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G0Ducks · May 11, 2007, 04:20 AM

Hello all you Unsanity developers and In-The-Know-ers™. I, among others, want to know if Shapeshifter has any future with the onset of Leopard. If so, what are some of the new features that we can look forward to? I mean... Since you don't have any real competition, there isn't any worry of some gobbler to take your gig.

Let us in! We deserve it.

R

Kevin · May 17, 2007, 10:17 AM

Since there is no comp, they don't have to say anything or do anything. So..

Such is a monopoly.

G0Ducks · May 17, 2007, 11:22 AM

Yeah.... I've noticed. Well, maybe there is a good reason. Maybey (YeahRight™!) there will be something to facilitate this in Leopard

R

Chuckit · May 17, 2007, 11:48 AM

Just a guess, but Unsanity is probably still working on Shapeshifter for Leopard. I imagine the new user interface technologies probably require a lot of accounting for.

G0Ducks · May 17, 2007, 01:51 PM

For sure... But that is kind of the point of my post.
We have no idea what Unsanity is doing for Leopard, IF at all they are indeed doing anything for Leopard.
To me, this seems like a great opportunity for Unsanity to introduce something so new and improved that they can charge existing customers. I know I wouldn't mind paying an upgrade price for a ShapeShifter that used Core Animation, Core Image, or even Core Audio.
However, because thhings have been so damned deflated lately, it would be nice if the company that has been vampiring off of the theme developers for the last 6 years would step up and add some air into this community.

R

Kate · May 18, 2007, 03:31 PM

Well, if Unsanity tests its app against the same developer-betas like the rest of us, there might not be much to comment or brag about. As some of us might know or suspect, there is not much alteration going on GUI-wise according to the leaked info.
If there are new things they need to adapt to it's certainly under NDA. If not, they wait and see until more shines up in a few months.
Either way, there cannot be much communication, if any. ;-)

G0Ducks · May 23, 2007, 11:49 PM

OK. Great points... However, Wouldn't it be nice to have some kind of biannual report from Unsanity about what they would like to do? Or, ask us what we would like?

I know that when they say something, people expect those features, but we themers have been carrying thing for quite a long time now... I think it is fairly obvious that the end user is starting to fold under the responsibility of carrying the weight of keeping things alive. I think it is time for them to pony up.

R

Catfish_Man · May 25, 2007, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by G0Ducks

I know I wouldn't mind paying an upgrade price for a ShapeShifter that used Core Animation, Core Image, or even Core Audio.

ShapeShifter does use Core Image.

eyevaan · May 25, 2007, 01:09 PM

imagine it all with core animation - - buttons did not just have two states, instead, even a limited 6 frame animation. ooOOOOoo

FB Eye · May 25, 2007, 01:42 PM

Not trying to be ironic here, but if the next version of ShapeShifter can use Core Animation, we might actually see [shock]BBX Omega[/shock] released! We all know that the lack of animation is what basically killed Omega...

Catfish_Man · May 25, 2007, 01:47 PM

I thought that was mostly due to BBX disappearing.

mac128k-1984 · May 28, 2007, 06:57 PM

Its funny how quickly conversation turns from shapeshifter to BBX when ever the thread is about new features. Even now people are hoping for BBX to be completed and released.

G0Ducks · May 28, 2007, 07:14 PM

What's more ironic is that the "hope" for the new BBX theme is possibly at the root of killing themeing... Or not.

Still... No official voice here from Unsanity. Just as I expected.

R

Syzygy · May 29, 2007, 05:49 PM

I think what really kills theming is how difficult it is to theme. I've started at least 6 themes that I would love to use, but never got passed even halfway because I continually overestimate my ability to deal with the limitations and difficulties that come with theming >.<

It would definitely be great if Unsanity were to tell us a little of what's going on with SS. Doesn't seem like we've seen anything new from them in a while (or I could be wrong...) so maybe they're working hard on the difficulties that come with leopard?

Though, I believe all the release of leopard so far have not had the resolution independent GUI that the final release will, so maybe they can't even start until then... Guess these are the sort of things it would be nice if they told us!

Catfish_Man · May 29, 2007, 05:56 PM

Leopard certainly has many changes to a wide variety of system frameworks. Exactly which ones impact ShapeShifter, and how they might be worked around, I don't really know (and I can't say my guesses, due to NDA).

FB Eye · May 29, 2007, 10:36 PM

There's probably lots of stuff going on backstage. Maybe, just maybe, they've decided that this time the new ShapeShifter will be released simultaniously with Leopard (and make it a surprise).

I hope I'm right

Kevin · May 31, 2007, 07:02 AM

Hopefully leopard will come with theming built in and we wont have to deal with hacks like SS.

Aegis · May 31, 2007, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin

Hopefully leopard will come with theming built in and we wont have to deal with hacks like SS.

I second that. Sadly, I don't think Apple cares much about our theming desires.

mac128k-1984 · May 31, 2007, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by Aegis

I second that. Sadly, I don't think Apple cares much about our theming desires.

Not only that but I think they go out of their way to keep the environment locked down and difficult to theme.

Chuckit · May 31, 2007, 01:34 PM

Based on the Apple theming patent, I think you might be in luck. Maybe not, but it's a positive sign.

Syzygy · May 31, 2007, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

Based on the Apple theming patent, I think you might be in luck. Maybe not, but it's a positive sign.

Wow, I had never even heard of this. After a little research, I found that the patent actually includes pictures of apple's internal theming tool... Seems like more info than apple would usually give, but if anyone else hasn't heard about this, check out: http://www.cabel.name/2007/01/apples...on-themes.html

Sourbook · May 31, 2007, 06:35 PM

That would be awesome if Apple gave us their own themes. I love ShapeShifter, but I hate it when an Apple update breaks my theme. And I swear I'm so Aquaed-out that it almost hurts to look at it. No offense to Aqua, but change is good. I love dark themes and translucent menus. I find them easier on my eyes and gentler on my mind. Apple updates without broken themes would be great.

ArcticBear · Jun 7, 2007, 09:33 AM

That would be awesome if Apple gave us their own themes. ...

You have Aqua and Graphite.

G0Ducks · Jun 7, 2007, 11:53 PM

What? You mean there are some default themes? Whoa....

Originally Posted by ArcticBear

You have Aqua and Graphite.

Sourbook · Jun 7, 2007, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by ArcticBear

You have Aqua and Graphite.

Elwood: What kind of music do you usually have here?
Bartender: Oh, we got both kinds. We got country *and* western.