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codywalton · Dec 11, 2004, 12:37 AM

Now, before you all bite my head off by decrying "heretic"! "blasphemer"!... just hear me out.

One of the few apps for Windows that I like (graphically, that is) would be the Windows Media Player v.10. I actually like its interface. It's clean (well, for a MS app). Perhaps because so much of it's style is directly ripped off from Aqua and iTunes, but I digress. Anyway, I think a WMP10 guikit would rock, and I'd love to see someone make one.

You can see some good screenshots of WMP10 here: http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/wmp10.asp

Why not make it myself? I've tried to make a few themes over the last 2 years, and found that I just don't have the stamina or skill to pull it off right. So if some other themer out there wants to take this idea and run with it...

well, that's it. You can start calling me a traitor now (but don't be a hypocrite, you use Max's Mac OSXP theme when no one's looking).

Banghazi · Dec 11, 2004, 03:24 AM

<--click for expanded player

Makki · Dec 11, 2004, 04:10 AM

I think thats a cool idea, I am currently working on an iTunes widget based on that shot.

Makki

esXXI · Dec 11, 2004, 06:57 AM

Originally posted by Banghazi:
[Snip]<--click for expanded player

Conversation between me and my brother-in-law, upon me first seeing WMP10:

Me: Oh.. Eh, is that Windows Media Player? You using a skin?
Bro-in-law: Yeah, a skin? No.. Looks pretty good huh?
Me: ..Eh. It's such a rip of Aqua styled buttons..
Bro-in-law (who actually is a 'qualified' MS-Engineer and had to set up over 50 or so Macs recently at a university): "Aqua"?

How depressing. MS will rip Apple's interface off so badly, and then idiot users will have the nerve to say Apple is unoriginal.

Edit: On-topic-ness: I guess a WMP theme would be a good idea, but people could just use VLC, which looks better and doesn't nag you to 'upgrade' to a nonexistent version.

Banghazi · Dec 11, 2004, 07:06 AM

Originally posted by esXXI:
Edit: On-topic-ness: I guess a WMP theme would be a good idea, but people could just use VLC, which looks better and doesn't nag you to 'upgrade' to a nonexistent version.

A. VLC doesn't support WMV3

- making WMP essential in that regard.

B. I have never been nagged by WMP (v9.0). What version are you using?

esXXI · Dec 11, 2004, 08:01 AM

Originally posted by Banghazi:
A. VLC doesn't support WMV3 - making WMP essential in that regard.

B. I have never been nagged by WMP (v9.0). What version are you using?

A. Well blergh people who encode with that!

B. Whichever was latest two or so months ago. I gave up after that and have been WMP-free since.

I blame the people who keep making stuff using WMP-only formats.. What's wrong with more "open" filetypes?

mac15 · Dec 11, 2004, 08:08 AM

Originally posted by esXXI:
I blame the people who keep making stuff using WMP-only formats.. What's wrong with more "open" filetypes?

I don't wanna say it but mpeg4 is hardly an open format

Banghazi · Dec 11, 2004, 08:25 AM

Who said mpeg4 was an open format in the first place?

And what would be an example of open format? AVI?

esXXI · Dec 11, 2004, 09:47 AM

By 'open' I meant something that only worked in more one media player.

codywalton · Dec 11, 2004, 12:46 PM

So.... any themers out there want to take on this idea? Or am I gonna have to break down and try to do it myself. But if I do it, it probably won't get finished.

total # of themes I've started: 5
total # of themes I've finished: 0

so you can see my track record isn't stellar. But I guess if I did try to do this theme, the scroll-bars are already done since they appear to be the same scroll-bars in XP Luna... would just need Max's permission to use them.

codywalton · Dec 11, 2004, 01:25 PM

I started a mockup... will probably be working on and updating it over the weekend and next week or so... here it is:

ambush · Dec 11, 2004, 01:27 PM

loox sweet.

skellington · Dec 11, 2004, 02:18 PM

nice idea!!
i want to this theme

Rafiki · Dec 11, 2004, 02:27 PM

In order for a theme to be consistent with WMP10, doesn't it have to have a completely unintuitive and nonsensical logic-defying interface?

codywalton · Dec 11, 2004, 02:34 PM

Originally posted by Rafiki:
In order for a theme to be consistent with WMP10, doesn't it have to have a completely unintuitive and nonsensical logic-defying interface?

True, but anytime you port one app's gui to OSX, you have to make it conform to Aqua, which by default makes it logical and intuitive... we're just changing the colors, textures, backgrounds, widgets, etc.

I think it could work...

Rafiki · Dec 11, 2004, 03:49 PM

Originally posted by codywalton:
True, but anytime you port one app's gui to OSX, you have to make it conform to Aqua, which by default makes it logical and intuitive... we're just changing the colors, textures, backgrounds, widgets, etc.

I think it could work...

So do I. And I think that it could make a great theme too.

I was just commenting on how bad an interface WMP has. WMP has hit version 10, so you'd think that they'd have a reasonable UI by now.

Banghazi · Dec 11, 2004, 05:34 PM

Originally posted by Rafiki:
WMP has hit version 10, so you'd think that they'd have a reasonable UI by now.

No kidding. The folks a Microsoft just don't seem to get it.

aristotles · Dec 11, 2004, 06:21 PM

LOL I was trying to figure out how to play a CD in WMP. It is very non-obvious in WMP 10.

I'm not some noob user. I develop software for win32 and find that even MSFT breaks their own interface "standards".

Mike S. · Dec 11, 2004, 11:01 PM

Originally posted by aristotles:
I'm not some noob user. I develop software for win32 and find that even MSFT breaks their own interface "standards".

Much like Apple does on OS X...

Hi I'm Mike · Dec 11, 2004, 11:03 PM

is this theme done yet?

phillryu · Dec 11, 2004, 11:48 PM

I don't think so. No one's every done a full theme in a day, right?

Hi I'm Mike · Dec 12, 2004, 12:08 AM

no it should take 2 or 3 days. ill ask tomorrow.

Makki · Dec 12, 2004, 12:14 AM

WTF Mike your pushing it there man

lol just a bit hasty ya think
Makki

Hi I'm Mike · Dec 12, 2004, 12:30 AM

Originally posted by Makki:
WTF Mike your pushing it there man

lol just a bit hasty ya think
Makki

no, my name is jim

Makki · Dec 12, 2004, 01:35 AM

lol ok this is confusing hehe.

Anyways i am working on a itunes widget for this theme and i hope this theme is done and released cuz i am tired of half done nvr released omegalike themes.

Makki

mac15 · Dec 12, 2004, 01:45 AM

These aren't msstyle's they do take more than a few days to make

Makki · Dec 12, 2004, 01:52 AM

Originally posted by mac15:
These aren't msstyle's they do take more than a few days to make

ya thats for sure hehe, I need someone to make buttons like the ones in the screen above. Anyone wanna do that if so lemme know i give the dimensions.

Makki

Hi I'm Mike · Dec 12, 2004, 03:54 AM

Originally posted by mac15:
These aren't msstyle's they do take more than a few days to make

oh that's right i never made a theme before.................

codywalton · Dec 12, 2004, 09:23 AM

Originally posted by mac15:
These aren't msstyle's they do take more than a few days to make

yeah, and I work really slow at making themes... which is why I asked if any pro themers out there wanted to take this idea... cause if I do it, it won't be done anytime soon... if I get it done at all.

eDave · Dec 12, 2004, 11:03 AM

Phil: I betcha Androo could whip a theme out in one day. That kid's a machine when he's on a roll.

Anyone: Slightly off topic, but not really since you guys mentioned MS Styles how does THAT process work? I know how you do a Mac theme (in theory only) but are MS Styles easier to make or something? Do they have an app like ThemePark? Is it a simpler process? From the way you guys talk, Windows theming sounds simpler somehow. Just wondering...

codywalton · Dec 12, 2004, 11:50 AM

Originally posted by eDave:
Phil: I betcha Androo could whip a theme out in one day. That kid's a machine when he's on a roll.

that's a good suggestion... I think I'm gonna start building it myself. I'll give it a while, and then if I can't finish it, I'll give what I've done so far to a good themer to knock it out. But I think I might actually be able to do this one to completion (fingers crossed).

codywalton · Dec 12, 2004, 06:14 PM

OK... I've finished out the mockup (using the same templates from the macthemes contest a while back). And it's official, I don't think I have the stamina or skill to actually make this into a guikit. So I'm giving it up to the community here, and if someone else wants to do just that, you can find a link to my psd files here: http://homepage.mac.com/codywalton/....p10-mockup.sit

Makki · Dec 12, 2004, 07:47 PM

Thanks for the source files man i will look at this for sure see what i can do with it.
Anyone else can hop on board if they like not me exclusive. lol

Makki

eDave · Dec 13, 2004, 11:15 AM

Codywalton, that is an exceptional bit of work. Kudos!

Mighty_Mike_T · Dec 13, 2004, 04:29 PM

Originally posted by eDave:
Codywalton, that is an exceptional bit of work. Kudos!

Agreed. Your mockup looks awesome!

Always dark · Dec 13, 2004, 11:14 PM

Originally posted by Banghazi:
<--click for expanded player

Thats ugly!