WindowBlinds 4 release date set to March 25th

Published on March 12, 2003 By Stardock Central In WinCustomize News

Stardock has set the release date for WindowBlinds version 4. Tuesday, March 25th. WindowBlinds 4 will initially only be available for Windows XP. Version 4 for Windows 98, ME, and 2000 users is expected out not too long after.

The main new features of WindowBlinds 4 include:
1) Vastly increased performance. WB 4 makes heavy use of new internal Windows XP technologies that allow much faster GUI drawing. One particular new technology is called "Smart Painting" which greatly decreases the number of excess redraws programs perform. The result is that on some skins, WindowBlinds 4 will seem about as fast as "classic" Windows.

2) Full skinning of virtually every part of the Windows XP GUI. WindowBlinds 3 skins most elements of the Windows GUI, version 4, skins essentially all of them. This includes "shell styles" (the task panel on the left of explorer folders).

3) Skinning of new elements of the Windows GUI such as the logon/logoff dialogs, the "please wait dialogs", Control panel backgrounds, and more.

4) Command prompt skinning. If you want Windows XP to really be truly "native", WindowBlinds 4 is the first and only way to skin the Windows command prompt.

5) A new, easier to use, and more functional config dialog. WindowBlinds will continue to allow users to change their settings via the Windows display properties. But power users will now be able to make use of a new, greatly enhanced config dialog.

6) A rewrite of the underlying skinning engine for vastly greater compatibility. Even non-standard programs that add their own buttons to the title bar will work fine.

7) Tons of other tweaks and enhancements.

WindowBlinds 4 beta is currently available on Object Desktop. You can learn more about Object Desktop at www.objectdesktop.com. It is a suite of desktop enhancements that allows users to turbo-charge their Windows systems.

Comments (Page 1)

kenosis

on Mar 12, 2003

i'm sure this has been asked before, but will registered WB3 users be eligible for a free upgrade?

Diafragma

on Mar 12, 2003

will there be any new skins included as part of this new version or as a special pack?

Frogboy

on Mar 12, 2003

It depends on when WB 3 was purchased. If it was within the last 60 days, yes. Otherwise there will be a modest upgrade cost.

river55IL

on Mar 12, 2003

hummm.... i went to the link and didn't see the Beta version there..... Where is it?

kenosis

on Mar 12, 2003

the beta's only available to object desktop subscribers.

c242

on Mar 12, 2003

Will there be a new beta on OD soon ?

GFXWizard

on Mar 12, 2003

?(Are there any new features in it for win9x,ect?)

Fuzzy Logic

on Mar 12, 2003

Yeah, can't wait. Only a couple more weeks to go

BadKharma

on Mar 12, 2003

only 3.95 shows up as available hmmmmmm....guess I'll have to wait for the release date

jark

on Mar 12, 2003

i see all this mention of XP. what features have been added for windows 2k users?

Rdefx

on Mar 12, 2003

Correct me if i am wrong,but as a windowblinds 3 registered user i thought you were entitled to free upgrades up to a year after you purchase.

YMark

on Mar 12, 2003

I think Rdefx is correct, free WB upgrade for a year. When I purchased OD in December, I knew WB4 was on the horizon and was told that I would be entitled to the upgrade for free.

Frogboy, has something changed?

MarkMcQ

on Mar 12, 2003

Object Desktop is free upgrades for a year, WB is free upgrade untill the next version number.
Which works out better, as ,in theory, if you bought WB4, if it took 1 and a 1/2 years to get up to WB5, you'd still get all the upgrades inbetween after a year was up.
If you have an OD subscription though, you can go from V3 to V4 for free, if your subscription is still active.

werewolf

on Mar 12, 2003

but with an OD subscription WB could go from 4 to 6 in a year for free. That would probably never happen, but still

Entilza

on Mar 12, 2003

I'll just like to say thank you for still supporting us poor ole 98ers

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