AmpGUI DP Themes (now at AMPGUIMODS.NET)

[bradswan]

I need to come clean regarding my post about missing the cutoff date by about 3 or 4 days (April 27th). Although I was completely prepared for not getting a dispensation, I did think maybe he'll take pity on me. I think the better choice would have been to email him and ask for it. Having said that, I don't want a dispensation because I agree with Andy. He has to have some structure in place that keeps his investment in the black, and that means a cutoff date is in order. I'll donate when it's time for me to take advantage of the 7.2 Mods. Thanks again Andy for the great work!

[Shooshie]

Hey, I'll pay another round from me, and I'll pay for Danworks, too. Not rich; just like to see this get done, and I think Andy's doing a LOT of good-will work here for free. It might be different if Andy was 18 years old, no wife, no kids, and just "hanging out," but he's a professional like many of us, with wife and daughter, and he's got to keep the lights on and the air conditioner running. It's a hot ol' summer in these parts. Say the word; I'll send some more money, and I just sent some more about a month ago. If you want a project like this, you've got to fund it. Be glad Andy works alone! Shoosh

Definitely my English is not good enough … it's quite fascinating though seeing passionate and protective answers regarding Andy's work, opposed to something I never said or thought. It's definitely an hot summer, probably too hot

Nah, your English is fine! I hear you and understand, but it's made me stop and think. Permit me to think aloud -- not directed at you (really, no sarcasm or anything of a kind).

"Passionate and protective?" Yeah, I suppose that's how it would sound, though the last thing I want to do is to scare anyone away from this project with over-zealous passion or defensiveness. What I hope everyone can see is that this was a feature that WE could add, even if MOTU didn't. But someone had to volunteer to do the work. Enter Andy Selby, who turned out to have a BIG knack for this. To make it worth his while, we donate. That works for a while, but then the donations stop, and Andy is left with an upgrade like THIS one -- from mods to MOTU-sponsored Themes -- taking a lot of time. Not like starting over, but definitely some major hours spent. It just takes us all having that same passion again to make it work, and while my support is helpful (I hope), it's not enough. I can donate as much as I can afford, but that won't be enough to pay for more than a few days labor. But if everyone donates a little, then it gets us over the hill, and Andy's happy to do more work, we get beautiful bona-fide Themes (not modding) that add greater variation and value to DP, and everyone's happy. (including MOTU)

Meanwhile, going back to the idea that WE could add this feature whether MOTU did it or not, let's just say that MOTU watched with great interest as this thread went viral and support for Andy's work shot through the roof. MOTU saw people buying DP so they could use Andy's mods. Let's say that Themes are an idea that MOTU has had on their mind for a long time, but didn't know when they would get it done. Then let's just say that Andy's Mods excited them enough to do it themselves and make it official. The result was a new feature: bona-fide Themes, drawn from community support. if all the above is true -- and nobody from MOTU has said so, just my hypothesizing -- then we have all helped create a new feature with variations that make DP much more attractive to buyers as well as existing users. It works for us all.

Having stood on the sidelines watching this happen, offering Andy my comments when asked, I've at least seen just how much work is involved. Things like XML documents contain lines and lines of mysterious settings. Andy's dug into those, observed what happens with each change, taken notes, designed GUIs, reverse-engineered colors back into those XML documents. He worked painstakingly slowly as a final product emerged. THAT took a lot of time! When I say painstakingly slowly, I mean like painting blindfolded, then having to go climb a tree to see what you did, repeating until done, finishing with something people actually want.

It's been a great ride, and with our continued support -- even minimum amounts -- it will continue to improve. The improvements he's made in 7.2 are sometimes broad but often little details that you don't notice until you need them. Together they are substantial, and if I may say so, in some cases they are breathtaking.

Shooshie

[amplidood]

You have some fortunate children to grow up around a heart like yours, Shoosh.

Something else I've been learning through all this is information management. Holy cow, now I understand why IT people and accountants have such crazy jobs.

[amplidood]

Starting to just throw everything into the pot and let it simmer slowly....

Clarity 72 dev


Nostalgia 72 dev

[Shooshie]

Something else I've been learning through all this is information management. Holy cow, now I understand why IT people and accountants have such crazy jobs.

Yes, exactly. A simple, effective naming system is the first thing on the list. Then a place to archive things that you might need later. Then the judgment to differentiate between what to archive and what to trash. That's where the naming system becomes essential; even a small mistake there can be costly later. And that's just managing what you've got. Creating something to name and archive… well… that's what we hope to do when we've left ourselves enough time to do it instead of searching through the archives for that great idea you had, thinking "was it this one or THIS one?"


Shoosh

[James Steele]

Beautiful work again, Andy! You're a real asset to the DP user community that's for sure!

[danworks]

Definitely my English is not good enough … it's quite fascinating though seeing passionate and protective answers regarding Andy's work, opposed to something I never said or thought. It's definitely an hot summer, probably too hot

Nah, your English is fine! I hear you and understand, but it's made me stop and think. Permit me to think aloud -- not directed at you (really, no sarcasm or anything of a kind).

"Passionate and protective?" Yeah, I suppose that's how it would sound, though the last thing I want to do is to scare anyone away from this project with over-zealous passion or defensiveness. What I hope everyone can see is that this was a feature that WE could add, even if MOTU didn't. But someone had to volunteer to do the work. Enter Andy Selby, who turned out to have a BIG knack for this.
Big Snip
Shooshie

I can subscribe "almost" every single word you wrote, assuring you that no one will get scared away
Andy's work speak for itself so … just looking forward to see Night, Oxidized and couple more maybe, and upgrade them.

[amplidood]

Fin!! These will be posted in full tomorrow... and I'm proud of them.

Night72v1

Full Image

Sleek72v1

Full Image

[Radiogal]

Another happy donation. Feeling so comfortable in AmpGUI Gold Complete

[danworks]

It definitely looks great!

Considering that you posted this around your "after midnight" time, it means that it will ready today, correct?

Fin!! These will be posted in full tomorrow... and I'm proud of them.

Night72v1

Full Image

Sleek72v1

Full Image

[Shooshie]

These are two of the most beautiful mods you've done to date, Andy. Sleek and Night, I mean. But I could say the same thing about several others of your collection. Gold Complete was the first one to make me realize how much affect the GUI can have on my enjoyment of my work. Jade and Aquarius were pure decadence, and while I can't work in either permanently, I love opening them from time to time for effect, especially when someone else is going to be looking over my shoulder. "That? You mean those incredible colors? Why, those are DP mods created by a friend of mine!"

Oxidized is the one I've been working in since you made it. It was my favorite at first sight. It replaced Gold Complete as my go-to mod. My full-time look.

My attraction to Night was also immediate, and Sleek even out-nighted Night. So, I've had Oxidized and Sleek in my dock for a long time now, with Aquarius and Jade alongside of them for most of that time.

The others were mods that I at least tried out for testing, but realized I had to choose the 3 or 4 that I'd use the most.
Or 5 or 6.
Or 7.

But who'd have thought that you'd change the face of DP for good? Then again, how could you not have? I'm sure that MOTU looked at some of your mods and thought "now there's a great looking DAW!" So, now we have Themes, and I can use any of your mods (or MOTU's) any time I want. So easy to install! So easy to switch to! Geez. I've got to quit rhapsodizing about this. Someone's going to check me into rehabilitation for over-modded addicts!

But I'll go out on a limb and say that Sleek may well be the most beautiful mod I've seen for any piece of software. I'll probably balance my time between Sleek and Oxidized.

Shooshie

[amplidood]

Night and Sleek for DP 7.2 are now available...

[BKK-OZ]

Just donated for Sleek.

Thanx for your great work Andy, blessings to you.

[labman]

Beautiful work again, Andy! You're a real asset to the DP user community that's for sure!

YEah ! Preach it James

[Tobor]

Onward!

Love Night, now please, Oxydize and Snow (vastly underrated- love the button colors!).

Great work.

Tobor