“Microsoft has announced plans to peddle Windows 7 desktop space to advertisers, who’ll create Windows UI themes–customized backgrounds, audio clips, and other elements–that highlight their brand,” Bertolucci reports.
These things “won’t be foisted on unsuspecting users. Rather, you’ll have to download and install the ad pitch yourself. As a result, I doubt many Windows 7 users will gripe about ad themes,” Bertolucci reports. “Hey, if you’re a Preparation H fan, why not devote the desktop to your favorite ointment?”
“Microsoft may have refuted the claims of its blabbermouth employee who told a British publication that Windows 7 cribbed its sleek appearance from Mac OS X. (Bad career move there.) But any casual observer can tell that Windows has borrowed more than a few UI concepts from Apple over the years,” Bertolucci writes. “I don’t see why things would change now. [However] if Microsoft truly wants a Mac-like experience for Windows 7 users, it should lock down the desktop.”
Full article here.
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@Scot Murphy
I loved Kaleidoscope! It was a great little app.
Shapeshifter was also really nice – and actually, not being as complete wasn’t really such a bad thing imho. Some of the Kaleidoscope themes got a little too busy.
Anyway – according to unsanity.com
WindowShade X currently does work on Mac OS X 10.5.x.
It’s too bad that you can’t really scheme Leopard/SL though.
Bertolucci sez: “These things “won’t be foisted on unsuspecting users. Rather, you’ll have to download and install the ad pitch yourself.”
Uh, kids. This crap is called ADWARE. There are applications for Windows to seek and destroy this garbage on people’s PCs.
Therefore, Microsoft are promoting it? Adware?! Sick twisted twits.
@Scot Murphy & @BotonCandy: Unsanity have suggested an alternative to ShapeShifter on their blog:
http://unsanity.org
It is called ThemePark.
http://www.geekspiff.com/download.php?product=themepark
As for WindowShade: Works great on Leopard. However, just about no Unsanity stuff works on Snow Leopard. Lordy knows when or if they’ll come out with compatible updates. The wait for Leopard compatibility was interminable. I get they idea they keep themselves busy with things other than Unsanity these days. A real shame.
Then again, Apple have been ever tightening Mac OS X security, therefore blocking hack jobs like APE, the engine that allows most Unsanity apps to run in Mac OS X.
Thx @Scot Murphy, @BotonCandy, & @derekcurrie. I still have an old G4 Sawtooth in my playroom (aka the junk room at my house) & some old Mac OS 8/9 install disks, & some old save CD’s. I just might try to build me a Mac OS 9 system on it & look for a saved copy of Kaleidoscope & themes, too. Just for old times sake. I might even be able to scare up some long lost games. All this in my “copious spare time”.
BTW, I’m not diagreeing with Steve on MS nature. They were and still are tasteless, and will continue to be while Ballmer & his ilk are at the helm. May they stay there for as long as it takes.
Whores.
@ cptnkirk–
It works on my original 2G.
APPLE GOES MARKETING MORONIC?
AHEM. Here’s an interesting parallel article about Apple recently patenting an ad pushing technology for their devices:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/business/15digi.html
Is this any better than Microsoft’s ads-on-the-desktop rubbish? Is it WORSE? I’m a bit in shock to think of Apple perpetrating advertisements via their own installed ADWARE on my Macs or iPods.
Dispute and discuss…
@Kevin J. Weise: There are still some MOS 9 Appearance Themes, including soundtracks, kicking around the Internet. You have to look hard, but they can be found.
I recently had to survive over a month (oh the misery) without my MacBook and instead played around with my G4 upgraded old WallStreet PDQ. I tarted the thing up with all the decent Themes I could find. Running all the Theme stuff causes some OS instability, particularly the soundtracks. But it is very fun. When I want to do some serious work or murder (Carmageddon!) I turn it all off.
Does Jobs ever not come off like a douche? Seriously, if you worked with a guy like this, would you want anything to do with him?