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WindowBlinds 6 Released!

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WindowBlinds 6 Released!

The Next Generation of WindowBlinds Is Here

from WinCustomize Forums

Stardock is pleased to announced the official release of WindowBlinds 6. WindowBlinds is a utility that allows users to change the look and feel of the Windows desktop experience by applying skins to the user interface in both Windows Vista and XP. WindowBlinds can change title bars, push buttons, Start bars, scrollbars and nearly every other element of the Windows user interface.

WindowBlinds 6 adds the ability to have "blurred glass" window borders on Windows XP which allows artists to make skins that could make Windows XP look virtually identical to Windows Vista.

WindowBlinds 6 also adds full support for customizing Microsoft’s new Windows Vista operating system. Everything from Internet Explorer 7 skinning, Sidebar skinning to explorer backgrounds, WindowBlinds 6 skins virtually every element of Windows Vista while making full use of the hardware acceleration features on Windows Vista for maximum performance.

The new version also adds a host of other features including advanced animation support in skins, user-creatable skin sub-styles, a new, easy to use configuration program, user customization options of fonts and colors in skins and much more.

Users who purchased WindowBlinds after February 1, 2007 will receive the update for free. The enhanced registered version is $19.95 or can be purchased as part of Object Desktop, Stardock's flagship suite of desktop enhancement programs which includes IconPackager, DesktopX, ObjectBar, DeskScapes, LogonStudio Vista, and more.

Buy ObjectDesktop (Includes WindowBlinds) - $49.95
Buy WindowBlinds 6 Standalone - $19.95

Requires: Windows XP or Windows Vista (32-bit and 64-bit)
Download a free trial at www.windowblinds.net



51,715 views 111 replies
Reply #26 from WinCustomize Forums Top
send an email to https://www.stardock.com/support/ and enter the email address you used to purchase WB. Right quickly you'll get an email with your serial numbers and a link to the new WB6.
Reply #27 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Emails are being sent with a download link and serial to the WindowBlinds 6 upgrade for eligible standalone users. If you don't get the email, by later this afternoon you should be able to visit stardock.com/support and it will also resend the info.

The serial is different from your WB5 one and you will have to activate after installing/upgrading.

Kris
Curtains - Customize Windows with additional styles
Reply #28 from WinCustomize Forums Top

AnneMarie, it doesn't seem to have gotten to your account yet. Jebro, you don't seem to have a WB5 registration under the email address you're using on WinCustomize.

Reply #29 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well Neil said that the system is currently UPdating and that members should be sent an Email..

I am waiting to see if I get a new Email with WB 6 serial info..


Thanks


Anne
Reply #30 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've had the e-mail and have downloaded my free upgrade, but it turns out to be of little use to me as the details I correctly enter during the activation dialog aren't being accepted. I've sent a support request to Stardock, but In my experience they never answer such requests, so I guess it's back to WindowBlinds 5 for the time being.
Reply #31 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I got an email that had a link to WB 6 DL and Serial info.

I installed it just fine. But when I went to Activate it, it couldn't.

I went into SDC and prompted Stardock to resend all my serials and when I got THAT email WB 6 wasn't listed on it yet.

But I did get an earlier email with a Serial for WB 6. So I am not sure.

For now I am just going to keep tryin to activate it.


Thanks Stardock

Anne
Reply #32 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Good stuff! I'm just still wondering when us "elite" boys are gonna get the "Magic" suite . . . hmmm
Reply #33 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I didnt download the beta, I stayed with WB5. I downlaoded it via SDC and it didnt ask me to reinstall WB5, abit strange, but it's absoulotly works fine.
Reply #34 from WinCustomize Forums Top

There as an issue with some of the emails that went out. We're trying to sort it on the back end so the serials won't have to be changed. Otherwise, there will be a second email for some people.

There's no need to install WB5 first, though once you install WB6, Stardock Central should be hiding the display of the WindowBlinds 5 component so there's less confusion.

Reply #35 from WinCustomize Forums Top
vStyler: compared to?


a couple of Beta's ago and previous.
Reply #36 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Zubaz wonders how long it'll take before the pirates start showing up asking for help.


Reply #37 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I dont have those new skins for some reason...
Reply #38 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I dont have those new skins for some reason...


LOL, I didn't look but now that you mention it, I don't have em either.   
Reply #39 from WinCustomize Forums Top
the skins included are Leo - Diamond - Classic and at last Molten these are the skins that come with the update or with the public cheers

BTW working great no issues until now but iam on the search like always ^^
uhm is there no bLUR FOR STARTMENÜ LOOK ?  
Reply #40 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Got mine activated and as far as I know I have all the new themes with it

GL

Anne
Reply #41 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yup. AOK here so far... Rebooted and no probs...waiting thru a couple of more reboots b4 I say the glitches are solved for me. Now to find all the new tricks and options!   
Reply #42 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Nice work Neil & Stardock guys.

I've updated but haven't restarted yet. Hopefully there'll be no hiccups or major problems.

DigitalCHET says a little prayer before turning off his computer.
Reply #43 from WinCustomize Forums Top
jebro, you don't seem to have a WB5 registration under the email address you're using on WinCustomize.


Nakor - I changed it/changed it back and everything worked alright.I've got the upgrade to WB 6. Thank you very much for your kind support.
Reply #44 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Closing font tag
Reply #45 from WinCustomize Forums Top
vStyler: compared to?


a couple of Beta's ago and previous.


I have to agree. Earlier versions were much smoother. Applying through Skinstudio 5 is still hangy. Clicking on the desktop after 10 seconds or so forces the skin to apply and all is fine. If I don't click on the desktop, it will hang for up to 30 seconds before applying the skin, and sometimes half loads the skin (classic scrollbars, classic taskbar, it is different all the time). If I re-apply, everything is fine. It still hangs though.

My PC (XP)
WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 6.0 (build 32 x86)

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC
WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC
Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

(Plug and Play Monitor) 1 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT
(Plug and Play Monitor) 2 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT

Wblind.dll 2007/09/27 17:47:20
Wbsrv.dll 2007/09/24 19:08:43
Wbconfig.exe 2007/10/01 17:35:33
Wbload.exe 2007/09/27 17:47:44
Wbhelp.dll 2007/08/27 11:54:07
Wbui.dll 2007/09/24 19:08:06
Tray.dll 2007/09/12 17:58:21
Screen.exe 2007/10/01 11:23:24


So far I am running smooth on my PC and laptop. I didn't test SKS/Wb applying on my laptop.

I do not have a WB tray icon. Is this correct or do I have a problem?


Reply #46 from WinCustomize Forums Top

With regards to the problem with serials I mentioned earlier, that should be sorted and a non-issue for people who got emails with one that was unhappy. The backend has been updated and they should use the serial in email and their email address as normal.

Still sending out emails with the free upgrade info. There are quite a few of them.  

Come Wednesday, if you do not have your email (qualifying upgrades only )and the form at https://www.stardock.com/support doesn't send you a link to WB6, then please contact [email protected] with the email address you ordered under.

Reply #47 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Working well here.

Just for the hell of it, this is what I do in a case like this: After I buy and download I go to Stardock Central. I uninstalled 5 through SDC. I reboot. I go back to SDC. I installed 6. I reboot. Life is good.
Reply #48 from WinCustomize Forums Top
When I go to install the upgrade I get a "not a valid Win32 application," yet, Stardock says it says it supports 32 bit?
Reply #49 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I installed and tested this right now. Works great! No any evident bugs. My applause for Stardock. This is really great success!   

The one thing. Why it move my skins to another folder? Is there any ways to disable this function?
Reply #50 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Transparency still does not work correctly on Vista, having the mask underneath that conforms in shape only to Aero and not to the particulars of the skin's frame's dimensions makes using any skin that is not using similar to Aero frames just look plain bad. Imo.  

Take any skin and turn the transparency up (down) for the frames and the mask behind it is quite evident.

Why does there need to be an image undrneath anyway? Why not just have the frames fade out? Also why are their diagonal gradients in the frames and taskbar masks?

Also.. there is still a bad area all the way left on taskbar when using blur\trans on it.

lastly..having some areas go trans and not others sorta defeats the purpose. Seems like it should be all or nothing. Trans frames with big opaque buttons looks bad.

Hopefully these thing's can be resolved it's really disconcerting when trying to design a skin to use with these features when they don't seem to be functioning correctly.

In all WB6 is a step forward, I do agree but these things in particular are very disappointing to the point to where I feel like skinning Vista is still in its early stages and I personally feel even though I would like to skin it I probably won't be anytime soon.

Thanks for the update, I'm sure a lot of hard work went into it, I just wanted to express my opinions on it thus far.