WindowBlinds acquired by Yahoo

To be rebranded as Yahoo Skins!

Saturday, April 1, 2006 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News

April 1st -- 2006.  Stardock is pleased to announce the acquisition of its popular desktop customization program, WindowBlinds by Yahoo.  Yahoo, which recently bought Konfabulator, a popular widget engine, said that adding WindowBlinds to the mix was a natural next step:

"Our goal with Konfabulator, now Yahoo Widgets, was to enable the community to make use of our rich API set in a practical matter.  With Yahoo widgets, users can create mini-applciations that rest on their desktop," said Tony Stein, Vice President of the Yahoo! Developer Network.  "With Yahoo Skins, those same APIs can be integrated into the Windows GUI itself."

WindowBlinds 5.1, originally expected to be released late summer 2006, will be rebranded as Yahoo Skins. It will include a simple SDK in which skinners can incorporate "widget-like" content into title bars, borders, the Start Bar or anywhere else the skinner can imagine.

"We're very excited about this.  Before, users would have to hit a series of hot keys or move their windows, or turn their head to see a picture of their dog or know the latest weather conditions," said Brad Wardell, President of Stardock Corp.  "With Yahoo Skins, your local weather conditions will be part of the title bar itself. Your day planner part of every border. Even the Start menu and Start bar can include a picture of your dog or stocks prices."

For new users, the best news will be that Yahoo Skins will be free.  Existing customers of WindowBlinds, who paid $19.95 won't be receiving their money back. Explained Wardell: "I am really hoping to buy a boat one of these days. I'm actually afraid of water and won't go in it, but I just like the idea of having a boat.  Obviously, that boat won't come cheap so we can't refund people's money.  But I think our customers will be satisfied with Yahoo Skins and that most of them would want me to have a boat."

Yahoo Skins should be available for download by early Summer.

(april fools)

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RadialFX
Reply #61 Sunday, April 2, 2006 10:18 AM
I just got back from the hospital or I would've commented sooner. They found me with my head on the keyboard, hands hanging, pee dripping in the floor and I properly soiled myself after reading this! After bringing me back twice they sent me to the pshyc ward in hopes of finding someone who could understand what "YAHOOCUSTOMIZE" meant! I finally regained my composure and they sent me home where I read it again and noticed the last line (april fools). REALLY, REALLY good show Brad! he,he I can honestly say I was had!
Daiwa
Reply #62 Sunday, April 2, 2006 11:04 AM
Wouldn't wanna be a Yahoo admin today.
Hippie
Reply #63 Sunday, April 2, 2006 1:31 PM
Man, I had already called 911, and was waiting for "the Big one". Best damn April Fools yet. From another dumbass April Fool. ( I should have known). When I saw it, it took me two days to atually read it. Good one.
Anthony Egitto
Reply #64 Sunday, April 2, 2006 4:07 PM
Not realizing what date it was, I actually believed the story. Very well presented. You really had me going there! Thanks for making me laugh!!
DigitalCHET
Reply #65 Sunday, April 2, 2006 4:45 PM
Wow... I have to admit I was about to panic. Greeting the week with this news item sure didn't make feel like it was going to be a good one, but I'm sooooo happy it's an April Fool's joke. I actually had to click on the comments link to be sure until I asked myself "Hey when was this posted?", then checked the date an laughed at myself for being so gullible. Of course I still had to verify by reading a few of the comments.
Brad's comment about the boat really had me thinking though. As if Brad would allow a comment like that to be quoted on an official press release, even if it were true I'm sure it wouldn't happen. But, then again, it's preposterous enough to be believable and had me going.

Good work, Brad.
Sea Hourse
Reply #66 Sunday, April 2, 2006 6:36 PM
You have a very warped sense of humor. While Yahoo is my home page and I do use some of their offerings I tend to stay away from anything that is media content. Between the ad pop ups and mandatory listening/viewing of more ads and their continual attempts to dominate your computer it just isn't worth the effort. Could you imagine Window Blinds with an ad window everytime you wanted to open a file? Or having your start box with ad links everywhere?
Katrinakat
Reply #67 Sunday, April 2, 2006 6:46 PM
Did anyone notice, while reading this story initially, that Brad was the author of the piece and quoted himself?! I don't know--dogs and stock prices on the title bar. Thanks for the laugh of the week!
Diafragma
Reply #68 Sunday, April 2, 2006 6:50 PM
Too bad it was a joke I would've invested some money in Yahoo stock
HG_Eliminator
Reply #69 Sunday, April 2, 2006 7:32 PM
yesh.. at first I felt sick to my stomach and wanted to scream NOOO!!!!.. then I hit the 5th paragraph...then it started to dawn on me, id been had ...
Fairyy~
Reply #70 Sunday, April 2, 2006 8:00 PM


buzzh58 sent me to read this article...for once I read the fine print.
Happy Sailing .....
The Rated PG
Reply #71 Sunday, April 2, 2006 8:16 PM
I've been around awhile. If you notice Jafo has not commented on this thread. IT'S AN APRIL FOOL'S JOKE!! Always follow the race car guy.
starkers
Reply #72 Sunday, April 2, 2006 9:12 PM
Was doing some maintenance on my machine so missed this one....'til now. All I can say is, lucky for I was able to read the replies to realise it's an April Fools gag. Being that I've become a bit myopic recently and would've missed the fine print, you'd have copped a gobful of pirate speak across the high seas, and a broadside across.....into the bow of that fine lil boat of yours

Sooooo glad it's not true....or yer boat'd have been http://home.no.net/birgif/glis/12_1_112.gif
Jafo
Reply #73 Sunday, April 2, 2006 10:49 PM

I've been around awhile. If you notice Jafo has not commented on this thread. IT'S AN APRIL FOOL'S JOKE!! Always follow the race car guy.

That's because I was 'racecar-ing'....we had this F1 GrandPrix thing on.....

Yahoo isn't that bad....the oldies here might recall a mob called eFront.....buying skinz.org....

.....sadly THAT was NOT in April...

amunchkin
Reply #74 Monday, April 3, 2006 8:28 AM
Oh dang, thank God... it said April Fools. I would have disowned Stardock if they did this...

Seriously. Lol, nice one Wincustomize!
Sembetu
Reply #75 Monday, April 3, 2006 9:47 AM
In related news, I have sold my soul to the devil.
George Rogers Jr
Reply #76 Monday, April 3, 2006 2:22 PM
Brad.... ....
jlaj1989
Reply #77 Monday, April 3, 2006 8:29 PM
Had me going untill the boat story.
eieio
Reply #78 Tuesday, April 4, 2006 7:33 AM

Good one. Just close enough to be almost believable.
tameddragon
Reply #79 Tuesday, April 4, 2006 9:12 AM
Stardock buys Yahoo


Would you? Please? Maybe I'll actually speak to a tech that knows more than I do?
Tombala
Reply #80 Tuesday, April 4, 2006 3:58 PM
I about s**t my pants when I first started reading this. I was ready to b****slap Brad across the face for surrendering to the large lame corporate internet mongers... By the time I got to the boat, it was all good again... though I wouldn't mind if WB came free... GO YAHOO!!!

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