i'm thinking that ActiveX control embedded into vbulletin would answer this problem with a style

.
For example showing picture of shareware activex control (found on web via google):
http://www.supershareware.com/images...iveX-36149.jpg
I'm guessing that with a little work, such control (even if less professional) can be coded on visual studio c# (thats if no such open source project somewhere already, i havent checked it myself).
I might attempt & code such activex should my free time allow it.