DesktopX Pro released!

http://www.desktopx.net
from WinCustomize Forums
For Immediate Release:

DesktopX Pro allows developers to create and distribute desktop objects as stand alone programs
Stardock releases DesktopX 2.0 Professional

LIVONIA, MI (November 19, 2003) — Software developer Stardock Corp. released DesktopX Professional today. DesktopX is a program that allows users and developers to create powerful desktop objects that can perform a variety of tasks. These objects can be combined together to build entire desktops or be used on their own.

DesktopX Professional contains all the features of DesktopX with a single addition: DesktopX Professional can export objects as stand alone applications. These applications are a single .EXE. No support files, no run times, just a single file that will run on Windows 98, ME, 2000, or Windows XP.

This ability can decrease development time on small applications from months to literally minutes. That’s because DesktopX is already designed to make creating desktop “widgets” very easy. Turning these “widgets” into applications takes only a few seconds.

Here are some of the features DesktopX includes:

• Replacement of desktop icons with objects that can be of any size, have shadows and react to mouse events.

• Built in visual system monitoring such as resource usage, CPU monitoring, disk space meters, Internet traffic graphs, and visual graphing of all readouts from Microsoft’s built in performance monitoring APIs (i.e. hundreds of local and network resources can be visually monitored without any programming).

• Full support for animation and alpha blending. Using a strip of .BMP or .PNG files, users can set the frame rate and play animations right on their desktop.

• Integrated support for both VBScript and Javascript which includes a powerful programmer’s editor. Developers can quickly access information and data from their network or via the Internet and display it on screen using industry standard scripting languages.

• Built in security allows users to lock down their desktops incrementally. DesktopX can be used to build kiosks, publicly accessible terminals or secure home family desktops.

• Direct support for COM/Active X controls. Users can access any ActiveX control on the system and use them to create a corporate or home desktop environment. These controls act just like any other DesktopX object and can have scripts attached to them to control their behavior.

These are features in addition to the key feature of DesktopX 2 Professional – application creation. For software developers, exporting DesktopX objects as applications is the feature of focus.

A free version of DesktopX is available at http://www.desktopx.net which allows for objects to be exported as packed objects for distribution (they require DesktopX). DesktopX Professional enables the exporting of objects as stand-alone applications.

See Sample programs and more information on DesktopX Pro at:
https://www.stardock.com/products/desktopx/pro.asp


More information & video demos at: https://www.stardock.com/products/desktopx/info.asp

# # #

DesktopX 2.0 Professional
$499
DesktopX home page: http://www.desktopx.net

DesktopX 2 Enhanced
$19.95 (and is also part of Object Desktop)

Free version of DesktopX at: http://www.desktopx.net/downloads.asp

Stardock Corp.
17292 Farmington Rd.
Livonia MI 48152
Phn: (734) 762-0687
Fax: (734) 762-0690
Web: https://www.stardock.com
15,762 views 26 replies
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
"DesktopX Professional enables the exporting of objects as stand-alone applications"

This would let a company create a stand-alone GUI and then distribute it for sale or with a given product as a promotion. Think Nintendo with Pixtudio's skins or Microsoft with the Skins Factory using Windowblinds.

So lwswat54, that means that for the price it is a steal.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I wish I could turn a couple of my DX objects into stand alone programs, but I couldn't even begin to think about $500. This is like taunting us users that don't have our own companies. Now I have to try and come up with a business plan, and everything. How unfair is that?
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Frugus, I do have a company but it's still way too much money for me.
Get me right: I would love to have some of those wonderful desktop objects running without having the whole load of DesktopX weighing down on my CPU. However, skinning, messing with icons and widgets, trying to create new desktop interfaces is *fun*. I seriously doubt if any of the ObjectDesktop fans (and I count myself among them) is going to fork out that kind of money just for 'fun'. To them being locked out of a admittedly great feature like the stand-alone objects is not just 'taunting' but annoying.
Professional developers on the other hand are going to say: oh, yes, nice these widgets, but I got to have an online database running this time tomorrow, so I'll stick with .NET and C#, thank you very much.
And if I'd have a large company, the very last thing I'd do is have everybody's desktop run riot with floating clocks, zipp-ah-dee-doodah icons and what not. I'd like them to do their work, and for that they'd probably just need MS-Word and Outlook (or OpenOffice, of course).
Which leaves the niche of those companies who have to invent exotic GUIs for movies etc. Well, if they're going to help keep Stardock afloat, I suppose we ought to be thankful to them. (Thanks guys.) Although - they could make those interfaces without the stand alone widget feature, so why should they fork out an extra $500 dollar?

I'd just like to ask Stardock if they could stop bothering us ordinary folk (with ordinary wallets) and OD-fans with nice things we'll never going to get anyway *OR* find some middle way - give us stand alone DesktopX objects without having to pay an arm and a foot for it.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
You have got to be kidding $500.00! I guess I am playing baseball in the wrong park OUCH!
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
DXP isn't designed for the user......

though it would be cool to have some of the objects to share as promo for Object desktop in an exe formatt...
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

.


You know how much Flash costs? Flash MX Pro is $700. But I mean, who uses Flash right? Flash Authorware is $3000. DesktopX Pro isn't like Flash of course but the ability to create things very quickly is worth quite a bit.


Stardock also sells a product called DirectSkin. For $9,000. All it does is allow developers to make applications skinnable. And we sell quite a bit of them.


Object Desktop users don't need DX Pro -- they have DesktopX. They can use DesktopX objects. But a company looking to provide a quickie application without having to deal with any special DLLs or runtimes or whatever, $500 is nothing.


Some people just don't seem to be aware of how much things cost out there in the real world. Adobe Acrobat is $100. It just creates documents. That's it.  Adobe Atmosphere is $400. Photoshop is $649.


Point is, stuff that creates professional content costs real money. It's not meant for personal use, it's meant for professional developers.

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think it's a good idea. by that i mean for stardock, i don't think it's too practical. personally I stay away form DesktopX because of the devolopment/object editing environment. I just don't like it. It's too convulted (i think that's the word I want...). i find another destop replacement program much easier to create with. i won't name names tho... plus desktop x is too slow to load and heavy on resources.

I've been thinking of whipping up some performance meters and whatnot in .NET as freeware. it's not hard. you can have alpha blending and all that too if you want it.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

VI, I kind of suspect you haven't used DesktopX recentlyif you think it's heavy on resources and is convoluted. DesktopX 2 is totally different from DesktopX 1.


 

Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

BTW, how much did Visual Studio.net cost you? It lists for over $1000.


I can make performance meters that are alpha blended with DesktopX Pro in less than 5 minutes. Now, if you bought just Visual Studio C++ you can get that for "only" $109. How long would it take you to create your alpha blended performance meters? Probably more than 5 minutes. Remember, DesktopX Pro doesn't require any compilers.


What if you wanted to put together a Flash game that included other information around the edges of the game? How long would that take to do?

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
WHAT A CRAPPY PRICE TAG!!! i'd never pay that much for a desktop customization when theres tonns of freewares out there to use!! totally not worth it... at first i thought it was a typo for 49.95, cuz then i would say, yeah, its worth it, but 500 big ones?? nasty..
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The reason I'd like the DX stand alone objects is because I run Litestep, and I often try using DX, and Litestep together, but it's just a total pain in the ass with them fighting over right click menus, and z-order issues. I'd assume that those problems wouldn't be an issue if DX wasn't running for the objects.

Actually that is the only reason I'd use DXP (if I had the cash to fork out for it.) I do not dispute that it's a quite powerful bit of software, that would give companies the potential to make some very interesting products, but it's sounds like Stardock is saying "We're charging big money for it because we can. It's just as good as all the other expensive stuff." That's fine and all, but it's just not what us Object Desktop subscribers are used to hearing.

It's kind of disssapointing that such a great feature on a program that many of us have grown to love, is completely out of our reach. Even though the introduction of DesktopX Pro is a reason to celebrate, I think a lot of people will end up being dissapointed with the news.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
geeps, you missed the point entirely. it's not intended for people to buy for desktop customization. the free version and enhanced version are for desktop customization, and both of those are under your pricetag. the pro version is intended for companies to buy to make professional applications. it's of just about no use to a home user anyway. just run your objects in desktopx and it will be no different.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Frugus: You don't have to have DesktopX themes take over your desktop.


You could run DesktopX with just a single object on your desktop. The Pro version would do nothing for you over the free version in fact.


So you coudl have Litestep running and just bring in some DesktopX objects and it would behave the same as if they were stand alone programs. And in fact, DesktopX 2.1 will allow Object Desktop users to run .EXEs that use the existing DesktopX as its run time (i.e. you'll have to have DesktopX installed but you'll be running .exe's).


I've written an article that tries to shed some light on the costs of software:


 https://www.joeuser.com/index.asp?AID=1312

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Considering that Geeps hasn't even purchased any of the desktop customization programs here (nor submitted any skins) I don't think Geeps view is particularly valuable on this topic.


Based on current sales, I would be surprised if DesktopX Pro hasn't reached six figures in sales by the end of the year. Software Developers, as in, people who get created to make software, can definitely see the value.


Heck, we're already using it to create custom software for large companies.

Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Dear Frogboy,

I know perfectly well what Photoshop does and costs, I read your article and I think you are, rationally speaking, for the full hundred percent absolutely, perfectly, mind-bogglingly right, but ... also a bit naive, in a way that reminds me of the techies and engineers described in the Dilbert books. (The books, not the cartoons.) To a varying extend selling things is about rational arguments, but the cardinal sin in salesmanship is antagonizing customers, for if you do that, it's totally irrelevant if your selling points are valid or not. You may have a point, but if you're not getting it across because you annoyed people emotionally into 'near outrage', you might as well be doing something else. 'Near outrage' among your customers isn't something to be very smug about, whether they are right or not.

It may be that the big companies and not us stupid 'blissfully unaware' little people are paying your mortgage, but I don't think it's a good idea at all to rub that in here, as happy as you may be with your baby.

That being said, I am using the clock (it really was something I was waiting and looking for, thanks), the fish is happily swimming away, and I was in fact thinking of a runtime .exe when I said 'some middle way' in my earlier posting. Just don't wait too long with it.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think it looks like a great tool for businesses and developers. However, maybe it wasn't a particularly good idea to post about a version of the application in such a widely visable spot here - to where I suspect the membership is largely end-users. And no, I don't have any skins up yet - I'm a new Object Desktop subscriber and I'm seriously trying to shake the addiction it's caused me

Frogboy, I totally appreciate the value I've gotten in buying OD. I see lots of late nights making skins in my future - um, like this one - .
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Brad, I really appreciate your comments on this issue (not like I really had a problem with the $500 tag in the first place). But your thoughts definitely clear the air. I hope that you sell tons of them and all of you at Stardock end up multi-millionares. Personally, DXPro isn't valuable to me, but I'm sure it is to a company that sees $500 as an investment, not a lot of green. All I do know is that I enjoy customizing with my computer and OD has allowed me to do that. I'll definitely spend the money on OD, a Wincustomize Subscription and other exclusive suites. It's a blast and you deserve all the money in the world. Keep it up and ignore the crap of others!
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
People are so silly!!!!!!!

Let's analyze what's actually going on here:

#1. DesktopX is FREE!!!!!! You can make an object and tell people you know to install desktopX and run your object.

#2. Even with a fancy "DX Object as an EXE" It's still going to need the same program running in the background on the computer. The EXE packaging is not removing pieces of the main DX infrastructure. The only thing it would be missing would be object editing tools and configuration dialogs.

#3. The only thing this version buys you is the ability to distribute objects to other people without them downloading and installing the full DesktopX.

If you dont have a need to give OTHER PEOPLE DesktopX objects that are "no think" then you have no need for this $500 application.
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top

mikhailk 


We are on a skinning site where most of the content is created with Photoshop, a $649 program. Assuming that they're all not pirating it, multi-hundred dollar programs are not unusual to people visiting this site.

Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
"VI, I kind of suspect you haven't used DesktopX recentlyif you think it's heavy on resources and is convoluted. DesktopX 2 is totally different from DesktopX 1."

actually, i used DX2. maybe it's just my system (doubtful) but it does run slow. and i still do not like the object properties dialog and all that. another thing i dislike is i haven't seen any good themes. i mean there's a LOT of themes, but not many are USEFUL. having a good looking theme is one thing, having a useful GUI is another.


"BTW, how much did Visual Studio.net cost you? It lists for over $1000."

er, well, nothing. just a long-ass time downloading on my 56k...

i am a software developer so i understand how piracy affects sales, but big companies overprice software. like i use Flash MX for one of my websites. there's no way i'm going to, or even could, pay $700-$800 for it. so i'm obviously not buying it, but there's no reason i shouldn't be able to have a little flash menu on my site... and so why use a sub-par flash authoring program instead which would still cost about $100? the sub-par app, like Swish, isn't worth the money either cause it sucks.

i mean i buy CDs when i can and i buy my PS2 games, but paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for something i can't and won't do.

now in my case, one of the programs i sell is $20. in almost 2 years i've sold 5 or 6. starting a year ago the app sends back registration info to the server. since then i've logged nearly 500 people using pirated serials. now, $20 can be afforded by anyone... it's totally different. i sell for as low as i can, and if i could they'd all be free, but i hafta make a little bit of money.

Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Price is outragous. there's no reason to price it that high. I love object desktop and it's programs but this is the one program I don't use. Theres barely any good skins/themes for it. and the program is constantly crashing..(yes I have a brand new system that is a 3ghz machine) I can't believe they are charging this much for this program that still isn't doing much.

But thats just my thoughts..
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I like the idea, expecially in certain parts such as making alpha-blended items, which is hell in vb. Yes, I tried to add alphablending support to XXCalc in old days.