Alternative GUIs for Windows XP

As we've noted in our earlier features on Alternative Graphical User Interface (GUI) options for Windows PCs, there are a number of products that can help Windows users customize the look and feel of their computer. However, with such customizations looms the threat of copyright infringement and the possibility of legal actions from intellectual property holders, who may find their uniqueness threatened by others' "creativity." In this article we'll look at what's being done to computers running Windows XP, and who might care.

Styles XP is interesting because it seems somewhat more of a "native" XP theme enhancement than StarDock's add-ons. In fact, TGTSoft says it reverse-engineered code responsible for the MSStyles XML code at the heart of an XP theme -- and, apparently, hacked the digital signing code in the operating system that normally makes Windows XP reject any non-Microsoft skins! Thus, a properly created Styles XP theme is no slower and no less compatible than any of  Microsoft's native "Appearance" options. Indeed, after applying the UxTheme.dll Patch released by TGTSoft, we found Styles XP skins worked even without Styles XP installed. We uninstalled Styles XP and the "AquaPro" theme (discussed below) kept right on working!

It does this because, as competitor StarDock notes, this TGTSoft patch hacks the DLL responsible for restricting the ability to load in non-Microsoft themes. Beta 3 or newer versions of Styles XP can apply styles by loading a memory resident program instead of patching this DLL, if that sort of thing bothers you (for us, the opposite is true). Styles XP can also restore the original unpatched DLL if desired, but we have not noticed any reduction in reliability or other negative side effects from leaving it in its altered state.

Like a Mac, the (red) close button shows an "X" when the mouse hovers over it. Aqua is the name of Apple's interface for Mac OS X and the sheer number of Aqua-inspired Windows XP interface theme adaptations is a tribute to Apple's stylish sensibilities -- despite the ironic fact that little such customization is yet possible under Mac OS X, at least without third-party add-ons Apple seems intent on discouraging.

These "theme" sites come and go, but the effort at recreating the Aqua look-and-feel on Windows PCs has resulted in much more than simply sticking an Apple look-alike skin on Windows.

Indeed, Apple lawyers in Feb. 2003 sent a cease-and-desist letter to one of the best-known Aqua "skinning" sites, Aqua-soft.org, over its collection of Dock workalikes, Mac-like "Finder" clones, and clones of various Apple's "iApps" that aim to recreate the Mac OS X look and feel on a Windows PC. In their cease-and-desist letters, Apple's lawyers threaten alleged infringers with statements such as this one: "Among other things, the court may require your company to pay damages of up to $150,000.00 per infringement."

And it's no wonder. Some of the recreations, such as the Japanese Dock clone "Y'z Dock," are remarkably accurate emulations. There are also iTunes skins for Windows media players (the ones for QCD player and WMP are the most faithful we've seen) and even an in-beta clone of a fairly complete iTunes workalike. And, in the forums, users share discoveries of other Mac-like programs for Windows PCs, such as a (nearly perfect!) Safari skin for Internet Explorer or the iPhoto clone Picasa.

We've seen several Aqua "skins" recreated as Visual Styles ("VS") files for Windows XP and Styles XP. We used to be fans of one called AquaPro, by a user called "Ja450n." It was reasonably faithful rendition (misplaced green and amber dots aside) of the Mac OS X GUI. It had a few clever details, too. The default Windows XP minimize and maximize controls at the top of each windows are normally fashioned from the same character. AquaPro's creator managed to make them different colours, as they are on a Mac. Unfortunately, Ja450n's web site is, at this writing, no longer active. So, unless you can find a link to the theme or another you like at a site such as Iceman's Emulation Page (Iceman's Jaguar 2.01 theme is our personal favorite), you may have to be content with one of the other VS themes, such as OSXP 1.02.

Of course, look-alike skins tend to infringe on Apple's trademark visual identity and this tends to get Apple's legendarily gung-ho gang of lawyers all riled up. For example, in Jan. 2000, Apple lawyers threatened Skinz.org and other sites over graphical patches that can give users of non-Apple computers the distinctive Mac look and feel, including that of "Aqua," the new graphical interface of Apple's recently announced Mac OS X. Some of these pages are still accessible via the WayBack Machine at web.archive.org, but, sadly, many of these resources are now unavailable.

Currently, the best-performing Mac OS X lookalike configuration can be had by adding the following components to Windows XP:

• M. Yamaguchi's Y'z Dock 0.4 or newer, with Jaguar icons
• M. Yamaguchi's Y'z Shadow
• Iceman's Jaguar Theme for Y'z Toolbar and other system tweaks
• ObjectBar with optional Jaguar or MacOSX theme components (installed by double-clicking)
• OSXP 1.02 or Iceman's Jaguar 2.01 Visual Style for Styles XP
• iTunes skin for Windows. The skin for Windows Media Player is the most full-featured, but the one for QCD is nice, too.
• Skins for other apps you use: Iceman offers a nice skin for Eurocalculator, and there are Aqua-like skins for a wide variety of other popular Windows apps, including IE, WinAmp, Trillian and many others.
• You might want to try Savanna, a very slick Safari lookalike, too.
• Hard-core Aqua enthusiasts will also want to look for the iPhoto, AddressBook and iChat clones for Windows that are floating around. Apple's not too happy about these blatantly infringing lookalikes, so we can't provide links here.

Note, however, that "lookalike" efforts are sometimes shut down under threat of legal pressure from Apple. Indeed, Apple recently contacted the owners of the ThemeXP site and notified them that they were in violation of Apple's copyright on OS X by hosting two themes: "EclipseOSX v4.40" and "MacOSX Aqua 3.2." The site operators posted a tongue-in-cheek message, saying, "As much as we enjoy long and expensive lawsuits against mega-corporations, we decided to comply with their notice of infringement and take down both of the two themes we previously hosted." See ThemeXP discussion - Apple Problems" for more information.

Aqua "skins" are also popular in the Linux community; Aqua lookalikes are also available for Windows (WinAqua, etc.), older Macs (e.g., the classic Mac OS theming app Kaleidoscope) and other systems. One author, who re-uploaded revised "Aqua skin" graphics after modifying them in an effort to comply with Apple's demands found that change wasn't enough for Apple's legal team, which again threatened the author of the Mac OS X GUI lookalike "skin" with a lawsuit over its "Aqua"-like look and feel.

And Apple forced the maker of AquaX III, an Aqua scheme for Kaleidoscope, to remove it from his site, under threats of legal action. Indeed, Apple has forced many Aqua schemes to be taken down, in an effort to protect the purity of the Mac OS X GUI.

(Not that Mac OS X is perfect, of course. Applelust has a well written and thoughtful piece discussing some of the more glaring GUI weaknesses of OS X.) See our Mac OS X report elsewhere on this site for details. Will Apple's legal beagles go after the creators of AquaPro, AquaBlue and similar themes? Only time will tell, but it is clear that the "MacPak" that accompanies some of these themes incorporates some Apple icons and desktop background graphics -- even the trash can is a faithful replica of the Mac's. And it's not even the most slavish clone. Other XP theme creators have gone as far as replacing the Windows "Start" button with an Apple logo. (These people are sometimes referred to as "Shuddabots" -- they "shudda botta" Mac.)

Another popular skin with XP fans is one that makes XP look like the still-in-beta Windows.NET (now known as Windows Server 2003). Indeed, the Windows.NET skin was, fror several months, our favorite Windows XP theme. You can read more about it (and similar variants BlackComb and LongHorn) and check out sample screenshots and the downloadable code here.