Object Desktop 2010 Preview
Monday, October 26, 2009 by Frogboy | Discussion: Personal Computing
![Object_Desktop_2008[1]](http://draginol.stardock.net/images2009/ObjectDesktop2010Preview_11ABF/Object_Desktop_20081.png "Object_Desktop_2008[1]")
2010 Preview
What it is
Object Desktop is a suite of desktop enhancement utilities designed to enable users to turbo-charge their Windows experience. It has been described over the years as a “third party upgrade to Windows”.
With Windows 7 arriving on the eve of the 10th anniversary since the initial Windows release of Object Desktop, this year’s version is particularly special. This article will walk you through the basic elements of Object Desktop, what’s new since last year, and why it has remained so popular with power users.
Anyone who gets Object Desktop today will automatically get Object Desktop 2010 plus everything we release for a year from their purchase.
The Goods
There are many programs that make up Object Desktop but a few of them are the real-stand outs and have gotten the lion’s share of the effort this year.
The featured programs of Object Desktop 2010
Below are just a few highlights…
WindowBlinds 7
Since its initial launch, WindowBlinds has been the star of Object Desktop and in November, WindowBlinds 7 gets released on its own and is already in late beta on Object Desktop as I write this. Having been involved on WindowBlinds since the start, I can safely say that this version is definitely the most significant update ever.
Here are some highlights:
WindowBlinds 7: Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7 users get a massive upgrade.
Native support for Windows 7
WindowBlinds 7 can skin Windows Aero.
The new WindowBlinds configuration screen
Remember all those skins made in the Windows XP era? No problem, they will work natively on Windows Vista and Windows 7 and can now be modified in the program to be better than ever.
Apply textures your skins to create your own custom look. You can even create your own textures right from the program.
Aero skinned.
Fences Pro 1
Fences is a brand-new program that lets people organize their desktop icons easily. It can also, with a simple double-click, hide all your icons at once. It’s quickly become one of the most popular programs on the Internet.
Fences makes it easy to organize your desktop.
A fence can hide a lot of clutter.
Double-click on the desktop and all your icons will disappear. Double-click again to bring them back.
Creating a fence is as easy holding the right mouse button down and dragging
Fences Pro goes beyond what is in the free version and allows users to have Fences collect new icons based on type – auto organizing their desktop.
DeskScapes 3
DeskScapes is the world’s most popular animated wallpaper program.
The first version allowed users of Windows Vista to apply a new type of wallpaper called “Dreams” that were either video or rendered animation dynamically. The second version added support for Windows XP. The new version, Version 3, adds support for “Hybrid” dreams which allows users to take a static picture and animate it. In addition, it also supports adding effects to your existing wallpaper gallery.
Here’s an overview in pictures:
DeskScapes gets a new, easy to use configuration screen
Your existing wallpaper library gets a whole new life thanks to effects. All effects are done on the fly without ever effecting the actual wallpaper.
Got a cool photo that is too colorful as a wallpaper? Use the DeskScapes Sepia effect to tone it down. Doesn’t touch the actual file, just the wallpaper in memory.
Hybrid dreams allow users to integrate animated pieces into static images. As a result, a subtle, interesting animated wallpaper can be made that isn’t distracting and uses virtually no CPU. Users can even pick and choose which animated elements to use.
There are thousands of high quality animated wallpapers (Dreams) available on the net already and with DeskScapes 3, you can apply effects to them as well.
Got a large screen monitor and your wallpapers are a lower resolution? Then you will definitely want DeskScapes 3. It has options to take those wallpapers and apply effects so that they look good at higher resolutions. DeskScapes even provides options for handling wallpaper on multiple monitors.
DesktopX 4
DesktopX is a program that allows users to add true “objects” to their Windows desktop. DesktopX 4 is the long-awaited update that adds full support for Windows Vista and Windows 7 and streamlines its user interface. Here’s a sample of what it can do:
Now adding an object is as easy as right-clicking on the desktop.
Users can make their desktop objects and size or shape. JavaScript or VB Scripts can optionally be used to give them function.
Users can export their creations as objects (to be used within DesktopX), widgets (programs on a system that has DesktopX), or as a Windows sidebar gadget.
Users can gather their objects together and build desktops and then save them as a .desktop.
IconPackager 5
IconPackager is a program that enables users to apply packages of icons to their Windows system to change all their icons at once or individually.
IconPackager gets support for Windows 7.
Windows 7 specific icons can now be easily changed in one spot.
Right-click on a data file and IconPackager 5 will allow you to change the icon for that file type and can even sort through different icon packages to find just the right icon.
The Impulse Dock
Object Desktop 2010 now automatically includes the Impulse Dock. This simple dock snaps to the taskbar and can be set to auto-hide.
This simple and powerful dock makes it easy to organize the programs you regularly run and complements your existing taskbar.
Customize the look of your dock with the included high-resolution icons or use your own.
Tweak 7
If you have Windows Vista or Windows 7, then the new version of Stardock’s premiere tweaking program (TweakVista and Tweak7) will help you get the most out of Windows. Here’s some of what’s new:
Tweak7’s simplified interface makes it much easier to find out what’s running on your system and help get rid of all the junk that gets loaded safely.
Fine tune the UAC even beyond what Windows 7 can do (even on Windows Vista).
Windows tends to try to force you to put all your “stuff” on the C drive. Tweak7 allows users to safely and seamlessly move those directories to other partitions – without even having to reboot normally.
Theme Manager
Theme Manager helps put it all together. The new version of Theme Manager refocuses on .Suites. A suite includes everything you need to change your desktop – a WindowBlinds skin, an icon package, a DeskScapes dream, DesktopX objects, etc. all put together and applied from a single UI.
The new Theme Manager includes several new suites right within it along with some exclusive animated wallpapers for DeskScapes users.
Conclusions
This is just a quick summary of some of the work Stardock has done on Object Desktop these past few months. There’s a lot more to it than this and there’s a lot of great stuff cooking in our labs for the forthcoming year too.
If you don’t have Object Desktop, you can get it here: www.objectdesktop.com.
On December 2, 2009, Object Desktop and Object Desktop Ultimate will be merged into Object Desktop. Users with Object Desktop Ultimate will get a full year added to their account (so now is the ideal time to pick up Object Desktop Ultimate).
Object Desktop: It’s like getting the next version of Windows today!
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Reply #82 Monday, November 9, 2009 7:07 AM
http://www.medin.name/blog/brand-new-stardock-2010 A well formated version
Unfortunately I am no longer allowed to edit it so I guess I wont be able to fix it either... *sigh*
Strange that they get removed though, could it be the proxy maybe? // Michael Medin
Reply #83 Monday, November 9, 2009 7:14 AM
I am a longtime user of OD and have to say this makes me rather sad. I personally think that OD has been going "in the wrong direction" last few years and I am not saying this to complain I still buy it and will probably upgrade even though I don't use it anymore just "because".
My thoughts on the "new" things:
WindowBlinds 7
Fences Pro 1
DeskScapes 3
DesktopX 4
IconPackager 5
The Impulse Dock
Tweak 7
Theme Manager
Conclusion
So the big (well, maybe not) conclusion is that this is a bit marketing ploy, every year we get a "wow, amazing new stuff happening" and every year I see that nothing new happens, yes there is a new version of WindowBlinds (and related programs) some minor updates here and there... but I also remember the "old days" we got DX, WFX (I still think this is the biggest WOW ever), EHD, OB, etc etc and said *WOW* this is soooo cool. Now days it feel more like "ohh...". And no native 64 bit support is (and apparently also will be) common in most program which makes me wonder? I am a developer myself and it is not like it is harder to compile 64 bit applications (and not harder to write them either).
But regardless of the "ohh" in the new version I will continue using: - KLP (though I have switched too AutoHotKey since KLP lacks many important features) - Stardock Central (it launches in 1/3 the time Impulse does, though I think it will not work for much longer) - DriveScan (cant live without it) - RightClick (why ohh why cant you use it to define arbitrary popup menus for "other programs") - EnhancedFileDialog (this is the killer app), .
And I will continue to each year ask the question: "Why cant Stardock go back to some more productivity oriented applications?" There is a lot of cool stuff out there which can be done, especially for "power users" and if you look at what Microsoft is doing you have to see that eventually Microsoft will catch up and you will be out of business or am I missing something?
But I guess that power users don't pay as well as the customization community...
Anyways, thank you Stardock for such amazing tools, you have saved me countless of hours in front o my computer, you have amazed me with inventive new graphics things... but where will you go from here? I hope that some day I will find you again walking togther on my road...
// Michael Medin
Reply #85 Monday, November 9, 2009 7:32 AM
Reply #86 Monday, November 9, 2009 7:46 AM
I am a longtime user of OD and have to say this makes me rather sad. I personally think that OD has been going "in the wrong direction" last few years and I am not saying this to complain I still buy it and will probably upgrade even though I don't use it anymore just "because".
My thoughts on the "new" things:
WindowBlinds 7
I have been using the beta (and before that version 6) and I have completely stopped using it since it works so badly. Generally after a few days it stops "rendering" properly and the "borders" end up on the wrong z-order. It also plays terribly with many many other program s(like for instance windows live mesh). And given how windows already looks today what WB can do is no longer "magical" it is getting old, unless there is some truly groundbreaking things I have missed. So for me: I will try it, but my guess it it will work just as poorly as 6.0 before it and thus I wont use it. // Michael Medin
Which OS are you using?
There is a well known bug in Windows XP to do with layered windows which impacts the z-order of WB per pixel skins after display changes sometimes. Unfortunately this is outside our control, and there is no hope of Microsoft ever fixing that.
On Windows Vista / 7 you should not encounter that or anything similar (it isn't even possible)
Likewise with Windows Live Mesh, the coders of that did something incredibly stupid and the end result is they can cause explorer windows to resize to nothing if the window has a region set on it. Again this should only impact people using WB on XP and the issue will be limited to specific skins. Some 3rd party msstyles will also suffer the same problem and it is even possible to trigger the issue without anything custom running. We have reported this to them on a number of occasions.
Reply #87 Monday, November 9, 2009 7:56 AM
Please it's possible see the complete list of the applications included in new ObjectDesktop 2010?
Reply #88 Monday, November 9, 2009 8:00 AM
Though I am ogling windows 7, so maybe things will improve there?
// Michael Medin
Reply #89 Monday, November 9, 2009 8:04 AM
Me too... I'm using only DesktopX (which I've bought before OD), WindowBlinds and SkinStudio (until I'll find the other way to modify Windows UI).
Thank you Micke! Unfortunately I can't tell about my thoughts so clear because of a problem with English. But now I'm glad to see that you've told about a things I wished to tell but couldn't.
I agree with each of your words! Have a Nice Day!
Reply #90 Monday, November 9, 2009 8:44 AM
So the big (well, maybe not) conclusion is that this is a bit marketing ploy, every year we get a "wow, amazing new stuff happening" and every year I see that nothing new happens, yes there is a new version of WindowBlinds (and related programs) some minor updates here and there... but I also remember the "old days" we got DX, WFX (I still think this is the biggest WOW ever), EHD, OB, etc etc and said *WOW* this is soooo cool. Now days it feel more like "ohh...". And no native 64 bit support is (and apparently also will be) common in most program which makes me wonder? I am a developer myself and it is not like it is harder to compile 64 bit applications (and not harder to write them either).
// Michael Medin
Where did this idea come from that the apps would not support 64 bit?
There is no point making say the UI for WB 64 bit as it would just bloat up the installer, but the bits that need to be 64 bit are 64 bit on 64 bit OSes.
Things like SKS will remain 32 bit on all platforms as there is no gain to the user with there being a 64 bit version of the exe. Its not like it needs more than 2GB RAM or would gain anything from the additional registers.
Reply #91 Monday, November 9, 2009 9:26 AM
Neil, I think the main problem is not in 32/64 bit. Especially if we remember that the most of 32-bit programs can be used on 64-bit system. The problem is that our enthusiastic "WOW" has been turned to afflicted "OHH".
Also I think it's time to think about this...
Reply #92 Monday, November 9, 2009 10:11 AM
Just such a thing has having to have two "program files" directories is annoying enough to warrant a pure 64 bit version. But the main things is there is no reason not to, when I ported my own application a few years back it was a 4 hour job... As for bloating the installer, you are always free to download the 32 bit version if you care about bandwidth (I live in Sweden the land of piracy and free bandwidth
).
But again... the main thing is not this... this is pretty immaterial, but it suggests to me a company that is no longer "trying" and thus no longer get the "WOW"... // Michael Medin
Reply #93 Monday, November 9, 2009 10:28 AM
Where did this idea come from that the apps would not support 64 bit? There is no point making say the UI for WB 64 bit as it would just bloat up the installer, but the bits that need to be 64 bit are 64 bit on 64 bit OSes. Things like SKS will remain 32 bit on all platforms as there is no gain to the user with there being a 64 bit version of the exe. Its not like it needs more than 2GB RAM or would gain anything from the additional registers. And no there is no point in making a windows version either because the DOS program runs just fine right?
Just such a thing has having to have two "program files" directories is annoying enough to warrant a pure 64 bit version. But the main things is there is no reason not to, when I ported my own application a few years back it was a 4 hour job... As for bloating the installer, you are always free to download the 32 bit version if you care about bandwidth (I live in Sweden the land of piracy and free bandwidth ).
But again... the main thing is not this... this is pretty immaterial, but it suggests to me a company that is no longer "trying" and thus no longer get the "WOW"... // Michael Medin
There are very good reasons keeping things 32 bit unless they have to change. It reduces testing time, makes the installers smaller and simpler and reduces compile time. Building a 64 bit exe (which is larger and uses more memory) just because you can is a bad thing. The important thing is the app works on your OS, not that it now can access more memory than it could ever have needed.
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Reply #81 Monday, November 9, 2009 7:04 AM
I won't even begin to read this... Return-key on the keyboard is your friend...
See ?