This UI was made by AI. So was this: We are not quite at the point where AI can make the actual WindowBlinds skins themselves. Certainly not in real time. But I think we are getting close to where skinners will be able to make skins much more easily.
How does WindowBlinds 10 handle older skins on the latest version of Windows 10? The answer: Inconsistently. There are some apps, like Notepad, where it always works fine. Others, like an Explorer window it sometimes works fine. And then there’s Edge where it rarely works fine. Look at the results yourselves. For the next version of Win...
OS/2 Forever! Thanks Curtains! www.stardock.com/products/curtains
Lots of exciting things happening this year. Stardock is actively hiring software developers to begin revamping all of Object Desktop. You will begin to see the changes starting in mid November as new and old things alike start being added. A few things on our plate include: Updating SoundPackager. The sounds in Windows 10 are a bit annoying. Stardock has a lot of audio talent here that we plan to use to revamp the sound packages that it includes as well ...
WindowBlinds 1.0 was released in November 1998! Since then, it’s gotten over 100 MILLION downloads! Over on CNET’s Download.com version 8 has received over 18 million downloads. It was the first program to enable users to customize the look and feel of the Windows GUI. 15 years later it is still going strong. Let’s take a look at its evolution in pictures. Version 1 Changed window frames, menu bars. Yea, ...
Windows 8 comes with the new Start screen which is, especially if you have a tablet, a good way for people to organize their apps. What it doesn’t come with, which is a bit surprising, is a quick launch bar (like iOS and Android have). Launch8 addresses it. If you have Windows8, definitely give it a try. -> www.stardock.com/products/launch8
As a tablet OS, Windows 8 is pretty decent. I don’t have a problem with the Start screen in theory. But I spend 8+ hours a day in front of a PC doing real work and that means using a desktop OS. Windows 8 includes the desktop but it relegates that to being a program you run from the Start screen. What we really want is to get the good stuff in Windows 8 (faster performance, new Modern app support, etc.) without the negatives. That’s where Object Desktop comes in! ...
This week DeskScapes 8 was released and while it is most famous for its ability to display animated wallpapers, I personally think of the animated wallpapers as an additional perk on top of the fact that it’s a really awesome way to manage and enhance normal Windows desktop backgrounds. Its home page is https://www.stardock.com/products/deskscapes . Multi-monitor support If you look at DeskScapes 8’s main UI, you’ll notice a few things instantly. First, if yo...
I’m playing with the latest internal build of Fences 2. I can describe it in one word: WOW. Let me show you some screenshots that will explain what I mean: Folder Portals: At first glance, this looks like Fences 1. But look closely… See the Videos and My Pictures? Those portals to folders. This is huge. Think of all the people you know that dump every picture and such onto their desktop. With Fences 2, people can put pictures where they belong – in their pictures ...
Was trying to figure out why my windows are resizing so slow and then I realized that my new PC, with a state of the art video card, is not running WindowBlinds yet. Most people think of WindowBlinds as eye candy and that’s really a shame. For me, these days, the fact it turns things over to DirectX and double buffers so everything is crazy smooth is key. I was hoping that Windows Vista, then Windows 7 would catch up in this area. The fact Microsoft hasn’t fixed this year make...
New Object Desktop component about to go into beta. Big in development for a looong time.
Object Desktop 2011: Windows Metro
It’s been a long while since we’ve visited WindowFX. When WindowFX 1.0 came out, its claim to fame was its ability to give windows alpha blended shadows and make use of transparency. Later, it was updated to have even more gratuitous effects. With WindowFX 4, we’ve taken a totally new direction. Now, we’re focusing on things that are less cosmetic and more useful. For instance, WindowFX 4 will allow users of all versions of Windows to drag a window to...
I can’t believe it’s been 9 years since WinCustomize.com first launched. Today I’m taking a look at the 4th iteration of WinCustomize during that time. The iterations have tended to reflect the particular skinning age they were developed in. Let’s look at them. The First Age of Skinning This was the age of “Skinz”. It was literally a cottage-sized community. Mian. Toasty. Shoggot. Doreen. These were just a few of the names from back then. Skinning was such a nic...