WinCustomize 2K10 BETA BEGINS!!!

from JoeUser Forums

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We are pleased to invite you to participate on the new WinCustomize BETA site.

www.wincustomizetest.com

The actual launch of WinCustomize 2K10 is not due until mid March but we want to let users on to start getting feedback on the new site. There’s still much work to be done but this should give you an idea of what we’re going for in terms of design.

The main new design features are:

  • Web 2.0. The goal is to greatly reduce page views and instead make the site much more interactive.
  • Skinner Centric. The new site features popular skinners and their works much more than the existing site does. Popular skins get a lot more attention on the site too.
  • Cleaner. The new site has a lot less “stuff” on by default.
  • More Efficient. A lot less clicking to get to the things you want. There are too many examples of this to list here.

But like I said, there’s a lot more to go still. Customization of the site isn’t in yet (which libraries you want to display). Uploading and personal pages aren’t in yet (you are taken back to the existing sites). And it has not really been optimized for performance yet.

Hope to see you there! We’re really excited to hear what you think.

12,364 views 25 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

:w00t: :thumbsup:

Let's see who can break it first! ;)

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
WOW, I didn't think it possible, but YES, it loads even slower for me than the current site. Having said that, it looks really good. :CONGRAT:
Curtains - Customize Windows with additional styles
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

https://forums.wincustomize.com/forum/695

This is the WC2010 beta forum we have setup.  You can post issues and feedback, but please read the posting guidelines first to make it manageable. 

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Looks better.  I did notice a problem with a Best Buy ad at the top was obscuring the drop down menu.  The next ad I loaded did not.

 

Any chance you can add videos of the dreams or cursor fx?  It would be nice to see them in action, especially if they are pay versions.

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Looks good so far, hopefully will be a lot less clicking to get what we want.

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Here is a question, is it okay to be signed in on both the current and beta site at the same time?

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

It makes no difference where you are signed in at.

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
looks good so far,, but i thought the rating system was going?
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Looks good, a great step forward for WC, except that its sluggish, but I note that performance optimisation is still to come. One confusing thing though is that there are currently three separate posts running on this important topic, with probably more to come.

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
First of all...can we have just one forum posting for "WinCustomize 2K10 BETA Feedback" why do we need of 3 of them. ;)
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
To me it looks like a big advertisement site. I hope that the ads go away for subscribers. I see DesktopX themes are not there, and like Vampothika I'm wondering about the rating system still being there. Something also that is still not addressed. When you hover over the Visual Styles link a dialog for Windowblinds displays. No where in this description does it say that windowblinds must be installed to run the " visual styles ". All of the sections are like this and for new customers it just isn't apparent what is needed. I think better explanations would do nicely. Concept is good but it's a bit sluggish.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

There is only one forum section for the beta, which all feedback should be posted under.

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
There is only one forum section for the beta, which all feedback should be posted under.
End of quote
There is also one started by Philly...so its getting spread out now.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Won't let me Log On  :SNIFF!: As for the site it looks so compact and I don't like the big OD banner at the top (unless it goes away after the log in). I think the words "Visual Styles" should be changed to "WindowBlinds". My 2 cents.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
OK I used a different computer and I logged on. And yes the banners are still there I'm with Phoon it does look like a big advertisement site. What I don't get is as with this site, is everything in the middle of the screen? Meaning I have a 24" monitor and the webpage has 5 inches of empty space on either sides. Mostly all webpages I go to fill up the entire screen. Is there a reason for this or is it just the design?
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quick answers:

Re rating system: During the internal betas, we moved to a "Love, Like" system but we didn't like it. It didn't provide usable information for users.  So right now, it's back to the rating system until we can come up with something better (we're definitely open to suggestions).

Performance: As mentioned, the site hasn't been optimized for performance yet.  Anyone recall what the current WinCustomize was like when it was first launched? :)

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I still think it would be nice to Separate the Docks from the Dock Icons

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
let the skinner see who is rating the skin when it is rated, that way it will be less open to abuse.
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Won't even let me log in ! (:(
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The new format will definitely take some getting used to but overall not a bad setup. One thing I would definitely like to see is the option to choose different color schemes. Personally I'll take a black or dark grey look over a bright/light/white look any day. p.s. when I tried to make this comment through the beta version of the site it went to a blank white page both times and didn't post the comment.
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If this is how it's going to look once finished, I don't like it at all. Looks outdated and poorly designed for 2010 in my opinion. Should be state of the art design since it after all is a site about customization, and the current WC looks better but still has bugs and no choice for user skins as promised when it was launced...
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Anyone recall what the current WinCustomize was like when it was first launched?
End of quote

Yes....still waiting for that first page to load....;)