In the beginning

My first themes for LiteStep, SEQ(uencer) and Singularity were made around 2002. They were developed under LiteStep 0.24.6 using OTS1 standards.

SEQ(uencer) started off around the concept of a curved taskbar. I wanted a feature-rich but simple theme, one that would provide access to a few EVARs, require minimal scripting, but still be able to have plenty of configurability for wallpapers and color themes. The goals were met, but it still lacked certain features I would have preferred, such as AntiAliasing in the graphics, AlphaTransparency, and true ResolutionIndependence.

Singularity was my second theme, and a much more ambitious project. It made heavy use of the AntiAliasing desired for SEQ(uencer). The primary concept, however, was not the unique graphics. The core reason the theme was made was to accentuate the GUI concept of ConfigurableHotspots, in accordance with FittsLaw about interface design. This entailed creating shortcuts to programs or system-functions which could be the most easy to reach. This meant using the corners of the screen as HotSpots, hover the mouse over them and they activate. They gain their efficiency from the fact that no click is required, and the mouse is naturally collected at any screen corner if you move the mouse with sufficient velocity in any direction. These HotSpots could then be configured by the user to control various functions, like activating WinAmp, switching VWMs, or more. This concept functioned quite well with the heavy graphics of the Singularity theme, which sprawled over several corners of the screen but could instantly be whisked away or Z-Order flipped to the desktop to permit full access to actual productivity programs.

Other projects quickly followed as I became overly infatuated with LiteStep. Prion, NonDisjunction, PhenotypeII and Recombinant all followed suit, aiming to use the ConfigurableHotspots concept for user interaction.

The nagging.
There are probably hundreds of people who have sent in requests to update my LiteStep themes since the arrival and predominance of OTS2. In addition, there have probably been about 30 individuals who have attempted, with permission or without, to post updates of my themes. I appreciate the fact that people enjoy the themes, but I'm always a little leary of permitting others to do work that I myself should be doing, especially when it involved my own creative endeavors.

OTS2 turned out to be a mixed bag for me. It simplified the end-user experience, but I fear did so at the themer's expense. It's an excellent set of standards, but for me it was difficult to grasp, especially after taking the time to get familiar with OTS1. This hampered progress principally by eroding my will to continue with LiteStep.

Around this time, the gracious AstonShell community came knocking, asking for some themes in return for free keys to their software. AstonShell was one of the first skinnables I had a desire to design for, nearly a year before even attempting to skin LiteStep. My skills, however, were tremendously lacking at the time. I actually submitted an AltDesk and AstonShell theme as the first skins I ever made for anything (all rejected). When the time came a year and a half later to get free keys and skin for them, I jumped on it.

Still the emails from LiteStep users kept coming. Putting up my own site simply intensified this. But here's where the true nagging started... My conscience... well, it kept telling me how much I enjoyed the absolute free-form skinning freedom found in LiteStep. My old themes were getting older by the minute, more outdated, less desirable, and yet still there were people requesting them.

So, under some gentle prodding by some people recently, I've decided to remake these old themes and document the process.

The first theme to be recreated will be Singularity, the theme I receive the most requests for. For the sake of brevity (long since expended), I've been working on it for about two weeks so far, so I'll do individual write-ups on the design concepts, the module-selection process and creation of the graphics.