Object Desktop 2004 released
Posted by Brad Wardell on 06 April 2004 - 20:26 · 24 comments & 2289 views
About the Author
Full name: Brad Wardell
Forum name: Frogboy
Contact: via forum PM
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Full name: Brad Wardell
Forum name: Frogboy
Contact: via forum PM
Submissions: Normal · Headline
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#1 Posted by vip on 06 Apr 2004 - 20:49
- awesome, great news brad
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(2 replies)
#2 Posted by Matt500 on 06 Apr 2004 - 21:48
- Looks really good, Im always concerned about the memory it takes up tho which is annoying for me
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#2.1 Posted by
timdorr on 06 Apr 2004 - 22:03
- Actually, if you take into account the memory savings from switching to WB from MSStyles, the whole suite installed doesn't actually take up all that much memory. In fact, it takes up less that MSStyles alone
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#3 Posted by caerma on 06 Apr 2004 - 22:02
- nice...
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(3 replies)
#4 Posted by playsatan on 06 Apr 2004 - 22:38
- Am i the only person in the world who thinks that the idea of taking a lovely sleek, quick running GUI like the one that has been developed over the last 10 years at microsoft, and then patching it to look like a demonised version of "kiddychrome" or some other demented effect isn't a step FORWARDS?
The screenshots just remind me of everything that i DON'T want my PC to do...
And yes, i'm forseeing that I probably am the only person in the world who holds this opinion. -
#4.1 Posted by Schmoove on 06 Apr 2004 - 23:03
- You're not alone in this. I personally don't like all that crap on my desktop either.
The man who designed the Windows Classic theme deserves a statue.... it is the only style I can live with on my desktop. -
#4.2 Posted by bangbang023 on 06 Apr 2004 - 23:04
- Not every skin for WB looks like those and not everyone wants a minimalistic theme.
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(1 reply)
#5 Posted by Frogboy on 07 Apr 2004 - 00:14
- You can use Object Desktop to create the most minimalistic desktop around -- use keyboard Launchpad to make the entire GUI driven purely by keyboard. Ditch the start bar and have just a configurable right-click menu.
Object Desktop is a tool - what you do with it is up to you. Just minimalistic desktops don't make good screenshots.
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(5 replies)
#6 Posted by naap51stang on 07 Apr 2004 - 03:13
- I thought it was just me that didn't like a lot of crap on his computer. I want S-T-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y
and speed......the more overhead, the slower. My background wallpaper? There isn't one, it's a
black background. I have all my icons, except for my computer and the trash can in a folder on
the desktop. And no I don't have a "slow" computer. It's not the fastest, but a P4@2.66, 1 gig
or PC2700 ram and a GeForce FX5700 Ultra is nothing to sneeze at.
I don't like all that crap, too much to go wrong. I want a nice clean stable fast desktop.
Your computer, you do what you want with it, I don't want all that junk cluttering up my desktop.
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#6.1 Posted by sttroopers on 07 Apr 2004 - 03:16
- clap...
clap.....
clap.......
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#6.2 Posted by Mav Phoenix on 07 Apr 2004 - 05:06
- Well bully for you.
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#6.3 Posted by BananaMan on 07 Apr 2004 - 10:45
- What do you want, a cookie, a pat on the back? The software isn't forced upon you so forcing your rigid opinion that the only way to have a respectable stable system is to avoid stardock products is unneccesary, IMO.
FYI, wallpapers use a very minimal amount of RAM and CPU, on a system like yours I'm sure the benefit from using no wallpaper would be unmeasurable. -
#6.4 Posted by Miran on 07 Apr 2004 - 17:29
- AACCCCHHHHHHOOOOOOOOO!
Seriously though.. This isn't the 90's anymore. Most desktops can easily handle any GUI enhancement you through at it. Look at Mac OS X for God's sake - not only is it BEAUTIFUL but extremely stable.
You have 1 GIG of RAM damnit! You really think that wallpaper is going to make or break your memory needs? -
#6.5 Posted by demorgoron on 08 Apr 2004 - 05:15
- hahahaha,1 gig of ram and u dont have a wallpaper?it will not even use 1% of your memory,and not having gui enhancements or icons in your desktop will not make your pc faster or more stable
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(3 replies)
#7 Posted by shed2069 on 07 Apr 2004 - 05:15
- In my experience, I find Windows Blinds to be much slower than MSStyles......
I base that purely on my own personal usage............. -
#7.1 Posted by Mav Phoenix on 07 Apr 2004 - 07:11
- And what version were you using?
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#7.3 Posted by theyarecomingforyou on 07 Apr 2004 - 19:08
- I have found the same thing too - I am using the SoftCrystal theme that comes with WindowBlinds 4. I am using HyperPaint and all hardware acceleration but it certainly isn't faster - this is on a 2400+ Athlon, 768MB RAM and a Radeon 9800Pro... I still use WindowBlinds, but I've used it on several computers and it's never been faster than MSStyles.
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#8 Posted by nw_raptor on 07 Apr 2004 - 09:16
- coolness
Object Desktop is made up of nearly two dozen different programs, some of which are sold as individual products. Object Desktop 2004 is a CD snapshot of ObjectDesktop.net, Stardock’s on-going subscription network for the programs that make up Object Desktop. Special effort was made to bring to increase integration and consistency between the programs that make up Object Desktop specifically for the Object Desktop 2004 release.
"The goal is to give users the option of purchasing Object Desktop 2004 on CD where this one single CD will provide a complete solution for companies, power users, and consumers looking to mold Windows XP, 2000, ME, or 98 into their own custom design," said Brad Wardell, Product Manager of Object Desktop.
Active subscribers of ObjectDesktop.net will also be able to receive Object Desktop 2004 on CD free (other than a modest media fee). Object Desktop 2004 can be found at: http://www.stardock.com.
Read more for the introduction of Object Desktop 2004 components!
The programs of Object Desktop include:
WindowBlinds is a program that changes the look and feel of the Windows GUI. It applies “visual styles” that skin the title bars, push buttons, scrollbars, radio buttons, and other elements of the Windows interface. It can also extend the Windows interface to support new controls such as roll-up buttons, website buttons, always on top buttons and more.
DesktopX enables users to dramatically enhance the look and function of the Windows desktop by allowing Windows users to have true objects on their desktop. These objects can be of any size and shape, be used to build custom desktops or to create widgets (mini-programs) that add new functionality to the desktop.
Keyboard LaunchPad is a program that allows users to assign hotkeys to nearly any action that can be done on the computer. Launch programs, paste specific clipboard items, control programs, and more, all via the keyboard.
IconPackager is a program that lets users change all of their icons at once on their system by applying “packages” of icons as well as creating icon packages for later use or distribution to others on the Internet.
SkinStudio 4 is a program that lets people design their own Windows GUI (title bars, borders, push buttons, etc.) that can then be applied via WindowBlinds.
IconDeveloper is a program that allows users to easily create their own Windows icons. It can load up .BMP, .PNG, and other common graphics formats and instantly convert them to Windows compatible icons. It has a number of tools to enable mass colorization and more.
Theme Manager allows users to put the features of Object Desktop together to apply themes that can dramatically alter the Windows environment in a single click.
Stardock Central allows users to instantly access updates to Object Desktop along with a dozen other Object Desktop components electronically such as ControlCenter, ObjectZIP, Tab LaunchPad, ObjectEdit, TreeView, WindowFX, and much more. Users of Object Desktop receive a 1 year subscription to ObjectDesktop.NET which allows for a full year of free updates to Object Desktop along with any new programs added to it.