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It has been a while since a visual style for Windows XP has tickled my “I like to dress up Windows” fancy. The TangoXP visual style though is pretty simple, pretty slick and hey, yeah it is just pretty too.
Need help on using different visual styles on Windows XP?
I have made up my mind that I am going to wait a while before I even think of touching or upgrading to Vista on any machine. Let everybody get their updates out. Let everybody beat on it for a while. Eventually I will be forced to move over though on at least one machine.
Now what I am really waiting on pins and needles for right now is for us to get out of this “Vista is wonderful and great and pretty and will change your life” phase and get into the Vista sucks phase.
Back when Windows XP first came out, it didn’t take too long for people to go from saying:
“The interface is a welcome change from the colorless existence we once had…”
to
“The interface looks like a children’s toy. Where is the mature look and design I want?”
This time around though (or maybe I am not paying as much attention) it seems like the “this sucks” phase is taking a little longer to roll out into the mainstream conversation.
I have absolutely no urge to upgrade to any version of Vista – is there something wrong with me? Sure, I see excitement building a little more here and there but nothing that makes me feel like I should have it as soon as possible. After looking at what is being offered, I just have the feeling of going, “eh, is that it?”.
Here are my four reasons I am not excited about Windows Vista.
1. You Are Taking Me Out of My Element!
I don’t want to have to re-learn a whole new way of getting things done. Sure, much will be the same – but I am comfortable now and I am also not being a good enough reason to change.
2. I Like Things How They Are!
My current computer setup is customized the way I like it. I have my own visual styles going, and all my programs run as they should. Should I give that up right now?
3. I Am Afraid of the Beginners Bugs!
It is going to take a while for Microsoft to get all the beginners’ bugs worked out of the system. After it has been beat on by a larger group of people, I’ll give it a go.
4. I Am Not Made of Money!
They made the thing way too expensive. I am not going to bother trying to upgrade my current machine. I’ll just wait till a buy a new PC and get Vista pre-installed. I might pay the upgrade price for my laptop, but it is going to be a while before I fork over cash.
Now I am not an anti-Microsoft guy, I am just a user. I am a user that wants a painless user experience. To get that with Vista, I might just have to wait and see what happens.
A couple of times in the past I have posted about visual styles I have found on the Web that I like.
Every time that I do I get an E-mail from somebody or a comment asking how I can do it. By default, the Microsoft peeps usually don’t like for you to install “unsigned” themes. That is the reason why you have been either stuck in the Windows 2000 interface or the Fisher Price “Luna” theme.
Well, while doing some random surfing on the Web during my holiday break I happened to run across a nice guide on how to use visual styles that puts it in a way that I never could. Check it out – and then check out some of my visual style suggestions to get yourself started on making Windows XP look a little better.
+ Customize Windows XP With Your Own Downloaded Visual Styles!
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Mitch Keeler is nothing more than your average Joe trying to leave his mark on the world though both his professional work and his online projects, articles, podcasts and more.
