More Windows Classic Themes

[kevinski]

While I realize that a lot of people (myself included) are looking to non-Windows Classic themes in an operating system, I figured that it might be interesting to develop new Windows Classic-style themes, seeing as how the alternate themes already included in Windows seem to be - for the most part - pretty drab and unappealing. Try creating themes and posting them here (and try to give them names, while you're at it).

I'll start...

Here's Land & Sea...

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I based it on XP's Luna theme, obviously.

[kevinski]

Here's another, this one called Forest Fire...

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[GoBusto]

They look nice.

[kevinski]

Thanks. It's difficult to come up with a color for the "3D Objects" portion that doesn't look horrible. Rather than completely copying the experience that people would have with Windows, I think that it'd be nice if ReactOS shipped with some additional (and original) Windows Classic-style themes.

[GoBusto]

Thanks. It's difficult to come up with a color for the "3D Objects" portion that doesn't look horrible. Rather than completely copying the experience that people would have with Windows, I think that it'd be nice if ReactOS shipped with some additional (and original) Windows Classic-style themes.

My normal response to extra themes is usually "make it available for optional download after installation but not part of the default install." This is for various reasons, such as the extra disk space/RAM/processing power needed for the theme, some people won't like it, Windows 2000 is the best look ever, etc. However, since these are essentially pleasant-looking recolourations of the standard Windows Classic theme (AKA are quite small in size and don't change the basic layout of the classic theme in major ways), I'd personally not mind if these particular colour-schemes were included as part of the default install.

Of course, what the actual dev. team think of this is another matter.

[kevinski]

I've never really delved into a theme file before, but yeah...I'd expect them to be pretty small. I think that it'd be interesting if ReactOS could interface with the ReactOS Web site in some fashion, maybe even just for themes. Since you could, essentially, have a theme specified as common-separated values, it might be kinda cool to have a theme viewer that would allow you to install new Classic-style themes from the Web.

By the way, it might be interesting to have a Windows-style Classic theme and a ReactOS-style Classic theme that handle certain aspects of each theme differently. For instance, in the ReactOS-style Classic theme, you might be able to specify the colors of each individual border separately, rather than having Windows use its regular bevel-style effect. It would likely use around the same level of resources; it'd just draw things differently.

[dreams]

These color schemes are only a few kilobytes, so to include some more schemes in reactos would be cool. I like the forest fire one. Color schemes are included in the registry in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Appearance\Schemes. The Windows 3.11 'Hotdog Stand' scheme should be included too.

[vicmarcal]

dreams

Maybe schemes could be added in versions(as 0.3.6,0.3.7...and so),but they aren´t useful in revisions.Every day there are 15 different revisions,each revision has 4 isos(Bootrelease,Bootdebug,LiveRelease,Livedebug), each day that revisions are downloaded so many times(for testings,bugtracing...)So just some kilobytes means some gigas traffic.That´s the reason why revisions dont have Download¡ and other stuff(that version has) included.

So try to sell this idea by including Themes in versions, otherwise they will reject(sure) it.

[kevinski]

Hahahaha...maybe I'll make an updated version of it! XD

[vicmarcal]

Hahahaha...maybe I'll make an updated version of it! XD

...and u can call it: " The First Reactos Distro".

[kevinski]

I've never used Windows 3.xx, but it looks as though it handled themes a lot differently. I don't think that it's even possible to make a theme exactly like that, but I could try making something that's relatively close.

By the way, regarding what I'd mentioned before about ReactOS having slightly more advanced "Classic" themes, I think that it'd be nice to be able to specify the color for each element of both the active and inactive windows. That way, you could make the "3D Objects" for inactive windows a less noticeable color, bringing more emphasis to the active one(s).

[kevinski]

All right...here it is! I give you...Hotdog Stand!

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[GMC]

There is program called "3d color changer" that can change windows classic colors separately.
google for it its freeware.

[GMC]

hi. i just got this cool idea.
what if we could change the orientation of the title bar color-blend?
so instead of a horizontal (left to right) we could have vertical (top to bottom) color-blend.
and what if we could also use color-blend on taskbar?

i think it would be cool. 8)

[kevinski]

3D Color Changer looks cool, but I was referring to just building similar functionality into ReactOS. And yeah, it'd be pretty nice to be able to change the orientation of gradients, as well as using them for other elements. For instance, if you could have a vertical gradient (and maybe have the option to change it to radial or mirrored), then you could create all sorts of interesting effects, such as the overused glass effect that you see in a lot of UI's.