1.8.1 - Altered about 50 pixels on pop-up menu, button and widget corners. For the sake of completeness, gave ‘cicn’ resources names - a brain-numbing process if ever there was one.
1.8 - Aardvark Ultra splits from the other Aardvarks. More pixels are tinkered with. Lloyd Wood finally makes some suggestions I can use, so I use them.
1.7 - Lacking inspiration for new schemes, I return to the Aardvarks and iron out the things I thought I could live with. Sharpened up all the radio buttons, further improved 4-bit support, added a couple of ‘cicn’ resources for stability. Also made the shadow and highlight shades uniform, fixed a cosmetic button slider problem, reduced file sizes still further by removing the pointless ‘Created by Color Scheme Convertor’ info from ‘cicn’ resources, and generally neatened up the whole damned shebang pixel by pixel. Finally, removed the version numbers from the file names. If anyone knows of any bugs or cosmetic horrors still lurking within these schemes, feel free to e-mail BouncyWare™ and make the Aardvarks feel inadequate.
1.6.1 - A bug that turned inactive utility windows completely grey (particularly in BBEdit 4.0) was fixed. Thanks to Andrew White for pointing it out. The end.
1.6 - The ARRT is disbanded after its poor performance on the Aardvark Smooth 1.5 conversion. Glitches, cosmetic nastiness and other assorted squinkiness is ironed out. Improvements are made to 1-bit windows, icons et al. Got the file sizes down from 132k to 72k or so. The 1.5 Colour Scheme Convertor is taken outside and shot. Decide, barring major faults, to leave the Aardvarks at version 1.6 and move on. The secret to a long life is knowing when it’s time to go…
1.5 - Kaleidoscope 1.5 is released and the ARRT (Aardvark Rapid Response Team) swing into action. They update resources for Kaleidoscope 1.5. They shorten file names so they fit in the control panel list window. They make lots of tiny little alterations I hadn’t even thought of. The ARRT would like to point out that this version of the Aardvark Smooth package is a straight port of version 1.3 merely to take into account Kaleidoscope’s new file format. The next version (1.6) will make all the alterations I couldn’t be bothered to do in earlier versions.
1.4 - Never existed (not in this dimension, anyway).
1.3 - Never released. Made alterations noticeable only to the anally retentive (you know who you are!). This is probably the last version before Kaleidoscope 1.5 puts in an appearance, so stand by for Aardvarks: The Next Generation...
1.2 - Whoops! Found that some of the scroll arrow icl4 and ics# resources hadn’t been altered (it was late, I was tired, the dog ate my homework etc.). Deleted so called ‘buggy’ col# template from all the Aardvarks and began to look into the possibility of 1-bit support, after repeated messages from Lloyd Wood. It looked complicated, but I went for it, and the Aardvarks now support black-and-white monitors! Finally, made pathetically small alterations to the caution icon. Then, as an afterthought, included the ‘Happy Copland HD Icon’.
1.1 - Made windoids and their tiny close and zoom boxes conform to the ‘smooth’ design. Tinkered with the progress bar a bit. Made teeny weeny alterations to note, alert and stop icons. Changed menu text colour from black to dark dark grey. Fiddled, jiggled and otherwise faffed with various bits.
1.0 - First ever view the Aardvarks had of the outside world. They quite liked it, but thought the lights were a tad bright.
What happened here?
It had to happen. After their relative success over the past few months, and with the pressures of their world tour and innumerable book signings, the Aardvarks have decided to ‘go their separate ways’. The split is amicable, and Aardvark Ultra Smooth has embarked upon a solo career. This is its first release.
Good grief. I’m stunned.
I know, but the split has been threatened for some time, ever since version 1.5 and the disasterous ‘Scheme Convertor’ fiasco with the Aardvark Rapid Response Team. The Aardvarks have been growing in different directions ever since and, eventually, Aardvark Ultra Smooth left, citing ‘creative differences’.
What will change after this monumental event?
Nothing much. The other Aardvarks will continue to release their own material, as will Aardvark Ultra Smooth. All their releases will remain free of charge.
My computer has just evaporated. Can I come and pour cement through your letterbox?
No chance. If your Mac disappears into thin air, or is carried away by a flock of pink flamingos, or (heaven forbid) is mangled beyond recognition in an ugly falling elephant incident, you have to promise not to blame Aardvark Ultra Smooth. However, if this colour scheme performs without any problems on your machine, feel free to pour cement through my letterbox. All I ever get is junk mail anyway.
Get Bouncy™ (A message from our Legal Department)
BouncyWare™ isn’t a real company, and it doesn’t really have a ™ on the end. You’re just imagining things.
Talk Bouncy™
My e-mail address can only be used to send me nice messages that contain the word ‘spacey’. If anybody flames me, I’ll just get upset and sulk. Send fun to: N.Green@derby.ac.uk, or don’t.
Alternatively, tippy-toe over to http://www.derby.ac.uk/cedm/graphics/bouncy.html to read all about the Aardvark lifestyle for the 90s, check out the latest versions of the Aardvarks and the Aardwolves (oh, alright, and the Boxes), say ‘Wow’ when you see the whizzy graphics, and meet Wade, the BouncyWare™ mascot. It sounds more fun than it really is…
Play List
Music by Suzanne Vega, Aimee Mann, Kate Bush, Mazzy Star, Pink Floyd, Sam Brown, Sneaker Pimps and Miles Davis was used in the construction and revision of this colour scheme.
And Finally…
As ever, thanks to Adam Florin for Kaleidoscope for Laymen 1.3 and Scott Lewis for Col# Template, whose works helped me to start the Aardvarks, and to Quentin Hill for Kaleidoscope for Idiots 1.0 whose work made me go, ‘oh, so that's what that does’. Finally, thanks to all the folk who have e-mailed me with good words for all the Aardvarks. However, they regret they cannot sign autographs or make personal appearances.
Oh, and remember - Aardvarks are friendly creatures, and will only attack you if severely provoked.
