RSSWindowBlinds 6 Alters Vista Interface
By Nate Mook | Published October 2, 2007, 4:29 PM
Stardock has released version 6 of its popular WindowBlinds user interface skinning application, which is the first tool that can overhaul the look of Windows Vista - from the Taskbar to window borders and buttons.
Although Microsoft improved upon the "Luna" skin it created for Windows XP back in 2001, the Redmond company still does not enable users to change the interface graphics of its operating systems, Vista included. This is a positive for Stardock, which has been helping users "skin" Windows for nearly a decade.
The $19.95 WindowsBlinds 6 adds full skinning support to Vista, which Stardock claims does not affect performance when a modern video card is used. The new release fully supports modifying the Internet Explorer 7 interface, and relies on Vista's built-in hardware graphics acceleration to allow for maximum performance.
View a screenshot of WindowBlinds 6 in action
With version 6, skins can contain advanced animation, and a new configuration utility is included for customizing options within a skin, such as fonts and colors. Although skinning is often seen as merely eye-candy, Stardock CEO Brad Wardell argues that by making Windows more fun, productivity can be boosted as well.
"One of our biggest goals for WindowBlinds 6 was to give it features that would make it useful and fun for the broadest possible audience," remarked Wardell. "For instance, to show off the new animation feature, we include a skin called Molten which has a fully animated Start menu complete with an animated dragon which flaps wings within fire without slowing down the PC."
For those who have yet to make the upgrade to Vista, WindowBlinds 6 offers some Vista-like features on Windows XP. Users can turn on "blurred glass" window borders, and skin capabilities will allow designers to make XP look virtually identical to Vista (screenshot). Because Microsoft owns the graphical designs in Vista, Stardock could not build in such an option for Windows XP users.
WindowBlinds 6, like all previous releases, is shareware and costs $19.95. Those who purchased WindowBlinds 5 after February 1, 2007 will receive the upgrade free of charge. WindowBlinds is part of Stardock's popular subscription ObjectDesktop program, which includes a number of other Windows customization applications as well.
Download WindowBlinds 6 from FileForum and let others know what you think.
Does this run on Linux? Oh wait, there's no restrictions on what you can do to your GUI in Linux. My bad...
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|Again,
Have fun with that.
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|b0bby,
that's HILARIOUS dude!
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|If only I can get back the XP shell/explorer.
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|Sure. Install XP.
*shrug*
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|I've been using WindowBlinds since version 1.0 and I'm running the current version of Object Desktop. Molten is ok, but some of the older premium suites don't run well on the new system. I don't think I'll renew when my current license expires.
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|I love how all these customization apps want you to use an OS X interface. Clearly there's some UI envy there.
*dons flamesuit*
Hehe ;)
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|No worse than all the idiots uploading XPish skins to the skin site.
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|The top two on WinCustomize WindowBlinds verall downloads are an XP and a Vista skin.
Downloads today are two vista skins.
Top rated mimic no OS in particular.
No flame needed. Just some perspective.
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|now with more os x ui!
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|You've been able to do that for quite some time. Google "flyakite" for an XP total transformation.
Used it for a while. Novelty wore off. Back to Windows Classic on that system for a while. (until I get bored of that)
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|Damn, now I have to buy another version. Sucks to be one of the first folks buying ver. 5. Now I get to be one of the first buying Ver. 6.
I love how they court the new users and leave the one's who've been using them for years in the dust.
*shrug*
Just business, I know. Still sucks.
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|they dont offer an incentive or free upgrade to ver 5 owners?
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|FTFA: Those who purchased WindowBlinds 5 after February 1, 2007 will receive the upgrade free of charge.
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|If you don't qualify for the free upgrade, then you can upgrade for $15.
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|Sweet. It's mine.
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|looks good ... my fav windows desktop alterer is aston. but i dont want my windows looking like mac ... i know thye have better choices
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|I love stardock's windowblinds! I'll be sure to get the latest version since I have a subscription to stardock.net
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|Very nice and my system doesn't take a performance hit in the process. They have a great eye for efficient UI flow. Why doesn't Redmond hire these guys?!
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|They have:
http://channel9.msdn.com...Post.aspx?PostID=135225
(Scroll *way* down. Hardly concrete proof, but I haven't the time to find something less refutable) {EDIT: Bah...looked, can't find anything. I could have sworn I had heard Stardock was involved. Ah well.}
http://jkontherun.blogs....09/microsoft-has-r.html
Not only did Stardock help design your beloved Vista interface, they also helped with DreamScene.
Hurts, don't it?
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|i love dreamscene .... but i cant seem to find the background with the wheatfield
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|Check out:
http://www.wincustomize....?skinid=98&libid=50
It's a premium one, though. Grrr...
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|nyoro~n
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|No, but too bad Redmond picked the wrong UI. Vista's okay, but not my first choice, but then this is all personal preference, much like the color of your car.
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|I hate dreamscene. 5-40% CPU use to show a loop in the background is stupid.
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|Heh... mines green. Definitely not my preference, but I get your meaning.
My god...did we just have a civil exchange?
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|Er... have you updated recently?
I've got it running right now and both cores are between 2 and 5 percent right now.
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|aye, i know a bit about the .net framework, or atleast i still remmeber some of it from programming in college.. microsoft wants people to do this, it causes more customization, and draws more users to the products..! more customers,m more money..
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|Eh?
You know I don't speak Spanish. :p
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|Okay, if that's the case its time to shut down BN. We can't have that stuff going on. Hopefully another HD DVD vs. BluRay article comes along to reignite the tentions.
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|In this case (Zridling vs. "toolie"), it'd have to be Microsoft or Government related.
I really couldn't care less about HiDef.
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|Where can I buy this? Oh wait I forgot, I can customize the appearance of Linux without buying anything!
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|Have fun with that.
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