Hi
I have a query to ask. I am sorry, i know this is not the proper forum but i am asking as i found no where else.
Windows 7 3rd party themes are excellent, complete in every sense. The theme engine applies well and themes are a real eye candy. While in windows 8.1, the themes are so incomplete type, even from the same designer who made a theme in windows 7, has made the same theme for windows 8.1 but the theme is so absurd. The right click jump list menu is horrible, the theme doesn't apply completely. One has to replace the explorer.exe files to completely overtake the theme looks. The ribbon disabler is needed so much that without it, the themes would look horrible.
I wanted to ask, why is it so? This is ONE of the main reasons, i never liked windows 8 or 8.1.
Well, you may be right to a certain extent, Windows 7 was a lot easier to theme, Windows 8 / 8.1 not so much BUT if the themer / designer knows what they are doing you can achieve the exact same results in Windows 8 / 8.1 that one did in 7 , it all just depends who's theme you are running and how much time and in depth they went before releasing it. BTW, explorer.exe files have always needed replacing in both 7 and 8 / 8.1 to achieve desired looks for the theme.
I will agree with you on the ribbon disabler, it's just one more resource needed to achieve the looks the themer wants, now, you don't have to use it but you will get stuck with the fugly looking ribbon on your theme, this is because themers have not yet found a way to theme that part of Windows and Windows itself dos not give you the option to disable the ribbon, which I think ought to be an option in Windows. You also have the option of hiding the ribbon (rolling it up) if you don't want to install ribbon disabler.
But in closing, I run Windows 8.1, each and every custom theme that I run is complete, I used Window Blinds ONCE until I learned how to theme myself but now I don't use Window Blinds and I would never use Window Blinds ever again after learning how to do it myself, first being because it's a resource hog, second being is because that after learning how to theme myself I learned that there is absolutely no reason whatsoever one should have to run extra proprietary software in order to run a custom third party theme and third is because Stardock's support staff is nothing but a bunch of arrogant know it all's who speak down to you and not TO you.
But if that is the route you decide to go, hey it's your machine
, there are some pretty nice Window Blind themes out there, I just don't think you should have to run proprietary software just to run them, meaning if you don't have Window Blinds you just can't run them at all. It's just like Microsoft putting IE on Windows without the option of being able to run any other browser, Stardock has been and will always be trying to corner the market on something they will never be able to. The custom themes I run use zero proprietary software to run, they also use zero system resources.
You really need to experiment with different theme artists, not only the ones on DA to see which ones fit your liking. You'll be able to tell the ones that have actually spent quality time making a theme.
A lot, most, if not all the Windows 8 / 8.1 and also a lot of Windows 7 themes I have downloaded from DA are incomplete in one way or another.
As far as Microsoft Themes (deskthemepacks), they are really only meant for those that do not run custom themes that want to give their desktop a little different look.
Expand your horizons a little and I am sure you will find a custom theme artist that will suit your needs