WinCustomize 2K9 concepts

from JoeUser Forums

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The new WinCustomize is going to be a radical departure from what we have today.

In the web 2.0 age, we can do a lot of interesting things that should greatly improve the navigation of the site. The days of clicking, waiting for the page to load, clicking, waiting for the page to load and so forth will go away.

Instead, the site will feel more akin to a desktop application. Want to see the most popular skinners, click on tab and it'll expand to show it.

The site will end up being far cleaner, far faster, and far easier to use than what we have today.

93,608 views 94 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

:thumbsup:

I'm all for far faster.

I wonder if how the 'Top skinners' is calculated will change, some, that are listed as such, tend to release one skin after another that perhaps wouldn't be defined as a top skin by some, yet download counts would indicate that it is.

Perhaps a 'Most downloads' section would be more appropriate and Top Skinner status could be derived from the new rating system somehow.

 

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Looks good and sounds great! :thumbsup:

Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Yup, looks better and faster loading will always be welcome.

As for the tab thing...I was hoping it would look more like MyColors/Impulse.

Glad Winky's still there!

So far so good! :thumbsup:

 

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I like the faster loading5* , but I'm a Taurus dear, I love the way it looks now, and it takes ages for me to adjust to change, but that's life.. I find it easier to navigate the way it is, dropdowns can be confusing as most of the time you don't know they are there, and you end up clicking all over the place.. ahh.. I just woke up, don't mind me:grin: :thumbsup: :meow:

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

It's sound good and as vStyle said faster would be better.

I'm not that at all up on what web 2.0 is supposed to do for the user, let alone the developer and programmer.   One place I read left me feeling that with web 2.0 we lose alot of the 'eye candy'.  Is that true?

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

I'm not that at all up on what web 2.0 is supposed to do for the user, let alone the developer and programmer. One place I read left me feeling that with web 2.0 we lose alot of the 'eye candy'. Is that true?
End of quote
Not really.

Rich Internet applications (RIAs) are web applications that have some of the characteristics of desktop applications, typically delivered by way of proprietary web browser plug-ins or independently via sandboxes or virtual machines[1]. Examples of RIA frameworks include Adobe Flash, Java/JavaFX and Microsoft Silverlight.

The term was introduced in the 1990's by vendors like Macromedia who were addressing limitations at the time in the "richness of the application interfaces, media and content, and the overall sophistication of the solutions" by introducing proprietary extensions.

As web standards (such as Ajax and HTML 5) have developed and web browsers' compliance has improved there is less need for such extensions. HTML 5 delivers a full-fledged application platform; "a level playing field where video, sound, images, animations, and full interactivity with your computer are all standardized".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Internet_application

 

Think YouTube or iGoogle.  YOu don't click and wait . . you can actually interact with stuff.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Thanks ZubaZ, I'm sure I wasn't the only one with those questions.

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

One place I read left me feeling that with web 2.0 we lose alot of the 'eye candy'.
End of quote

All depends on how minimal a site goes in it's design. Naturally images that aren't made up with lots of color or depth will load faster... so the less eye candy used... the faster the site.

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

I got a look at the larger site mockups (unobscured, full of goodness) before I left the office tonight.  They look damn nice  :) 

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

In the web 2.0 age, we can do a lot of interesting things that should greatly improve the navigation of the site. The days of clicking, waiting for the page to load, clicking, waiting for the page to load and so forth will go away.
End of quote

Brad, that sounds über-cool! Can't wait to see it in action! :thumbsup: \o/

A lill' question though... Will the site eventually be 'skinnable', as it were in the good old days?

Always good to be able to change the look, if one gets bored with the same look day after day. ;)

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

A lill' question though... Will the site eventually be 'skinnable', as it were in the good old days?
End of quote

 

I wish this too.. while I love WC, the white kills my light sensitive peepers. Currently I am in the Christmas Card list from Motrin.

A few switchable themes would be cool.

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Will WC keep some of it's originality? :)

Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

Why can't WC keep some of it's originality?
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WC has had many incarnations.  It is change.  :)

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I know dear, but I don't want to walk in and see a place that is totally unrecognizable is all :)

Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

It is change
End of quote

Where have I heard that before? XD

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting Snowman, reply 10
In the web 2.0 age, we can do a lot of interesting things that should greatly improve the navigation of the site. The days of clicking, waiting for the page to load, clicking, waiting for the page to load and so forth will go away.

Brad, that sounds über-cool! Can't wait to see it in action!

A lill' question though... Will the site eventually be 'skinnable', as it were in the good old days?

Always good to be able to change the look, if one gets bored with the same look day after day.
End of Snowman's quote

Hmmmm....Snowy might actually have something there....I wonder if there actually might be a way for each of us to customize the site...sort of like the way one can arrange the order of appearance, color, etc. of sites like Google News, Yahoo (My Yahoo), The old Netscape site....

Anybody but me think that might be a worthwhile idea? :maybe:

Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top

As long as it doesn't have the lightbox crap for the skin previews like on the GUIC site. You had to wait for the ENTIRE page to load (which we all know isn't very fast) before you can view the preview. If you immediately wanted to just see the preview (duh) and clicked on it before the rest finished loading, it would open a pop-up asking what application you wanted to view the image with. After cancelling that, you'd have to refresh the page, let it all load, and THEN click to see the full preview. Annoying and inefficient.

Other than that, sounds good.

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Lightbox is good as long as teh underlying page loads fast enough.

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Anybody but me think that might be a worthwhile idea?
End of quote
Yup, being able to skin WC would be a bonus... and being a skinning site it's natural that people would like to be able to decorate it to their own liking. I imagine, though, the important things like site functionality and speed would take priority in a rebuild, and so it should, so it may take a while before we are able to put up wallpaper and curtains... er, windowblinds.
. HTML 5 delivers a full-fledged application platform; "a level playing field where video, sound, images, animations, and full interactivity with your computer are all standardized".
End of quote
While skinning WC would be nice, HTML5 opens the door to music while we're browsing the galleries and forums... now that would be nice as well, a bit of choogling to help while away the hours many of us spend here. Not only would subscribers/visitors benefit, Stardock could have talking announcements and news items on what's happening in the world of skinning and customisation, etc.... and with embedded video possible also, tutorials can take on a whole new life, not to mention Stardock promotions. ;)
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Hmmmm....Snowy might actually have something there....I wonder if there actually might be a way for each of us to customize the site...sort of like the way one can arrange the order of appearance, color, etc. of sites like Google News, Yahoo (My Yahoo), The old Netscape site....

Anybody but me think that might be a worthwhile idea?
End of quote

 

WC used to have the function for user's to choose a default theme to see. It disapeared a long time ago, but I wolud like to see it return if possible. I'd prefer a Darker look, like the My Colors site. Black & teal with Grey text.. \o/

Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting starkers, reply 19
. Stardock could have talking announcements and news items on what's happening in the world of skinning and customisation, etc.... and with embedded video possible also, tutorials can take on a whole new life, not to mention Stardock promotions.
End of starkers's quote

As long as it's optional, I'd hate to be stuck on a page and 'forced' to wait for movies/players etc to load.:grin:

If I wanted music, I'd load Nero.:thumbsup: ... besides, the idea was to 'speed up', not slow it down even more.:'(

Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top

to decorate it to their own liking. I imagine, though, the important things like site functionality and speed would take priority in a rebuild, and so it should, so it may take a while before we are able to put up wallpaper and curtains... er, windowblinds.
End of quote

I was being serious, starkers....I don't know if you've taken the trouble to look and see what I'm referring to...but I wish you would.

Take a look at Yahoo.com, News.google.com.

You can choose the order various different blocks such as 'sports','sci-tech', 'entertainment' local', international' news etc. appear in and how much appears.

I wasn't kidding. I would like to hear from others if they would like the option to choose how the site appears to them and in which order.

Google News and all the other sites that have a "My xyz" option are very fast.

Reply #23 from Stardock Forums Top

I would like a media section where we can post videos and things of that sort, I guess a visual extension of the help area.

 

Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top

WC used to have the function for user's to choose a default theme to see.
End of quote

I've seen something like that, we had about 5 we could choose from.

Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top

yeah.. music.. not good.... more video content in specific areas might be nice :)

 

Personally though I'd like to see a fully working core site before any extra's or new ideas were considered.