ObjectDock 2.0 Beta Feedback

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 by Island Dog | Discussion: ObjectDock

ObjectDock 2.0 beta went out today to customers who have pre-ordered.  To keep some order in the forums, lets try to consolidate some of the feedback into this thread.

If you are posting an issue please be as descriptive as possible so we can address it if possible.  Thanks for your feedback and enjoy!

 

March 30:

Beta Release

 

July 29th:

Beta v1.98 released

https://www.wincustomize.com/article/389526/

 

First Previous Page 17 of 23 Next Last
Activation
Reply #321 Monday, May 24, 2010 3:45 PM

WebGizmos

If you want them vertical, dock it to the top of the screen.


How is that going to make the text vertical?

 

+1

 

 

Activation
Reply #322 Monday, May 24, 2010 3:59 PM

Another criticism that I would do:

there are no function to import / export, which would generate a backup file of all that can put so much time has to be done, by example if we want the same shortcuts and etc. ... (include icons) see on a second computer at a third for example

WebGizmos
Reply #323 Monday, May 24, 2010 4:04 PM

Quoting WebGizmos,
reply 319

If you want them vertical, dock it to the top of the screen.


How is that going to make the text vertical?



+1

The answer was it's not.

natas2
Reply #324 Monday, May 24, 2010 5:23 PM

WebGizmos

Quoting WebGizmos,
reply 319

If you want them vertical, dock it to the top of the screen.


How is that going to make the text vertical?



+1




The answer was it's not.

And if it did, it would look goofy.

Roybe62
Reply #325 Monday, May 24, 2010 6:21 PM

Frogboy

Anyway, this is probably way more info than any of you guys were looking for but it gives you a peek inside.  

 

Actually I have to agree with others! This information for me is vital! I don't beta often, but most times I have, there is a daily give and take/acknowledgement through forums that 'message is received'.  I'm sorry to hear the hiring issues are as dire as they are right now for you guys.  This adjusts my attitude considerably!  Looking forward to Beta 2 in the future!

 

 

Randall30
Reply #326 Tuesday, May 25, 2010 9:40 AM

Beta 1 of any software always lacks features then beta 2 adds them. Beta 3 will improve on everything and hammer down all the features that will make up the finale or retail version.

 

Then RC 1 and RC 2 will have little tweaks. This is how most software is made so stop saying it is lacking everything it a beta. I would say if Beta 2 or 3 doesn't have all the features of 1,92 then complain. I mainly want to import my theme.

Wizard1956
Reply #327 Wednesday, May 26, 2010 11:39 AM

Silver Fox, Speedy trays and other trays as well, bottom of screen, auto distance from edge,always on top.

With the bubble effect applied, resizing the icons causes OD to crash. No crashes with any other effect applied. 

SimplexDesigns
Reply #328 Tuesday, June 1, 2010 9:09 PM

There is an issue with the preserve edge feature. Sometimes it does not preserve the edge, windows will expand over the preserved area. When I unload it and open it back up it works fine again. Is it me or does it happen to other people to?

losarturos
Reply #329 Thursday, June 3, 2010 11:30 AM

Why such a configuration window is small and can not enlarge it? Subtitles do not fit. And I can't add the flyout menu or any menu. Not folder as the menu.

MichaelG04
Reply #330 Thursday, June 3, 2010 5:06 PM

anarkys
I stand corrected.  I was counting months not weeks.  We still have issues that need to be addressed.  I love the new features of OD 2.0 but overall I feel this was an alpha release.  Old features missing with no explanation why.  No news on updates when asked several times in this thread.  All we are asking for is news on a product we like and want to support other then we have no further information or no idea when we will address these issues. 

what new features?  there are less features than object dock 1.9, this is a pre-alpha release if anything

MichaelG04
Reply #331 Thursday, June 3, 2010 5:07 PM

Frogboy
There's a host of things that ObjectDock 2 still needs that are present in v1.9 like the one you mention Madine.  There's a lot of moving parts and it seems like there's always fewer people available who can do this kind of work.

One of the most serious challenges to desktop enhancement development these days is the sheer lack of development talent available. You can't just hire software developers to do this kind of specialized work.  And nowadays, all the "tinkerers" are making iPhone/Android gizmos.

One of the real ironies of desktop customization is that its decline (in terms of new stuff) has less to with a decreasing demand but more from a problem of a readily available supply of developers able and willing to work on it.

Jeff Bargmann not only is the primary ObjectDock developer but also the lead on Fences, Impulse, and Impulse::Reactor and that's not counting the Dell and HP projects he leads.

We (Jeff, myself and others at Stardock) always assumed we would just be able to hire more people to do this kind of thing. But you can't write desktop enhancements in .NET. It's all very low level (and I can't believe I'm calling this low level) Win32 stuff.

The same problem exists with DesktopX btw.  It kills me.  

It's not just a Stardock issue of course.  RocketDock hasn't been updated in I don't know how long (v1.3 came out at the start of 2007). Yahoo Widgets (formerly Konfabulator) hasn't been updated in about 3 years.

Thank god for Neil (lead on WindowBlinds and DeskScapes).  But even Neil gets stretched.  We have a next generation WindowFX in development and it's development pace is glacial as well.

Internally we have a half dozen projects that are in various states of completion. 3D virtual desktops. A XAML based DesktopX prototype. Fences itself was a prototype for something like 4 years before it finally went into beta.

Anyway, this is probably way more info than any of you guys were looking for but it gives you a peek inside.  

i'm still waiting on the winFX update for vista that was promised 3 years ago

MichaelG04
Reply #332 Thursday, June 3, 2010 5:13 PM

Randall30
Beta 1 of any software always lacks features then beta 2 adds them. Beta 3 will improve on everything and hammer down all the features that will make up the finale or retail version.

 

Then RC 1 and RC 2 will have little tweaks. This is how most software is made so stop saying it is lacking everything it a beta. I would say if Beta 2 or 3 doesn't have all the features of 1,92 then complain. I mainly want to import my theme.

nope, beta is when you stop adding features and start testing them on a bigger scale, alpha is where u add features.  this beta actually takes features away so to me, pre-alpha release

 

the biggest issue here is the lack of developer communication, lack of information on planned features.  other free docks are better, and nexus dock makes object dock 2 look ancient in terms of features and that gets regular updates, from a one man team.  there needs to be better developer/consumer discussion going on so we know that our ideas are heard, adn we know what ideas the developer has.  stardock is just getting stretched too thin and can't keep up with things they promise, as has been seen over the past several years since vista release.  some apps never even received vista compatible versions that had dates set on them.

MichaelG04
Reply #333 Thursday, June 3, 2010 5:16 PM

Frogboy

Quoting anarkys, reply 294
Quoting Dewie, reply 267
Understood, but is it at least being actively worked on? Or has poor JB been moved back on Impulse again?


I don't have the information you seek. I can tell you that Jeff is always busy with multiple projects, though. That doesn't mean he isn't going to set aside time for working on OD+ 2 in the future. When specifically, though, I don't know.


Seriously....  You been collecting money and promoting this as active and "COMING SOON" for months.  We have a buggy and dodgy as hell beta release.  Yes I understand beta and what it means.  It also means its being actively worked on. It has been 2 months since beta went live.  There should have been at least 1-3 builds released at the very least by now adressing the above mentioned issues in this thread.  Please get to work on what you promised and collected our money for.

Also where is developer feedback to our concerns and issues other then Dewie playing press secretary for Impulse/Stardock on why its stagnant on development.
It should be pointed out that it is not the norm to have some sort of weekly beta drop.

Elemental, Stardock's biggest project right now, has been in Beta 1 since last October.  This is the norm in software development.  We have been tracking and looking at the bug reports as people have made them.  We don't have a dedicated person to respond on the forums (unfortunately) for ObjectDock but we will try to be better on this going forward.

We anticipate the ObjectDock 2 beta going well through Summer and into Fall with beta 2 in the Summer and Beta 3 during the fall.

 

did u just compare the development of a fully fledged PC game, to a PC dock app?  thats priceless

fatindian
Reply #334 Friday, June 4, 2010 5:34 PM

Because every one knows that the release cycle of a game is so vastly different from the release cycle of an application. 

Someone refund this guy's money just so we can be free of his nonsensical whining.

 

c242
Reply #335 Saturday, June 5, 2010 10:50 AM

Someone refund this guy's money just so we can be free of his nonsensical whining.

I am sick of people calling others that have valid points of criticism 'whiners', just because some people  can't stand the truth.

MichaelG04
Reply #336 Saturday, June 5, 2010 5:22 PM

fatindian
Because every one knows that the release cycle of a game is so vastly different from the release cycle of an application. 

Someone refund this guy's money just so we can be free of his nonsensical whining.

 

wow, never remember asking for money back

SimplexDesigns
Reply #337 Thursday, June 10, 2010 12:44 AM

There should be a cover flow effect when hovering  over an item in the dock.

gajets
Reply #338 Thursday, June 10, 2010 2:14 PM

 

this is nice and dandy,

 Some are complaining about problems in the beta over a few months, I reported a set of problems with object dock 1.9  to support OVER 2 years ago, and they are still here, even in this newest of new version 2.0 beta.  

 WHEN will you fix the multiple visual problems that show up when using a multiple monitor setup.

IE: when set to autohide on the edge between two monitors, the bar just moves from one monitor to the next, but nothing is selectable when in this visibly "hidden" state!! the bars should disapear, not move to the other mointor, I would think that this should not be all that hard too fix since it works correctly on  the "tabbed" bars, it is just wrong on the "animated" bars.

Also there is the problem with the seperator bars between the groups on the animated bars that show up in the wrong/different monitor than the monitor that the bar is actually put on { and in this case, it does not even hide the seperators when the bar is "hidden"}.  

and a new additional problem, just for version 2.0 that does not happen in 1.9 at all.  if you have 3 monitors, you are only allowed to put the animated bar on monitor 1 or 3 , it lets you select monitor 2, but it just goes ahead and puts it on monitor 3 anyway.

 

I may be whiny , but since I paid for this over 2 years ago, and then paid again for an update to 2.0 , Is it really too much to ask of them to fix ugly visual problems in the real usage world, before they spend time prettying up the setup screen and making feature that are only bells and wistles worthy?

 the tool is actually fantastic and I use it a lot, but I think it is rediculous that with 12 monitor edges available, there are only 3 places that an animated toolbar will work right for me.

 

MAMeingast
Reply #339 Friday, June 11, 2010 6:19 AM

I've been using OD2 Beta for several weeks now and I've generally grown quite fond of it. Yes, there are some bugs here and there (already mentioned in this thread by others), but on the whole I like it!

 

There is one feature I would like to request though (if there is some other place where new features are supposed to be requested, please point me there... I didn't find anything): Please expand the ability to hide specific icons of running apps (as currently is the case for tray icons) to the taskbar! As I have pointed out here, this feature would be necessary for OD to work as a real taskbar replacement without redundant icons. As it is already possible to remove an icon from the list of open windows by right-clicking it, choosing Dock Options and then "Remove Icon", the only thing missing to implement my requested feature is a "list" in which OD can remember which windows to hide so they don't reappear next session.

 

https://forums.stardock.com/383731
AlmanME
Reply #340 Saturday, June 12, 2010 12:52 AM

Running Win 7 Professional 64bit on HP laptop with 8GB RAM

Couple of bugs

Just upgraded to v2 Beta

Like it overall, still learning my way through it.

Two apparent bugs so far.

1.  configuration window text is cramped and run together.  Can be expanded vertically, but not horizontally which is more of the problem.  Text is truncated or overlaps and hard to read.  Have to guess at what menu items say or just click on them to explore.

2.  Sometimes a program is closed but stays on the dock as an open program only w/o an icon.  Right now in the "open windows" portion of the main dock, there is a blank space like an extra separator.  Mousing over it brings up a blank zoom with the name FileZilla.  Problem is, FileZilla closed half and hour ago.  Clicking either right or left mouse buttons does nothing, no menus, nothing.   This is the second time this happened this evening.  Early instance disappeared after a reboot.

 

Thank you for your hard work.

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