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Windows XP: The Color Schemes That Never Were

Sep. 16, 2001 Paul Thurrott | Windows IT Pro

If you're wondering why Windows XP is shipping with only three color schemes—blue, silver, and olive green—the answer is that Microsoft simply ran out of time to create more. One of the big complaints that Microsoft received from testers about XP beta 2 was that the Luna UI needs more color options. So, Microsoft set out to create several color schemes. However, the original versions of two such schemes—ruby and emerald—proved problematic for the vision-impaired. These two schemes will probably be available in the Plus! pack or perhaps for download from Windows Update when XP ships this fall. If you're unhappy with Luna's default colors, fear not: You'll soon have a rainbow of options from which to choose.

Discuss this Article 131

Anonymous User (not verified)
on Jun 20, 2005
ive only used default blue and silver I aint even gonna use dookie green which idiot made that one?
mary
on Mar 12, 2004
where can i find these color schemes at
Anonymous User (not verified)
on Feb 10, 2005
ALL OF U R SAD MOTHER *******
Ben (not verified)
on Jun 6, 2004
how can i get other colour schemes for windows xp, cos i'm bored of silver & blue and i don't like the green olive colour
lucasrogerson (not verified)
on Jan 12, 2006
where do you get color schemes non suggested above work i want them now.
Sk-san (not verified)
on Jun 10, 2004
Anyone heard any news yet about official color schemes for windows xp?
ricky (not verified)
on Nov 16, 2003
they need black and white and smoke and transparent blue :)
Navid (not verified)
on Nov 6, 2003
thank alot
Anonymous User (not verified)
on Feb 24, 2005
Hey, guys ... is there a chance to get XP colors change to smth else than blue silver olive??? Not yet?
Anonymous User (not verified)
on Nov 11, 2004
I smell BS on that one but perhaps just an idiot. Also, wasn't this article written in 2001? Maybe we will just have to wait for project "long horn"
Anonymous User (not verified)
on Feb 9, 2005
http:// www.skinbase.org/ section.php? sections=msstyles
Anonymous User (not verified)
on Nov 1, 2004
PLEASE MAKE Smoked Black or Black and silver... Im tired of this silver!! Blue and olive green is ugly!
Anonymous User (not verified)
on Mar 15, 2005
yeh same here, all i want is an alternative to blue, silver and green!
Anonymous User (not verified)
on Apr 10, 2005
Where can i get Color schemes ? Any ideea? Contact and tell me : MISSU_MARIO@YAHOO.COM thank you.
Adam (not verified)
on May 7, 2004
there is software to create schemes for xp... google it
Anonymous User (not verified)
on Nov 19, 2004
I agree. I could have made a colour scheme in 3 years and I'm blind, deaf, have no hands or arms and died last thursday. Microsoft....big bag of arse.
Anonymous User (not verified)
on Jun 18, 2005
Windows Themes slow down Windows. Period. We are talking about new Color Schemes for default WnXP themes, and all the links in this forum lead to Skin progs heavy with spyware 3rd party progs that will mess your windows badly. People posting Skin programs MUST be stupid (to be in this forum, which is NOT about skins) or the owners/coders of those spyware xit - FU** OFF! Somehow http://winxp.rb-338.com/ is difrent, but I couldnt get a single one to work. (you are supose to use the files on c:\windows\resources\themes by the way, well any files that are suposed to appear in this forum... somewhere in the future) Is there a single soul out there who can give us the solution to extra color schemes other than blue, silver or olive green? Thats all we ask... nothing more. Thanks. Pitanga
Billy (not verified)
on Apr 1, 2006
Instead of complaining about MS not having more than 3 schemes, why don't you expend this energy and create your own. If you can post a message you can figure out how to create your own schemes
Anonymous User (not verified)
on Jan 29, 2005
this is pants. everybody demands. nobody supplies. no answers. burn this site down!
kaptaincaveman (not verified)
on Sep 25, 2006
Anyone still interested in this? "Instead of complaining about MS not having more than 3 schemes, why don't you expend this energy and create your own." I haven't complained, but I found this thread when I recently switched my home PC to XP and wasn't happy with the choices either. So I did go out and do something. (BTW: "If you can post a message you can figure out how to create your own schemes". It wasn't overly difficult, but I wouldn't nescessarily put the difficulty level the same as posting. LOL) If anyone is interested, I have created what I call the "Jewels" collection. 7 new Color Styles based soly on Luna, where the only changes are the main colors (no pics, graphics, sounds, icons, cursors, etc. ONLY colors). I'm happy to share my work if anyone wants it. No charge, but at your own risk. If you are just looking for some new colors, check out my "Jewels" page on my site for my writeup and downloads. Enjoy! (If the link posts and stays!) LOL http://www11.asphost4free.com/kaptaincaveman/Jewels.htm
Anonymous User (not verified)
on Mar 13, 2005
Can't someone give us a fricking site that changes the bloody color themes. We don't give a **** about themes, like 'The Lord Of The Rings' or 'GTA: San Andreas' We just want fricking colors!!!!
benhereb4@gmx.net (not verified)
on Sep 11, 2005
You lied! Big Time. The 'only' additional schemes I've seen are in the purchased Plus Pack.
Gal Yona (not verified)
on Jul 8, 2004
No, but there was one released a couple of days ago. I installed it, it looks great! (it got online somehow, it is origanlyl made for Windows Media Center PCs)

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