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Winstep Releases Winstep Xtreme Beta 2!

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Winstep Releases Winstep Xtreme Beta 2!

http://www.winstep.net/news.asp
from WinCustomize Forums

Winstep Xtreme is a complete integrated Desktop Environment featuring the next generation of award winning Winstep user interface enhancements: NextSTART and WorkShelf. While most Windows customization software focuses on eye candy, Winstep applications raise the usability bar to another level: they give added functionality to Windows and complete control over every aspect of the user interface. 

  

NextSTART is a complete Start Menu, Taskbar and System Tray replacement, famous for its unmatched flexibility. The number of options you can configure is truly outstanding: configurable menus - via drag and drop or using the built-in Menu Editor - customizable menu behavior, an amazing number of ways to activate menus and run programs using hotspots, taskbar and systray management and more! 

WorkShelf is a desktop replacement and tabbed program launcher. Like a dock, but better. It enables you to organize your most often used applications and documents into categorized shelves while taking as little screen space as possible: WorkShelf automatically collapses into a small strip of tabs when not in use. It also gives you access to system folders like My Computer, Control Panel, etc... Throw in it’s task management abilities and built-in modules such as a speaking Atomic Clock, Recycle Bin, POP3/IMAP Email Checker, Weather Monitor, CPU, Net and RAM Meters, and a 'fortune cookie' reader (with many more soon forthcoming) and you have an incredible utility you’ll soon find out you can’t be without. 

So what is new in Winstep Xtreme? Here is an highlight of just a few of its new features:


Per-pixel alpha support: this allows incredible eye candy effects and themes that will blow your mind! Everything can be semi-transparent - or have semi-transparent parts - blending smoothly with the background. You don't have to wait for Windows Vista: the next generation in User Interfaces is already here.

Task Snapshots: the NextSTART tasklist and WorkShelf's Tasks shelf display snapshots of the actual windows, which are automatically refreshed to keep the contents always up-to-date. Window snapshots make it much easier to identify documents in a taskbar filled with identical icons.

Image and Video Thumbnails: context menus allow you to visualize image and video files. This is extremely useful to help you identify specific pictures when, for instance, using NextSTART menus to browse your hard drives.

Send To, Open With, context menu options: NextSTART and WorkShelf context menus were already very powerful, but they lacked support for the important Send To and Open With sub-menus. Context menus now not only provide all the options you would expect to find on Explorer's context menus as they still manage to add a few more!

PNG Icon support: you can now use PNG files to specify object images. This is true for anything that previously only allowed ICO files, including menu items, shelf items, tasklist, module and quick launch icons, etc...

Special FX: lots of new special effects, such as icons zooming on selection, shifting to make room for items about to be dropped onto WorkShelf, plus incredible water ripple effect that makes the shelf behave like a liquid surface whenever you click on it, new sound events for emptying the recycler bin or dropping items into it, a mind warping 'ripple' menu animation, and more!

Proxy Support: transparent proxy support for all functions that depend on the Internet to work, like auto update, online cookie retrieval, and weather and email checking. No need to configure anything since proxy settings are automatically retrieved from Internet Explorer itself.

WorkShelf Hotkeys:  You can now open, activate shelves and run programs using nothing but the keyboard! All key combinations are system wide, WorkShelf does not need to have the focus for the hotkeys to work.

Desktop Modules Animation Support: This means that the email module can now display a rotating envelope whenever you have new mail, that the Recycler can light up like a furnace when you move items over it, and that Wanda can be given a new face.

There are literally HUNDREDS of other new features, changes and fixes, too many to list here. Become part of the Xtreme experience now and see for yourself!

Download: Winstep Xtreme (includes NextSTART v4.0, WorkShelf v2.0 and FontBrowser v 1.0)
26,782 views 51 replies
Reply #26 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've used both Winstep, now Winstep Xtreme, and Stardock's products for years and they complement each other. I much prefer the Nextstart component to ObjectBar and while I use Object Desktop for various things I still prefer the flexibility and low profile that Winstep provides.

The battle between the Workshelf component and ObjectDock is a tighter one. I'm running ObjectDock right now but each one has advantages in different areas.

I recommend you download the beta and explore. The number of configuration options for both Nextstart and Workshelf border on the insane. You can, pretty much, tweak things to your heart's content.
Reply #27 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The number of configuration options for both Nextstart and Workshelf border on the insane


That one statement is the key. Back in the day I spent forever getting OS/2 configured (with Object Desktop by some company called Stardock) just the way I wanted it. It took forever and there was always one more tweak possible, one last thing to do. In the end, I got burned out. I ended up going back to Windows because it couldn't be tweaked and I didn't spend all my time "optimizing" the GUI to fit my "needs".

{Of course, years later I am finding myself in the near (but more controlled) situation with ODNT. Maybe it is time for WinStep again }

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
Reply #28 from WinCustomize Forums Top
And speaking of tweaking things, there's something I would like to point out that can be a bit confusing for first time users, which originates in the fact that the NextSTART startbar is completely configurable, even allowing you to choose which mouse key does what when you click on a task button:

Although you can emulate the Windows behavior in the Mouse Settings section of NextSTART's Global Preferences, by default the right click on a task button behavior in NextSTART is to MINIMIZE a window, not to pop up a task context menu like Windows does. You can get this pop up (with all the Windows options plus quite a few extras) by CTRL+Right clicking the task button. Left clicking restores/brings the window forward and middle clicking closes it.

Although it can be confusing in the begining, once you get used to this you'll find it a much more efficient way to handle tasks - and, even if you don't, you can always change the mouse key settings so that they emulate Windows way of doing things.
Reply #29 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Mr Cherokee27 ...the link you posted is to a bootskin.  It downloads and extracts just fine...and has nothing to do with this thread what-so-ever....
Reply #30 from WinCustomize Forums Top

NextStart was the program that made me came in the skins scene. Was the first program that I skinned for and of my favorite applications so far. Other then that, Jorge Coelho aka JcRabbit, gives to his useras a wonderful users support.

For sure I will give a try on Winstep Xtreme!GO! GO!

 

Reply #31 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I still remember your first skin, Renato. In fact, I still have it here... but I promise I won't show it to anybody. hehe

Love your work!
Reply #32 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You can get no better recommendation than for Treetog to approve an application!
I have used NextStart for ages and would not be without it although I no longer spend time skinning it.
Thank you Jorge and keep up the good work
Reply #33 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Add one Windowblind plus one Rainlendar and you have the perfect recipe. (treetog, I hope you approve cuz I would love to see one more skin from you for Xtreme!)
Reply #34 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks for the link and heads up, Jorge...I've bookmarked your site and will check it out properly when I've a little more time. This proggie looks quite interesting and I'm definitely going to give it a try.
Reply #35 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I haven't run NextStart in ages....probably some antique ver, anyway....[I must con Jorge into an updated ver]...
Reply #36 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hehe. It's a bit different from what you remember it.

Anyway, ding dong, you've got mail.
Reply #37 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've been getting reports that NOD32 (http://www.eset.com/) flags NextSTART as having the NewHeur_PE virus. This is a FALSE positive and Eset has already been contacted about this. Do NOT worry, Winstep is NOT trying to take over your computers.
Reply #40 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It's free for you to use for 30 days.
Reply #41 from WinCustomize Forums Top
One more question I haven't been able to figure out. That startmenu replacement, is there any way of having the sub-menus expand just by hovering the mouse over the parent menu-item? I could only get it to expand when I clicked it. I really liked how the active menu changed appearance and different from the inactive ones, but I found it to akward to click each time to expand a menu.
Reply #42 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Go to Preferences. Click on Menu Preferences (first one). Check Menu Auto Drop Down. Now, go to Theme Preferences (the tuxedo) and save it.
Reply #43 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yes there is: open NextSTART Preferences and, on the Menu Preferences tab, select 'Auto Drop Down'. You can also specify the 'delay' before a menu automatically expands.
Reply #44 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yes, I'm aware there are currently problems (13:30 GMT) with the images and download link. Sorry. Looks like the pwp.netcabo.pt server just went offline. I already warned the people responsible about the situation and I hope it will be sorted out shortly.

In the mean time, you can download Winstep Xtreme directly from Winstep here:

http://www.winstep.net/xtreme.zip

and read more about it here:

http://www.winstep.net/news.asp
Reply #47 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Click on the link.
Reply #49 from WinCustomize Forums Top
No, you pay $24.95 ONLY if you are a previously registered Winstep user. Otherwise you have to pay $39.90.

The software is fully functional and you won't be bothered until the 15th day or so. After that, you start getting a shareware reminder, the frequency of which will increase the closer you get to your 30 day trial limit. Once that period has elapsed (more than enough if you are serious about purchasing software instead of just wanting a free ride) the software will disable itself.

I apologize for having to charge for the software (not!) but I do have to put food on my table, since Winstep is my only source of income. Sorry if my refusal to die of starvation is inconvenient to some people.