Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

bOOzo · Mar 21, 2003, 03:00 PM

I've gotten a couple requests for it, and William says I should just replace the old ones because they were designed for OS 9.

This is a mockup of how the new ones could look:

I think that the x-+ buttons are good, and they don't go away from the original design. I'm not sure about the toolbar button, feel free to come with suggestions or even mockups.

SwarmyCurve · Mar 21, 2003, 03:31 PM

That looks alot better than before.

blackmacx · Mar 21, 2003, 03:32 PM

Look good here. Go for all 4, I like the Toolbar button as it is in the same feel as the rest.

mrfrost · Mar 21, 2003, 03:42 PM

I'd say post a pic of the old ones so you get to hear the opinions from the people that haven't tried it yet.

...and I like the new ones better.

Stuphalina · Mar 21, 2003, 03:50 PM

Better than before!

smoke-tetsu · Mar 21, 2003, 03:59 PM

Looks good. Previously a couple of the buttons looked a little too similar to each other (they still looked good though). This just looks a little more.. readable to me.

Cerbero · Mar 21, 2003, 04:02 PM

These ones look better imho.

bOOzo · Mar 21, 2003, 04:33 PM

Ok, cool

Then I guess nobody would mind if I replaced the old ones completely? I'm not that satisfied with the toolbar button though.. I'll see if I can come up with something better.

SwarmyCurve · Mar 21, 2003, 04:48 PM

Yeah ditch the old ones. I really never liked them...

Stuphalina · Mar 21, 2003, 04:52 PM

personally I prefer the buttons to actually look like buttons. It might not look exactly like the os 9 original but move with times!
So, yeah, ditch them.

SwarmyCurve · Mar 21, 2003, 05:11 PM

Another idea for the new BBX - Maybe its time for the angular tab design to be evaluated. I never liked that chopped off look.

For all I know, everyone likes how tabs look in the currect BBX, but I thought I would bring it up.

bbxstudio · Mar 21, 2003, 05:22 PM

Originally posted by bOOzo:
Ok, cool

Then I guess nobody would mind if I replaced the old ones completely? I'm not that satisfied with the toolbar button though.. I'll see if I can come up with something better.

Try stacking the 'minus' ( - ) into an 'equals' ( = ) sign... that way all of your widgets are angular mathematical symbols (and hey, it will even look intentional!) - the 'equals' looks sort of like an abstract titlebar/toolbar representation anyways.

I'm actually using an equals symbol to represent the toolbar button for my new BBX designs as well, although I'm using a ring instead of a cross for the close widget... ie. ( o - + = ) as opposed to ( x - + = )... don't change what you've done already, though - I love the fact that they're all mathematical symbols

bbxstudio · 06:22 PM

Originally posted by Stuphalina:
personally I prefer the buttons to actually look like buttons.

Bah - that's so old-skool

If you can see it and glean its meaning and it reacts predictably to input, then that's all you need. I've always preferred the minimalist approach (especially with regards to window control widgets) - it's almost like a haiku, saying what you need to say with as few strokes as possible. Why mess up a beautiful titlebar with big tacky buttons for the sake of tradition?

Buttons are for those who require their virtual control structures wrapped in a familiar and comfortable representation extrapolated from the mundane physical world - be brave, think outside the box, embrace the virtual... it's all about symbolism and abstraction - these are more like runes or spells. My 2� (more like a nickel I guess).

mrtew · Mar 21, 2003, 07:13 PM

I love those new widgets. Can't wait to see the finished theme update. I will probably move to BBX next as I think I am actually getting tired of brushed after using it for about a year. My suggestion is to put a little bit of grey in the upper part of the bars so they aren't so divided in half horizontally and the theme isn't quite so bright. I think if you do it very subtle people will hardly notice but it might look a little better! That theme sure looks nice though, and is one of the best examples of your attention to detail making a nice theme into something really stunning. Good job!

Stuphalina · Mar 21, 2003, 07:28 PM

Bah - that's so old-skool

If you can see it and glean its meaning and it reacts predictably to input, then that's all you need. I've always preferred the minimalist approach (especially with regards to window control widgets) - it's almost like a haiku, saying what you need to say with as few strokes as possible. Why mess up a beautiful titlebar with big tacky buttons for the sake of tradition?

Buttons are for those who require their virtual control structures wrapped in a familiar and comfortable representation extrapolated from the mundane physical world - be brave, think outside the box, embrace the virtual... it's all about symbolism and abstraction - these are more like runes or spells. My 2� (more like a nickel I guess).

Geez! Can?t a girl have an opinion without being harassed about it?

NetworkShadow · Mar 21, 2003, 08:16 PM

I like it. I also had no problem with the old one.

digitaljames · Mar 21, 2003, 08:44 PM

Hey Billy,

Any news on the "Platinum" theme for OSX?

bbxstudio · Mar 21, 2003, 10:14 PM

Originally posted by Stuphalina:
Geez! Can?t a girl have an opinion without being harassed about it?

A girl in this forum ??? I thought this group was made up primarily of socially maladjusted young males. Please accept my apologies - I've seen the girls in Montr�al... you can say whatever you'd like

bbxstudio · Mar 21, 2003, 10:20 PM

Originally posted by digitaljames:
Hey Billy,

Any news on the "Platinum" theme for OSX?

"Platinum"? I'm working on my ever-evolving-never-ending codename:Miraikane/futuremetal OSX theme as we speak (first chance I've had in many weeks), not sure if that's the one you're talking about. If it is, it's coming along nicely - no word on when it'll be ready exactly, though.

bOOzo · Mar 22, 2003, 03:48 AM

Originally posted by bbxstudio:
Try stacking the 'minus' ( - ) into an 'equals' ( = ) sign... that way all of your widgets are angular mathematical symbols (and hey, it will even look intentional!) - the 'equals' looks sort of like an abstract titlebar/toolbar representation anyways.

I'm actually using an equals symbol to represent the toolbar button for my new BBX designs as well, although I'm using a ring instead of a cross for the close widget... ie. ( o - + = ) as opposed to ( x - + = )... don't change what you've done already, though - I love the fact that they're all mathematical symbols

Good idea! I actually have a mockup with x-+ and o for a toolbar. But I'll see how the = looks like.

I'm also including some other changes in the next release, I'll tell you about them later..

Stuphalina · Mar 22, 2003, 07:29 AM

A girl in this forum ??? I thought this group was made up primarily of socially maladjusted young males. Please accept my apologies - I've seen the girls in Montr�al... you can say whatever you'd like

...thanks I guess!

My name never gave you the hint?
Now, all back to Max and his themes!

bOOzo · Mar 22, 2003, 04:19 PM

Ok, here is a teaser for BBX Mercury X 1.2:

Here you see the new toolbar button. I've already implemented it.

I've also added a metal look. Before I had the fake regular window style, but it did not work that well with Safari and I feel that this look is cool. Was it Carbon or Swiz who did this first? It's cool anyway.

You can also see the BBX Safari skin that I will post soon after I post the theme. It also has a variant with black navigation buttons.

Other than that, this is what's new:
- Added a finder toolbar chevron
- Added black menu extras
- Removed the subtle gradients in menus
- Removed the alert hand

jessejlt · Mar 22, 2003, 04:30 PM

It looks tasty. I eagerly awate its release.
Oh, and as for the icons, has anyone made an 'iContainer' with them yet?
jesse ;-)

SwarmyCurve · Mar 22, 2003, 04:35 PM

Looks much improved - can't wait!!

bOOzo · Mar 22, 2003, 05:14 PM

Originally posted by jessejlt:
It looks tasty. I eagerly awate its release.
Oh, and as for the icons, has anyone made an 'iContainer' with them yet?
jesse ;-)

I thought about making an icontainer, but then it would not allow me to change the alert icons. So in this version it's the same way, you choose to either use the theme with no icons or you choose the theme with bundled icons. I think that works very well, as long as you revert Candybar. Even if you don't, I think Candybar has failsafes that prevents it from deleting the aqua backup.
Is there any other reason you would want an icontainer?

NetworkShadow · Mar 22, 2003, 06:26 PM

Nice work, I liked my black bug button though...

But the new brushed replacement looks great!

jessejlt · Mar 22, 2003, 06:51 PM

Originally posted by bOOzo:
I thought about making an icontainer, but then it would not allow me to change the alert icons. So in this version it's the same way, you choose to either use the theme with no icons or you choose the theme with bundled icons. I think that works very well, as long as you revert Candybar. Even if you don't, I think Candybar has failsafes that prevents it from deleting the aqua backup.
Is there any other reason you would want an icontainer?

Sounds great.
So when are we going to be able to get our grubbies on it

jesse ;-)

bOOzo · Mar 23, 2003, 03:55 AM

Originally posted by jessejlt:
Sounds great.
So when are we going to be able to get our grubbies on it
jesse ;-)

Today or tomorrow. The big problem for me is not assembling the themes, it's uploading them - because I only have a modem. But the 30th I (hopefully) will get a 1 mbit ADSL line...

Fluid · Mar 23, 2003, 04:56 AM

Can't wait!