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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: privateofcourse on March 05, 2011, 04:02:09 AM

Title: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: privateofcourse on March 05, 2011, 04:02:09 AM
Is there a setting somewhere in Avast to turn off the main 'theme' or skin, and revert to using the default system theme? Like other programs do, such as Comodo?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: zfactor on March 05, 2011, 04:18:40 AM
no there is no skinning in avast 5 or 6. i kind of wish there was myself but sadly there is not.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: privateofcourse on March 05, 2011, 12:52:05 PM
Hello.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, that is a PITA and something else that I find annoying - I'm either easily annoyed (maybe my age) or others are easily pleased...yeah, I can guess.  ;) Not that the Avast 'theme' is ugly or anything, it's all subjective I suppose, but my OS is XP Pro, which the Avast theme clearly does not reflect. Personally I much prefer apps to use my Windows OS theme when I set it as the unified, integrated look is preferable to me. I know XP is considered 'old' by many now, but it still won't go away any time soon and quite frankly it's just too good to ditch for a few more bells and whistles.

An appeal to the developers: please add an option to use a 'system theme'. No reason not to.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: RejZoR on March 05, 2011, 01:06:02 PM
There is no need to reflect it really. avast! is not a part of Winows so i don't see any need to look the same.
Current visual design is imo the best blend of both worlds. It's not plain, yet it's not as extreme as it was with skins in avast! 4.x.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: Lisandro on March 05, 2011, 01:15:42 PM
I think the skins won't come back.
But if the marketing guys allow, we can think on color themes, can't we?
We have avast sounds, why not avast color schemes?
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: spg SCOTT on March 05, 2011, 01:16:35 PM
I don't know...sounds are easy to change...changing something like the skin is more difficult I would have thought...
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: doktornotor on March 05, 2011, 01:18:34 PM
I think the skins won't come back.
But if the marketing guys allow, we can think on color themes, can't we?

Color themes - I don't care. Skins a.k.a. avast! media player - hell no, yuck!  :-X
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: Lisandro on March 05, 2011, 01:20:24 PM
If the developers say that it is technically possible, I would start a poll.
If not, we're losing time.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: privateofcourse on March 05, 2011, 01:33:19 PM
Well, actually, I'm not at all interested in jukebox/media player Avast4-style skins. Didn't like them either. For me it is just the ability to optionally 'lay bare' Avast and remove the dapper clothing so that the system theme can be applied instead...like Comodo does, and many other apps do. Can't see anything wrong in that, and I would be curious about any resistance to it. Also, as has been suggested, I think being able to choose alternative colours to the existing 'theme' would also be a very good idea. Anyhow, if a poll did emerge here I'd vote for both not one or the other.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: igor on March 05, 2011, 03:50:31 PM
An appeal to the developers: please add an option to use a 'system theme'. No reason not to.

Sorry, í really don't think that's going to happen. The reason is very simple - a huge effort needed for the development.
The current GUI is not a skinned standard window - it's just what you see. So, a completely new GUI would have to be developped and maintained.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: privateofcourse on March 05, 2011, 06:17:25 PM
I see..that did cross my mind actually. Darn. So that's pretty much the definitive answer...well, sounds pretty absolute to me at least.

Thanks for replying, Igor, even if it's not exactly what I wanted to hear.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: YoKenny on March 05, 2011, 06:42:02 PM
You have so much to learn about avast!  ;)
The best configurable anti virus application IMHO ;)

Just follow what DavidR's recomends and he does not run Comodo.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: Lisandro on March 05, 2011, 07:07:33 PM
It's just what you see.
Do you mean that colored themes aren't possible either?
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: privateofcourse on March 05, 2011, 08:46:50 PM
[...snip] Just follow what DavidR's recomends and he does not run Comodo.

I'm quite sure DavidR is a very well informed chap and knows his stuff, and from his replies, he also comes across as very helpful and courteous. Nevertheless, I think I can manage to go it alone for a little while longer, YoKenny...and no offence to DavidR ::)

Just for the record, there's nothing wrong with Comodo Firewall...well, I'll be clear and state that I am using only the Firewall element of Comodo, nothing else. No Defence+ or anything. Privatefirewall 7 is also an excellent alternative, but since Avast 6 and it don't play nicely together Comodo has made a recent return to my machine. And, also for the record, I am one who believes that the ever-so-awful XP firewall is not the complete dog that everyone labels it. It certainly does what it is supposed to do and does it well (transparently with no overhead). As for me, I'm not all that concerned about programs calling home when they really have to; I know exactly what is on my PC, I installed the stuff, and before I installed the stuff much of it was sandboxed, and thoroughly tested. Anything that behaves inappropriately gets immediately relegated to the void, and no second chances. As most of the software I use I've used for many years and am happy with, I will continue with my existing setup without any major modifications thanks all the same :)
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: spg SCOTT on March 05, 2011, 08:59:34 PM
Yokenny, why don't you just post what you think as you think it? Don't mask it behind someone else's completely unrelated choice.

The fact that DavidR hasn't even posted in this thread points this out perfectly.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: igor on March 06, 2011, 01:57:06 AM
Do you mean that colored themes aren't possible either?

I have no idea. But I'm quite sure that even if it were possible, it would have quite a low priority...
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: Lisandro on March 06, 2011, 02:14:14 AM
I have no idea. But I'm quite sure that even if it were possible, it would have quite a low priority...
Does Martin work for avast yet?
Who did develop the GUI?
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: igor on March 06, 2011, 02:17:48 AM
Yes, he certainly works, and he's rather busy.
But he's a designer, not a developer.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: Lisandro on March 06, 2011, 02:32:18 AM
Yes, he certainly works, and he's rather busy.
But he's a designer, not a developer.
And which is his opinion?
I think a color theme won't be that bad. It will allow configuration. Will calm down the skins lovers :)
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: dagrev on March 06, 2011, 04:11:50 AM
I think the skins won't come back.
But if the marketing guys allow, we can think on color themes, can't we?
We have avast sounds, why not avast color schemes?

+1
Black and burnt orange are not exactly my favorite colors. ;D
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: Vladimyr on March 06, 2011, 10:36:42 AM
Is there a setting somewhere in Avast to turn off the main 'theme' or skin, and revert to using the default system theme? Like other programs do, such as Comodo?

Thanks.

Isn't the "Windows" (or whatever it's called) option in Comodo 5's 'Appearance' setting a fixed theme that resembles a mock-up Windows XP/Vista/7 appearance, rather than adopting the actual chosen system appearance style, colours, fonts, etc?
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: warlock on March 06, 2011, 11:52:19 AM
If we are stuck with the skin, at least do some polishing to it please:
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: Hermite15 on March 06, 2011, 01:15:04 PM
[...snip] Just follow what DavidR's recomends and he does not run Comodo.

I'm quite sure DavidR is a very well informed chap and knows his stuff, and from his replies, he also comes across as very helpful and courteous. Nevertheless, I think I can manage to go it alone for a little while longer, YoKenny...and no offence to DavidR ::)



well said, ignore the lurkers, they don't have much to say ;)
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: privateofcourse on March 06, 2011, 10:35:59 PM
Isn't the "Windows" (or whatever it's called) option in Comodo 5's 'Appearance' setting a fixed theme that resembles a mock-up Windows XP/Vista/7 appearance, rather than adopting the actual chosen system appearance style, colours, fonts, etc?

Now you mention it, I believe that used to be the way it worked actually...you could choose a skin that looked like Windows from the ones available. However, it this version of Comodo I am using now there is simply 'Windows Theme' as an option amongst Comodo's few skin choices. Choosing 'Window Theme' removes the current Comodo skin and the current Windows theme is then visible, whichever one is being used, so I think things have changed.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: privateofcourse on March 06, 2011, 10:38:59 PM
Re the colourised versions of the existing Avast theme: couldn't a few alternative CommonRes.dll be provided? I take it that is where the neccessary png files are stashed?
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: BRANDONN2008 on March 07, 2011, 01:28:14 AM
I agree the GUI looks fine, but it would be cool to be able to change the secondary color from orange.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: Vladimyr on March 07, 2011, 03:08:31 AM
Isn't the "Windows" (or whatever it's called) option in Comodo 5's 'Appearance' setting a fixed theme that resembles a mock-up Windows XP/Vista/7 appearance, rather than adopting the actual chosen system appearance style, colours, fonts, etc?

Now you mention it, I believe that used to be the way it worked actually...you could choose a skin that looked like Windows from the ones available. However, it this version of Comodo I am using now there is simply 'Windows Theme' as an option amongst Comodo's few skin choices. Choosing 'Window Theme' removes the current Comodo skin and the current Windows theme is then visible, whichever one is being used, so I think things have changed.

I checked with a local "non-exclusivist" CIS user and it seems you are more correct than me. ;)
The 'Windows Theme' option in the latest "incarnation" does take on the colours and style of the user's choices in Windows.
I was thrown initially by the fact that it didn't also adopt the font, sizing and other details as well.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: zfactor on March 07, 2011, 03:44:49 AM
i personally like the orange theme but i agree having choices would be nice.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: twl845 on March 07, 2011, 04:25:31 AM
Fer crying out loud. It's an AV app with a nice GUI. Why do we need a choice of skins and colors to do a scan?  ;D
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: Hermite15 on March 07, 2011, 11:16:38 AM
Fer crying out loud. It's an AV app with a nice GUI. Why do we need a choice of skins and colors to do a scan?  ;D

agreed, + on a side note, Avast 5/6 UI was particularly well designed and looks good imo.
Title: Re: Turning off 'skinning'
Post by: warlock on March 07, 2011, 04:26:54 PM
^^
Not for everyone. I generally like it, but some parts of the design look a bit out of place an some outright ugly (aliasing on borders and the min/max/close block). Not to mention bugs like not dropping rounding in maximized state, rendering out of screen (also maximized state, probably related to the rounding bug) etc.

At least if it used the system theme, there would be nothing to complain about (as it is the same for all programs). As a bonus, it would be possible to change the look with a custom Windows theme.