Transparency in Vista

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tomas Hansson
  • Start date Start date
T

Tomas Hansson

Hi!
Just a quick question about the Vista transparency: Can window content be
transparent as well? I've so far only seen examples where the window frame
is transparent. Is it possible to make parts of the window content
semi-transparent as well?

Thanks,
Tomas
 
Software developers can, but probably shouldn't, create transparent forms in
their applications. Personally, I think it is not only a waste of
resources, but it's a bad idea from a usability standpoint to even make the
border transparent. It blurs the line between what you want to see when
working with a window and with what you want not to see - i.e. any windows
behind your current working window.

I can't believe Microsoft hung so much of their Vista fortune on the neck of
Aero. From a usefulness viewpoint, Aero sort of reminds me of the old
snowing JavaScript applets people used to put in web pages 10 years ago. It
is something they did because they could, not because there was a point to
it.

Dale
 
The problem of viewing other windows underneath the border is a big one...
It increases visual clutter and does not let the user focus...
It makes you dizzy... and it is stupid like all the rest of the vista gui
changes.

Its very bad design. They did it because they had to make vista look
different...
or else everybody would say its just XP sp3. But now they gave it a new
costume...
Its all about marketing... they want to sell, without having real selling
points.

these people in here who worship vista cant even understand these simple
things..

its very sad....
 
Its all about marketing...

I have to protest for being a well-trained marketing professional, not all
of us will make stupid decisions and only thinking about sales (but maybe
that's why we are not one of the Fortune 500 :) ). Trust me - many of us
(myself proudly included) do care about our paying customers and respect
their privacy. :)

With that said, there are too many designs in Vista don't make sense, and my
personal conclusion about Vista is like riding the roller coasters -
sometime it's high and the next second, it goes all the way down -
especially I've been observing other Vista-related newsgroups for problems
and issues.

But I do believe it has a second chance (if the first one isn't good as
anticipated) and that's when Longhorn is about to be released, and many
businesses will (re-)evaluate it along with the server (at least, I will do
it again with the server).
 
Ok, the worst one is "technical marketing" for which I am reluctant to
elaborate and leave those who understands to say or not.
 
I don't think you understand what Aero is.

Dale said:
Software developers can, but probably shouldn't, create transparent forms
in their applications. Personally, I think it is not only a waste of
resources, but it's a bad idea from a usability standpoint to even make
the border transparent. It blurs the line between what you want to see
when working with a window and with what you want not to see - i.e. any
windows behind your current working window.

I can't believe Microsoft hung so much of their Vista fortune on the neck
of Aero. From a usefulness viewpoint, Aero sort of reminds me of the old
snowing JavaScript applets people used to put in web pages 10 years ago.
It is something they did because they could, not because there was a point
to it.

Dale
Click to expand...
 
Tomas said:
Hi!
Just a quick question about the Vista transparency: Can window content be
transparent as well? I've so far only seen examples where the window frame
is transparent. Is it possible to make parts of the window content
semi-transparent as well?

Thanks,
Tomas
Click to expand...

Yes, you can (as a developer calling native APIs) extend the glass area
into the client area. If you go to the (from memory) Mobility Centre in
Vista, you'll see this demonstrated.

Also, there's nothing to stop you making a form transparent (as opposed
to the blurred 'glass' effect). This has been possible in XP as well,
whereas glass is just a Vista thing.

This was demonstrated to me this week at a Vista for Developers MS
event, and they showed how to do this, but they warned against doing it
excessively. It's useful to highlight things, but can easily be abused
and should be used when appropriate and with restraint.

D
 
Back
Top