greenreaper]

My advice: Try them both out. Remember that if you install the free version of SkinStudio from http://www.skinstudio.net/, you can convert msstyles to the WB format.

(Yes, WB is an extra app. No, Windows doesn't do it for free - it has its own app, just hidden as a service. Yes, this service usually uses more memory than WB, and is slower - MS didn't have years to make the better app, and it hasn't changed since XP came out. Yes, msstyles are simpler, which some prefer, but that's because they can't do what WB skins can in terms of button placement, animation or border resizing. Wear hard hat before entering. Void where prohibited.)

[Daybreak]

I think the key thing here is that most of the skins that come for WindowsBlinds aren't really too thrilling / usuable (IMHO anyway), and that conversion in SkinStudio wasn't too perfect the last time I tried.

[#Michael]

I think the key thing here is that most of the skins that come for WindowsBlinds aren't really too thrilling / usuable (IMHO anyway), and that conversion in SkinStudio wasn't too perfect the last time I tried.

584886014[/snapback]

See that's just it....the last time you tried it. Give it another try you will find it to be much better.

Also, msstyles have its fair share of bloated un-useable themes.....don't judge a program based upon just a few themes.

[Autumnmist]

I think the key thing here is that most of the skins that come for WindowsBlinds aren't really too thrilling / usuable (IMHO anyway), and that conversion in SkinStudio wasn't too perfect the last time I tried.

584886014[/snapback]

That's really a matter of personal opinion. For example, if you're really interested in emulating OS X styles, msstyles can't even *touch* WB.

The default skins that come with a WB install are pretty hideous, but there are way over 4000 WB skins floating around... I think if you actually tried to look, you'd find something you like.

The Skinstudio conversion has improved markedly in 4.2-4.4 releases; enough so that I simply convert all my msstyles to WB and use WB instead.

And for anyone who thinks that uxtheme is perfect.... just remember that Microsoft and Nvidia and ATI themselves have licensed WB technology for their own branded skins.

[Jexxster]

Give it a try, then decide. Much better than listening to some of the idiots here who don't have a clue what they are talking about.

It all boils down to a matter of personal preference. I prefer using a program that isn't a system hack (just a preference), on the whole I prefer WB themes as there is simply more they do and they skin the system more completely. I have used both and decided that WB was more than worth it.

But only because I used both and came to my own conclusion.

[Pas]

it seems too many people who have no clue as to what WB does has an opinion on it. WB is capable of enhancing the Windows GUI far more than the msstyle skinning engine can do. as far as WB using a lot of RAM....IE uses more RAM, as does Notepad, on my machine. did you know that some of the so called 'premier' msstyle skinners use WB on their personal machines instead of the msstyle skinning engine because they want better perfromance and more of the GUI skinned? my advice is to take what greenreaper said to heart. he knows what he speaks of.

[Daybreak]

I didn't mean to offend anyone though :) Like I said, just my personal opinion - in fact, I gave up on themeing altogether, mainly because there was always something missing for me in each and every theme, be it WB or MSStyles. I'm back on Windows Classic now, as a matter of fact.

[Frogboy Administrators]

[My personal recommendations]

Okay first off if you want a full run down of why to use WindowBlinds instead of hacking your uxtheme.dll here is a page that goes through it:

WindowBlinds 4 Info Page

But in a nutshell here is why you would use WindowBlinds instead:

1) It really does use less memory. When you use WindowBlinds you're using its engine instead of the XP themes service. The XP themes service is pretty good but not as optimized as WindowBlinds.

2) WindowBlinds 4.4 is significantly faster. WindowBlinds has had 3 years now to optimize its performance on Windows XP and it shows.

3) WindowBlinds can colorize skins on the fly. Don't like that blue skin? Make it green or yellow or whatever color you want.

4) It can skin non-theme aware programs.

5) It can have its buttons anywhere you want giving skinners a lot more flexibility.

6) Its borders can be any size - msstyles have to be 3 pixels. So you can make Mac or BeOS or totally new kinds of skins.

7) WindowBlinds (if SkinStudio is installed) can use msstyles. While not always perfect in conversion, today (November 2004) it's pretty bullet proof and gets better all the time.

8) WindowBlinds supports a bunch of extra effects and skins more elements (progress animations, toolbar icons, logoff screens, Start menu mouse overs, etc.). And don't forget it does all this and still uses less RAM and CPU.

I don't get this "default WindowBlinds skins suck" thing. WindowBlinds 4.4 skins shouldbe the kinds of skins Neowin users like too. Lots of miminalistic skins are included now.

What I think many people forget is that most msstyles look awful. What people see on Neowin are the handful of good ones that get made. Here's the msstyle library at themexp: Msstyle library at ThemeXP. I don't think those look better than the typical WindowBlinds skin.

[Autumnmist]

I don't get this "default WindowBlinds skins suck" thing.  WindowBlinds 4.4 skins shouldbe the kinds of skins Neowin users like too. Lots of miminalistic skins are included now.

584887139[/snapback]

Default WB skin case in point: MacPC. Yeah it's fun for a few seconds but fugly (I have yet to see anyone posting longterm screenshots of that skin in use) but why not include any of the really beautiful OS X ports and show off WB's ability to have left-side buttons and rounded windows? Smoothstripes, Guipod, TiSkin, Aluminum Alloy, Milk, Soft Aqua, Soft Blue Milk, Xi Fresh Snow, Ice, Jetblack... or even if you want a shocking look, Eylo.

[Frogboy Administrators]

Default WB skin case in point: MacPC.  Yeah it's fun for a few seconds but fugly (I have yet to see anyone posting longterm screenshots of that skin in use) but why not include any of the really beautiful OS X ports and show off WB's ability to have left-side buttons and rounded windows?  Smoothstripes, Guipod, TiSkin, Aluminum Alloy, Milk, Soft Aqua, Soft Blue Milk, Xi Fresh Snow, Ice, Jetblack... or even if you want a shocking look, Eylo.

584887244[/snapback]

Part of that has to do with being sued. Using Apple's graphics ina WindowBlinds skin would be a liability. We have Apple's permission to do classic. But they have in the past expressly told us not to do Aqua.

I know Style XP includes it but Apple notices what we do a bit more. Perhaps in time we will throw in in there and if Apple says something we can bring up Style XP in defense but for now we've taken the safer route.

[Autumnmist]

So do all the community artist themes like Aluminum Alloy all fall under Apple's purview?

[Redestium]

You obviously have NO clue what you are talking about.

584885088[/snapback]

Just what I was going to say.