DescentBB

Hiya

Anyone know of a way to get some different themes for win2k other than by using windowblinds? I'm too lazy/cheap to either hack/buy that program into full functionality, so I was wondering if there was some way to get a full fledged (taskbar, start button and everything) theme working under win2k, and if so, where can I find some themes for whatever solution there is.

Hope you guys can read that, I'm a little buzzed right now. HOORAY BEER!!!

Yeah, I'm kinda worn out on the standard grey buttons but I still dont feel like getting XP yet. Solutions! Give me solutions!!!

/pass out

Drink more and then imagine a better windows theme.

Unfortunately XP *is* the solution. Was really one of the main reasons I upgraded to XP so Windowblinds wasn't all gimped out like it is on Win2k. That and XP is better for gaming.

I really did like Win2k. Was solid as a rock, but ultimately lacking in the visual department.

You can either upgrade to XP and use the .dll that allows Windows to have visual styles other then the default, use Windowblinds on 2K which blows in comparison to the same Windowblinds installation in XP or....settle for 2Ks plainness.

2K was really meant for businesses and Corp environments using large networks anyways IMO.

Most of the stuff that I tried in the sharware version of windowblinds wasnt gimped out. I just dont like having all the features disabled.

Anyone else wanna comment? Or is tyr correct?

Also tyr, how was windowblinds gimped, specifically?

Well, for instance the taskbar in windows isn't fully skinned in 2K. The buttons will be skinned according to whichever skin you choose, but the rest of the bar will only change color to match the buttons rather then being skinned over itself like it is in XP.

There are other areas in Windows where this same thing happens on program windows and the like. I don't think 2K displays the more advanced animated startmenus or animated skins period where certain parts of the windowblinds are actually animated. Most of them don't have this, but there are a few that I have (not currently using though) that are this way.

2K also seemed overly buggy with WB sometimes. Another part is that WB considers itself a seperate entity in 2K creating its own tab in the Display Properties dialog. In XP it is integrated into the standard Appearance tab that Windows has and all the themes are selectable through the regular dropdown window.

You really don't get the full effect using WB in 2K as you would running it on XP. This is what I consider "gimped". There are also a lot of customizable overrides and such that aren't available even in the full version of WB on 2K that are available on the very same full version on XP.

It really all comes down to personal preference but you still don't get the whole shebang with 2K.

Your only real solution is to start looking for alternate shells for windows. Fliptw posted a list of them a while back when someone posted a macosx theme screenshot. (I think it was Defender)

My friend Ted runs Litestep and WindowBlinds together for a near-perfect replica of Mac OS X.

Avder rightclick the desktop, properties, appearance, and choose a different colour theme.

- grey buttons gone -

seems rather obvious, but for some reason no-one has mentioned it. *shrug*

roid......meh, nevermind. Not even worth it.

Vader...I had a program that did a better job at changing the overall appearance of 2K then Windowblinds did but because Windowblinds is superior to it as far as user friendliness is concerned, upgrading to XP to use Windowblinds was really the only logical choice.

It was one that used an alternate shell for windows like MD mentioned...

Litestep seems like a logical Choice though there seems to be some registry tweaking to get Windows to run properly. The Windows shell is kinda buggy especially when trying to run windows explorer or any of the file management aspects of Windows through alternative shells.

Heres a site that helps on that part though.
http://www.brembs.net/litestep/win2k.html

Here is a good place to get skins for it.
http://www2.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?library=6

Atleast I think this might work...maybe fliptw knows more.

SCREW LITESTEP.

seriously, SCREW IT IN THE EAR!

use bblean.

its so concerned with style that compatibility between litestep modules and themes is quesitonable, and im not really sure about stability.

If you like a pretty desktop with next to no functionality, go for it.

if you actually want to do something, switch to a BB4win or one of its offshoots.

Tyranny wrote:roid......meh, nevermind. Not even worth it.

you guys are all shopping for liftkits and neon lamps.

i simply fucken resprayed the car, like he asked.

roid, that isn't what he asked for and if you had really wanted to help you would have known that instead of being stupid about it. I know you're trying to have some fun, but he wants real information here, not a bunch of filler.

ah, Flip responds and there you go, screw litestep.

theme support for isnt installed to w2k as default, on some releases of w2k you have a option to in/uninstall it in add/remove programmes or click start/run and type `themes` most of w98se and me themes will work and some basic xp will as well. one app here, http://themeworld.com/cgi-bin/redir.pl/themes/da211.zip
for tweaking and saving themes. if you want a slight alteration to your desktop features maybe objectbar from stardock is what you want.