DesktopX: Realizing its potential
-or- finally becoming useful
Wednesday, March 23, 2005 by BlueDev | Discussion: DesktopX
I have written in the past about my enjoyment in customizing my desktop. Some days I spend enough time tweaking things that I would call it a 'condition'. But I digress. It is sufficient to say I really like changing my desktop around and adjusting things to be just the way I want them to be.
For months now I have been reading about 'widgets' and how they are the next big thing in OS customization. To be honest, I didn't get it. They really did nothing for me. And it wasn't due to ignorance, trust me. I am a registered Object Desktop user, so I have had access to DesktopX for almost a year now (in addition to the many times I have tried the demo for longer than that), have used Kapsules, Konfabulator, AveDesk, dotWidget, and even @Zpod (no, I haven't tried Samurize yet). So I have given widgets and their respective applications a fair try.
I suppose it is the minimalist in me, but I don't like that much cluttering my desktop. So I was really excited a while back when Brad announced that DesktopX would have overlay keys (meaning that I hit F9 and all my widgets/objects jump to the front of my screen, hit F10 and they all vanish from my screen). This way I could have them there, ready to go, but not have to look at them all the time. But there was one problem: the widgets.
Stardock has taken a lot of heat on the quality of their widgets in recent times. I'm not going to go there, but that wasn't my problem. My problem was the widgets themselves. They just didn't do a lot for me. There were some fun ones, but nothing that was great enough for me to want it there all the time. And so I just didn't use them still. I love some of the media players as well, but I usually listen to my music either minimized or I want to be able to see the action (all my playlists/media library, etc) so just like skins for my media players, those did nothing for me. (Plus they don't work with my preferred media player, but that is another matter entirely).
As such, my interest in widgets has been low. Great widgets on each program, but nothing that really grabbed me (though Konfabulator looks very nice, but I didn't want to pay for another widget app when I wasn't even using the one I already had paid for!). So I cruised along, not using any of these widgets/objects/themes I had downloaded. I fired some up every now and then for fun, but not for regular use. Fickle.
Suddenly, DesktopX 3 was announced. I was intrigued by some of the things that were being written, but honestly was skeptical. Desktop X was always the one program in Object Desktop that I wanted to love, but just couldn't. So I was cautious. Of course, I updated to DX 3 as soon as it was available. But still I didn't really check it out. Woodbridge had released a great little Gmail checker widget, that I had used on (rare) occasion. Then it was updated with some of the features of DesktopX 3. I was intrigued.
I started playing around with the default 'Silica' widgets and was impressed with the look. Most of all I liked the picture frame. Very customizable, nicely sizable, it just seemed to work better than the previous picture frame/slide show widgets. Again I was intrigued.
Enter the master Tiggz. Two 'Omni" widgets that blew me away. Great looking, just like anything Tiggz does, but also unique (in the realm of Desktop X widgets) and useful. A mail checker that will check as many POP3, IMAP and Gmail accounts as I want (encrypting the passwords even), and a wall changer that looks great on the desktop and allows me to quickly change between whatever walls I have loaded in it. Intrigued now became excited.
Finally, ExodusCrow released a sweet folder info widget that is a breeze to customize with whatever font/images you want (in the screenshot below note how I have changed the images and font - and it took me all of a minute or two). Useful, cool looking and very well done, suddenly I had multiple reasons to use DesktopX. And while not a result of the release of DesktopX 3, I would be remiss were I not to mention ScottyK's WMP album art object. Long overdue (considering the glut of remote modules for iTunes that show album art), this very nicely displays a little CD case of the album you are listening to anywhere on your desktop. And while it is an object, it has worked flawlessly for me once exported as a widget.
And so, after months of wishing I felt some desire to take advantage of DesktopX but just never being excited about it, I suddenly find myself firing up these widgets daily. For this user at least, DesktopX is finally starting to realize its potential. Thanks to Stardock for making this valuable upgrade, and thanks to the community for releasing some killer widgets. I think I am liking this (check out my current desktop):
"
GhoS
Reply #2 Wednesday, March 23, 2005 9:51 PM
Reply #2 Wednesday, March 23, 2005 9:51 PM
I definitely agree the potential is there now for DX to finally reach more people. I'm still so use to have things like objects and widgets easily visible that I have a difficult time trying to use ones that I can make appear with the stroke of a key.
I'm keeping a much closer watch though as new objects/widgets/theme are uploaded as they are now easier to use.
I'm keeping a much closer watch though as new objects/widgets/theme are uploaded as they are now easier to use.
_Martin_
Reply #4 Thursday, March 24, 2005 3:50 AM
Reply #4 Thursday, March 24, 2005 3:50 AM
Good stuff. I love those walls btw. Can you tell me where I can get them and the WB skin you are using?
BlueDev
Reply #5 Thursday, March 24, 2005 8:45 AM
Reply #5 Thursday, March 24, 2005 8:45 AM
CerebroJD: Thanks!
GhoS: I am really excited for this release. I think big things are going to come from this. Seriously, it has only been out a bit more than a week (plus the beta time for some widget makers) and we have already had some really sweet widgets.
ExodusCrow: Thanks, I appreciate it. (Loving the folder info widget as well! I have three versions already with different icons and text)
GhoS: I am really excited for this release. I think big things are going to come from this. Seriously, it has only been out a bit more than a week (plus the beta time for some widget makers) and we have already had some really sweet widgets.
ExodusCrow: Thanks, I appreciate it. (Loving the folder info widget as well! I have three versions already with different icons and text)
BlueDev
Reply #6 Thursday, March 24, 2005 8:54 AM
Reply #6 Thursday, March 24, 2005 8:54 AM
Martin: The WB is from the Longhorn Alternative GUI kit (I loved that they included WB in the pack). You can get both the light and dark versions here: Link
As far as the wallpapers, I forget where I found a lot of them, sadly. The one being used in the screenshot is here: Link and I know I got a couple of the others from TSS2000: Link and the willow one (the second to the bottom) I found here: Link and then resized for my resolution. I think that covers most of them.
As far as the wallpapers, I forget where I found a lot of them, sadly. The one being used in the screenshot is here: Link and I know I got a couple of the others from TSS2000: Link and the willow one (the second to the bottom) I found here: Link and then resized for my resolution. I think that covers most of them.
BlueDev
Reply #7 Thursday, March 24, 2005 8:35 PM
Reply #7 Thursday, March 24, 2005 8:35 PM
I know I am really just responding to myself, but the more I have been playing around with some of the features of DesktopX 3, the more excited I am. I really hope this becomes the big move that pushes DX into a more visible spot. Thanks again Stardock!
sharpshark28
Reply #8 Friday, March 25, 2005 11:36 PM
Reply #8 Friday, March 25, 2005 11:36 PM
Yup, you are almost exacly like me. Although I hav'nt bought any stardock programs. The reason is because I am saving up for an alienware. Desktop/Alienware.....Hmmmmm.... Yeah so i have been using all the demos and reasently realised the power of skinstudio. I downloaded it once and saw that I couldnt make a WMP skin on the demo so I got pissed and uninstalled it. But know I realised. "Hey I can make windows blinds skins...." So I have been at that alll of today. And probably tommarow. So good luck with desktopx 3 
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Reply #1 Wednesday, March 23, 2005 9:00 PM