In an article I wrote about Object Desktop I made some screenshots trying to show Object Desktop in action.  Quite a few people commented that my screenshot didn't really make Object Desktop look very appealing.

So what would a good screenshot of Object Desktop look like? In this thread, show us your screenshots that you think demonstrate Object Desktop effectively (be sure not to show things like ObjectDock or other non-Object Desktop parts in it).

 

If you've always wondered how light sabers work, HowStuffWorks.com has a thorough article outlining how light sabers work, various safety tips and practical uses such as defending yourself against would-be muggers.

This week Object Desktop 2005 was released. Object Desktop 2005 is Stardock's annual milestone snapshot of its popular desktop extension suite. 

Apple's new MacOS X (Tiger) comes with some much talked about features such as Dashboard. But for users of Object Desktop, widgets are nothing new and the power of Object Desktop enables a great deal of user-level customization of Windows itself. 

And users of Object Desktop get access to everything that is updated or added to it for an entire year -- putting it right in the middle of the Longhorn beta (Longhorn is the code-name for the next major version of Windows) Stardock is working with Microsoft to ensure that it leverages that new Longhorn technologies as early as possible.

Read the whole article below..

With the recent release of MacOS X "Tiger" and Microsoft talking about the next major version of Windows, code-named "Longhorn", Windows 2000 and Windows XP users might be feeling a bit of tech envy.  If so, Stardock has a cure for those OS blues in the form of Object Desktop 2005.

Object Desktop is actually a collection of OS extension utilities designed for Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP. When installed, users gain a host of new features that often go far beyond what future operating systems will provide.  For example, Object Desktop 2000 was allowing users to "skin" the entire Windows UI, including the Start bar, before Windows XP was even a twinkle in Microsoft's eye.  Object Desktop was providing features such as alpha bended shadows under windows before Apple had even coined the term "Aqua" to describe the MacOS X interface.  And today, while Apple and Microsoft are playing technological leap-frog, Object Desktop 2005 has features that offer a glimpse of what may be coming to an operating system near you.

One of the features of Apple's new MacOS X Tiger operating system is "Dashboard".  Dashboard allows users to add "widgets" that provide useful functionality and information on the desktop.  Object Desktop 2005 not only has widgets but allows them to live on the desktop full time.  Hot keys are available to show and hide them as needed but they can also live side-by-side with your desktop icons.  It was Object Desktop that delivered enhanced, end user created, mini-application functionality onto the desktop long before anything similar appeared on Windows or Mac in the form of DesktopX (one of the programs that makes up Object Desktop).  DesktopX, however, doesn't stop at just widgets. Users can literally design their own desktop environments with it and export them for later use or to share with others.

Another hot-topic in the "OS Wars" has been Avalon.  Avalon is a new display system that debuts in its full form in Longhorn. It allows all kinds of interesting effects to be achieved on the desktop.  But Windows users need not wait until Longhorn to get a small taste of what Avalon can do.  Object Desktop 2005 has WindowFX, a program that lets users scale windows on the fly, create transition effects and window morphing, shadows, and a host of transparency options.  And as the Longhorn beta approaches, Stardock is already at work to make sure Object Desktop takes full advantage of new features available in Longhorn for developers.  For users who are looking to have their Windows desktops appear similar to Longhorn today, they can do that with WindowBlinds.  WindowBlinds allows for enhanced visual styles to be applied that can change the look and feel of Windows completely. It also speeds up the drawing of windows when they're being moved and resized over the base "Luna" visual style in Windows.  It's so powerful that Alienware recently licensed it to create their Star Wars based desktops. 

But Object Desktop isn't just about making Windows look and feel better. It's about productivity and functionality.  A new program in Object Desktop 2005 is RightClick.  RightClick lets users replace their desktop right-click menu with one of their own creation that can have links to programs, system information, virtual desktops, and much more on it.  It can be brought up at any time by hitting the Windows key and is powerful enough to be used instead of the Windows Start bar (and includes an option to hide the Start bar). Major updates to other programs that make up Object Desktop along with the inclusion of a new Object Desktop LaunchPad help make Stardock's award-winning package compelling to power users and administrators alike.

All told, Object Desktop includes nearly two-dozen programs and has won numerous awards including PC Magazine's Editor's Choice Award.  It's $49.95 for the whole suite and entitles the user to a year's access to ObjectDesktop.net where new programs and updates to existing programs to Object Desktop can be found. With Longhorn looming, that means users of Object Desktop 2005 will be able to get the best of both worlds and not have to worry that their Mac-using friends have something over them.  After all, the upgrade for Mac users to Tiger is $129, over twice as much as Object Desktop costs.

Product: Object Desktop 2005
Developer: Stardock Corp. (www.stardock.com)
Price: $49.95
Requires: Windows 2000/XP.

Stardock is working on a new Aquarium Desktop but we need a bunch of high quality aquarium backgrounds to include.  We've looked around and have not had any success finding any (we need backgrounds that don't have any fish in them already for one thing).

So we're looking to the community to see what can be produced.  If you'd like to take a crack at making good wallpapers that have an aquarium (or even underwater) background that you think would fit this project, let me know and send them.  If we use them, we'll give you credit in the docs, a free copy of the program, along with a free copy of Object Desktop (or an extension to it).

My email address is [email protected].

 

When I meet people who customize their computers, there seems to be a general..pathway they take.

At first, they change just their wallpapers.  Most people stay at the wallpaper level.  But some move on and want to change say their icons. And then others want to change their Start bar or title bars and such and learn about WindowBlinds and such.  And eventually they start getting into programs like DesktopX and widget enabling programs.

My question is, how much of this stuff do YOU use?

Me, I pretty much have it all going.  WindowBlinds is a must. My wallpaper is always changing.  Got various kinds of icons on my system. And I usually have a couple widgets going.  I also use RightClick which is skinned. And of course ObjectDock Plus.

So how long have you been into "skinning? When did you get started?

For me, my journey began with IBM's OS/2 back in 1994.  Me and my friend Kurt Westerfeld hated the way OS/2 looked so when we made Object Desktop, we designed a new "look" for it that changed title bars, scrollbars, title bar buttons, etc.  When we did version 2, we made it so that other people could create their own looks for it.

In 1997 when we designed up the specs for a Windows version of Object Desktop, we wanted a component that could provide new looks for Windows (later called skins) and teamed up with Neil Banfield to lead that effort. 

Star Wars Episode III is almost here.  Check out this time-line of Anakin's rise and fall. It's cool!

I got my Jag back today. It was in the shop while I was on vacation to have the horse power upgrades along with a K40 integrated radar detection/laser jammer put in.

The dealership, Jaguar of Novi, has told me that that it should be roughly 100 horse power faster.  I expect to put that to the test soon but in the meantime, I'm pretty skeptical.

What they did was change the exhaust to the Remus exhaust. It adds 20 horse power at the flywheel (12 at the wheel).

Then they upgraded the intake.  They said this upgrades performance around 4% (4% of 390HP is about 15 horse power)

And finally they upgraded the super-charger Pulley. Here's where things get murky. The dealership said that this upgrade gives between 60 to 80 horse power.  That seems like an awful lot.  I could see 15 horse power but 60?

They made a few other changes that I'm waiting to hear more details about (something about changing the PSI to be high at all times but I'm not knowledgeable enough on this to know what this means). But essentailly they said they tweaked it so that  the super charger always gives the max 13.1 psi (turning off a "safety" feature apparently).

But the Dyno is the ultimate test. The only problem, I didn't get it Dyno'd before the upgrade. Luckily, I did find on-line someone who had Dyno'd a 2005 S-Type R  He got 332 horse power.  That's about a 15% loss from the 390 horse power the engine is rated at which is pretty good.

Obviously since it's not completely an apples and apples comparison, there's going to be some variation.  But when I go and get it Dyno'd I expect to see at least 400 to 420 horse power at the wheels if the upgrade did what was indicated.

So far, I haven't got to really punch it to see. With all the work piled on my desk, I only had time to drive straight home. We'll know more soon..

TotalGaming.net has got some new forums.  If you've ever been interested in talking about computer games and such, check it out.  Your WinCustomize UserID and Password will work there as well.