As discussed yesterday, I’ve retaken the reigns on Object Desktop after a 3 year absence.  And the team has some very cool stuff that is now coming together in rapid fashion.

Today I’m going to talk about something that I think is a pretty big deal: DeskScapes 3.

For those of you not familiar with DeskScapes, it is a program that applies animated wallpaper. It’s effectively the only animated wallpaper program available for users of XP, Vista, and Windows 7. 

One of the first changes I wanted to see made to DeskScapes as part of the “new regime” is for it to be a lot more practical.  I like animated wallpaper as much as the next person, which means I’ll load it up for a bit, check it out, and slowly get tired of it like any wallpaper.  But what we really wanted to see with DeskScapes 3 is for it to be even more useful to a wider population.

DeskScapes 3 (v2.91 beta) will be going out tomorrow for Object Desktop users.  What’s in it that’s new?

Well the most obvious new thing is the support for your existing static wallpapers. But more importantly, that you can now apply the same kinds of effects to your existing wallpapers that you could once only apply to Dreams. 

In the above example, I’ve taken a very colorful image and applied a Sepia filter to it in order to make (for me) a better background.

The new DeskScapes beta also introduces a pretty big new technology that has been discussed previously but now we’ve actually finally got it together: Hybrid Dreams

The idea is to make it so that people can take an existing image (a static one) and animate a part of it. So in this case, only the trees and the lights and some sky elements change and it’s very subtle. But because it’s such a small part, it uses virtually no CPU.  The idea is to be able to make it so that animated wallpapers need not be obnoxious but merely a natural evolution beyond the static pictures we’ve had for the past two decades.

If you don’t have Object Desktop you can get it at http://www.objectdesktop.com.  The final version of DeskScapes is due out on October 28th.

Stardock, the world leader in desktop customization, today released the highly anticipated version 1.0 of its popular and free desktop organization application, Fences. Fences is a one-of-a-kind program designed to organize the desktop by allowing users to customize how icons and files reside on the desktop based on user-defined preferences. Fences is the ultimate tool for those users who want to keep their PC desktop clear of clutter.

Fences works by allowing users to “draw” labeled shaded areas on the desktop, which become movable & resizable containers for any desktop icon. These groups can help bring organization and consistency to your computer's desktop, solving the "constant mess" problem that has plagued the desktop since its inception. Fences also helps users finally appreciate the wallpaper hiding behind a cluttered desktop.

In addition to its organizing features, Fences offers a quick-hide feature: Double click your desktop, and all your icons will fade out. Double click again, and they'll return.

Fences is free and can be downloaded here: https://www.stardock.com/products/fences/index.asp. Screenshots and demonstration videos are also provided.

System Requirements:

• Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7
• On Vista and Windows 7, both 32bit and 64bit versions are supported.

A couple of months ago we wrote about the announcement of the Dell Inspirion Mini Nickelodeon Edition which features skins and wallpapers created by Stardock!  These Mini’s are now shipping and they have a great lineup of options, and prices start at a low $329.

Features include:

• Slime left its mark on both the outside cover and inside palm rest.
• Explore Nickelodeon^TM  interactive features full of creative content.
• The world is just a click away with mobile connectivity¹.
• Watch your child’s media come to life on the 10.1" display.
• Add an optional external DVD drive to watch or burn CDs and DVDs

This would definitely be a great gift for the upcoming holiday season.  For more information visit the Dell Mini Nick Edition site below.

Dell Mini Nickelodeon Edition

What an exciting month in DX skins! Oodles of good stuff came out last month. Alas, I can’t feature them all. So, have a look through the galleries and you’ll be sure to find something you like. But stick around because its Community Spotlight edition, and I got to pick the brain of a DX themer we all know and love, RedneckDude!

But first, the picks! 

Outstanding General Info

Simple Weather Pack by buzzh58

I love the simplistic, compact layout of this widget, and how it just blends into my desktop. If you like streamlined skins, this one is for you.

The zip includes four widgets—2 colored with white or black text, and 2 monochrome, white or black. These can go with any setup, and if you really want to customize the colored widgets further, you can adjust hue in properties for that perfect match. No sign up needed for this widget, just download, run, and enjoy.

Most Creative / Original

Creepers Halloween Countdown by Island Dog

Halloween is just around the corner. How do I know? Why, I’ve got this handy gadget that tells me how many days until then. The zip includes 2 gadgets, regular and compact, as well as the creeper font.

Since this is a gadget, you don’t even need to have DesktopX to run it. So, you can share this nifty little reminder with all your friends.

Theme of the Month

Pod Concept by p e d

Where to begin with this theme? How ‘bout where the theme begins, with awesome startup animations that make you sit up and go “Whoa!” The fully animated pods in this theme zip, whirl, and blast across your screen to float freely on your desktop or dock on either side, whereupon they grow anchors and attach themselves to the docking bars.

Each pod displays a menu for all your shortcut needs. Lots of customizing options abound: add/remove as many shortcuts as you want, change the color of each pod, change the pod’s icon, and so much more.

Everything is animated, everything is customizable, everything is easily accessible from several areas. The time and work spent on this are evident from the high functionality to the attention to detail. Simply put, this is an amazing piece of work. My hats off to the author.

 Don't let the 'member since' date on his profile fool you. Journeyman RedneckDude has been with the community for several years. Formerly a 'PuterDude', Jim is one of the most consistently productive DX themers out there. This guy is dedicated--he's had to reup his entire library thrice now. Yet, like his avatar, he keeps smiling. I consider him a great friend and an invaluable member of the community at large. Without further ado, RedneckDude.

-ILDX: Would you like to give us a short introduction to the real RedneckDude?

RedneckDude: Not without an attorney present...lol!! Let's see, unlike most rednecks, I'm not good at talking about me. I'm a 49 year old redneck, at least I will be later this month, who is self employed and loves computers and customization thereof. I live in Greeneville Tennessee, and I am married with 2 boys, 2 dogs and a bird! I have 3 PCs, a laptop, and run 3 OSes.

-How did you discover DesktopX?

I got my first computer in 2003. It was a basic eMachines with XP. I was a total noob. I soon discovered Stardock completely by accident. Got Windowblinds right off. I loved it! I was immediately hooked on customization! Then I discovered DesktopX and Gef. Gef is probably the one who got me into DX. I have almost every skin he's ever done. I soon started taking themes apart and seeing how they were made. Soon, I started making very crude DX themes from parts of other themes.

My first themes were wall dependent and full screen. Got my brother using a few, but I had to configure them for him as he was greener than I was...lol.

-What’s your background in GUI design? Or was DX that creative spark?

I have no background in GUI design. DX got me started. I have had a bit of PC Tech and Repair training, but nothing to do with GUIs. I did seem to have a knack for learning computer workings, and software fascinates me. My early themes were for my use only, I lacked the confidence to upload, plus 98% of it was someone else's work...lol!

Later, as I learned how to manipulate graphics made by someone else, I started to ask for upload permissions. I actually did upload a theme once that contained a weather widget made by someone else and didn't have permission...oops! The original author contacted me and explained to me that things weren't done this way at WC, so I removed it. Later, that same author started allowing me use of her widgets in my themes. But I wanted to do it myself. So I searched and found that scripts were available for me to use with my own graphics and I started making my own.

-You are just about the most active DX themer on WinCustomize. What drives you to keep creating and what do you love about it?

I continue to make DX themes for several reasons:

a: I love DX and I see a need to get more skinners and users involved in DX so that Stardock will realize what a gem it is and maybe pay it more attention. I fear that if DX don't get more attention, it will be dropped, just like so many other apps that have faded away.

b: The pleasure of introducing the power and possibilities of DX to new users.

c: I love DX!! I always have a DX theme running (as a widget as I can't get DX to run at startup). With a DX theme that I have set up for my system, I have no need for a start menu, no Object Dock, no RC....nothing. Everything I need is contained in my DX theme.

What do I love about it? Well, with DX and a matching blind, it's like running a new OS. I've had people, like my cable guy, ( no not Larry) ask me what OS I'm running. When I say Windows Vista they can't believe it! I like to be as far away from the default GUI as possible...lol.

What do I love about DX? The Pod Concept DX by ped is a good example of why I love DX. Man, that theme shows off some DX magic!! I only wish I could have made it, I'm jealous...lol. Microbe is another example.

I also love the attention. There. I said it out loud! I'll never forget the first WC Podcast. I was very briefly mentioned in it and I was ecstatic!! I clipped it and put it on my cell phone so I could play it for my Mom! I still have it on my iPhone...first episode, historical? lol

-What’s your approach to composing a theme?

I usually start a new theme by assessing the graphics I have to work with (for a theme based on a blind, or someone else's work) and seeing what "hits" me. Then, depending on what hits me, I'll start out with a previous theme I've done as a template and begin to swap graphics.Then I follow it where it takes me, I know it sounds corny, but I am usually led by the skin itself.

My themes are seldom pre planned, so to speak. Sometimes, a "certain" coder I know makes an awesome template and I just have to try it! And once I start, I let it take it's own path. Really.

If I'm making an original theme I usually start out messing around in Photoshop or Xara Extreme until I make something I like, that I can use, then it leads me from there. Silly, huh?

-What, for you, are the hardest and easiest parts of creating a theme? Any tips?

The hardest part of DXing for me is scripting, which is why I usually rely on sViz, RomanDa, sir smiley, martin,...these folks who know script. The hardest part that I actually do myself, I guess would be trying to stay fresh. I have a hard time coming up with fresh ideas. Now Wizard1956, my DX beta tester, has a wild imagination and is always giving me ideas, but since he's not a skinner, his ideas are usually real good, but not something I can do in DX. He has good intentions. Now ped could do wonders with Wiz's ideas...lol.

The easiest part of making DXes, for me, is making a theme to match a blind. Usually, the original artist supplies me with enough PSDs to do a good job matching. Lotsa nice blinds being made is job security for me!!

Tips? Just save your layer styles, gradients and colors in a folder. This allows for better uniformity. If you make a part or object for a theme and you can see that it would be something you'd use again, something customizable for use in other themes, export it as an object for easy access. Use it as a template. Always use the autosave widget you gave us, or save the desktop often...I can't overstress this! Losing a theme for failure to do this sucks!! DX does crash occaisionally.

-What do your friends and family think about this hobby? Have you gotten any of them hooked?

Friends and family say they're proud of me...lol. They are very supportive, especially my wife, Lisa, she bought me Adobe CS4 Master Collection because she likes my work. Photoshop has helped me get better. I think they secretly think I spend too much time at skinning. I do spend 85% of my free time skinning, and I have a lot of free time. I can't seem to get anyone hooked though. I have tried.

-What haven’t you done or seen yet, as far as DX themes go, that you would like to?

I would like to create more animated themes and I'd really like to learn more about scripting. I also would like to learn more about how to use the active x controls built in to DX. Again, I'd like to make themes like Pod Concept, by ped, or Killer Widgets by Tiggz. Those show the true power of DX that I can't touch.

-Which of your creations are you most proud of and why?

Probably the Wincustomize Community Wallpaper and Gadgets. Not because of the quality, which they lack, but because of what they stand for. Community efforts like this and the community suites that I've been involved in are important, I think, in keeping a close knit community together. I didn't know it when I started this journey, but that is probably the single most important reason I still do this stuff....Community. Not just here at WC, but the skinning community as a whole. I feel that some seem to think that WC IS the skinning community. WC is probably the largest part of the community, but there are so many more sites that support skinning and the community as a whole.

Some artists, for reasons of their own, decide to leave WC and settle in somewhere else, but they are still a part of the community, just at a different location. I am proud to be a small part of a global community that strives to give the public a better, prettier, more interesting way to compute. Not to mention that the community is good for non skinning things too. We help each other. And that is a big part of why I skin. So, I guess a good answer to which of my creations I am most proud of would be relationships I've created, or helped to create.

Radio Wave DX is probably the original work I'm proudest of, because it was my first original, I believe. I've had to reupload my gallery a few times, so I'm fuzzy, but I think it to be my first original.

-How do you feel your skills have improved over the years? What have you gotten better at?

I feel my skills have improved a lot over the years due to working with some of the best artists in skinning. I remember how mad I got when I.R.Brainiac made me redo Knot Vista, oh, 5 or 6 times...lol! Thanks, Brainy. He wanted it right, and I was a noob. vStyler always asserts that he expects no less than my best work, 2 of 3 always helps me to see his vision and is very helpful in seeing that my work meets his requirements. Xiandi is the same, perfect isn't quite good enough...lol...just kidding, Xi!

All this serves to force me to improve my skills, for which I am grateful to the above mentioned and others who have helped me. Photoshop....acquiring Photoshop has helped me immensely. It has helped me to be better at staying true to the blind I'm trying to match.

I must mention Zubaz. He has been a true friend and he once said he'd like to see PuterDudeJim branch out, thus giving me courage to try to skin other apps, not DX only. He once told me when I asked if I was a skinner, " You manipulate graphics, Jim, and you do it very well." I thank you for that Zu.

-What can we expect to see from RedneckDude in future? Any grand plans? Screenshots?

The future? You can expect more DXes. You can expect to see me try to skin everything skinnable...lol...but DX is my mainstay. I have a windowblind in the works, it's called Endeavor and there is already a wall pack upon which it is based in my walls gallery. You can see the WIP here: https://forums.wincustomize.com/359183

Grand plans? I hope to make Master someday, although I don't feel, as yet, that I've made anything of master quality other than a few blind-based skins, for which I can't take credit of quality. I may like to volunteer for some kind of responsibility here at WC someday, if that was offered.

I look forward to skinning fences!

-Finally, why do you love DesktopX?

I love DX because it gives me creative outlet that I wouldn't have elsewhere. It allows me to do what windows alone can't. DX allows me to personalize my desktop in a way that no other app can.

I love DX because it's the best way I can give to the community. I think DX is second only to Windowblinds for without WB, there would be nothing to make matching skins for!

I love DX because it enables me to create something worth sharing, and because DX, in a way, led me to the skinning community. A group of people I'm very proud to be associated with! Friends I would have never found any other way, real friends.

Eve, I hope I haven't been too long winded! I hope I didn't ramble too much. I really appreciate this opportunity to relate my thoughts and feelings to my friends here at WC! Thanks for the interview and thanks to the community for allowing me to (fit in?) and be a part of a good thing.

 ----

Thanks, Jim, for your time, your hard work, and positive presence in the community. Be sure to check out his gallery -- HERE

Got questions you'd like to ask a fellow DXer? A nominee for DX community spotlight? Content suggestions? Drop me a  PM or EMAIL.

Until next month, happy DXing!

At approximately 7am EST (NOON GMT) the Stardock server infrastructure will be undergoing maintenance.  This will impact all Stardock sites including Demigod games.  The servers should be offline for a short period of time (less than one hour) during the maintenance period.

Kirk Windisch

Director - Software Development

Stardock Corporation

Organize your desktop icons by creating fences and moving your icons into them.

Double Click on the desktop and it will hide your desktop icons, double click again and they come back.

If you put your mouse over a particular fence (like Temp Junk) you can see all the other things in that fence that were hidden.

I have been getting quite a few e-mails lately about how to get the latest WindowBlinds beta, among any other betas we are running at any given time.  It’s pretty simple to get the betas downloaded and installed, but if you don’t see them in your list in Impulse, you just have to make a slight configuration adjustment.

Here’s how.

Click the blue button, and that will open up the Impulse preferences.  Now just check the box that says “show pre-release versions”.  After that you should see any available betas.

www.impulsedriven.com

One of the coolest new features in DeskScapes 3 is the ability to add effects to .dreams.  This brings a bunch of new options for the customization of animated wallpapers.  There are a wide variety of effects included such as Snow, Motion Blur, and many more.

Check out this video to see the effects in action!

For more information about DeskScapes, visit https://www.stardock.com/products/deskscapes/

A new update for the DeskScapes 3 beta has been released today.  DeskScapes is an application that lets you have animated wallpapers on your Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 (DS3 beta only).  There are hundreds of animated wallpapers, also called .dreams, available for download on sites such as WinCustomize.com.

The current beta of DeskScapes 3 is available for download if you have an active Object Desktop subscription, and is available through Impulse.

The latest update includes:

• Dream effects – Apply effects to .dreams allows you to change the way they look with cool looking filters
• Hybrid Dream Support – A Hybrid Dream is a new type of .dream that mixes static and animated images, which use significantly less resources
• DreamMaker with Hybrid Support

I’m pretty glad it’s Friday, how about all of you out there?  Just a quick note about WinCustomize.  The new site has entered a new phase of internal beta testing and it’s looking pretty sweet.  More news soon.

Now for this weeks picks!

	VoX by BoXXi This is a matching CursorFX theme for the VOX master skin, and it’s just fantastic .  Great job!
	The Ring System DX I’m getting a kick out of this DX theme.  A great and fun design.
	NegativeGravity by Ausvet This is a slick animated wallpaper.  Grab it.
	Magnetek by Xiandi A cool dock background for ObjectDock to match 2of3’s WindowBlinds theme.
	They Come in the Night by DEVJIT I love the design.  This is great.
	Purity by LightStar This is a very clean and sleek theme.  Beautiful design so be sure to download this one.