Quote:
Originally Posted by juliansader
In WindowsOS these OS-dependent elements are skinnable -- just use WindowBlinds. WindowBlinds can access all those parts that REAPER's own themes can't touch, such as the menu bar and the MIDI editor combo boxes. And it can change not only colors, but even shapes and mouse-over effects. With WindowBlinds' help, REAPER can look quite elegant.
I also suggest that anyone making REAPER themes should consider making an accompanying WindowBlinds skin too. Their efforts will be so much more satisfying if they can finally get *everything* in REAPER's interface to fit the theme!
|
I'm well familiar with Window Blinds, however, personally I don't consider that an acceptable solution.
It's a C/R DRM, and besides also being subject to Microsoft poor development of windows 10 as a whole in regards with GUI (and UI) Windows Blinds will create another dependency on top of that.
Overall I consider it being a poor solution, it basically just draw an overlay on windows (at least last time I checked) and I don't feel comfortable suggesting it less advocate it to become a standard solution, perhaps if it change it's DRM to be a license key file like Reaper. But even then, it will still be a resource hog in one way or another. Even though I actually own it, I don't use it on my work station.
I understand you pint of view, but it is no go for me for more reasons than I want to spend time on arguing. It's not that I have not thought about it, however, I rather actually hack windows framework for real... but yeah, that is also not a user friendly solution.
If Reaper would become self contained regarding the GUI framework, alot of complaints, and I mean alot of complaints could then actually be adressed and solved, because the truth is that as long as the solution is a third party application that users have to pay for and in a in this case is currently only available for windows 10 users the complaints will not decrease much.
Sure it would probably be alot of work to develop a good as future proof solution as possible but it is also something that I can se be very well rewarded.
There are a lot of good designers out there and I actually don't know which other DAWs actually are skinnable these days. I don't count DAWs like Live (last I checked v9) to be skinnable. Any DAW where you can only change colors is out of the question and my biggest fear is that Reaper one day would go full vector based as well.
Also, let us not forget that for users who aren't very skilled when it comes to function and form, there is still a pleasure to make it your own, even if the design is poorly.
Just look at the video game industry, the amount of time and cash spent on just customize your ingame character and/or equiptment is beyond stupid. But then again, perhaps it shouldn't come as an suprise when everything becomes less an less user friendly with less and less customizeable preferences and settings.
I remember a time when I could teach a complete noob how to change the system font and even the size in windows. No it's true, you didn't need to to hack the registry or download a 3rd party application.
There was a time when flexibility and user functionality was something companies actually invested in. Now, you should just conform to one way fits all (because all hail profit margins, why hire skilled UI and GUI designers when Kevin and Karen in the accounting department can draw something up in PowerPoint?)
See, now I'm going off on a rant, this is why I try to stay away from topics like this... I will eventually rant myself to sleep about how poorly windows 10 is regarding GUI and UI...(because it is)
But once again, I understand your post was a friendly suggestion an please don't get me wrong. I appreciate it and this post is done with goodwill even if it may perhaps come across otherwise due to language barriers, personal perceptions and what not. However, I firmly believe this is an issue worth dealing with, specially in the long run.
(also, sorry if the spelling is poor and the rants are incoherent, I'm very tired and both dyselxia and ADD is in full effect... but what would internet be without some lite shitposting)