Calibre 2.0 and system colors

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by theducks

My Wife and I were discussing what to do about her computer if it dies:
She has a expensive Embroidery machine that can't USB connect except with a 32bit Windows machine.

Install Windows XP into VirtualBox, while removing the VirtualBox network card. Connect the machine to the computer, putting the USB-connection through to VirtualBox. The host computer won't see the machine, but you can install the drivers in Windows XP.

As long as something runs VirtualBox with Windows XP inside, be it Windows or Linux, that machine will keep working. It is how I plan to keep using my DGT chess board together with the oldish (2009, latest update) Fritz 11. I've tested this under Linux and Windows 7 already, and it works although, Windows 7 x64 runs Fritz 11 natively. The reason I'm looking into this is because I dislike the activation system Fritz12 and higher uses, and it doesn't even add any functionality I'd actually want.

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

I don't think Windows 8 still has a classic mode which is one of the big reasons I won't upgrade. Classic is the only way to change background colors.

I thought so; I've not yet looked into it, as I can work normally with Windows 8.1, after installing Classic Shell.

[eschwartz]

@Katsunami isn't that what Gentoo is for, with package slots?

[Katsunami]

I don't know. Does Gentoo still build and install from source?

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I thought so; I've not yet looked into it, as I can work normally with Windows 8.1, after installing Classic Shell.

I searched for Classic Shell and saw that you can use it for IE and Explorer, but I didn't see anything about background colors. Can you change the colors using it?

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I don't know. Does Gentoo still build and install from source?

Yes, that is the specific idea behind its original creation...

I was rather impressed by the whole idea of it, but eventually opted for Arch Linux on my computer, since it seems like too much effort unless you have a particular need for parallel versions of packages. A whole lot more likely when you are using custom software, which I am not.

I have not had any personal experience with repo packages breaking each other.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

I searched for Classic Shell and saw that you can use it for IE and Explorer, but I didn't see anything about background colors. Can you change the colors using it?

Not that I know. It's a program that re-implements the Start menu and Explorer toolbar from Window 7. It can't reinstate a complete classic mode.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Does Windows 8.x still have a classic mode? Could anybody show screenshots of how Calibre looks in Windows 8.1?

Calibre on Windows 8.1 looks the same as it does on Windows 7. As for a classic mode, if you want a real functioning desktop, install Classic Start Menu. It's free and you get a real start menu. You can have a single column or a two column start menu.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

I don't think Windows 8 still has a classic mode which is one of the big reasons I won't upgrade. Classic is the only way to change background colors.

Just install Classic Start Menu and you'll get a full desktop mode. It looks and feels just like Windows 7.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Just install Classic Start Menu and you'll get a full desktop mode. It looks and feels just like Windows 7.

But can I change background colors so that all windows apps will use that background color? That's what's missing for me in addition to wanting a start menu. Bright white backgrounds make my vision go double and everything prior to Win 8 gave you the ability to change window background colors that would be used in most apps. In Win 8 they tell you to use high contrast in accessibility but high contrast is what gives me double vision.

In Win 8 the only way I could find to change colors is by registry edit - see the end of this page http://www.askvg.com/how-to-access-a...-in-windows-8/

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

I don't think Windows 8 still has a classic mode which is one of the big reasons I won't upgrade. Classic is the only way to change background colors.

If you are talking about the background colours of windows, menu bar colours, contrasts, frame colours, text colours, etc., etc. then these actually can be changed in Windows 8.x

Control Panel>Personalisation> allows one to select these.

As far as I recall (all here has been pretty much Win 8 since it was released) it is easier and more flexible in Win 8.x.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by AnotherCat

If you are talking about the background colours of windows, menu bar colours, contrasts, frame colours, text colours, etc., etc. then these actually can be changed in Windows 8.x

Control Panel>Personalisation> allows one to select these.

As far as I recall (all here has been pretty much Win 8 since it was released) it is easier and more flexible in Win 8.x.

In Win 7 unless you use classic it doesn't change the background color of most windows though. It doesn't change Explorer or the Control Panel windows for instance.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

But can I change background colors so that all windows apps will use that background color? That's what's missing for me in addition to wanting a start menu. Bright white backgrounds make my vision go double and everything prior to Win 8 gave you the ability to change window background colors that would be used in most apps. In Win 8 they tell you to use high contrast in accessibility but high contrast is what gives me double vision.

In Win 8 the only way I could find to change colors is by registry edit - see the end of this page http://www.askvg.com/how-to-access-a...-in-windows-8/

Sometimes Microsoft and others forget why things were done the way they were done. Another example was the replacement of shell column handlers in favour of shell property handlers, column handlers were relatively easy to implement, property handlers are... let's just say more difficult and less flexible.

Column handlers enabled a 3rd party programs (e.g. Tortoise SVN, Audioshell, Folder Size etc) to add columns to the windows shell, which could then be displayed in file managers like Windows Explorer, Xplorer2, Directory Opus etc, and any other program that browsed the file system.

BR

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

In Win 7 unless you use classic it doesn't change the background color of most windows though. It doesn't change Explorer or the Control Panel windows for instance.

I just tested the Aero themes and no Calibre windows accessed from the preferences screen use the background color or other colors either. The way Microsoft set them up it's not really the default system color for programs otherwise Calibre would use them. Calibre uses system colors I have set up using the Classic settings.

Edit: just using Calibre as an example to show how screwed up Microsoft is.

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

In Win 7 unless you use classic it doesn't change the background color of most windows though. It doesn't change Explorer or the Control Panel windows for instance.

I can't remember exactly what Win 7 is like without going and having a play but in Win 8.x:

Control Panel>Personalisation, choose a high contrast theme e.g. High Contrast #1 and change colours to ones content of text, links, backgrounds, buttons, etc., etc. Among other things Control Panel and Explorer windows backgrounds, for example, will change.

Of course, if someone wants an OS that works exactly like Win XP, Win 7, Linux in its various renditions, OS X, NeXTSTEP, Win 98, AmigaOS, Haiku, or what-have-you, then they are best to use that particular OS. Not much use people complaining that one is not the same as another and writing all but ones own off as not being any good as some are inclined to do (often even on the basis of hearsay).

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by AnotherCat

I can't remember exactly what Win 7 is like without going and having a play but in Win 8.x:

Control Panel>Personalisation, choose a high contrast theme e.g. High Contrast #1 and change colours to ones content of text, links, backgrounds, buttons, etc., etc. Among other things Control Panel and Explorer windows backgrounds, for example, will change.

Of course, if someone wants an OS that works exactly like Win XP, Win 7, Linux in its various renditions, OS X, NeXTSTEP, Win 98, AmigaOS, Haiku, or what-have-you, then they are best to use that particular OS. Not much use people complaining that one is not the same as another and writing all but ones own off as not being any good as some are inclined to do (often even on the basis of hearsay).

Another problem with choosing a high contrast theme is that you then can't use IE because a lot of things on a lot of websites are not visible when using system colors. In Win 7 when using high contrast you can't turn off system colors in IE. I have accessibility in IE set to use system colors, but at least I can turn them off when webpages are missing buttons or icons or other text and see what's missing. I remember going to a Microsoft 'help' website about accessibility and I couldn't even leave a comment without turning off system colors because buttons were missing.

Thanks for suggestions though.