SS Studio Pro - February 05, 2004
Author: Swizcore Studios
Version: 1.0.1
Reviewed by: Steven Canfield
User Rating: 
62%
Swizcore takes Apple's "pro" Aqua, used in most of their pro application line, and applies it to the whole OS. The result is a theme that is futuristic, yet hearkens back to it's Aqua roots. Worth a download, especially if you use the pro applications and want consistency.
Aesthetics
When I first downloaded SS Studio Pro 1.0, I was amazed at how cool it made everything look. Not only that, but since it retains elements of Aqua (such as the gloss on buttons), many custom graphical elements made for Aqua seemed to fit right in. When I discovered the green variant (found by choosing the Gray option for system appearance), I was overwhelmed. Turning the menus highlight green instantly made this theme.
Fast forward to today. With version 1.0.1, Swiz has replaced the older, flat menus with new 3D ones. This is an improvement overall, but as far as I can tell, my beloved green variant is gone. What I'm saying here is that those of you using the original Studio Pro's green variant may not want to upgrade. The theme also comes with a more saturated variant, which some people have requested. Other than the stronger color though, elements remain unchanged. Now, let's talk about some elements in the theme. One of the first things you'll notice is that squares dominate. Scroll bars are square, the Finder toolbar's popups are square, and most buttons have become square as well. This definitely looks cool, and successfully pulls the theme away from Aqua. The traffic buttons are still round, but I think that was a good decision, and one of course true to its source. Window title bars are beveled like menu highlights, which adds consistency. The toolbarbar button (that toggles toolbars off and on) is actually tiny in this theme, something I find to be refreshing. Finally, just about the coolest feature in this entire theme are the progress indicators, which are green. They look simply amazing, somewhat resembling the voice volume indicator in iChat. It's gotten to the point where I'll just open ThemePreview and watch the progress bars go by, that's how cool it is.
Usability
Unfortunately, and somewhat ironically (considering that the interface was designed with professionals in mind), this theme may suffer some in usability. Every surface is a slightly blue gray, besides the progress bars. This can get the screen to feel sort of flat, especially if you use the included desktop picture. I suppose this helps you concentrate on whatever you are working on, but for the rest of us, Studio Pro can get oppressive to use. On the other hand, there is also a lot of contrast between the darker and lighter elements. All of the text I've seen is quite readable, since it is mostly black on gray. The point here is that some people will find the grey monotonous, especially with applications that have close to empty toolbars, or use drawers (because those are just big grey spaces). The solution here, I think, is to jazz the theme up with more green. Maybe give the default button a greenish glow, restore some more green to the menu highlight, and add green highlights to table columns. That may sound insane, but I'm allowed to dream right? Just picture it, "SS Studio Pro 2: Slime". Overall and for all practical purposes, usable, but hard on the eyes for longer lengths of time.
Extras
Unfortunately, I'm going to have to be harsh on this theme. Included is one Safari skin, which is perfectly sufficient, and a single desktop picture, which is not. The picture has dimensions 1680x1050, which for some reason doesn't scale well to either my 17 inch studio display, or my sister's iMac. At the very least, more dimensions are required. Secondly, the picture itself isn't really top notch. It is basically two shades of gray, something that just accentuates the monotonous landscape. Swiz should think of doing something with a similar idea to the guiKit icon he made, as I think it would go well with the rest of the theme. In any case, there simply aren't enough extras to rate this very high, but luckily extras are in many ways easier to fix than problems with the theme itself, if just for the fact that you don't have to leave Photoshop. This theme could really be amazing with better extras.
In the end, SS Studio Pro is pretty solid, but suffers from being a bit too toned down, a slight lack of contrast, and from having a paltry selection of extras. Hopefully Swizcore can get pumped up and turn this B into a more deserving A.
Comments
Posted by kovacs at February 6, 2004 11:02 AM | Edit | Delete
I agree with most of this review, like the reviewer I would also like to see more green, besides that there are two other things that annoy me, firstly I think the window widgets are to fat and secondly I really don't like the apple in the menu bar. You see these widgets and the apple almost all the time so they have to be perfect... As with most of swiz's themes I really like 95 % of the theme and dislike 5% of the theme and most of the time these 5% are enough stop me from using the theme...
Posted by Daniel Grenell at February 6, 2004 11:37 AM | Edit | Delete
i really agree with this review, it's very accurate. i would like to see the widgets updated, they just strike me as a half-assed job. but this really is a great theme (though i prefer power metal).
Posted by NetworkShadow at February 6, 2004 04:04 PM | Edit | Delete
One of my favorites.
Posted by swiz at February 6, 2004 04:09 PM | Edit | Delete
Daniel,
Trust me I sweated out those widgets :).
I still feel they can be better and Im better at ceating "Aqua-style" elements now so when I get my other themes released, I'll hit them again.
Posted by Dave Thomson at February 6, 2004 04:40 PM | Edit | Delete
Great review. For the most part I agree with it but feel SS Studio Pro deserves a higher overall score. It's a great theme and works well throughout the OS and on every application that I've tried it on.
Great theme Swiz! Nicely done!
- DAT
Posted by sb at February 6, 2004 08:22 PM | Edit | Delete
I Love this theme - I would love to see some other colors with the same overall appearance - but I know Black Ice or whatever Swiz calls it is coming sometime, so maybe that will shut me up!
SB
Posted by Mike Fennessy at February 7, 2004 12:26 AM | Edit | Delete
I too, love this theme. I do, however, sorely miss the green graphite option. It's only my opinion, but green looks much cooler against the gray, as well as looking a bit more modern. But I miss the old green power buttons on the towers...I realize that an all green option goes somewhat against the look of DVD Studio Pro, on which this theme is based, but please bring back the green option...
Posted by digitaljames at February 7, 2004 06:29 AM | Edit | Delete
Don't bust on Swiz for the lackluster wall, it's my work for my resolution. It sucked so badly I never made any more resolutions....almost forgot about it was there. >:o)
Posted by keyser at February 21, 2004 02:33 PM | Edit | Delete
YES, please sir bring back the green. Also, personally, I really like the widgets. They're Aqua-like but different so I vote not to change them. I like the grey shade of this theme, it's a cool grey not entirely devoid of colour. Brilliant work!
Posted by Ernest Liu at April 24, 2004 10:31 PM | Edit | Delete
Woah! Well remake of aqua! The apple menu needs some work, but that shouldn't be too hard to fix.
Posted by Heiesuke at April 30, 2004 10:14 AM | Edit | Delete
i like this Aqua alter ego. i'll have to install it again for old time's sake. with all these never techy themes out lately this one still stands it's ground.
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