Consumers have come to expect that software applications have a professional look and interface. With the growing popularity of skinnable applications such as Windows Media Player and Winamp, the bar has been raised. Applications not only have to be functional, they have to offer a look that pleases the customer. DirectSkin offers a solution that is fast, efficient and cost effective.
With just a few lines of code needed to integrate the DirectSkin OCX, developers can give their applications a whole new look. And since applications skinned using DirectSkin can take advantage of the vast library of WindowBlinds skins, there are thousands of looks to choose from. A developer can elect to set a default skin for a new look without the customer being able to change the skin, or they can allow the customer to change the skin at will.
Neil Banfield, Stardock's Senior Development Manager for DirectSkin explained "Our goal with DirectSkin was to provide software companies with a tool that would allow them to give their products an attractive, skinnable interface. We also wanted this tool to be easy to use and simple to integrate. By using DirectSkin, developers can greatly reduce the time that it takes to bring a product to market."
DirectSkin clients come from every area of the technology industry. Among recent corporations that selected DirectSkin for their next versions are V Communications (http://www.v-com.com), makers of a wide variety of PC utilities and tools, and Ipswitch, Inc. (http://www.ipswitch.com), developers of messaging, network monitoring and file transfer software.
"For V Communications, Inc. (VCOM), DirectSkin was a way to give a new and exciting look to its soon to be released PowerDesk Pro 6, one of the best known and most widely used file management utilities," said Frank van Gilluwe, President of V Communications, Inc. "We are delighted with the ease with which DirectSkin integrated with our software and with the extensive variety of skins available. We believe this will truly improve our customer's experience with our product as well as allow them to easily change the look and feel of the product to their own particular tastes," concluded Mr. van Gilluwe.
Patrick Loring, Business Development Manager at Ipswitch, Inc. added, "Ipswitch was familiar with DirectSkin through our development staff. The decision was made to integrate DirectSkin into several Ipswitch products, and potentially others in the future, to achieve a consistent look, feel and set of features."
Yet another client that has integrated DirectSkin into their family of applications is Banctec, the developer of products that include Payment Solutions, Banking Solutions and Document Solutions.
Chuck Stoner, Senior Principal Engineer at Banctec offered this about his experience integrating DirectSkin into the Banctec family of products, "Your tools make it possible for me to design products and applications that function in an efficient user-friendly manner without stressing about the appearance. With DirectSkin, an architect is free to design the mechanics knowing the look and feel will be awesome. Once an application or even a suite of applications has been completed the appearance can be prototyped over and over without additional development. Normally when multiple developers work on a single project it is difficult to achieve a coherent presentation. With your products, that is no longer the issue it once was."
For more information on DirectSkin, please visit https://www.stardock.com/products/directskin/ To find out if DirectSkin is right for your company, please contact Larry Kuperman at corpsales@stardock.com
About Stardock:
Stardock Corporation is the leader in the development and sales of award-winning Windows desktop customization solutions such as the Object Desktop software suite, including components such as WindowBlinds, DesktopX, IconPackager, and more. Stardock also develops best-selling computer games, including Galactic Civilizations. For more information, please visit the Stardock home page at https://www.stardock.com or contact lkuperman@stardock.com.
About V Communications:
V Communications has been creating solutions for users of personal computers since 1986. Its products, which are designed for a full range of PC users, are available worldwide through retail, VAR and enterprise sales channels and are widely recognized for their superior quality and reliability. The company, headquartered at 2290 North First St., Suite 101, San Jose CA, can be contacted by phone at 800-648-8266 or fax at 408-965-4014. Additional information is available on the V Communications website at http://www.v-com.com/ or by email at sales@v-com.com.
About BancTec:
BancTec is a global provider of solutions that automate the capture, processing and archive of paper and electronic forms. We create value from the information content captured, enhance it through automated business processes and preserve that value via long-term repositories. For more information, please see http://www.banctec.com.