WindowBlinds 5 Brings Vista UI to XP - Why not MS??

According to company CEO Brad Wardell. Initially, Wardell's team was dubious that such features could be added without severe performance lag to Windows XP, which lacks Vista's new advanced graphics subsystem. Unlike previous versions, WindowBlinds 5 requires no extra process to run; it loads up as an extension to Windows XP and replaces Microsoft's own theme system. Wardell hopes the change will finally put to rest complaints that WindowBlinds is not "native," and says the release can even improve default interface performance by tapping into DirectX.

The "glassy" Vista look is achieved through per-pixel alpha blending, which "means that every given pixel can be blended to whatever's behind it." The result is a smoother look to all windows and controls. "If you look closely on Windows XP, the curved borders are jagged," explained Wardell.

If  they can do, why not Microsoft come up some good themes for XP??

Why would they?

I can't think of a single good reason.

When they can make a new Themes for Vista, Why not add them to XP

MS always leaves a blank....  so the third party can fill up...

Or atleast release the designer so we can create our own themes the way we want and not the same blue/green/silver boring................[C].

Michael Griffiths wrote:

Why would they?

I can't think of a single good reason.

arunpv wrote:

When they can make a new Themes for Vista, Why not add them to XP

MS always leaves a blank....  so the third party can fill up...

Or atleast release the designer so we can create our own themes the way we want and not the same blue/green/silver boring.................

Microsoft has released 1 theme to promote the Tablet PC for the entire stretch of WinXP.

Why would Microsoft release more?

The amount of people who use themes is close to insignificant, and those people will use Windowblinds, which is a fairly good product.

Michael Griffiths wrote:

The amount of people who use themes is close to insignificant

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't something like 90% of all Windows XP users use the provided "Luna" visual style set?

W3bbo wrote:

Michael Griffiths wrote: The amount of people who use themes is close to insignificant

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't something like 90% of all Windows XP users use the provided "Luna" visual style set?

But ask yourself this: do they use Luna because they care about theming, or because it was that way oob? I think most people who use Luna fall in the latter category, and they wouldn't install a new theme even if MS released one.

Sven Groot wrote:

But ask yourself this: do they use Luna because they care about theming, or because it was that way oob? I think most people who use Luna fall in the latter category, and they wouldn't install a new theme even if MS released one.

Bingo!

By the way, that effect on WB5 is translucency, not quite the "glass" effect (that creates a blurred refraction of the background). I suspect that would be quite harder to achieve

The fascade of a new API without the awesome Vista compositing engine? Yeah... that's thrilling.

I'm a fan of themeing myself, but consistent themeing like in Gnome or Firefox.

I like pretty things.

Don't forget, Microsoft is in the business of making money.  If they gave away the new Vista UI in Windows XP, then no one would need to buy Vista.

I must respond to this:

geekling wrote:

I'm a fan of themeing myself, but consistent themeing like in Gnome or Firefox.

I like pretty things.

Consistant theming like in Firefox?  You're pretty lucky if you actually find a consistant theme in firefox:  the most popular ones work well because they are old and mature, but a lot of the themes on Mozilla Update are incomplete in some fashion or just plain wrong...  missing buttons, not theming all the window elements (dialog buttons, etc.), using icons somewhere from the theme the author based them on (such as in the help browser).  That's why I'm still using Winstripe...

Hahahahaha..

Let me explain
Correct, they released a Royale Theme and its pretty.

>Why would MS release more?
If a lame user doesn't care about the Themes then why the heck are they creating new themes for Vista? why not fix the damn bugs and add features other than *THEMES* and let Google or others take over from there. Microsoft is always behind innovation. They see others and try to copy that....bad bad bad cheap.........
Try  to Innovate something others haven't done, i feel its impossible for Microsoft with all the corporate bureaucracy.... its just my 2 cents comment....

If others don't care atleast for developers and people who like Themes for them give them Designer, let me know add whatever they want.

Michael Griffiths wrote:

arunpv wrote:When they can make a new Themes for Vista, Why not add them to XP MS always leaves a blank....  so the third party can fill up... Or atleast release the designer so we can create our own themes the way we want and not the same blue/green/silver boring.................

Microsoft has released 1 theme to promote the Tablet PC for the entire stretch of WinXP.

Why would Microsoft release more?

The amount of people who use themes is close to insignificant, and those people will use Windowblinds, which is a fairly good product.

if its possible by tweaking why complain as long as MS doesn't try to stop it?  
i once heard ( may be wrong) that mac tried to limit the possible words in its menu by comparing every item to be added with a list and only if its in the list can it be added to menu and nothing else .
 if it can be done for a menu it can be enforced on other levels as well but has it happened in windows ?

You have to try to run WindowsBlinds to understand why.

I did:
3) Most themes don't fit right - menu text items, dialogs...
2) They DO slow down the system. (you are going to belive company CEO?)

And
1) "If  they can do, why not Microsoft come up some good themes for XP??"
- Use WindowBinds and you'll get your answer.

But WindowBinds are:
- cool
- nice to play with
- nice to demo to friends

megame wrote:

You have to try to run WindowsBlinds to understand why.

I did:
3) Most themes don't fit right - menu text items, dialogs...
2) They DO slow down the system. (you are going to belive company CEO?)

And
1) "If  they can do, why not Microsoft come up some good themes for XP??"
- Use WindowBinds and you'll get your answer.

But WindowBinds are:
- cool
- nice to play with
- nice to demo to friends

Personally I think the latest version of WB runs really well.   90% of the themes are full of bugs and super ugly, but I haven't experienced any noticeable  performance issues like I did with earlier versions.

There is no reason for Microsoft to require the theme-files to be signed by them. Why don't they release the specifications of the themes so people can start creating their own themes?

Let the customers decide, not Microsoft.

I agree. Let the customer decide what they want and not Microsoft.
Because they paid for it.
I dont like use some third party tool if i can use the one which comes with Windows i will feel better and rest assured that if we do use the native Themes it may not slow down the system compared WB.
I am not saying WB is bad...

ZippyV wrote:

There is no reason for Microsoft to require the theme-files to be signed by them. Why don't they release the specifications of the themes so people can start creating their own themes?

Let the customers decide, not Microsoft.

Whatever they say about emulating Vista's UI, I don't care for much.  If it works for them, go right ahead.  Third party programs have always been off putting to me because you can do pretty much the same thing without it.

As for the overall themes debate, I've always prefered the uxtheme.dll patch method, and letting Windows handle theming.  The thing that gets me is that they restrict you from using third party themes, and you need to edit that .dll to do it.

This is exactly my point. Why why Microsoft restricts when I paid for it or did i lease the software or rent it huh?... i dont even remember when i *buy* Windows OS at a store does it mean the Software is mine or does it mean I can use it but can't alter any more than what it can offer ....
Thats strange.... when i buy something i thought that software belongs to me and me alone but in reality its not. Microsoft is holding the keys i can't even sell the same software to someone else just like my old car.

Turious wrote:

As for the overall themes debate, I've always prefered the uxtheme.dll patch method, and letting Windows handle theming.  The thing that gets me is that they restrict you from using third party themes, and you need to edit that .dll to do it.

Last year, Wincustomize held a GUI Olympics contest and a lot of nice themes came out:
http://www.wincustomize.com/Skins.aspx?LibID=1&u=0