Later versions of Windows had nearly all of the Plus! theme functionality ready-to-go, as well as plenty of additional options within each theme. Somewhere between Win95 and Win98, users discovered that they could mix and match theme elements and other related details — such as starting with an overall theme, but then replacing the elements with custom icons, buttons, and/or wallpaper (among other things).
I have a friend who is a truck accident injury lawyer with a website. I have watched as his web designer / web master has subtly changed the look and functionality of his truck accident site. When my lawyer friend hired an SEO expert for some advice as to how he could rank higher in the search for truck accident lawyer / attorney and other iterations, the SEO expert discussed content building among many other suggestions. He also directed the webmaster/ designer to check the truck accident lawyer’s website on all the different search engines since a web design could look fine in Firefox, Chrome or Internet Explorer on a PC and appear broken on a MAC. I guess Windows designers aren’t the only ones who have to spend more time working out all the bugs in their code.
Windows XP streamlined the theme offerings a bit, while progressively incorporating additional integrated appearance elements into its ‘visual styles’. The look became considerably more ‘modern’ but also offered a number of additional opportunities for theme designers; we also began to see many more integrated themes that took care of OS, browser, media player, and more with one package.
The new versions were especially well adaptable for certain kinds of gaming functionality. Most of the online casinos providing online slots for US players recommend XP for the optimum performance of their games. Tribeca Tables and Playtek recommend XP for their software, both online and downloaded, and gaming expert Bud Williams tells us that the operating system is probably preferred by the players because of the speed and the easy of background operations that make the play smooth, even when animation and multi-player environments are involved.
The big news for Vista was Aero…which was nice and all, exploiting the alpha blending effects, but still just a theme; from the reception it received, you’d think Aero was one of Vista’s killer apps. Aside from increasing visual quality and continuing the streamlining trend of XP, the theme situation in Vista and Windows 7 is largely unchanged.
** Update **
After using window 7 extensively I have come to the overwhelming conclusion that I made a mistake by upgrading to Windows 8 and Windows made a mistake by releasing it. This program is terrible. They need to go back to the drawing board with some of these ideas. Shortly after release they have already discussed a major overhaul of the system. The worst part is that many of my programs do not interact well with it. What kind of program is designed in a fashion that does not get along with others well? It is a joke. The sooner they release something with better maneuverability & handling the better. I am thinking about thinking of jumping ship to an entirely different platform altogether because of this blunder.
I have been faithful to Window for many years now. I always express my opinion that it is far superior than it’s counterpart but after this blunder I may have to reanalyze my opinion altogether. I am going to stick with it for a while to see if it can begin to operate in the promised fashion. I hope they get it right soon.