Windowblinds 6 beta is available via SDC

[Danrarbc]

Decided to put something I noticed in the WB6 on XP images I'd seen since the first one to the test. To see if I was imagining it or if it really wasn't blurring it's own window borders (no biggie that it doesn't, I imagine it's a performance boost to not do so).

Pleasant surprise in the test, VMR9 (specifically the renderless option in MPC) video actually gets blurred too. It's definitely not updating every frame if there's a lot of motion in the video such as a camera pan but I was amazed to see it doing this at all.

Kudos Stardock.

[Randolph]

there are some annoying issues with WindowBlinds.

first, it doesnt add functionality to the Windows skinning engine, it replaces it. it's a little annoying to have it unload the Windows skinning engine - changing things to a "classic" look, and then load the WindowBlinds engine, then load the skin. When you go back to a native Windows theme, it has to unload the WindowBlinds engine - changing things back to a "classic" look, then load the Windows skinning engine and then the theme you selected.

second, those talented enough to make a WindowBlinds skin seem to enjoy making the most ugly, horrid interfaces known to man.

there are VERY few WindowBlinds skins that are totally usable and pleasant to look at. a lot of the people who make a Vista-looking skin for XP put crap in like fake Start Menus that have fake Search boxes. they don't function, but the skin designer thinks its cool to have the XP Start Menu look identical to Vista. why do they do this?

I am glad someone finally said it. Props to you my friend. (Y)(Y) :)

[Pas]

I'm guessing Xenomorph has never used WB6 and has had very little experience, if any,with WB5.

As for the lack of quality WB skins, I can direct you to numerous quality blinds. There's actually a few quality "msstyles" skins that have been ported to WB format.

Admit it, WB gives a skinner and end-user more options without having to change system files. I used "msstyle" skins when XP first came out, I admit. I'll even admit I purchased StyleXP when it still in beta. I know for a fact that WB is far superior to "msstyles". Now, if you guys who think you have to constantly trash WB in order to make yourself feel "adult" would kindly go to your msstyles threads, we who use WB would appreciate it. :) Have a great day, folks!

[Master Shake]

there are some annoying issues with WindowBlinds.

first, it doesnt add functionality to the Windows skinning engine, it replaces it. it's a little annoying to have it unload the Windows skinning engine - changing things to a "classic" look, and then load the WindowBlinds engine, then load the skin. When you go back to a native Windows theme, it has to unload the WindowBlinds engine - changing things back to a "classic" look, then load the Windows skinning engine and then the theme you selected.

second, those talented enough to make a WindowBlinds skin seem to enjoy making the most ugly, horrid interfaces known to man.

there are VERY few WindowBlinds skins that are totally usable and pleasant to look at. a lot of the people who make a Vista-looking skin for XP put crap in like fake Start Menus that have fake Search boxes. they don't function, but the skin designer thinks its cool to have the XP Start Menu look identical to Vista. why do they do this?

I agree with you COMPLETELY. I don't think WB is a bad program at all, I used to use wb5 myself. The only theme I could find that I liked was the Vista one, the other ones were all very disgusting. Hopefully that will change with 6 coming out. I really like that you can take msstyles and make them transparent. That looked awesome.

Edited August 8, 2007 by Master Shake

[Argi]

Wow, this looks very nice. I might just buy this down the track if they include some decent Vista themes (there aren't many of those around atm).

[Island Dog]

Wow, this looks very nice. I might just buy this down the track if they include some decent Vista themes (there aren't many of those around atm).

Isn't there like a gazillion Vista themes out there? :D

[BoDEAN]

So people who use XP will benefit more with this application? From what I'm reading, those with XP use this app to make XP look more like vista. Is there a benefit using this with vista?

[Island Dog]

The best benefit is you can easily change skins and have the features like adjustable transparency, blurring, colorizing skins, sidebar skinning, and the overall flexibility you will only get with WB. :)

[#Michael]

there are some annoying issues with WindowBlinds.

first, it doesnt add functionality to the Windows skinning engine, it replaces it. it's a little annoying to have it unload the Windows skinning engine - changing things to a "classic" look, and then load the WindowBlinds engine, then load the skin. When you go back to a native Windows theme, it has to unload the WindowBlinds engine - changing things back to a "classic" look, then load the Windows skinning engine and then the theme you selected.

second, those talented enough to make a WindowBlinds skin seem to enjoy making the most ugly, horrid interfaces known to man.

there are VERY few WindowBlinds skins that are totally usable and pleasant to look at. a lot of the people who make a Vista-looking skin for XP put crap in like fake Start Menus that have fake Search boxes. they don't function, but the skin designer thinks its cool to have the XP Start Menu look identical to Vista. why do they do this?

WB unloads the uxtheme automatically when you apply a theme. All you have to do to get the luna theme back and unload WB is select the luna theme at the front of WB and select apply. It then goes back to luna, loads uxtheme and unloads the wb engine. Very simple. Also, the uxtheme engine is nothing but a stripped down version of wb3.

I direct to to any skin made by KoL, vstyler, JJYing, Code2, adni18, b0se. Those are just some of my favorites.

My take on all msstyles/WB skins. 99% of all the skins out there are crap and not useable. Of the 1% left, 0.5% I might use for a few days to a week. The last 0.5% are the best ones and go into my rotating library for keeps. So far I have a grand total of 15 skins. Thats how picky I am.

So people who use XP will benefit more with this application? From what I'm reading, those with XP use this app to make XP look more like vista. Is there a benefit using this with vista?

People seem to like vista now because it's new and they can get XP to look like it because WB6/WB5 can do PPT now. Remember when OS X came out, there were 100's of msstyles/wb skins that looked like os x. Now you get 1 every so often. Give it a couple of months, it will die down.

For life of god, stop your complaining of the program. If you don't like it, don't use it. If you can't find a good skin, then take a crack at making your own or use the free version skinstudio and convert your favorite msstyle over.

Big pluses for WB5/6:

Use gpu for skinning, less cpu load/ram (mine uses a whopping 750K)

Can do PPT and now blurring

Animated start menus

recoloring of skins/individual parts of skins

[LOC Veteran]

In your opinion maybe. There are a wide variety of skins for WB that can fit all kinds of styles whether you like bulky, industrial type skins, or maybe just minimal skins with minimal transparency. I would be happy to list links to all my favorite "usable" skins, but I really don't think it would help much.

What "functionality" do you want?

Make sure you have the latest version of Stardock Central installed, then uninstall and reinstall again. If you still have issues please report it to the WB6 feedback thread.

http://forums.wincustomize.com/?forumid=16...=159218&p=5

Yeah it seems when I uninstalled WB5 SDC didn't get rid of all the registry entries. So I rebooted yet again and nuked them myself, then reinstalled WB6 and it loaded fine :)

[NienorGT]

Why any treads about WB always turn to flame? Damn, there is no adults there?

The tread started about WB6 Beta and now it's upon the again or the for the use of WB and the quality of the themes...

I'm afraid to start a tread about SkinStudio6 Beta that was made available...

[#Michael]

Why any treads about WB always turn to flame? Damn, there is no adults there?

The tread started about WB6 Beta and now it's upon the again or the for the use of WB and the quality of the themes...

I'm afraid to start a tread about SkinStudio6 Beta that was made available...

That's what happens here. People on neowin don't understand that WB has come a long way. They have this opinion from using version 3 or 4 and they continue to think that it doen's work right. They also think that the uxtheme is the best when really it is just a stripped down version of wb3.

[Echilon]

I've been using this for a few days now, and haven't really noticed anything different. Loading times seems about the same, and there are still skinning bugs with Office 2007.

[DigitalE]

So people who use XP will benefit more with this application? From what I'm reading, those with XP use this app to make XP look more like vista. Is there a benefit using this with vista?

One real advantage of using this on Vista is that you can convert and use XP visual styles :)

[-Hiroshi-]

sweet. I added transparent borders to LE 5.1 black. :woot:

Whoa!.. That sounds awesome, can you possibly share a screenshot of that in action? PM it if you want.

[Naughty Dog]

BTW, I thought I saw somewhere on the WB website saying if got WB5 from February and later, you get WB6 free. I'm not sure when I ordered my copy of WB5. I know only that I got the very first version about a week after the release. Do I qualify to get WB 6 free or just buy it with the upgrade discount out of curiosity.

[JaLooNz]

Anyone knows when the x64 version will be out?

[Island Dog]

Whoa!.. That sounds awesome, can you possibly share a screenshot of that in action? PM it if you want.

This is a quick shot a took of LE with some added transparency.

BTW, I thought I saw somewhere on the WB website saying if got WB5 from February and later, you get WB6 free. I'm not sure when I ordered my copy of WB5. I know only that I got the very first version about a week after the release. Do I qualify to get WB 6 free or just buy it with the upgrade discount out of curiosity.

Correct. Anyone who purchased after February 1st of this year will get the upgrade free, otherwise it will be at a discounted upgrade. If you PM me I can find out when you purchased your copy. :)

[Davebo]

I've been using this for a few days now, and haven't really noticed anything different. Loading times seems about the same, and there are still skinning bugs with Office 2007.

Bummer- I'm going to stick with my current version, and not purchase WB again until they sort out that problem. I know it's not Stardocks fault, but if they can't fix the glitches associated with Office 2007, then I'm going to have to switch back to VSs for XP. I use Office far to much...

[Dirty Dog]

Could someone who has Windowblinds 6 and Windows XP, use a Vista-like theme like Aeroglass and post screenshots of the titlebar with the new blur effect enabled, and with it disabled, for comparison so we can see the difference?

[Island Dog]

This is a quick comparison I made up with default settings.

[martin10018]

This is a quick comparison I made up with default settings.

What Vista-lookalike are you using?

[Island Dog]

This one.

http://flahorn.deviantart.com/art/Jadaero-1-4-56867320

:)

[martin10018]

This one.

http://flahorn.deviantart.com/art/Jadaero-1-4-56867320

:)

Thanks!

[Dirty Dog]

Any chance you could show the left hand side of the titlebar so I can see how it affects the text? ;) I think the biggest difference between Vista themes in XP, and the real Vista, is the readability of the titlebar text, which in XP can get a bit 'lost' against the background. In Vista it has a sort of white glow around titlebar text to fix this. I am wondering if WB6 incorporates a similar effect, or if not, whether the new blurring effect will help to improve titlebar text readability.

Vista: note the white glow around the text

Windowblinds 5.5, Windows XP, Aeroglass theme

Note how the text in the active window is completely lost against the text underneath it. I would love to know whether WB6 has fixed this before I pay out for it. If they do the same as they did with WB5.x, the trial version which they will release in future will not have per pixel capabilities so the only way to find out will be to buy it.