Windows XP visual styles: Difference between revisions

Luna is the codename for the default visual theme of Windows XP.

Officially known as Windows XP style, the theme is available in three color schemes: Default (blue), Olive Green, and Silver. By default, the blue color scheme, as well as the default desktop image (Bliss), is enabled when the user is first logged in.

Compared to previous versions of Windows, the new scheme has a larger emphasis on the graphical appeal of the operating system, using bitmaps throughout the interface with rounded edges on each window. The skins, like all msstyles skins, use CSS for layout.^{[citation needed]}

The interface has had somewhat mixed reactions, some complaining about the extra resources the theme required, some referring to it as the "Fisher-Price interface".^[1]

The "Windows classic style" theme is also available in Windows XP but must be enabled by the user. Users accustomed to older Windows versions such as Windows 2000 or Windows 98 may find it more comfortable to use. In addition to turning off visualizations, this option will also offer better performance. This is also used in command line windows.

Since Luna's introduction, the scheme has been supplemented in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 with Royale, and a Zune-derived edition of the Royale scheme. Luna has been removed entirely in Windows Vista in favor of Windows Aero, though the underlying graphics architecture is still present in Vista for machines that don't have the capability to use the Desktop Window Manager. The Windows Vista Basic theme is used on such systems.

It is simple to replicate Luna in most any design. This is because Luna's majority is just repeated patterns. An example of this can be seen at the Broken Windows error message collection.

• Energy Blue
• Features new to Windows XP

• A clone of Luna for Vista
• Another clone
• A Luna theme clone in Metacity
• A Longhorn version of Luna