NoelC
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Posts posted by NoelC
-
-
FYI, the Windows 8.1 release date has been announced.
12:00am on October 18th in New Zealand (that’s 4:00am October 17th in Redmond, Washington).
That's the day Microsoft puts another nail in its own coffin, despite the best efforts of BigMuscle and other 3rd party software wizards to restore essential functionality.
-Noel
0 -
The release is imminent, have a little patience. We have currently testing out the installer and the feedback is positive.
Yep, all working great here. BigMuscle does quality work!
-Noel
0 -
Used Windows 8 with Aero Glass for Win8 on the job all day today doing heavy software evaluation and testing.
What an absolute pleasure to use with this fine tool installed by comparison to a stock system.
-Noel
0 -
I just got a new laptop today and it has windows 8 in it. I hate it and want to put windows 7 on can I do that without it messing anything up.
Once BigMuscle releases Aero Glass for Win8, you'll be able to make Windows 8 about 99% as functional as the best configured Windows 7 system. I've done it.
This guide tells you how to turn a Windows 8 system essentially back into a Windows 7 system.
http://www.prodigitalsoftware.com/W8ToWork.html
I can't really see any way that it's better than Windows 7, though. And there are a couple of things they just deleted - e.g., Previous Versions integration with Windows Backup.
-Noel
0 -
Apparently BigMuscle has removed even the .reg file that helps automate installation, so you have to be an uber-geek to get it working. I can't say I blame him for being gunshy about causing people's systems to stop working, but this software actually seems to have failsafe logic beyond what most has.
I'm happy to say that the released version works *perfectly*, using the same technique to load it as before (the AppInit_DLLs value in the registry).
Really great job, BigMuscle!
-Noel
0 -
I will not include installer at all unless I found a proper way to load glass at Windows start-up. It is still too much dangerous to modify AppInit_DLLs registry value
Pardon me for being blunt, but that's ridiculous.
If you don't do it, then basically you'll just have one of the several guys doing one already just pushing theirs. It seems to me half the problems people have had in this thread have been because you didn't provide an integrated, direct installer, and they've been desperately trying to use one of the other installers. The versions are getting crossed up, or they're tweaking wrong registry entries, or...
The job's not finished without even the simplest of installers, even if all it does besides deposit files is to set and clear one registry entry. It wouldn't be the first installer that required logging off and on again or even a reboot for the installed software to function.
And "dangerous"? How? What's worrying you? Are you making a fundamental differentiation between a user setting a registry value then getting a black screen vs. a user running an installer and getting a black screen? I'm not seeing it.
-Noel
0 -
When will the final release？
Like fine wine, good software takes time.
A good installer even more so.
-Noel
0 -
I have switched from UltraUXThemePatcher to UxStyle and so far no Black Flashing screens after doing 57 updates..DP
That's good news. Glad you have things working now.
Out of curiosity, do the 3rd party themes affect the scroll bar thumbs in IE10? In other words to they make them anything but flat, light gray rectangles?
-Noel
0 -
Just looked over the Berlios landing page for the product: http://glass8.berlios.de/
I must say, it's looking nice!
-Noel
0 -
Let me ask you guys this.
.1.) Are you using a custom patched theme with aero glass enable when doing your updates? or
2.) Do you use the default Windows Aero theme with aero glass enable when doing the Updates?
I have never had a custom patched theme. Just the standard Windows Aero theme plus the glass effect and the replacement of the compositing resources via BigMuscle's registry entry.
-Noel
0 -
Noel, Like i said in my post..
So you must have had Aero glass disabled to get the update to install..DP
Nope. I've had Aero Glass for Windows 8 installed, running, and up to date ever since somewhere well back in the alpha releases. Windows Updates have just worked. I can't recall having a time when I've had it off.
-Noel
0 -
I just read a post on page 96 that said Bigmuscle never claimed to be charging a fee for this utility. I don't know if that is true or not BUT I will weigh in with an opinion. He has done some darn fine work here and DESERVES to be paid... I know there is a donate link on his http://glass8.berlios.de/ site which I plan to use just as soon as he goes to a release version... I hope others will too. This man has spent a lot of time and effort to make the world of WIN8 nicer for all of us... just one man's opinion
I've already sent him money. Why wait for release?
I wouldn't blame him if he changes his tune and decides to charge for this software. It could well be the single biggest improvement to desktop usability that anyone's accomplished with Windows 8.
-Noel
0 -
Security update KB2846071 is definitely having a issue with Aero Glass!
I have KB2846071 installed and Aero Glass for Win8 is working fine here. I suggest getting the rest of the updates in. I'm fully up to date and everything works okay.
-Noel
0 -
Dang! Haha, so I guess I'm not the only one the just had Windows update itself into a crazy mess
Interesting. I keep up with Windows Updates and haven't once had the Aero Glass for Win8 feature go awry.
-Noel
0 -
Sitting here reading the last few entries in this thread on a Windows 8.1 VM... Wow, the bog standard Windows 8 desktop rendition stinks!
Aero Glass for Win8 sure gets under your skin quickly. It's difficult not to seriously crave it when on a system that doesn't have it.
-Noel
0 -
Out of curiosity, what do you and the others hope to gain by providing your installers? Are you trying to be a hero with non-technical users or something?
Why not just let BigMuscle finish his installer instead of distracting him with yours?
Did it ever occur to you that people who don't know how to edit their registries directly or add values from the .reg files BigMuscle provides - who may not understand the risks of running this kind of beta software - really have no business running Aero Glass for Win8?
-Noel
0 -
Looks good Noel..What theme resource are you using? Is it the Alternate.png file that you made?
Yes. http://Noel.ProDigitalSoftware.com/ForumPosts/AlternateTheme.png
-Noel
0 -
No additional theme work beyond just resource replacement via BigMuscle's registry entry.
-Noel
0 -
Sigh. Posts appear to have been lost from this thread again.
Bigmuscle, have you considered moving this discussion to a more reliable forum site?
-Noel
0 -
lol, are you for real? Do you think the people at Microsoft have some master plan to control how you use your OS or something? The "restrictive" stuff that they put in Windows is for the concern of security and nothing more. I hope you're not one of those conspiracy theorists who believe that everytime a windows update breaks some hack it's because Microsoft purposely put in some way to prevent it.
Sorry, no theory here; I'm all about practicality. Check out my books some time. But I won't litter up BigMuscle's thread with more discussion this subject here. You're entitled to feel however you feel.
I just want to say "THANKS" one more time to BigMuscle for his developments here. I just had to test some software installer work on Windows 8, and I actually found it a real pleasure to use once the desktop windows are actually nicely adorned with Aero Glass and drop shadows via theme resource replacement. Of course, that doesn't fix several of the major things Microsoft just deleted, but at least it doesn't poke you in the eye with a sharp stick every time you use it.
BRAVO, BigMuscle!
-Noel
0 -
... security context is already violated severely. An app launching DWM outside Winlogon (if it can, actually, be done) may be a nasty hole in it, yet an opened global injection key, famous to be used by malware, and a disabled BIOS setting blocking it and bootsector misuse, seems to be a much bigger evil. But anyway, you're the boss.
Clearly Microsoft doesn't want this to work. In their twisted minds, they want to close off everything, so that you get what they give and nothing more.
So what? They're all idiots up in Redmond now anyway. They should be happy people are trying to turn their dog crap of a system into something worth using. They clearly can no longer accomplish that themselves.
By the way, BigMuscle, your July 4 version, 0.95, works perfectly here on Windows 8.0.
I've kind of lost track... Were you thinking of trying to solve the "no highlight behind the title text in ribbon-type windows with Win 8 Aero" problem in your product out of the box, or were you thinking that opening up the ability to use alternate themes covers that well enough?
-Noel
0 -
By the way, ClassicShell 4.0 is going to recognize the Aero Glass for Win8 product and offer the ability to have "glassy" menus. I'm beta testing that version now, and it works:
BigMuscle, if you see fit to include me in your Windows 8.1 testing, I'll be happy to contribute.
-Noel
0 -
Yes, I mean via the theme resource.
What's not obvious is whether 8.1 is compositing something outside the border of the window, and an updated theme resource will create the shadow as it does with Windows 8. I guess you're saying you've seen that the drop shadow resource is indeed being composited.
I don't do "theming" as most folks do. The only modifications I've made (and which are sufficient IMO) are those through the theme resource loading you provide with Aero Glass for Win8:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM]
"CustomThemeResource"="C:\\YourPath\\AlternateTheme.png"
-Noel
0 -
I think that returning glow effect won't be so complicated (DrawText hook etc.)
I know you'd prefer to work toward a stable release for Windows 8 (.0) but just a quick question: Are you foreseeing any problem with restoring the drop shadow around windows? That, as supplied by an alternate resource file and injected via your tool, really helps make the Windows 8 desktop easier to use.
-Noel
0
Aero Glass for Win8 RC4
in Aero Glass For Windows 8+
Posted
Nothing broken here...
-Noel