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 Post subject: New Install Default Winstep Xtreme Cconfig
PostPosted: Sat May 05, 2018 12:00 am 
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Having gone through the bundled themes and also my own on a different user account to check out how they all look under the default config, I was in for a bit of a shock-cum-disappointment.

As it is, it practically destroys the more subtle and even some of the more evident aspects of most skins. Looking at most of them this way, I must admit that if I was a new user seeing this for the first time I'd be extremely disappointed or worse.

It makes every theme look the same, doesn't give any impression of what most of the desktop mods might look like, and at least in some cases makes a complete hash of any parts that have not been skinned in a theme (I'm thinking particularly of the taskbar). No, sorry, it really could be very off-putting to a new user.

Also, it can effectively destroy the over-all look and design that the theme builder was aiming for.

Furthermore, many of the defaults provided in terms of menu, WS and dock items are not particularly universally useful and don't really succeed in giving a new user an idea of what is possible.

I know we've had similar discussions in the distant past, but here's my suggestion anyway. Why not let skinners do a default config of their own (I mean a specially set up one, not just saving their personal one), complete with a basic universally useful menu, shelf and dock/s, and of course not forgetting the desktop mods etc. In addition, each theme's def config then should also include something like a reassuring big green button that, when moused over, flashes red with a text 'Don't panic, help is at hand! Press here to change to Winstep Default Config.' ;) Something like that anyway.

And the WS def config also really could do with a major overhaul.

What does anybody else think?

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 Post subject: Re: New Install Default Winstep Xtreme Cconfig
PostPosted: Sat May 05, 2018 1:28 am 
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nexter wrote:

What does anybody else think?


well i cant speak from personal experience cause when i came to winstep i was switching from rocketdock and i started to tinker with everything right away, testing out how different modules look on different skins and cherypicking what i like and dont like
as you can see in other topic my setup is mix and match of different themes
(aero lowres for clock, cabal xtreme for net meter, none for ram/cpu meters and so on)
but i agree, default settings dont really do justice to all possibilities


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 Post subject: Re: New Install Default Winstep Xtreme Cconfig
PostPosted: Sat May 05, 2018 11:20 am 
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seeker wrote:
but i agree, default settings dont really do justice to all possibilities


They can't, nor are they meant to.

If you try to do that, all you end up doing is overwhelming the new user. Even as it is, there are users who complain about the default Winstep Xtreme configuration being 'too busy'.

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 Post subject: Re: New Install Default Winstep Xtreme Cconfig
PostPosted: Sat May 05, 2018 5:05 pm 
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winstep wrote:
seeker wrote:
but i agree, default settings dont really do justice to all possibilities


They can't, nor are they meant to.

If you try to do that, all you end up doing is overwhelming the new user. Even as it is, there are users who complain about the default Winstep Xtreme configuration being 'too busy'.

Hmm, yes, there is that Jorge, granted. But that could be overcome by skinners following a standard def config that does then not totally distort their skin. I.e., a set standard menu, dock and shelf and TB, plus up to 3 desktop menus (1 meter mod max), with the first four featuring set content (simplified and much reduced certainly for the shelf - it really does look a bit overpowering and confusing (and too big and overpopulated).

Also, a doc or pref. html file that explains what has been done in the theme - and how to change it - and what the user can do with what's provided, that would automatically open on first start of the theme, might be very helpful for new users and would be only a minor irritation to experienced users.

That way, we all could have our Kate and Edith too.... err, cake and eat it too. ;)

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