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[ls]

I was taking a look at the 9.1 betas and one question appeared: Where ist the no skin Mega-Me mode.  

Has it vanished? Will it return?

Greetings, Lars

[Doof]

It's gone for good, apparently. MC is no longer being drawn using the Windows OS. Therefore there is no "unskinned" mode.

[knickelfarz]

I'm working on a skin that will look like the standard Win95/ME/2K interface (boring work ... but there seem to be many requests...). Stay tuned  

[ls]

I was seconds before registering MC. Good that I took a look at version 9.1. And I thought I had found my multimedia software of choice  :-/

Skinning at all is useless (for software displaying information in a window). Some might find it nice, but beyond that it adds no further value. Mostly the software only gets slower, bigger and the develover tends to spend more time on effects than on usability. When skinning then this feature belongs into the operating system, so that still all software will look and operate the same.

And regarding the Point that porting to other OS would be more easy. I would expect a nativ GUI on all operating systems.

Regards, Lars

[ls]

@knickelfarz

Will you be able to add a normal windowbar?


Regards, Lars

[Doof]

Mostly the software only gets slower, bigger and the develover tends to spend more time on effects than on usability.

In this case, they felt that the only way to create a GUI that was as useable as they wanted was to ditch the native OS stuff and draw things on their own.

Personally, I think they made the right choice. The things that are suddenly being done with the GUI are much nicer and more manageable than anything we've had in previous versions.

And I'm not big into programming anymore, but wouldn't shedding dependence on the native OS window creation make it easier to port the app to different OS's?

[knickelfarz]

Will you be able to add a normal windowbar?

There are made little changes in the skin SDK of MC9.1 with every build ... It's still beta!
But I suppose that there will be the possibility for a windowbar  

[ls]

In this case, they felt that the only way to create a GUI that was as useable as they wanted was to ditch the native OS stuff and draw things on their own.

I see no part that would not be possible without creating a complete new GUI.

And I'm not big into programming anymore, but wouldn't shedding dependence on the native OS window creation make it easier to port the app to different OS's?

It is not easier to use the native GUI. But most Applications doing this are the better ones. The look of a GUI is not all. There is still the feel (shortcuts, position and function of typical GUI elements and to know how this all works as every application is handling it the same way).


By the way. I think the greates mistake Opera Software did this year, was to let Opera start skinned as default. And so presenting a software that looks totaly different than the software new customers are used to.

[NoCodeUK]

I have to disagree.  MC 9.1 is natively faster skinned than MC 9.0 was unskinned on my PC.  There si absoultely no reason why the program will not still function exactly the same way as normal windows programs.  It is a BETA.  They are ironing bugs out as they go.  This is only the 6th or 7th build since major changes.  And I don't see any way how the new Media Library and Tagging system could have been created using the Microsoft Common Controls.  So in this sense drawing everything themsleves is essential.  I prefer innovation to a standard Windows GUI any day of the week.  And anyway I think there are a lot of inherent problems with Windows standard GUI Desgns.  Hopefully J River can avoid these by drwaing everything themselves and therefore avoiding MSs quirks.  It may also make it easier to port to Linux as well...

Adam

[rocketsauce]

Where ist the no skin Mega-Me mode.  

Hi Lars! Welcome to the no-skins club. Unfortunately, we seem to be a very small minority of about 3.

Rob

[ls]

Hi rocketsauce,

oh, the no skin club is far bigger   but I fear that your are right and the no skin in MC club is some how small.

When I remember the release of the Opera 7 betas with skin only, there was a lot more opposition. They later added a GUI skin that, where it was possible, made use of the native Windows GUI.

Greetings, Lars

[lee269]

Add one to the club

Although I am somewhat resigned to defeat, Im afraid. I dont care whether MC is skinned or not, but I would like to be able to make it look and act like a standard Windows application.

[ls]

Would be interesting, what couldn't be done with GDI+ and is needed.

Lars

[mijkuf]

Welcome to the no-skins club. Unfortunately, we seem to be a very small minority of about 3.

Yes, and in a land where groupthink rules no less.  Before knowing what knickelfarz was up to, I posted a new thread of my own, basically begging someone to create a Windows-type skin.  I agree with ls' comments on the matter.