Now, ignoring the Sysmetrix in the bottom right that I've used since forever [a compilation of my old Seiko watch face and Treetog's Antares Two graphics]...

I've been using VLC as my media player for yonks but just used what was available online as a skin of choice.

Issue was that the one I like did not accomodate the option for always on top, so I had to delve into an entirely alien skin function/format to edit one and add the function.

Ever since Fly7e reverse-engineered Winamp and altered its default appearance, it has never ceased to amaze just how evil people have been with their skinnable proggies.  Pretty much each and every one is different.

Opening up an existing VLC skin was only part of the problem as I also had to open one up that did have the function and work out how it was different.

The way they work is each 'button' is auto numbered...eg..."unnamed button 01".  It's the job of the skinner to add sanity to the system by actually naming them logically... but they don't.

Anyway...the result was that after installing the VLC Skin Editor [and JRE-6], opening 2 skins, editing and saving-as, I ended up with an identical skin with the added function of 'On Top'.

It's the small victories..... 

Yes, I'm still running Fences 3 on my primary machine simply because I'm still running Win 7.

I know there's a login/security update for Fences 3 and I get the notification of an update available...but nothing happens.  [allegedly it's 14.1meg].

Same applies to the cloned Win 7 OS I run in a VM, same notification - same no result.

I don't really 'need' the update but I would like not to be notified of this one [or any others, for that matter].  It's so nice not getting "updates" from Microsoft anymore, too.

Yes, I'm still running Fences 3 on my primary machine simply because I'm still running Win 7.

I know there's a login/security update for Fences 3 and I get the notification of an update available...but nothing happens.  [allegedly it's 14.1meg].

Same applies to the cloned Win 7 OS I run in a VM, same notification - same no result.

I don't really 'need' the update but I would like not to be notified of this one [or any others, for that matter].  It's so nice not getting "updates" from Microsoft anymore, too.

March, 2001.  Wincustomize.com went live.

This week marks One Quarter Of A Century that Stardock has hosted the longest-lasting  Community-oriented skinning site and related Forums.

I remember getting the message while on Skinz.org to log into Wincustomize and create an account, so I did.

The first 20 User IDs were reserved for Stardock themselves so my User ID of '23' gives a good indicator I was day one.   Somewhere along the line I was 'assimilated' into the machine and am still here.

OS Graphic User Interface Skinning has evolved with the evolution of the Windows OS.  At the beginning it was relatively straight forward and 'simple' and attracted a huge following, however a dozen or so years into the life of skinning things became a little more difficult to achieve and the excitement waned somewhat.

I highly doubt that the concept of 'Customizing' will ever disappear, particularly as the Windows OS takes some odd detours of functionality.  Stardock's current successes with both Fences and Start 10/11 in particular, along with the original stalwarts like Windowblinds, and others demonstrates where there's a need there will always be a Better Solution. [e digicons]:jafo:[/e]  

Wincustomize.com was [and still is] Frogboy's "baby".  Without his vision, seeing the need for a stable/reliable site for GUI Modding we all would not be here at all.

Thank you, Brad [and the crew with the spanners that keep it alive].[e digicons]:thumbsup:[/e]  

Microsoft no longer supports its all-time most popular OS.

We get that.

It also FORCES people to purchase new hardware that is compatible with its new adware [OS].

Around about the 19th of Feb [last week]  Adobe Acrobat Reader auto updated...

To a version that is broken in Windows 7.

People are reliant on "legacy" OS systems { I use the word 'legacy' with sarcasm], often in critical and time-sensitive situations.

And good old Adobe auto-updates and breaks.

It's such a sophisticated and capable company it cannot offer an opt-out for compatibility with updates.

How about an OS VERSION check before providing and installing something incompatible?

Kinda makes sense... other people do it.

As some might know, I was 'class of 72' at RMIT Architecture and had actual drawings [not CAD] that dated from then all the way through to the last which was in 2018 [OK, so 46 years].

Managed to move plan drawers a few times, even after actually 'retiring'.

Every time I thought "these are a record of a heck of a lot of blood, sweat and tears'  I couldn't see myself parting with them as scrap-paper-in-the-recycle-bin.

Then I had an idea..."digitize" them.  Modern Mobile Phones have a half-decent camera...all I need to do is photograph them and dump the paper [tracing and ink].

Easier said than done.  There are a lot of them, but so far I've got 86 images recorded...on one hand that's about 180 meg, but it's a few Kilos lighter and 1 drawer looks empty.

Only 6 more to go..... ;)

Merry Christmas, everyone who celebrates the occasion.

Have a happy and safe Holiday [for those who get one].

And a happy New Year [that should apply to most using the same calendar] ....;)

You know you're getting old when you can say "52 years ago I saw Hair".

Today, I saw Hair again.

This time I was 'front and centre', and dang it was good.

The previous time meant I was sweating out the dates and times for my potential Conscription, and the Musical was pretty darn relevant.

Part of the Architecture 'Sociology' course was to sit in on a County Court trial of a Draft-Dodger....

In '72 I had a beanie my mum knitted and I sewed in a peace sign [in wool] and wore it 'always'.  It was handed around in Life Drawing to take up an extra collection for the models...

Anyway, all those songs came flooding back and were done brilliantly.... by a cast, most of whose parents weren't born when I saw it the first time.

Does a musical about a bunch of friends and their Hippie counter-culture have relevance these days?

Too bloody right.

Excellent show...;)

and testing I is

Gotta do an image restore... will be back soonish