OMG I don't think this news post worthy. How dare you!
(Sarcasm - Lighten up people)
Thanx for the info, Brad. I hope the site does well.

Never understood why I should let my Windows look like a forthcoming or present standard OS. But hey, nevertheless, good luck with the site.

very nice site,

another standard, it will change us of the aqua look, which isnt bad

Warning: A Differing Opinion. Maybe.

What is it with Microsoft? Mr. Gates has the resources to hire the very best (fill in the blank with your favorite job) and yet we get stuff that is NQR (Not Quite Right) out of the box. I looked at the Longhorn Slate skin by Voodoo_Freak and I just shook my head. I am not in any way criticizing his skill, talent or enthusiasm for skinning, so please don't even go there. On the contrary, I expect that he is quite talented and did a phenomenal job duplicating Longhorn. I am assuming the LS skin is a close approximation to what Longhorn looks like (at present), and if I am correct, then it is Microsoft that has disappointed me. It has some nice improvements in eye-candy over WinXP, but it just doesn't have the "je ne sais qois" that an OSX release does. Something about it is lacking. One of my problems is that I don't exactly know what it is that's lacking. The scrollbars are OK but ho-hum the system buttons are a bit more ho-hum the taskbar doesn't seem to fit very well with the rest of the theme.

I know that I couldn't do any better. In fact, I would do a lot worse. But there are folks that contribute to this site that can and do make stuff that is head-and-shoulders above what we see from MS.

So if you can, please help me see what it is that makes even MS's best and highly-touted efforts seem to be...NQR. I simply don't get it.

Jeff

One thing to remember JeffBDVS is that the slate skin effort from MS is really only a placeholder. It may give indications of where the new interface is heading, but is not how Longhorn will eventually look.
I do agree with you that Slate is a relatively poor looking skin from MS. But then again the one that came with XP was far too big and ugly as well. So yes MS needs help in that area, and even a placeholder skin should be interesting or cool to use, etc.
I wish this site well. As before XP, people have an interest in mimicking a possible future release and so it is welcome to have one site for all things Aero/Longhorn.

Whenever there is a news post like this there always seems to be someone who doesn't understand theming in the style of the subject. I say if you don't understand then that style is not for you. But others enjoy it so I don't see why they shouldn't be allowed to. Theming is all about making things the way you want them and some might like to theme their OS to look like other OS' or forthcoming OS'. While the Longhorn look isn't entirely my thing, or other looks I don't go around saying, "I don't understand why anyone would like this". Get my drift?

Maybe I'm being too harsh on Microsoft - I didn't really consider the possible changes between beta (now) and release (then). If the history of OSX on the AqS web site is accurate, then apparently the sneak previews of the first OSX beta were underwhelming when compared to the release. Maybe MS has something very special waiting in the wings.

@DZ - it sounds like a great plan and I look forward watching the site grow. If your work on AqS is any indicator, AeS will be terrific. Best of luck and thanks for making it available to us.

Jeff

Oh yeah, and Frogboy, does "I think you can assume semi-transparencies in the Longhorn GUI the final one (which is good news because that is something that could be implemented into WindowBlinds if there's demand on Windows XP."

mean possible 32-bit titlebars? Because I have tried to at least make 32-bit endcaps for the titlebar (to make the ends look antialiased) using 32-bit buttons but that didn't work.

All the best guys - maybe a new focus for some DesktopX objects

Frogboy: and here's another vote. But please don't write "if there's demand"!
It must be made! There are a lot of ppl wants it (maybe some of them don't know they want it but i'm sure they need it).

And please could you write a short description why couldn't you implement it to WB before? There is a question in the WB FAQ on the StarDock website about the per-pixel transparency. Now what's the point? What has changed since then?

If you can set the titlebar to be semitransprent seperate from the window contents i don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to put a 32-bit titlebar. Otherwise it would just be for the whole window and that's not what we need.

Semitransparentsy is the future. If you need a betatester- im your man.