Windows XP themes

MerkabaMerkaba Digital Harmony Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 22Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">And snow.</div>It snowed in England today. It only stuck around for about 5 hours and then was melted away, but I <a href="http://img261.imageshack.us/my.php?image=snowygardenbackground6hj.jpg" target="_blank">got a good picture of my garden</a> before slumping back to bed as I had only had 4 hours sleep. (ironically I bought Terry Pratchett's 'Wintersmith' yesterday, and I could have sat downstairs reading that instead and probably stayed awake. Instead, I dreamt that I was back at school and that my teacher was giving me red wine with ice in it in a cracked glass, that broke when I drank it. Odd.)

So I set that photo as my windows background, but the default windows theme looks god awful with it, and I don't want to revert back to the Win98 look as I have done that many times already in the past and want something new.

So...themes? Who uses themes here? Do they slow performance down? What are some good ones?

Ideally what I want is something monochrome and not flashy. Failing that, I just want something effecient that takes up hardly any space on the screen.

The bottom line is, I must get rid of these saturated toy-buttons that is XP. Share your minds!
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Comments

  • Femme_FataleFemme_Fatale Join Date: 2005-06-21 Member: 54310Members, Constellation
    edited January 2007
    i just use the windows xp plus! silver theme, to get rid of the teletubby colours.
    turn it all into silver.
    other than that, i actually don't use themes.
    im a very boring pc user.
    silver and black.
    I got a Diablo 2 background,supported by silver windows/boxes/taskbar, aquired from the Xp plus! pack written above.

    sorry no saturated toy buttons magics <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
    something like this :

    <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v637/Wilde-Engel/desktop.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
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  • MonkfishMonkfish Sonic-boom-inducing buttcheeks of terrifying speed&#33; Join Date: 2003-06-03 Member: 16972Members
    <a href="http://www.crystalxp.net/bricopack/en-crystal-clear.htm" target="_blank">http://www.crystalxp.net/bricopack/en-crystal-clear.htm</a>

    That's what I use. Looks sweet.
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  • Dirty_Harry_PotterDirty_Harry_Potter Join Date: 2002-11-21 Member: 9500Members
    edited January 2007
    Iirc you need third party software to use third party themes (not even sure there are first party themes you can get somewhere), <a href="http://www.themexp.org/" target="_blank">Themexp.org</a> has plenty of themes and the like, and guides on how to install it - even what program (Style XP) you need, I used to use it back in the day. Edit: the site that is, though I think the program is the same too, but as my connection has a wonderful habit of dying or at least feigning it's death every few moments, I'm not really able to check.

    However, just FYI, not sure if I was alone with this problem, but everytime I started up my comp the theme would revert to the regular classic theme of windows, until I went into the program and repicked the theme I wanted, this eventually caused me to drop the thing alltogether.
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  • Lt_PatchLt_Patch Join Date: 2005-02-07 Member: 40286Members
    StyleXP doesn't work properly with XP x64, you need to set it to reapply theme on startup. Apparently it's a compatibility issue with the theme handler in x64. But yet the normal version of WindowBlinds works perfectly with x64... Go figure that one...

    Ok, back on the subject of themes, this is the one I use, but it requires the full, paid for version of WindowBlinds 5, because of the per-pixel alpha blending...

    <img src="http://xs511.xs.to/xs511/07043/desktop_screen.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
    And the bit I like about it is this...
    <img src="http://xs511.xs.to/xs511/07043/desktop_trans.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
    Subtle transparancy on pretty much every menu, not over the top enough to obscure what menu text you're looking at with whatever is behind it, but enough to make the menus look pretty <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
    It's called iFlex, by DanilloOc, found it on deviantArt, which is probably the best site for any kind of skins, because very few of them are over the top, which is the problem I find with custom skins...

    Only downside of it is that it needs the full version of WindowBlinds 5, which costs about $20. Or just over £10 if you're in the UK. Gotta love the dollar being a POS against the pound atm <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />

    Sonic, the CrystalClear pack does look sexy, but it's totally incompatible with x64 <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
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  • BlackMageBlackMage [citation needed] Join Date: 2003-06-18 Member: 17474Members, Constellation
    edited January 2007
    win2k-style GO! it's free, it's fast and i hate things that look gooeyer than they need to be. i'd have console-style menus if i could do it without having to replace or run something ontop of explorer.

    <a href="http://blackmage.org/bbs/src/1169661616250.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://blackmage.org/bbs/thumb/1169661616250s.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" /></a>
    click for bigger
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  • Femme_FataleFemme_Fatale Join Date: 2005-06-21 Member: 54310Members, Constellation
    edited January 2007
    i never commented on how pretty that picture of your garden is..
    its <b>nice</b> <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
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  • BlackMageBlackMage [citation needed] Join Date: 2003-06-18 Member: 17474Members, Constellation
    my other computer:

    <a href="http://blackmage.org/bbs/src/1169662121723.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://blackmage.org/bbs/thumb/1169662121723s.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" /></a>
    click for bigger!~
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  • BlooBloo Village Fool of UWF Join Date: 2006-11-09 Member: 58497Members
    edited January 2007
    What did you do to make your computer that way BM?
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  • MerkabaMerkaba Digital Harmony Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 22Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester
    <!--quoteo(post=1601415:date=Jan 24 2007, 05:55 PM:name=Femme_Fatale)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Femme_Fatale @ Jan 24 2007, 05:55 PM) [snapback]1601415[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    i never commented on how pretty that picture of your garden is..
    its <b>nice</b> <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Thanks <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" /> It was lovely to see...I wish I hadn't gone to bed again <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />

    And thanks everyone else for the helpful suggestions. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do. None of the themes I find seem to focus on making the interface less clunky...most of them do the opposite and make it extra-clunky.

    Ho hum...maybe I will go back to win2k look afterall; at least then I can choose my own colours/sizes.
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  • BlackMageBlackMage [citation needed] Join Date: 2003-06-18 Member: 17474Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1601428:date=Jan 24 2007, 01:01 PM:name=Bloo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bloo @ Jan 24 2007, 01:01 PM) [snapback]1601428[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    What did you do to make your computer that way BM?
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I got a proper operating system (I think that box runs FreeBSD)
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  • BlooBloo Village Fool of UWF Join Date: 2006-11-09 Member: 58497Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1601440:date=Jan 24 2007, 09:20 PM:name=Black_Mage)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Black_Mage @ Jan 24 2007, 09:20 PM) [snapback]1601440[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    I got a proper operating system (I think that box runs FreeBSD)
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Wow awesome!
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  • chubbystevechubbysteve Join Date: 2002-10-14 Member: 1496Members, Constellation
    Great photo of the snow. But I can't believe it's england. I didn't get snow today. Just freezing cold and sun.

    I can't believe you have translucent menus patch. Isn't that a hog of memory? For not much return?
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  • Lt_PatchLt_Patch Join Date: 2005-02-07 Member: 40286Members
    I'd give you precise memory usage stats, but I can't find which program is WindowBlinds in my task manager =\

    Either way, my memory usage is lower with WindowBlinds using the iFlex skin, than it ever was using StyleXP, with the Panther skin, which had no translucent menus, no alpha blending, nothing.

    I#d gladly send you the link and activation file for WindowBlinds, but I paid for the program,instead of torrenting that bad boy, mainly because I was sick to death with the "OMG ACTIVATE THIS" screen that came up on every startup =\
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  • CabooseCaboose title = name(self, handle) Join Date: 2003-02-15 Member: 13597Members, Constellation
    Lovely picture, I wish that when it snowed here it would stop at that amount... Then maybe I'd not have a seething hatred of the snow.

    /me shakes fist at the snow.
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  • ClashenClashen Join Date: 2003-08-22 Member: 20087Members
    If you don't want to use ###### programs like StyleXP or Windowsblinds just patch your utxtheme.dll (the file that only allows certain themes) to let you use any theme just by placing them in your /resources folder. Google for utxtheme patcher and you'll find it.
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  • Lt_PatchLt_Patch Join Date: 2005-02-07 Member: 40286Members
    UXTheme.dll patches aren't compatible with all version of Windows, and neither are they compatible with all skins. End of.

    Basically, before you actually decide on a theme for Windows, see what program it needs...
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  • MendaspMendasp I touch maps in inappropriate places Valencia, Spain Join Date: 2002-07-05 Member: 884Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow, Retired Community Developer
    I have a patched uxtheme.dll and use <a href="http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/9240396/" target="_blank">this theme</a>.

    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->CO is designed as an ergonomic replacement for the default Windows Classic theme. It was designed with long-term use and compatibility in mind.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    And it looks good! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
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  • BelgarionBelgarion Join Date: 2002-07-19 Member: 973Members
    nice picture merk. it's got some (maybe slightly over) saturated colors in it, which is often a problem in winter pictures because it's missing. I like it.

    that's all I have to say. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
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  • SpaceJesusSpaceJesus Join Date: 2004-07-02 Member: 29683Banned
    edited January 2007
    This is what I'm using at the moment, although I'm tempted to try out CO now that I see it <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />

    <a href="http://img265.imageshack.us/my.php?image=desktopyr0.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/8251/desktopyr0.th.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" /></a>
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  • Femme_FataleFemme_Fatale Join Date: 2005-06-21 Member: 54310Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1601976:date=Jan 26 2007, 06:10 PM:name=SpaceJesus)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SpaceJesus @ Jan 26 2007, 06:10 PM) [snapback]1601976[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    This is what I'm using at the moment, although I'm tempted to try out CO now that I see it <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />

    <a href="http://img265.imageshack.us/my.php?image=desktopyr0.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/8251/desktopyr0.th.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" /></a>
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    wow,selfmade wallpaper?
    thats quite awesome.:o
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  • SpaceJesusSpaceJesus Join Date: 2004-07-02 Member: 29683Banned
    Yeah, the result of boredom and access to 3ds max I guess
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