MyColors 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008 by Draginol | Discussion: OS Customization
Once upon a time there was a collection of programs called Object Desktop. The most popular of these programs were WindowBlinds, IconPackager and DesktopX.
Millions of people around the world tried these programs and for the most part liked them. But users also often found it difficult to get a consistent look across their desktop since the different programs worked on different parts of the computer.
In time, a number of skinners helped popularize the concept of "Suites". A suite is a collection of skins, themes, and icons that when applied together create a single unified desktop experience. However, as cool as suites were, it still required users to go out and find the various programs necessary to apply the suite.
Over the past few years, Stardock has worked hard to find ways to simplify the process of applying suites. This past year, it devised a new product called MyColors. The theme and the underlying technology would be one in the same. The suite would evolve into being called a MyColors theme. Users would search for MyColors themes instead of the software. MyColors would seamlessly include all the software needed.
Stardock Design
To sell themes to the mass market, Stardock would need to create a lot of themes. In the past, a handful of art houses like Pixtudio, Skins Factory, and SkinPlant had created a handful of themes. To make the MyColors concept work, hundreds of high quality themes would need to be made. And so Stardock Design was created.
Stardock Design brought in, full-time most of the top talent from the major art shops that were devoted to skinning. Alexandrie and Treetog now work full time at Stardock Design. So do both MikeB and Hippy. Stardock also brought in ChaNinja as a full time designer (ChaNinja was one of the top msstyles skinners). Pixel Pirate, Danilo0c, and Essorant also joined up. And Voo, well known for his icon creations in contract work with the art houses is now full time as well.
Stardock then licensed a number of properties from movie studios, sports teams, car companies, universities, etc. Already the NBA, NHL, and NCAA teams are made with more coming on-line.
MyColors 2008
This month, Stardock will make available MyColors 2008.
This second-generation version is designed for the mass audience. MyColors 2008 is self-healing -- it automatically repairs itself if one of the components out of date or a problem in a theme is found or a bug in the underlying technology is found.
A number of major OEMs have already signed on to pre-load MyColors in the next year. In the future, users will be able to choose how they want their computers to look like.
Object Desktop 2008
MyColors will be made part of Object Desktop 2008. In this way, Stardock can provide those users premium themes during the course of the year and offer discounts on many others.
Moreover, MyColors allows users two very straight forward choices now:
The user can:
- Pay $19.95 and have a branded theme with all the software they need for that particular theme. (i.e. they pay for the theme and the software is largely incidental)
or - Get Object Desktop for $49.95 which provides the underlying software and can use the thousands of skins, themes, icons, etc. out there. (they pay for the software and the themes are largely incidental).
Below are some screen shots of what to expect and how it will work.
MyColors Theme Manager in action.
Quest MyColors Theme
Boston Celtics MyColors theme
Users can see Featured Themes right from MyColors Theme Manager
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Reply #4 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 7:51 AM
Reply #5 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 8:07 AM
Reply #6 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 9:01 AM
Reply #7 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 9:37 AM
I think the point of MyColors is that it's not for the hobbyist who want to customize a theme, it's for a fan of a team/car/whatever to show their colors. They might never think about customizing their customization. You sound like someone whol falls in the middle of hobbyist and fan. You may have to find a hack to customize these suites (renaming extentions to zip is a good start)
I'd also bet that the licensee of the theme likes and wants a sponsor link on teh gadget. There may have been cost savings to Stardock and the user for inclusion of the sponsor link.
In regards to your problem? Did you send an email? Did you get an autoresponse back? Did you follow the instructions? Your email may have gotten eaten by spam filters. Try going to https://www.stardock.com/weather/ and create a case there. It'll be sure to go through then.
Reply #8 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 10:19 AM
ZubaZ, there's something not quite Kosher about that...it doesn't ring right...I do get the point about it being a different market. It seems like alot of disk space is used up by duplicated software? Or, is it like Thememanager, and additional themes would use the same software?
I like the idea and I like that more people are likely to be brought into contact with the idea of skinning, though.Reply #9 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 10:26 AM
(This is all based on my interpretations of "Brad-speak." I think my record is pretty good in regards to translation/interpretation but I could be way off base. Like you, I await more detail.)
Reply #10 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 11:05 AM
Reply #11 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 11:14 AM
Reply #12 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 11:22 AM
Will it use only "for sale" themes or will there be free themes? I am assuming that this is something different than theme manager; is it? Or is it just a theme manager for the less technical customer?
Larry,
The idea behind MyColors is that the user purchases an individual theme for a fixed price that includes all components (WB skin, icons, wallpapers, gadgets) and the runtimes needed for those components to function or be applied.
As Draginol stated above, ODNT subscribers will get free themes as part of their subscription. I'm assuming that Stardock may choose to periodically make free themes available to non-Object Desktop users as well, as a way of demonstrating the product.
You can think of the MyColors client as a "theme manager for the less technical customer," as that seems to be part of the intent of the product. However, it's not clear (at least to me) whether Stardock intends to replace Theme Manager with the MyColors client or whether they will exist side-by-side in the ODNT 08 package.
Reply #13 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 12:48 PM
My main problem was the _-restore-minimize-close buttons/balls) on the upper right corner of a webpage using the latest IE, Opera & FF, have disappeared forever, so has the upper left icon, they were only present for a few minutes, then poof, gone.
I tried uninstall/reinstall/delete/took out WB, took out MyColors/rebooted, over and over for hours on end. I looked for any drivers which might need updating, found none. I have a very potent XP Media machine and that includes 2048 of ram or there abouts.
and as I said, the MY LINKS gadget has predefined links (to other corvette sites) which I cannot seems to to change and I have NO interests in, (I own a large corvette forum myself, NON ad driven) I own 2 vettes thus these are the two reasons I bought the theme for my laptop, and I'd like my own link(s) there, not links I consider spam. What is it? Stardock/MyColors gets pay per clicks? I feel this is robbing the customer. This is a big issue with me, and the reason I would not recommend buying one of these skins. If this wasn't the case I would buy a few more skins (3 at least) right now.
I also feel the weather gadget link should be ordered/an option, for example, upon skin order, I'd personally ask for wunderdround. At the very least there should be a choice for the buyer.
As the other poster stated about 2 instances of the same, it does looks to me like this is happening. MyColors feeds of WB, is this correct?
I give the graphic creators of these skins 150% credit, they are stunning, but I want my own choice of links & I want the operation of the skin to work correctly. I would expect what I got from a free skin, not a paid one.
Reply #14 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 12:53 PM
Reply #15 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 1:14 PM
Reply #16 Wednesday, January 9, 2008 4:38 PM
Reply #17 Thursday, January 10, 2008 12:19 PM
QUOTE: Date: 11/15/07
"Currently WindowBlinds and MyColors do not play well together. This is being looked at but for the most part you need to be using one or the other. My apologies for this inconvenience."
After further emails back and forth, support went on to say...
QUOTE: Date: 11/16/07
"What I can tell you is that the launch for the updated MyColors is due out soon (I believe it would have been today save for a cosmetic change so I am guessing next week). This has been an issue we have been correcting for a small while now. I am sorry for the inconvenience however this fix will be available soon. Please be patient with us and we will have the fix ready for you."
If one is to believe what support has said, these new releases (ODNT 2008 & MyColors 2008) should "play well together", albeit the release is now 2 months past the anticipated date.
Reply #18 Thursday, January 10, 2008 12:29 PM
If I read the annoucement post correctly problems between WB and MyColors should be addressed by this release.
Reply #19 Tuesday, January 15, 2008 4:41 PM
I cleared my cache, then installed WB 6.01 enhanced, and Theme Manager only.
Then installed the corvette skin via theme manager, but did not install mycolors. Well mycolors shows up so it must be in the actual theme. Now the Corvette theme is working fine, and showing properly. What a convoluted way, huh?
My beef with accuweather, forced my links (links) etc.. was MyColors website said little about advertising in the theme.
So in closing uninstall your mycolors themes, uninstall mycolors program (delete them out of your c/programfiles folder too). Install theme manager and import your mycolors theme via theme manager.
Reply #20 Friday, February 1, 2008 10:56 PM
where those used to be . I see the post above this one , but confused by it . I may just uninstall everything and leave it at that .
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Reply #1 Tuesday, January 8, 2008 9:00 PM