My advice is this: concentrate on making all things work on Windows 7 - both 32 and 64 versions as much as possible.  Don't bother with Vista and XP, two programs that are either non-supported or weren't bought in significant numbers to be supported by other programs.  Windows 8 will either be complete hit or miss, much like Vista (miss).  I suspect miss if it looks anything like what they have shown so far.  Yes, you can make programs that will work on that but concentrate on it secondarily to support for Win7 64/32.  I really suspect Win 8 won't be such a great os; companies won't be rushing to use it unless it is a phone/mobile os primarily.  Dell and all will push whatever M$ tells them but this won't make it a happy toy for the rest of us and many places will avoid it like the plague if it's at all like Vista OR if it's a complete GUI change.  By the way, I use 7/64 with two or three monitors depending on where I'm at, either office or home.  My resolution is pretty high too - 1920x1080 for each monitor, so aim your programs at multi-hd monitor support AND look at getting out some wallpapers to worth with this too.

Gee, I hope java is not the base for new Win 8 development as one respondant suggested. 

As for Desktop X, maybe you can rename it but a complete skinning redo of the GUI is what X is suppose to offer so I think you should keep a program like this.  If the basis for development is legacy then use the new stuff in 7, develop with that and drop support for the legacy stuff, rename the program but make it clear that this is to replace X on 7 and 8.  I really thing that, even if it's tough to use effectively at times, it's still the only thing that can completely make over your desktop so don't get rid of it, whatever you end up calling the program that can do this.  This plus windowblinds are what got me enthused enough to purchase O.D. in the first place.  You need an X type product.

LogonStudio going away?  The only reason I can think of for this is if there is not way to log on as we traditionally think of it.  And as long as there will be multi-user computers, this will not likely change.  The alternative is to have each program available all the time but prompt the user to enter their credentials when run thus cutting down on functionality, denying or allowing full use.  That's rather unix like but even they have someone log in.  Skin the log in section.  You should have a program for this.

Bravo for going back to suites!  What were you guys thinking with MyColors anyway (rhetorical)?  You can improve suites by making sure submissions follow all the rules for the individual sections, whether that's by extension name (hopefully not), using something unique or allow for multiple file type support.  Of course, who knows if 8 will continue to use file types?  (It's M$ - they'll even have legacy 8-bit code somewhere.

I'd like to see better weather widget tools but I think that's not a Stardock issue.  Few tools here are unique, changing the look but not the feel so much, nor the functionality - i like updates at least every hour and very detailed weather info and graphics, like Xav73 did on his tools.  Again, this should be someone else rather than this post but it's on my mind.

Funny about most of the Widgets here. They are pretty much all a variable of DesktopX scripts that Martin and a couple other people wrote. People have just made new graphics. 

That's another problem with DesktopX. It's a great tool but there are too few people using it that actually know how to do coding for the neat stuff. Calendars and Weather, there are a bazillion flavors of them. DX is a HUGE risk for justifying more expense on IMO.

The computer has come a long way with a lot of things being done for the user so that they don't have to learn or do coding versus when the home computer was the new toy, as it were, in the house. 

In DX, once the code is done for a particular option or function, like weather, how often does it need to be updated?  Weather widgets or gadgets are done that show the information in different ways, granted it is the same information. 

What we can say is that DX has the capability to do much more, it is unfortunate that these capabilities have not been fully explored.  Now with the approaching release of Windows 8 this may never happen. 

New OS always seem to kick some stuff to the curb. 

Just my personal feelings.

I'm still blaming UAC, not the rest of the OS. Getting things (like DX) to work with it on seems to be a bottleneck. If MS wants to improve upon Windows7 they need to get rid of it, imho.

Too many stupid people falling for Nigerian wealth scams etc to allow that. You can't fight stupid.

Here's another perspective.

You don't NEED to do any scripting at all to make fantastic DX themes. We made some pretty damn cool stuff before the ability to script was put in. Either people forgot how or they just aren't interested in learning the application anymore. I dunno. I just don't see it surviving.

I would love to know statistics on how people actually use DesktopX.

ID you bring up a good point, are folks using DX to do things for their own personal use and not uploading them. 

You do now because the addition of UAC hampers the old dx plugins. This is why Brad is concerned with the future of DX.

I use it to replace Object Dock, winstep, any launcher you can name. I use DX to access my shortcuts, browser, even WC.

It would be easier to list what I don't use DX for.

When I have a DX theme running, which is 24-7, I don't need the windows start menu, Object Desktop, windows media player, rainlendar, etc. I don't need system monitoring apps, weather sites, etc.

I use it alongside Winstep and I find the meter functions in DX lacking so I do run sidebar gadgets for GPU and CPU monitoring . Otherwise, what the Redneck said applies to me as well.

not entirely accurate.

some of the "plugins" don't work but most of the Object Types still work. The system information plugin works, the email notifier works, the performance meters are somewhat borked, etc. But the basic tools that made DX great are still there and they still function. People just have forgotten or never knew how to use them. Also, lets not forget one of the greatest tools that DX has, Aniutil!

This is true. DX can do a lot without scripts.

Ditto.

All the time. That's why I love the program, because I can make little single-task scripts and package them in a nice-looking interface without much hassle. But, I doubt anyone would have much use for a Pick A Number Between... widget. If I'm running a DXtheme, it's usually one I'm building.

I sure hope DesktopX still has a future; there's nothing else quite like it.

But not fantastic things, unless I'm missing something.

Ditto.

I haven't got a clue how to make anything with DesktopX, but I use it all the time. As long as it still functions on Windows 7, and it's not economically justified to do a serious makeover, how about just keeping it alive by fixing what appear to be small problems in 3.5? The tools are marvellous.

I would suggest you go back in to the depths of the DesktopX gallery and look and the old stuff. We weren't using scripts then.

The biggest things that have been in desktopX themes that REQUIRE scripts are Calendars and Weather. I can live without them myself.

Phoon, are you using XP?

Although i myself have only made 1 widget in DX it has been the most fun i have had out of any of the stardock programs, yes the scripts were not new but i spent many days making improvements to what i had, there would always be something else that i could put on it. I should think it wouldn't take much to fix some of the bugs in the current version then leave it as that

No, I'm using 7 x64 and I cranked UAC up just for the heck of it.

Note - I have not tried many OLD themes lately but I was able to create some new items noted in #51 and they worked fine. DX 3.5 - Not Pro.

The only thing I have tried lately that didn't work was the email notifier. It tells me I have mail when I don't...lol.

DX, to my knowledge, without scripting or with, for that matter, hasn't the ability to auto detect 4 + cores. Many sidebar gadgets can. I'd love to see that done.

I'll look at some of the older things in the gallery, but I have to say I haven't seen anything fantastic done without script, ever. I guess what I think of as fantastic may not be what others see as fantastic.

If I'm wrong, I'd love to be shown.

That is quite true.

Here is a good example. You see, Redneck may find this to be fantastic:

Where I on the other hand would find those chairs to be a tad uncomfortable.

  Git-er-done!