psShutXP VGA Skin for Axim X50v - Page 3

jsnielsen · 03-15-05, 03:25 AM

Dude, you really should make a zip or a cab file for your theme. One of the things I NEVER do, is download .exe files I'm not sure what's doing.

It's basically a securityrisk, as noone has a chance of knowing what the .exe file does.

And I'm guessing I'm not the only one that doesn't want to run just about every .exe file that looks like it could contain something interesting.

MetalHead · 03-15-05, 03:49 AM

Originally Posted by jsnielsen

Dude, you really should make a zip or a cab file for your theme. One of the things I NEVER do, is download .exe files I'm not sure what's doing.

It's basically a securityrisk, as noone has a chance of knowing what the .exe file does.

And I'm guessing I'm not the only one that doesn't want to run just about every .exe file that looks like it could contain something interesting.

It's acutally not a security risk. It's not like it's going to instantly activate once you bring it down. In fact many Antivirus programs do not look inside .zip files at all so bringing .exe's down in a zip file could be more of an issue. At least this way if you're running AV if there is "anything interesting" your AV program will trap it instantly. As with anything you have the choice to run the .exe or not. If you download it with AV active in realtime mode, you'll know whether it's an infected file.

Incidentally I manage Internet security at a multi-state national bank. I'm not talking out my arse here but thanks for raising your concern.

03-15-05, 01:45 PM

Hey MetalHead,

just an fyi, the white dots are still showing up.

MetalHead · 03-15-05, 02:07 PM

Argh..... Must be a dithering issue I haven't resolved yet. I'm new to icon creation so bear with me. I'll get it fixed. Does it occur with the other skins, with the orange/red icon?

03-15-05, 02:37 PM

yes, happens with the other skins as well

MetalHead · 03-15-05, 06:23 PM

Ok! I used a different icon program and redid them all. The Black & White icon looks crisp and sharp with no halo's across several different test patches, i.e. no white dots.

The orange/red icon has an optical illusion type of halo. It's not white dots but it looks like there's something there. I used a magnifying glass and there wasn't anything there but i looks like it has a slight halo, weird. Round icon's, wow a pain in the arse!

Take a look!

jsnielsen · 03-16-05, 04:17 AM

Originally Posted by MetalHead

It's acutally not a security risk. It's not like it's going to instantly activate once you bring it down.

That's not what I meant. I mean, when you launch a program, you have to be able to trust it to not perform anything bad on your machine.

There's lots of stuff that can be put in an app that no AV will detect. It doesn't have to be infected for that to happen.

I'm not saying you're doing such things, just that... well, some of us NEVER download weird little exe's, just to get a theme. And that's a shame for you, as a skin-artist :)

Quote:

In fact many Antivirus programs do not look inside .zip files at all so bringing .exe's down in a zip file could be more of an issue.

Not really, it'd have to be extracted to get used. So in a zip or not, it could be a potential risk. Plus, most AV programs these days knows how to check out compressed files. It'd have to be a relatively old piece of AV software not to ;)

Quote:

If you download it with AV active in realtime mode, you'll know whether it's an infected file.

Not necessarily. It's easy to do stuff in an exe that the AV will never detect. Or, will detect, but ignore as normal operations.

Quote:

Incidentally I manage Internet security at a multi-state national bank. I'm not talking out my arse here but thanks for raising your concern.

Incidentally I was an AV manager for a large worldwide consulting corporation, so I'm not either ;)

I'm not saying you're doing anything harmful. Just that a lot of people are being taught, at least here in Denmark where security is more or less a national concern when it comes to users, not to click just any and all program just because it looks exciting. I'm one of those for example. I compare it to those sites that offer wallpapers wrapped in .exe files. And boom, you get all sorts of funny adware on your machine ;)

It was more of a "it's a shame because you're potentially limiting the number of users that will use your skins" kind of concern :) I was just making a point, nothing more :)

MetalHead · 03-17-05, 03:23 AM

If you had downloaded the original program from the author (reference in first post) you would discover that he or buds of his created a number of skins also. Only problem was, these skins don't just magically jump into the EXE. You have to reshack them into the file. Easily done if you know what you're doing, however 90% of the ppl on this site, probably don't want to learn how to use the program or would feel comfortable doing so. The only way to reach that 90% is to do it for them. Like I said you have the option of running or not running the program. All I did was create the artwork, from scratch, and plug it into the psShutXP.exe file using reshack.exe. I take no credit whatsoever for the innerworking of the program and am not the author. I am not liable for anything that happens if you do load it and run it. If paranoia is keeping you from running the program that's fine, it won't change the way I did things. Nor will it make it any more or less secure because it got jammed into a zip file.

You had the choice, when you bought WindowsXP to join forces with the dark side, or not. When you chose to run the setup.exe on WindowsXP, there was no turning back from the flurry of "interesting things" that you loaded during that installation, and ALL of those files were in CAB files.

This pales in comparison. I rather doubt there are any bugs at all in this program, even though I didn't write it, but who knows. Regardless, I like it, I use it, and best of all it's FREEEEEE!

YMMV

del4 · 03-21-05, 02:27 PM

Thanks for posting this! psShutXP looks great with my B&W theme; now if I could only find a B&W WMP skin...

**radimus** · 03-21-05, 02:36 PM

I'm converting the free upod skin, to something passable with B&W.

Of course I'm not much of an artist, so...

del4 · 03-21-05, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by radimus

I'm converting the free upod skin, to something passable with B&W.

Of course I'm not much of an artist, so...

Can't wait to see it!

diesel · 03-21-05, 02:47 PM

metalhead, there's no uninstall option in the remove programs screen like the original psshutxp?

also, with your .exe (i am using your black and white and looks great- but i might delete it since it "blends" in too much with the background theme so it doesn't stick out, so i might go back to the original psshutxp skin) does it add anything to the registry? so that if i do remove would i need to delete anything from the registry and do i only need to delete the display switch.lnk and psshutxp.lnk from the programs folder? anything else i need to delete to completely rid my axim of the program?

cjasus730 · 03-21-05, 03:06 PM

BTW, just for everyones info, there is a OSX skin for psShutxp. (I think it's posted on the author's site). Also...

@MetalHead... Great work :approve: ...I've been hoping for a while for exactly this, a B&W skin. Now, once the credits are out of the way, do you think you could post an alternate, more generic version of the skin for those of us with A730's (me), Loox 720's, and Toshiba's without the DELL logo??

Thanks

**radimus** · 03-21-05, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by del4

Can't wait to see it!

http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showt...206#post619206

still in progress of course...

MetalHead · 03-23-05, 01:58 AM

I'm running out of time as I'm starting a new job here tomorrow. BUT I will reassemble the B&W theme, for those interested, non-logo specific. It appears there are a number of ppl that frequent this site that are not Dell users so no problem. Maybe one day you will be! :)

As to the psShutXP installation, and the links. You can just delete the psShutXP.exe file and the two .lnk files it creates. As to the registry I honestly don't know. I'll search for them later this week. It's on my to-do list.

--

Incidentally I've been couped up putting a skin together for a theme I call Metals. I've completed the VGA skin for the Wisbar Advanced, I am 70% through for the Spb Pocket Plus, 60% of the way done with WeatherPanel and am deciding which PIM front end to work with. This is a course or fine brushed aluminum look (your choice) with light or dark anodized looking rods at the top and bottom. The Icons on wisbar look like slots machined into the bar and the application buttons look like they're laser etched on extruded brushed aluminum. I'll post a screenshot later this week. Downside is you'll have to pay for it but I'm trying to make it compeling enough that you wouldn't mind it. :)

Good work on the upod skin radimus, btw.