Perfect DesktopX theme
Sunday, January 16, 2005 by gef | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
OK – If you had a perfect DesktopX theme, what would it consist of:
1. Basic colour scheme
2. Dark or light
3. Complicated or simple
4. Resolution
5. Would you like menus for all your applications or not
6. What objects do you use on the desktop (Weather, Calendar etc.)
7. What do you use for playing your music ( DX Player, Winamp etc.)
8. Do you use Widgets
9. Do you want animations
10. Anything else you can think of
1. Basic colour scheme
2. Dark or light
3. Complicated or simple
4. Resolution
5. Would you like menus for all your applications or not
6. What objects do you use on the desktop (Weather, Calendar etc.)
7. What do you use for playing your music ( DX Player, Winamp etc.)
8. Do you use Widgets
9. Do you want animations
10. Anything else you can think of
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Essencay
Reply #2 Sunday, January 16, 2005 5:22 AM
Reply #2 Sunday, January 16, 2005 5:22 AM
I'm going to shoot for the stars, since I don't know a thing about building DX stuff....
Desktop object/widget launchpad that takes up very little real estate and can be toggled between simple and complicated/full mode. The reason I say this is that while I like using objects/widgets that have to access the internet, such as weather, I don't like that they try to do it as soon as I boot up my PC, I'm on dial-up. They continue to do so until I unload DX or connect to the net. Should be away to have a DX theme come up and with the click of a button switch on all your netcentric objects/widgets, or switch off.
Minimal information displayed in the launchpad, but when you click on it a full-blown object/widget pops up on your desktop. So like a calendar object/widget just shows todays date and time and when you hover the mouse pointer over it a tooltip shows your next few scheduled appointments, but when you click on it, a full calendar displays that you can go backward and forward by month and add appointments, etc. like a real calendar.
Stuff like that on the launchpad. Here's another one for example, a hardrive object/widget that just shows its name. Hover over it and get how much space is left. Click on it and get more details, but also useful stuff like being able to run the different MS disk tools (defrag, scandisk) or customizable for someone that uses different disk tools, like Nortons System Utilities.
Skinnable interface, so the interface needs to be simple enough so that there are very few images. Click on a button to bring up a menu wuth a choice of included skins. Click on a button in this menu to bring up a mini basic skin editor, that lets you import graphics and set margins. Also lets you export as an object/widget that you can share with others. All the other person would have to do is click on the skin object/widget to install it while the launchpad was running.
Functions to Include...
No animation or optional.
Lets me choose from available Media Players.
Calendar with appointment book.
Weather.
Drives with system tools.
Whatever else you can think of, but be able to toggle off stuff you don't use.
Desktop object/widget launchpad that takes up very little real estate and can be toggled between simple and complicated/full mode. The reason I say this is that while I like using objects/widgets that have to access the internet, such as weather, I don't like that they try to do it as soon as I boot up my PC, I'm on dial-up. They continue to do so until I unload DX or connect to the net. Should be away to have a DX theme come up and with the click of a button switch on all your netcentric objects/widgets, or switch off.
Minimal information displayed in the launchpad, but when you click on it a full-blown object/widget pops up on your desktop. So like a calendar object/widget just shows todays date and time and when you hover the mouse pointer over it a tooltip shows your next few scheduled appointments, but when you click on it, a full calendar displays that you can go backward and forward by month and add appointments, etc. like a real calendar.
Stuff like that on the launchpad. Here's another one for example, a hardrive object/widget that just shows its name. Hover over it and get how much space is left. Click on it and get more details, but also useful stuff like being able to run the different MS disk tools (defrag, scandisk) or customizable for someone that uses different disk tools, like Nortons System Utilities.
Skinnable interface, so the interface needs to be simple enough so that there are very few images. Click on a button to bring up a menu wuth a choice of included skins. Click on a button in this menu to bring up a mini basic skin editor, that lets you import graphics and set margins. Also lets you export as an object/widget that you can share with others. All the other person would have to do is click on the skin object/widget to install it while the launchpad was running.
Functions to Include...
No animation or optional.
Lets me choose from available Media Players.
Calendar with appointment book.
Weather.
Drives with system tools.
Whatever else you can think of, but be able to toggle off stuff you don't use.
Hus
Reply #3 Sunday, January 16, 2005 5:40 AM
Reply #3 Sunday, January 16, 2005 5:40 AM
My "perfect" theme would be like this:
1. The theme should be completely colorizable, so it can always match with your desktop.
2. I'm a fan of dark.
3. Having it do complicated things in a simple way is always a good thing. I wouldn't want to use a theme that is overly complicated to use. It takes away from the "productivity" of having a theme to begin with.
4. I run 1280x1024, but I'm assuming 1024x768 is popular as well. The perfect theme would naturally work on both and more.
5. Menu's would be nice, but the only reasonably way to have them, is to have them conform to your system automatically. Having to add new shortcuts manually can be pain in DX. In the perfect theme, the shortcuts would be easily configurable without having to go into the properties of each one.
6. I normally have weather, calendar and clock widgets running all the time. The perfect theme would be able to hide or show a whole set of widgets. Have a menu or a set of buttons, click which widgets you want to use, put 'em away when done. These can include all sorts of things, radar, traffic, news readers, mail checkers, alarm clocks, color pickers...or anything else you could find useful.
7. I use Winamp, partly because of the skins so I've never really used a DX media player...but having song information displayed, and hideable controls would be great in a perfect theme.
8. I have widgets running as long as my computer is on. If I had the perfect theme, it would replace my widgets.
9. I never liked lots of animations in a theme, but thats just a personal preferance.
10. The perfect theme should do all of the above, and ofcourse it should all be wrapped in amazingly good graphics, be perfectly scripted, and have the option to show or hide itself. It should be modular, where you can have just a few parts of the theme showing, or the show the whole thing if you want. It should not replace your taskbar and start menu, it should enhance your using your pc. And lastly, it should be dockable to any edge, with free-floating widgets.
Well there you have *my* vision of a perfect DX theme...hope it helps.
1. The theme should be completely colorizable, so it can always match with your desktop.
2. I'm a fan of dark.
3. Having it do complicated things in a simple way is always a good thing. I wouldn't want to use a theme that is overly complicated to use. It takes away from the "productivity" of having a theme to begin with.
4. I run 1280x1024, but I'm assuming 1024x768 is popular as well. The perfect theme would naturally work on both and more.
5. Menu's would be nice, but the only reasonably way to have them, is to have them conform to your system automatically. Having to add new shortcuts manually can be pain in DX. In the perfect theme, the shortcuts would be easily configurable without having to go into the properties of each one.
6. I normally have weather, calendar and clock widgets running all the time. The perfect theme would be able to hide or show a whole set of widgets. Have a menu or a set of buttons, click which widgets you want to use, put 'em away when done. These can include all sorts of things, radar, traffic, news readers, mail checkers, alarm clocks, color pickers...or anything else you could find useful.
7. I use Winamp, partly because of the skins so I've never really used a DX media player...but having song information displayed, and hideable controls would be great in a perfect theme.
8. I have widgets running as long as my computer is on. If I had the perfect theme, it would replace my widgets.
9. I never liked lots of animations in a theme, but thats just a personal preferance.
10. The perfect theme should do all of the above, and ofcourse it should all be wrapped in amazingly good graphics, be perfectly scripted, and have the option to show or hide itself. It should be modular, where you can have just a few parts of the theme showing, or the show the whole thing if you want. It should not replace your taskbar and start menu, it should enhance your using your pc. And lastly, it should be dockable to any edge, with free-floating widgets.
Well there you have *my* vision of a perfect DX theme...hope it helps.
gef
Reply #4 Sunday, January 16, 2005 6:21 AM
Reply #4 Sunday, January 16, 2005 6:21 AM
Thanks for the input guys.
It's one thing creating a theme I personally like but it would be great to be able to create one with most people's preferences included.
Obviously I won't be able to please everyone but at least it will be a guide to what the majority prefer.
It's one thing creating a theme I personally like but it would be great to be able to create one with most people's preferences included.
Obviously I won't be able to please everyone but at least it will be a guide to what the majority prefer.
Shakey (the Original)
Reply #5 Sunday, January 16, 2005 6:38 AM
Reply #5 Sunday, January 16, 2005 6:38 AM
1. Color isn't as important to me as functionality is (although I prefer Silver and Grey).
2. light themes are just eaier on my eyes.
3. Simple and intuitive.
4. 1024 X 768.
5. No, the standard menu is fine by me (unless it is a wharf based menu).
6. I don't use objects on my desktop, I prefer it to be clean.
7. Winamp.
8. No, I don't use widgets at all.
9. Animations are pretty to look at sometimes, but not really necessary.
10. It's considerate of you to even take the time to ask users what they are looking for in a theme. Thank you.
2. light themes are just eaier on my eyes.
3. Simple and intuitive.
4. 1024 X 768.
5. No, the standard menu is fine by me (unless it is a wharf based menu).
6. I don't use objects on my desktop, I prefer it to be clean.
7. Winamp.
8. No, I don't use widgets at all.
9. Animations are pretty to look at sometimes, but not really necessary.
10. It's considerate of you to even take the time to ask users what they are looking for in a theme. Thank you.
JanOscar
Reply #6 Sunday, January 16, 2005 8:04 AM
Continue to make skins like you the ones you have done up until now, and make them them for your own pleasure, and I'm sure we'll get some awesome themes.
Reply #6 Sunday, January 16, 2005 8:04 AM
| Obviously I won't be able to please everyone but at least it will be a guide to what the majority prefer. |
Continue to make skins like you the ones you have done up until now, and make them them for your own pleasure, and I'm sure we'll get some awesome themes.
Tiggz
Reply #7 Sunday, January 16, 2005 8:13 AM
Reply #7 Sunday, January 16, 2005 8:13 AM
agreed, dx has such a huge variety of possible configurations that there must be one perfect setup for every single user
I like the toggleable netcentric objects suggestion from essencay
I like the toggleable netcentric objects suggestion from essencay
ZubaZ
Reply #8 Sunday, January 16, 2005 12:11 PM
Reply #8 Sunday, January 16, 2005 12:11 PM
The optimal theme would leverage the CUI iniitiative Link to store and pull menus based on a one-time configuration. It could pull my colors, links, skins, current widgets (which should also be CUI compliant).
1024x768
Winamp for ogg, WMP for everything else (open to using DX thouugh if it can improve on the two apps I am using now [less memory, more features, something])
I like simple (subtle) animations and sounds.
I use battery meter, fuzzy clock, stealth wi-fi, and picture frame.
1024x768
Winamp for ogg, WMP for everything else (open to using DX thouugh if it can improve on the two apps I am using now [less memory, more features, something])
I like simple (subtle) animations and sounds.
I use battery meter, fuzzy clock, stealth wi-fi, and picture frame.
joetheblow
Reply #9 Sunday, January 16, 2005 1:50 PM
Reply #9 Sunday, January 16, 2005 1:50 PM
Resolution indepentant... or at least 1074x856 to 1200x1600
Or something like that (don't have the exact numbers)
Or something like that (don't have the exact numbers)
Sleeping Dragon
Reply #10 Sunday, January 16, 2005 2:38 PM
Reply #10 Sunday, January 16, 2005 2:38 PM
an animated, widgetless, winamp supporting, weather forecasting, complicated, menu browseabilizing, dark and light gray with a splash of smoke blue or rich green would be perfect for this individual. Oh yeah, 1280 x 1024.
Get Yourself, Tiggz, and Danilo together and create the perfect beast; or maybe artists of that caliber need to work alone. Anyway, whatever you come up with, I know it will be great. Thanks for asking what we like.
Get Yourself, Tiggz, and Danilo together and create the perfect beast; or maybe artists of that caliber need to work alone. Anyway, whatever you come up with, I know it will be great. Thanks for asking what we like.
Lantec
Reply #11 Sunday, January 16, 2005 3:43 PM
Reply #11 Sunday, January 16, 2005 3:43 PM
OK here goes...
1. No preference except that I'm kind of sick of blue.
2. Dark is easier on the eyes.
3. I guess complicated. I like it set up so you can turn objects, menus, widgets on and off.
4. I agree with joetheblow - Resolution Independent. My laptop is 1280 x 800. It always requires more modifications to the 1280 x 1024 themes than I have abilities.
5. As long as there is room to add programs I have no opinion.
6. Personally I "check" the weather but I don't leave it running. I like to keep my RSS reader running and I do keep Rainmeter up.
7. Winamp 5
8. Not with DX2 just objects.
9. They are great with themes like Tabulator and I'm all for them as long as they don't slow me down.
10. I mainly want to be able to have a lot of control over what's displayed and over how much of my resources I'm using to display it. I'd like some control over tiling open programs or windows. And I don't want to use the standard windows start menu / taskbar.
Thanks for asking
1. No preference except that I'm kind of sick of blue.
2. Dark is easier on the eyes.
3. I guess complicated. I like it set up so you can turn objects, menus, widgets on and off.
4. I agree with joetheblow - Resolution Independent. My laptop is 1280 x 800. It always requires more modifications to the 1280 x 1024 themes than I have abilities.
5. As long as there is room to add programs I have no opinion.
6. Personally I "check" the weather but I don't leave it running. I like to keep my RSS reader running and I do keep Rainmeter up.
7. Winamp 5
8. Not with DX2 just objects.
9. They are great with themes like Tabulator and I'm all for them as long as they don't slow me down.
10. I mainly want to be able to have a lot of control over what's displayed and over how much of my resources I'm using to display it. I'd like some control over tiling open programs or windows. And I don't want to use the standard windows start menu / taskbar.
Thanks for asking
gef
Reply #12 Monday, January 17, 2005 11:16 AM
Reply #12 Monday, January 17, 2005 11:16 AM
Thanks to all for the input.
This gives me plenty to think about.
This gives me plenty to think about.
rxwebman
Reply #13 Tuesday, February 1, 2005 9:30 PM
Reply #13 Tuesday, February 1, 2005 9:30 PM
So far, (keep in mind that I am new to DX2), your themes are the best that I've seen yet!
Kudos to you, & I tip my hat to you sir!
Instead of telling you what I might think is wrong with your themes, just let me tell you what I would like to see in a theme...
I would like to see a theme that is more firefox, thunderbird, (Mozilla friendly), & easy to configure to my custom applications.
One weakness I've seen with other themes that use the DX player is that I saw no easy way to configure the directory whicj the player starts from.
The interface had no simple way to pick which file clip to play.
Keep up the great work sir, and thank you.
RxWebman
Kudos to you, & I tip my hat to you sir!
Instead of telling you what I might think is wrong with your themes, just let me tell you what I would like to see in a theme...
I would like to see a theme that is more firefox, thunderbird, (Mozilla friendly), & easy to configure to my custom applications.
One weakness I've seen with other themes that use the DX player is that I saw no easy way to configure the directory whicj the player starts from.
The interface had no simple way to pick which file clip to play.
Keep up the great work sir, and thank you.
RxWebman
the zyzsgy theoretic
Reply #14 Tuesday, February 1, 2005 9:36 PM
Reply #14 Tuesday, February 1, 2005 9:36 PM
i wanna see an alien theme from the movies! i cant find a good one anywhere.
snarph
Reply #16 Wednesday, February 2, 2005 7:58 PM
Reply #16 Wednesday, February 2, 2005 7:58 PM
seriously it would be nice if you could figure a way to do scroling menues thats about the only feature that I have not seen in Dx
wmsco
Reply #17 Wednesday, February 2, 2005 9:12 PM
Reply #17 Wednesday, February 2, 2005 9:12 PM
Well you asked. I have quite alot of your work and they look very good! now realize when I say this I am not being critical and this is not pointed directly towards you but you can only please a few part of the time and none of them all of the time. Here it comes I would like to see more creative interface's not the all on one side or up the left and over the top standard interface's i would like to see newer futuristic interface's and lots of animations and Transparent panels 3d effect moving titles,revolving wall paper, panoramic views, flashsequences, flat walls just make your desktop to bunch up, sounds that are theme based or waves, slide shows theme based repeating of course,rss feeds for new, weather and sports.In most everything make the borders transparent so they blend with the back ground because it makes it more versatile. make a theme base wall paper changer with user option to select some of his own theme base walls big enoug for 4 or 5 walls and once again no flatt walls. Pics with inside depth it makes lots of room visualy. and Now heres the final kicker, I have been asking with no reply. A Borderless or transparent Border, Viewer with controlls to resize to Big or Small squares, and capable of seeing the hotest videos or trailers or flash sequences and urls so you have to have some controlls to be able to select and play you know just like you do on your browser or player. HeHe well you asked so I told you No I'm not being ridiculos because if I knew my Gimp or Photoshop or Paint Pro like others do plus probably scripts I would be doing it my self. But all in all, Stay on the edge, stay advance,stay new not traditional and lot of animations. If you can do all this in full effect I would Most likely have to pay you 50 bucks for my copy and most likely with great anticipation . well thats my story and I'm sticken to it. 
chadslink
Reply #19 Thursday, February 24, 2005 6:27 AM
Reply #19 Thursday, February 24, 2005 6:27 AM
You do fantastic work. My only request would be to have it in 1024x768. Someone said you might make one in that resolution if I asked nicely Is down on my knees begging ok? I would really like to have that Blowout one workable for me.
Is down on my knees begging ok? I would really like to have that Blowout one workable for me.
gef
Reply #20 Thursday, February 24, 2005 4:42 PM
Reply #20 Thursday, February 24, 2005 4:42 PM
Lots to think about - Firstly I am working on resolution independant, other colours than blue and something different.
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Reply #1 Sunday, January 16, 2005 5:14 AM
With that said, if you are going to make one from scratch yourself (there seems to be a competition for the number one spot on my list), here's what I would like to see:
1. Black & white, Dark blue (like in your Smile DX theme).
2. Dark (or gray scale.)
3. Complicated for sure!
4. 1280x1024
5. Not important, since I have to make/customize my own anyway.
6. Weather, calendar, net in/out, CPU, clock, colour picker, magnifier, recycle bin and any good/fun/nice thing anyone can come up with.
7. Winamp
8. Yes, but for a theme objects are preferable.
9. Yes, simple ones.
10. That you make another theme.
Thanks for asking for the input, and thanks for all the great themes you have shared with us so far!