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Frogboy
Frogboy
Join Date 03/2001
+2419 sdemperor

Stardock releases beta of StyleVista

For beta testers of Windows Vista

August 16, 2005 7:51:18 PM from JoeUser ForumsJoeUser Forums

Stardock has released the first beta of a new program called StyleVista.  StyleVista allows Windows Vista beta users to alter the existing "Aero glass" interface to have different opacity levels and different colors.

By default, Windows Vista's new user interface has semi-transparent title bars and borders. While it looks quite cool, it is not currently configurable.  StyleVista enables users to change both the color and opacity (how transparent the title bars and borders are) of the GUI for the active and inactive window.

StyleVista is not similar to Stardock WindowBlinds which can change the actual skin of the GUI.  It alters the existing GUI. Stardock may make some of the features in StyleVista part of WindowBlinds 5 which is due to go into beta next month.

StyleVista is a free and can be downloaded at www.stylevista.net.

Screenshots:

Download: http://www.stylevista.net

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Frogboy
Frogboy
Join Date 03/2001
+2419 sdemperor
Reply #1 August 16, 2005 8:00:37 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

Another screenshot:

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Frogboy
BlueDev
Join Date 12/2003
+16
Reply #2 August 16, 2005 8:09:18 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Wow. That is pretty cool. Call me a butt kisser if you like, but I think that is great of Stardock to offer this to those testing Vista.
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Frogboy
MarkSnyder61
Join Date 12/2001
+10
Reply #3 August 16, 2005 8:19:12 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
I knew I could count on Stardock to have a cool feature in the works for Vista...
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Frogboy
sharpshark28
Join Date 03/2005
0
Reply #4 August 16, 2005 9:14:45 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
I can't believe you make this stuff so quick! The beta has only been out for, what a month! And you have a program for it already! Awsome. It's just to bad I'm not a tester...
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Frogboy
ama02
Join Date 05/2002
+11
Reply #5 August 16, 2005 9:19:33 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Very cool!

Though I'm not a beta tester, I'm curious...based on the screenshots, this will allow you to adjust color and opacity for individual windows? So one could have a semi-transparent blue window, and another window simultaneously open that is a different color?
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Frogboy
vijayanandn
Join Date 09/2002
0
Reply #6 August 16, 2005 9:32:55 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Probably an inappropriate place .. however, while Stardock is at these cool new things, I wish they also released the KLP plugin SDK that was promised, hmm .. like what a year back or so.
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Frogboy
aquabelic
Join Date 12/2004
0
Reply #7 August 16, 2005 10:40:39 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
I guess I will have to try this out sometime later on my copy of Vista.
Cool!
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Frogboy
Johnny Hotsauce
Join Date 01/2002
0
Reply #8 August 16, 2005 11:55:52 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Nice job Stardock! I look forward to trying this out.
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Frogboy
_Martin_
Join Date 03/2001
+37
Reply #9 August 17, 2005 2:32:35 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Very cool stuff - I'm looking forward to seeing how much of this stuff is in WB5
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Frogboy
thecat2000
Join Date 03/2001
0
Reply #10 August 17, 2005 2:54:17 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Just signed up got the beta I'd like to see what the program can do in vista as well as help with the bug reports etc.
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Frogboy
artweasloh
Join Date 08/2004
+2
Reply #11 August 17, 2005 4:45:34 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Nice program, though the name does seem to be a bit of a play on StyleXP.


yeah. i just wondered about that too. anyway, dump that app. This one is better. and done in a very short time after Vista Beta was released. As always, Stardock RULES!!!
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Frogboy
azdruid
Join Date 11/2002
0
Reply #12 August 17, 2005 8:23:03 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Hehe, a fellow reader of Penny-Arcade, I see.
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Frogboy
BasketWeaver
Join Date 04/2001
0
Reply #13 August 17, 2005 8:25:29 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Cool!
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Frogboy
Ogy Ego
Join Date 12/2002
0
Reply #14 August 17, 2005 3:44:12 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
good work...but...hmmm

i just find those screens plain ugly...

i hope that Vista (combined with then latest version of Windowblinds) will be able to provide us, users, with handy and sleek looking enviroment rather then just another handfull of pointless (and rather poor looking) sfx...

i hope noone here will get me wrong - i am windows user and am relegiously runing object docs and windowblinds on my machines - i am just expecting too see much much more then just "blury glass" effect
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Frogboy
aquabelic
Join Date 12/2004
0
Reply #15 August 17, 2005 4:53:33 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
good work...but...hmmm

i just find those screens plain ugly...

i hope that Vista (combined with then latest version of Windowblinds) will be able to provide us, users, with handy and sleek looking enviroment rather then just another handfull of pointless (and rather poor looking) sfx...

i hope noone here will get me wrong - i am windows user and am relegiously runing object docs and windowblinds on my machines - i am just expecting too see much much more then just "blury glass" effect


Well it is just a beta, this meant to show up what the OS will be cabable of.
And this beta 1 just shows some of the eye candy that Vista will provide.

I torrented a copy of Vista, and I was quite impressed...

Just wait for the final release before complaining about beta versions...
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Frogboy
GreatSilverWyrm
Join Date 11/2002
0
Reply #16 August 17, 2005 11:26:16 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
All I have to say, is, I love you, Stardock.
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Frogboy
Jafo
Join Date 03/2001
+1846 sdemployee
Reply #17 August 18, 2005 12:36:28 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums

can't believe you make this stuff so quick! The beta has only been out for, what a month! And you have a program for it already! Awsome.

My guess would be that Stardock's links with MS means they've had access to the new OS a little earlier than most...

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Frogboy
SurfaceOfTheEye
Join Date 07/2003
0
Reply #18 August 18, 2005 3:07:52 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Can someone tell me and forgive my ignorance what DWM is? Apparently I need it to run StyleVista!
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Frogboy
ZubaZ
Join Date 11/2001
+917
Reply #19 August 18, 2005 10:38:57 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Can someone tell me and forgive my ignorance what DWM is? Apparently I need it to run StyleVista!


"Desktop Windows Manager, formerly Desktop Compositing Engine"

Google is your friend.
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Frogboy
SurfaceOfTheEye
Join Date 07/2003
0
Reply #20 August 18, 2005 6:57:35 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Could you inform me into how to find something like Desktop Windows Manager, or Desktop Compositing Engine?
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Frogboy
kona0197
Join Date 02/2003
+86
Reply #21 August 18, 2005 7:06:41 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
You can find DWM in the Windows Vista beta. In other words you have to wait till MS releases the next version of Windows.
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Frogboy
MasterSchwag
Join Date 05/2004
0
Reply #22 August 19, 2005 3:17:14 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
I hate to say it, but when vista actually hits the market for buyers, and I install it on my computer, Im not sure im ever gonna want to use another WindowBlind, MSStyle, Visual Style, etc.... again.... With the glass effect, available, there isnt much u can do to make it look any better.... Either way, this program is pretty sweet! (at least for beta testers)
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Frogboy
SurfaceOfTheEye
Join Date 07/2003
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Reply #23 August 19, 2005 6:09:37 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Ok, there must be a hierarchy here. How do I get to be a beta tester, is there cost involved, and if there is, why isn't it explained to us silly-making of oneself a fool-just plain silly-novices? And why have an advert about StyleVista when us novices can't run it...?
Please someone correct me!
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Frogboy
Emily
Join Date 05/2001
+10
Reply #24 August 20, 2005 6:42:53 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
I hate to say it, but when vista actually hits the market for buyers, and I install it on my computer, Im not sure im ever gonna want to use another WindowBlind, MSStyle, Visual Style, etc.... again.... With the glass effect, available, there isnt much u can do to make it look any better.... Either way, this program is pretty sweet! (at least for beta testers)


That's crazy. The idea that there is a single end-all; be-all; user-interface for everyone is anathama to the whole idea of personalization.
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Frogboy
scratch_pentagon
Join Date 01/2002
0
Reply #25 August 21, 2005 5:11:41 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
I hate to say it, but when vista actually hits the market for buyers, and I install it on my computer, Im not sure im ever gonna want to use another WindowBlind, MSStyle, Visual Style, etc.... again.... With the glass effect, available, there isnt much u can do to make it look any better.... Either way, this program is pretty sweet! (at least for beta testers)


i think you meant to say "there isn't much you can do to make it look any worse".

WB will be a godsend for Vista unless MS hires some real graphic designers.
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