WindowBlinds 4.5 Released

Skin your Windows GUI with WindowBlinds

Tuesday, January 25, 2005 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News

LIVONIA, Mich. Jan. 25, 2005--Software developer Stardock Corp. released WindowBlinds 4.5 today. WindowBlinds is a program that enables users to change the look and feel of Microsoft Windows by changing the title bars, push buttons, radio buttons, scrollbars, Start bar, and other elements of the Windows user interface by applying system wide themes known as "skins".

Windows XP includes a single visual style known as "Windows XP Style". By installing WindowBlinds, users can add thousands of other visual styles that are freely available on websites such as WinCustomize.com.

Software companies such as Microsoft have used WindowBlinds to release additional visual styles such as their XBOX visual style. PC Manufacturers such as Alienware have used WindowBlinds to create a branded Alienware look and feel for their PCs. Millions of consumers have used WindowBlinds to make Windows look like an alternative operating system, their favorite holiday season, their latest computer game, or something tailored just for them.

WindowBlinds 4.5 includes the new ability to change the color of visual styles through hue shifting along with modifying the brightness and saturation of the visual style. It also includes the ability to have alpha blended Start menus and standard menus which enable users to have semi-transparent pieces to those parts of Windows XP and eliminates the "jagged" look around the edges of the interface.

WindowBlinds is a free download at www.windowblinds.net. Consumers can purchase the enhanced version of WindowBlinds for $19.95 which adds the ability to skin more elements of the Windows user interface and can skin even non-theme aware applications.  Users can also get the enhanced version of WindowBlinds by purchasing Object Desktop ($49.95) which is Stardock's suite of desktop enhancements. It can be found at www.objectdesktop.com.

About Stardock:
Stardock is a Windows software developer located in Southeastern Michigan. It is the world's leading developer of Windows enhancement utilities. Its software is used by corporations and consumers alike who wish to customize their Windows environment to match their particular needs. Stardock also develops games such as the award-winning Galactic Civilizations and the political strategy game The Political Machine. Its home page is www.stardock.com. 

   WindowBlinds 4.5
   Free Download / $19.95 for enhanced version or $49.95 at part of Object Desktop
   WindowBlinds home page: http://www.windowblinds.net
   Requires: Windows 98, ME, 2000, or XP. (Windows XP recommended).
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dukeofchutney
Reply #1 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 12:15 PM
It just gets better and better.

CaveBear
Reply #2 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 12:48 PM
Couldn't agree more

Mackintosh
Reply #3 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 1:05 PM
It also includes the ability to have alpha blended (...) standard menus


I thought that was removed for now? Says so in the readme?

d0p3y2k4
Reply #4 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 1:25 PM
i cant seem 2 update everytime i click on to get an email from support nothing happens anybody else has this issue ?

lilstarfish
Reply #5 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 1:51 PM
Think you need to uninstall your recent version and then install v4.5.
I couldn't update either. Uninstalling and then installing solved that glitch.

Kuruus
Reply #6 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 2:59 PM
I tried all morning but was finally able to update this afternoon. Worked fine then.

Bebi Bulma
Reply #7 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 3:11 PM
I also got an error when entering my email address to get the latest enhanced build and serial.
Stardock Support

ChilkatWebMail.WebMailMan error '80004005'

(SendEmail) (SMTP_Connect) smtp_host: mail.stardock.com smtp_port: 25 smtp_user: info socket is not ready for writing WSAEWOULDBLOCK The socket would block. Unknown socket error socketErrorNum: 0 socketError: 00 00 00 00 Connect function failed. Failed to connect (1) Failed to connect to SMTP server.

/./datastore/email.asp, line 48



Edit: Seems to be working now.

Uriyel
Reply #8 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 7:50 PM
alpha blendind?!! I best renew my OD subscription! This is just one menus though, not the taskbar? and is this just with the visual styles, or all WB themes?

firebrick
Reply #9 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 7:55 PM
Just updated to 4.5 standing O to everyone at sdc!!

alexf300
Reply #10 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 8:23 PM
Stardock Support

ChilkatWebMail.WebMailMan error '80004005'

(SendEmail) (SMTP_Connect) smtp_host: mail.stardock.com smtp_port: 25 smtp_user: info socket is not ready for writing WSAEWOULDBLOCK The socket would block. Unknown socket error socketErrorNum: 0 socketError: 00 00 00 00 Connect function failed. Failed to connect (1) Failed to connect to SMTP server.

/./datastore/email.asp, line 48


I get the same error on Stardock's web site.

Bebi Bulma
Reply #11 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 8:25 PM
I just tried it again a few minutes ago and said the lookup was successful, now I'm just waiting for the email.

moonsister
Reply #12 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 8:33 PM
This new version of WB's will give me a whole different perspective when I view a skin before downloading. I'm not nuts about the color blue, my husband "blued" me out for years...every room in the house!!!! I like colors, and like them to reflect my mood. I have seen so many skins that I wanted, but due to certain colors resisted downloading. Now I feel free as a bird and look forward to going through the archives of Wincustomize and so many talented works as if it is all new.

jamoman
Reply #13 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 9:46 PM
no worky for me.

ragamuffin4557
Reply #14 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 9:54 PM
WOW!!!!!

BX
Reply #15 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 9:59 PM
Rocks every thing ........

Bebi Bulma
Reply #16 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 10:47 PM
Been almost 3 hours....and still no email to upgrade.

ama02
Reply #17 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 10:55 PM
It's been about an hour for me. I suppose everybody and their brother has submitted an email request at the same time. Their server is probably overloading.

Bebi Bulma
Reply #18 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 11:01 PM
It's been about an hour for me. I suppose everybody and their brother has submitted an email request at the same time. Their server is probably overloading.


Could be....might explain the error some of us were getting earlier.

LittleBearJason
Reply #19 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 11:15 PM
This is amazing ... now I can tweak colours to my liking

Also , I noticed something ... while ive only been using the software since 4.4 it has come to my attention that the wallpapers are better applying themselves automatically now if the WB comes with one. It used to apply the wallpaper , and then when I click okay , for some reason , the previous wp that I had came back ... weird.

Bebi Bulma
Reply #20 Tuesday, January 25, 2005 11:22 PM
For me on 4.4, I have it set to NOT apply the wallpaper if there is one, but on a few skins it would do it anyway.

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