Convergence arrives!

Published on July 31, 2001 By Frogboy In WinCustomize News

Convergence is the part of Stardock's Object Desktop that ties all the programs together.

It allows users to create true "skins suites" called Skin packs. A skin pack is a collection of icons, skins, and themes put together into a single file. When applied, Convergence communicates with your installed programs and directs them to change their various skins to the ones in the skin pack.

So a user wanting to have a particular overall look to Windows would simply apply a single Convergence skin pack instead of having to go to WinAmp, ICQPlus, WindowBlinds, DesktopX, ObjectBar, IconPackager, CursorEx, NeXTStart, etc. and manually load the appropriate files.

In short, Convergence combes the strength of your installed skinnable software into a single super theme.

It is currently only available on Stardock's Object Desktop (www.objectdesktop.com).

Comments (Page 1)

Phar0e

on Jul 31, 2001

I've been waiting for this, looks very interesting.
I'm looking forward to trying it out!

Anaxis Reaxis

on Jul 31, 2001

I did the existing account log in drill and got Unknown Error twice. Then I clicked the Wincustomize button and my browser brought me here. So you know.

treetog

on Jul 31, 2001

WOOOHOOO!!! this is darn great!

Walt

on Jul 31, 2001

now to secretly figure a way to get treetog to make skins for desktopx.. j/k This is an awesome idea

Third Eye

on Jul 31, 2001

Sweet BETA. This is very promising.

In the future are you going to have the option for a type of plugin or something for other skinnable apps than just the ones here on WinCusto?

Jafo

on Jul 31, 2001

Hmmm...now to hook it into LiteSTEP somehow....

paxx

on Jul 31, 2001

Very neat, but how does it work?
Say I want to download one of treetog's suite for ICQ, Windowblinds and Winamp. Do I download each skin separatly? or, if I understood the description correctly, do Treetog have to actually make a predetermined package? Then if a package includes 15 different apps but I only have 2 or 3 of them, do I still need to download the whole thing?
Would it be possible to program this website in such a way that I could select the respective skins I wish to have, then at the click of a button, the website would package it all together so I can download and apply my customized skin pack. Anyway, just a question, followed by a suggestion.

It's a very neat idea of an app.

elvee

on Jul 31, 2001

Yes! This is what I've been waiting for!!!!

Frogboy

on Jul 31, 2001

Treetog would simply upload a single Convergence skin pack. You would download it and apply it. It takes care of the rest.

Similarly, you can take existing skins on your system and make skin packs out of them for personal use.

paxx

on Jul 31, 2001

OK, so both are true. I can download them seperatly then make myself a skin pack out of the individual packs, or I could download a prepackaged bundle. Gotcha.
But still, is my idea feasible? is the skin pack just a zip file renamed? I know there are server components that can zip files on the fly, so maybe my idea would be an interesting thing to consider and a great addition to your software.

Draginol

on Jul 31, 2001

Re your idea, that would be put in a skin browser or something.

Alexandrie

on Jul 31, 2001

coool

Xen

on Aug 01, 2001

right up my alley...

paxx

on Aug 01, 2001

That would be extremely cool, Brad.

T-Man

on Aug 01, 2001

Paxx, your idea could be implemented but It would be very server instensive having to build packages for everyone on the fly. In my opinion, if this was to be done it would have to be a pay service and not a free service do to the intensive upkeep and developement that it would require.

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