Linked by Thom Holwerda on Sun 29th Oct 2006 23:12 UTC
"The GUI's is an inter-website contest in which top graphics designers from around the world compete for USD 15000 in cash and prizes. This year's contest focuses on WindowBlinds visual styles, IconPackager Icons, and Wallpapers. Anyone can participate as an individual or part of a team." The winners in the two icon categories are already announced (most original | most usable), and the finalists in the most prestigious category, that of visual styles, are also announced.
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Some of these are very nice looking, especially in the usability category, and are a huge improvement over the default Windows XP interface. I would like to have seen, however, an interface that accompanies rearranging the standard min,max,close button layout on the right. I've found that at high resolutions, a minimize button on the left side of the toolbar and a close button on the right side works better, as you won't find yourself accidentally clicking the wrong button. Maximize at most higher resolutions is pretty useless (unless it's an MDI program), and window borders are pretty much obsolete thanks to drop shadows. Of course this is entirely my opinion, but if WindowBlinds supports rearranging button layout, these themes should at least be designed with that mind. Some themes, like Acrylic, reflect this well; others, like GPod or Jitter, only work with the traditional button layout. This should at least be taken into consideration when the final "Most usable" theme is selected.
As for the "Most original" category, usability issues aside, I think that LORE takes the cake with the "OMGWTF where the hell are my buttons?" idea it has going on.
Member since:
2005-06-30
Some of these are very nice looking, especially in the usability category, and are a huge improvement over the default Windows XP interface. I would like to have seen, however, an interface that accompanies rearranging the standard min,max,close button layout on the right. I've found that at high resolutions, a minimize button on the left side of the toolbar and a close button on the right side works better, as you won't find yourself accidentally clicking the wrong button. Maximize at most higher resolutions is pretty useless (unless it's an MDI program), and window borders are pretty much obsolete thanks to drop shadows. Of course this is entirely my opinion, but if WindowBlinds supports rearranging button layout, these themes should at least be designed with that mind. Some themes, like Acrylic, reflect this well; others, like GPod or Jitter, only work with the traditional button layout. This should at least be taken into consideration when the final "Most usable" theme is selected.
As for the "Most original" category, usability issues aside, I think that LORE takes the cake with the "OMGWTF where the hell are my buttons?" idea it has going on.