Want to play with Avalon?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C8F904E1-B4CA-402B-ACCF-AAA2BD60DA74&displaylang=en
from JoeUser Forums
Due to many requests, Microsoft is making Avalon available to the public in the form of this Community Technology Preview. Previously only available to MSDN members, it is exciting to see MS releasing this to the general public.

What is Avalon? From the download site:

"Avalon" is the code name for Microsoft's unified presentation subsystem for Windows. It consists of a display engine and a managed-code framework. "Avalon" unifies how Windows creates, displays, and manipulates documents, media, and user interface. This enables developers and designers to create visually-stunning, differentiated user experiences that improve customer connection. When it ships, scheduled for 2006, "Avalon" will be available on Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and all future releases of the Windows operating system. When delivered, "Avalon" will become Microsoft's strategic user interface (UI) technology.

Check it out! Link
5,884 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
caveat from the msdn site...

Windows XP theme support is currently only active for the blue color scheme. If you attempt to run an "Avalon" application on a machine with silver or olive green color schemes, the window will display as a black rectangle. As a workaround, you'll either need to switch back to the default color scheme, disable theme support entirely, or alternatively make a copy of the following file:

\Windows\Resources\Themes\Luna\PresentationFramework.Luna.NormalColor.FxStyles

To: \Windows\Resources\Themes\Luna\PresentationFramework.Luna.Metallic.FxStyles

Or: \Windows\Resources\Themes\Luna\PresentationFramework.Luna.Homestead.FxStyles


curious what if any impact running WindowBlinds has.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
At 261MB on dial-up....just gonna have to wait.
Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ah, hadn't noticed that. Thanks for the heads up Essencay. And yep, it is a big download.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Someone please let me know what effects are noticed on a Win XP SP2 system running the latest version of WindowBlinds.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I guess we'll see. Blue isnt that horrible. Remember peple were trying to mimick it before XP was shipped.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have installed Avalon, using WB, and have no clue how to use Avalon.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have installed Avalon, using WB, and have no clue how to use Avalon.


Avalon isn't much use for people yet unless you are a developer that wants to try out making programs in Avalon. As a pure client user you would have to find other people who allready have made test programs. It is a presentation layer for programming, not something that will change the look of your existing programs.