Windows Buttons: The 5th Button
Friday, August 8, 2003 by coriander | Discussion: Stardock Software
Ahem, a newbie (still). Downloaded WB "Solace in Blue" which I like a lot. Asked in the comments section but no response so thought I would try my luck here. On these blinds there is a "fifth" button. There is the expected roll-up, minimize, maximize and close, all of which are pretty darn self-explanatory even from the graphics. But to the far left of them is a little circle with a dot inside. On some windows, this icon has a diagonal red "not available" slash through it. On others it does not. Point being, nothing happens when I click it where available except the dot changes to an x. I click again and it brings back the dot. But seems to have no effect on behaviour. I am dying of curiousity.... 
crissy14
Reply #2 Friday, August 8, 2003 7:14 PM
Reply #2 Friday, August 8, 2003 7:14 PM
BTW, I think DaWebMassa did a superb job on this skin. I dont know why I hadnt noticed it before. 
coriander
Reply #3 Friday, August 8, 2003 7:17 PM
Reply #3 Friday, August 8, 2003 7:17 PM
I like it a lot. I will check out your theory! But I am from very very very very old DOS days--I can hardly stand to have more than one application running at a time much less minimized. Would probably make me insane to have it not just rolled up but also on top! Old dog, new tricks. But, hey, the new tricks sure are aesthetically pleasing! 
Koasati
Reply #4 Friday, August 8, 2003 8:45 PM
Reply #4 Friday, August 8, 2003 8:45 PM
| --I can hardly stand to have more than one application running at a time much less minimized. |
I would quite likely drive you over the edge, with all the apps I'll have running. 
I haven't tried the skin yet, but I'm betting Ms crissy is right.
coriander
Reply #5 Saturday, August 9, 2003 6:17 AM
Reply #5 Saturday, August 9, 2003 6:17 AM
Yes, that is exactly what the 5th button does. I couldn't figure it out because I never have more than one thing on my screen at any given time. Thanks, guys!
deleted
Reply #6 Sunday, August 10, 2003 6:31 PM
Reply #6 Sunday, August 10, 2003 6:31 PM
Sounds like the sequel to the 6th sense:
"The 5th Button"
No one can use the fifth button except for a select few individuals. Using it puts dead people on your desktop. AHHHH!!
"The 5th Button"
No one can use the fifth button except for a select few individuals. Using it puts dead people on your desktop. AHHHH!!
DaWebMassa
Reply #7 Sunday, August 10, 2003 9:41 PM
Reply #7 Sunday, August 10, 2003 9:41 PM
I apologize coriander that I missed the question in your comment. As the others here were so kind to explain (and crissy directed me here so an extra thanks to her) it is a "stay-on-top" button. It's handy for things like calculators and other programs that act as helpers. If it has a redline through it, it means the current application doesn't support it.
Oh, and thanks for the compliments as they are always appreciated!!
If it has a redline through it, it means the current application doesn't support it.Oh, and thanks for the compliments as they are always appreciated!!
coriander
Reply #8 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 4:37 AM
Reply #8 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 4:37 AM
DaWebMassa, thank you and thank you for skin! It really is lovely (have to hone up on lingo as I am sure that there is more appropriate compliments than "stunning" and "lovely" but a non-techie newbie so still not sure what makes a skin so pleasing. Shades of "I don't know art but know what I like"!) I am slowly noticing features, attributes etcetera that make me keep a skin just that little longer on my desktop but haven't been doing it long enough to be able to express it yet. Let's leave it at stunning!
DaWebMassa
Reply #9 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 6:32 AM David... 
Coriander, there really is no "correct lingo" when it comes to adjectives for a skin. Words like "kewl, awesome, gorgeous, smooth, butt, annoying, fugly" and whatever else you can think up are all totally acceptable.
Hmmm... maybe we can come up with a "Skin Adjective Dictionary?"
Reply #9 Tuesday, August 12, 2003 6:32 AM
David... 
Coriander, there really is no "correct lingo" when it comes to adjectives for a skin. Words like "kewl, awesome, gorgeous, smooth, butt, annoying, fugly" and whatever else you can think up are all totally acceptable.
Hmmm... maybe we can come up with a "Skin Adjective Dictionary?"
coriander
Reply #10 Wednesday, August 13, 2003 4:48 AM
Reply #10 Wednesday, August 13, 2003 4:48 AM
David,
Thank you for the list of adjectives--I cannot imagine the "kewl" ever leaving my keyboard (hee hee hee) much less my lips; however, what I really meant was comments aside from the aesthetic. Have you seen GrimReaper's thread on creating good skins? He is of the view that skins are more than just pretty. From my point of view, some skins seem to be not just easy on the eye and reflective of mood but very easy to use. For me, in example, I love caption buttons that are very distinct and set out nicely from whatever bars they are in. Different colours work well for me in that instance (like the Skink skin). Just makes it so much easier to hit the button. I also like text that is relatively plain. I love the Saltwater skin and have it up because I am heading for vacation soon and it is a wonderful reminder but the font on the buttons and title bars is very hard to read especially because it is white. When I want to do a lot of work, I unload that skin. Some skins put the buttons on the left instead of the right. No matter how much I love the skin (and there are a couple that I do love) I just get bothered by them. No way I can overcome the muscle memory that takes me to the right to manipulate a window. That is the kind of thing I mean.
I keep reloading Solace in Blue to use so there must be things about it that make it good for me way beyond its "kewlness" visually. Just haven't been able to identify them yet. (But, hey, now I am intrigued and will have to load it and figure it out.)
But if you are correct that skinnerz also appreciate "hey, I like this" then I will make a point of telling 'em so. Personally, I am just plain amazed that they do the work they do and then post it for download. I think that the "community" is amazing. I have also noticed that there is a lot of great support and response on the message boards. Another sign of a great community.
Thank you for the list of adjectives--I cannot imagine the "kewl" ever leaving my keyboard (hee hee hee) much less my lips; however, what I really meant was comments aside from the aesthetic. Have you seen GrimReaper's thread on creating good skins? He is of the view that skins are more than just pretty. From my point of view, some skins seem to be not just easy on the eye and reflective of mood but very easy to use. For me, in example, I love caption buttons that are very distinct and set out nicely from whatever bars they are in. Different colours work well for me in that instance (like the Skink skin). Just makes it so much easier to hit the button. I also like text that is relatively plain. I love the Saltwater skin and have it up because I am heading for vacation soon and it is a wonderful reminder but the font on the buttons and title bars is very hard to read especially because it is white. When I want to do a lot of work, I unload that skin. Some skins put the buttons on the left instead of the right. No matter how much I love the skin (and there are a couple that I do love) I just get bothered by them. No way I can overcome the muscle memory that takes me to the right to manipulate a window. That is the kind of thing I mean.
I keep reloading Solace in Blue to use so there must be things about it that make it good for me way beyond its "kewlness" visually. Just haven't been able to identify them yet. (But, hey, now I am intrigued and will have to load it and figure it out.)
But if you are correct that skinnerz also appreciate "hey, I like this" then I will make a point of telling 'em so. Personally, I am just plain amazed that they do the work they do and then post it for download. I think that the "community" is amazing. I have also noticed that there is a lot of great support and response on the message boards. Another sign of a great community.
coriander
Reply #11 Wednesday, August 13, 2003 4:28 PM
Reply #11 Wednesday, August 13, 2003 4:28 PM
Okay, reloaded Solace in Blue and here it goes!
1. Buttons are nicely segregated, easy to see, easy to push
2. Colour makes it easy to find matching icons (I am using SnowE)and cursors (Using Pix Office which isn't a dead on match but close enough and I like the set)
3. Font is black and plain (Yeah!)It is white on Title Bars but still plain enough to be legible. I can live with that.
4. Wallpaper is included (Yeah!)
The only negative:
5. No userpic (Boo! For the technically challenged that leaves the old prepacked blue butterfly. Boo!)
And, yeah, just generally kewl.
1. Buttons are nicely segregated, easy to see, easy to push
2. Colour makes it easy to find matching icons (I am using SnowE)and cursors (Using Pix Office which isn't a dead on match but close enough and I like the set)
3. Font is black and plain (Yeah!)It is white on Title Bars but still plain enough to be legible. I can live with that.
4. Wallpaper is included (Yeah!)
The only negative:
5. No userpic (Boo! For the technically challenged that leaves the old prepacked blue butterfly. Boo!)
And, yeah, just generally kewl.
DaWebMassa
Reply #12 Friday, August 15, 2003 7:31 AM
Reply #12 Friday, August 15, 2003 7:31 AM
Coriander... my name is not David. I can now see the misunderstanding because of my post. What I was doing was telling DavidMandle that what I thought he said was funny.
Anyway, my name is Rich.
Thanks for your overview of my skin and thanks even more for pointing out where you thought it fell short. Criticism is always swallowed more easily when a measure of compliment is included. My Shark Blues skin did in fact include a user icon and in the future I will ensure those are included. As for your other comments... the skin was created to look somewhat elegant yet be totally functional and easy on the eyes. From what you said, looks like I hit my mark. Oh, and did you know there was a new wall posted for that skin in the walls section? It seems to be more well received.
So tell me, when are you going to do your first skin?
Anyway, my name is Rich.
Thanks for your overview of my skin and thanks even more for pointing out where you thought it fell short. Criticism is always swallowed more easily when a measure of compliment is included. My Shark Blues skin did in fact include a user icon and in the future I will ensure those are included. As for your other comments... the skin was created to look somewhat elegant yet be totally functional and easy on the eyes. From what you said, looks like I hit my mark.
Oh, and did you know there was a new wall posted for that skin in the walls section? It seems to be more well received.So tell me, when are you going to do your first skin?
coriander
Reply #13 Thursday, August 28, 2003 8:08 PM
Reply #13 Thursday, August 28, 2003 8:08 PM
Rich, I have the new wall, it got a (yeah!) in my review. I would absolutely love to try a skin but it will be a very long time before I have any hope of achieving anything. Supremely ignorant. Do feel that there is a potential underdeveloped "niche" which has some contributors already (essorant is notable here)for skins that feel (oh, how I struggle for the correct words!) more artistic and less technical. By the latter I don't mean technically perfect but rather skins that lean more to natural than metal, curved rather than angular, etcetera. Am trying to learn OS, graphics and CSS to take my web site where I want it which by itself is a tough learning curve for an old dog. Can't see me skinning for months and months. And months. Pretty darn opinionated for someone with no talent, eh, hee hee? 
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Reply #1 Friday, August 8, 2003 7:11 PM
I downloaded the skin to check it out. The button you are referring to seems to be a "keep on top" button. It keeps Your window on top of other windows, and it can be turned on and off.