Themes!!

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » July 18, 2004, 2:30 am

Post your windows themes! Lets see what you guys use!

This is with Windows Blinds.

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » July 18, 2004, 4:29 am

Standard XP UI here!

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » July 18, 2004, 6:03 am

I use DinksDX Blue. It's also windowblinds and is a clean interface which I like.

Since Dregor already messed up the margins I'll post mine as an image instead of a link! That's Rikku from FFX as the current background which changes often.

Goth Ranger · Post by **Goth Ranger** » July 18, 2004, 6:21 am

Haven't bothered to change anything which is visible on my-side-only, other than the wallpaper.

Its like masturbating to your reflection in the mirror.

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » July 18, 2004, 2:43 pm

That's a pretty good one Winnow. One thing I noticed with the more advanced themes on windowsblinds is it's a lot slower on the system, especially when there are several programs running.

Post by **Xouqoa** » July 18, 2004, 3:58 pm

Why are you using windowblinds when there is theme functionality built into WinXP?

No 3rd party software installed here...

Goth Ranger · Post by **Goth Ranger** » July 18, 2004, 4:04 pm

HOLY BATSHIT Xouqoa that is a KICK ASS wallpaper

emmer · Post by **emmer** » July 18, 2004, 4:12 pm

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » July 18, 2004, 4:33 pm

Xouqoa wrote:Why are you using windowblinds when there is theme functionality built into WinXP?

Because I'm lazy and stupid, sir!

Post by **Xouqoa** » July 18, 2004, 4:37 pm

http://www.softpedia.com/public/cat/13/9/13-9-100.shtml

Using this file will allow you to apply Visual Styles to Windows XP without the use of any third party software.

Enjoy! The functionality is there in WinXP but it's blocked by Microsoft for some reason. This just allows you to use it directly without the use of WindowBlinds or StyleXP.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » July 18, 2004, 4:56 pm

Xouqoa wrote:http://www.softpedia.com/public/cat/13/9/13-9-100.shtml

Using this file will allow you to apply Visual Styles to Windows XP without the use of any third party software. Enjoy! The functionality is there in WinXP but it's blocked by Microsoft for some reason. This just allows you to use it directly without the use of WindowBlinds or StyleXP.

Windowblinds is easy to use, makes it easy to find, install, modify themes, has a nice interface and was "free". Does this have any speed/resource benefits?

Edit: Here's a link explaining how this method works if people want to try Xou's suggestion.

http://cadmus.deviantart.com/journal/2419017/

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » July 18, 2004, 5:26 pm

While on the topic of themes and skins, does anyone know if there's a way to modify MSN's appearance other than modifying Windows theme itself? Any hacks out there that will let you set contacts display names? Get rid of the banner ads?

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » July 18, 2004, 5:50 pm

Dregor Thule wrote:While on the topic of themes and skins, does anyone know if there's a way to modify MSN's appearance other than modifying Windows theme itself? Any hacks out there that will let you set contacts display names? Get rid of the banner ads?

The best way is to use Trillian (free or pro) Pro will let you install an EQIM plugin that's much better than the buggy EQIM client for those that still subscribe to EQ.

If you need special features of MSN then Trillian won't work but if it's just basic chat and file transfers, Trillian is great for combining all of the IM's into one simple interface (even IRC) that can be skinned. There are no lame ads attached to the trillian client.

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » July 18, 2004, 6:36 pm

Yea, I know all about Trillian, used it for a long time, but recently said fuck it, using MSN only. Got tired of bugs and not being able to do everything that MSN could.

Post by **Xouqoa** » July 18, 2004, 7:03 pm

Winnow wrote:Does this have any speed/resource benefits?

Doesn't load anything into memory like StyleXP/Window Blinds - one less process running!

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » July 18, 2004, 7:06 pm

Xouqoa wrote:
Winnow wrote:Does this have any speed/resource benefits?
Doesn't load anything into memory like StyleXP/Window Blinds - one less process running!

Nice : )

Dregor Thule wrote:While on the topic of themes and skins, does anyone know if there's a way to modify MSN's appearance other than modifying Windows theme itself? Any hacks out there that will let you set contacts display names? Get rid of the banner ads?

This looks like a good site to find that sort of thing if it exists:

http://www.msnfanatic.com/

a_guide · Post by **a_guide** » July 18, 2004, 7:22 pm

Myself and most of the people I know use MSN Plus.

http://www.msgplus.net/

You can send cutesy sound emotes, set personalized away msg (like in Trillian) and lots of other stuff. And you can get rid of the ad banners.

Cracc · Post by **Cracc** » July 18, 2004, 8:02 pm

PLEASE post that wallpaper xou

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » July 18, 2004, 11:22 pm

Well, MSN+ did the job pretty much, EXCEPT! It added a bunch of shit to my IE favorites, which is fine, but it also auto-sorted them and prevents me from re-arranging the order for some fucked up reason. I'll try and figure that out, probably some option I can change I'm sure.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » July 19, 2004, 12:09 am

Dregor Thule wrote:Well, MSN+ did the job pretty much, EXCEPT! It added a bunch of shit to my IE favorites, which is fine, but it also auto-sorted them and prevents me from re-arranging the order for some fucked up reason.

I hate that shit. IE alphabetizes favorites whenever you import links. Netscape didn't do that!

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » July 19, 2004, 12:12 am

Turns out I mistook a Sponsor program acceptance notice for a user agreement. My bad!

a_guide · Post by **a_guide** » July 19, 2004, 3:06 am

Bastards! Sorry about that, I'd have warned you but my roommate put MSN+ on my comp as a suprise so I have not actually installed it myself. Apologies, I hope it doesn't fuck things up too badly.

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » July 19, 2004, 3:59 am

Nah, just removed the program completely and reinstalled it again making sure to select NO to the fucking "sponsor" shit. All peachy now.

Colal · Post by **Colal** » July 19, 2004, 4:51 am

Trillian was such a great program. Back when they first realease the pro version, they gave it away for free to anyone who had donated at least 1 dollar to them in the past.

I just wish it supported web cams, and audio chats.

Also the newest version loads so sloooow for me. I finally just stoped using it.

Sargeras · Post by **Sargeras** » July 19, 2004, 5:13 am

I use Trillian 2.01 Pro, and I love it.

Menelaos · Post by **Menelaos** » July 20, 2004, 3:17 am

No theme, I likes the silver XP theme best

That, and the napali coastline...

Menelaos · Post by **Menelaos** » July 20, 2004, 3:21 am

Although, Emmer's Visual theme looks pretty sharp. Mind posting a link to that, Emmer? Or, perhaps hosting it yourself? Only if it does not require third-party software, and can be installed simply by placing the files into the resources/themes folder. Thanks!

emmer · Post by **emmer** » July 20, 2004, 4:04 am

Yea it's a third party thing... XP Corona skin for windowblinds.

You can find it here.

You can customize your icons without installing anything pretty easily though. Mine are kind of mismatched ones from different sets I liked... I got them from http://www.customize.org/ and http://www.wincustomize.com/, but I think http://www.skinz.org/ has some too. Wallpaper from http://www.deviantart.com/.

Sargeras · Post by **Sargeras** » July 20, 2004, 4:49 am

Does anyone use StyleXP? It seems like the themes available are limited compared to WindowBlinds. I know themexp.org has a lot, customize.org too.

Post by **Xouqoa** » July 20, 2004, 10:02 am