ObjectDock Plus arrives on Friday!
Thursday, July 8, 2004 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News
ObjectDock is a freeware program that gives users the ability to easily manage their tasks and programs in a very slick way. It also supports plugins in the form of "docklets".
But...
Stardock has also been working on ObjectDock PLUS! The plus version features a ton of new features based off of our own use of ObjectDock and feedback from the thousands of ObjectDock users out there. Things that make ObjectDock Plus a very powerful yet simple program for turbo-charging your Windows desktop.
Check out this preview to get an idea of what's coming. ObjectDock Plus should be available in BETA form quite soon. It will cost $19.95 for new users or $14.95 for current Object Desktop users.
ObjectDock Plus supports multiple docks on the desktop of different styles (tabbed and untabbed)
Tabbed docks can have the system tray in them. Hold down the left mouse button on a system tray item and you can change its image.
Taskbar items can be grouped together like the default Windows taskbar.
Docks can be moved to the edge and then docked where only the tabs show until the mouse goes over them. The size of tabs and docks are controlled from the easy to use configuration dialog.
Example of having multiple tabbed docks with just the tabs showing.
Docks can be set up so that they're always on top (such as where the tabs show up on top of windows) or behave like normal windows that show up on top when you move your mouse to a specific position.
The tabs and dock backgrounds are skinnable. Use the ones in there or download more made by others. Change the color to any color you choose.
Organize your work as you like.
ObjectDock Plus supports Stardock fly-out menus (you have to see it in action to appreciate how cool this is). A great way to zip through graphic files drives, etc.
Manage your various docks through the ObjectDock Plus system tray item. Very straight forward to create and modify
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Reply #103 Friday, July 9, 2004 2:11 PM
Reply #104 Friday, July 9, 2004 2:22 PM
) be seen to be charging for it. If this was the only reason it was kept out of Object Desktop, why are we now seeing an 'improved' version being released as a commercial product in its own right? This seems to be in complete contradiction to previous statements.Reply #105 Friday, July 9, 2004 2:33 PM
Reply #106 Friday, July 9, 2004 2:35 PM
Reply #107 Friday, July 9, 2004 2:37 PM
TaoX, I had that same thought but didn't want to jinx things by mentioning it.
If not, I may just have to spend the $14.95 to get this on my desktop. 
Either way, I'm axnious to check out the beta.Reply #109 Friday, July 9, 2004 3:08 PM
Reply #110 Friday, July 9, 2004 3:19 PM
subscribers) for what is a VERY nice piece of software. I'm more than willing to put out the $15 for
this it's a well-crafted program that I'll enjoy using for two reasons: 1) it gives me another option
for grouping icons and tray items and 2) it gives me something new to play with. I'm forever playing
with the potential of DesktopX and IP, and this is a new toy for me. Granted, it's a well-put-together
toy with quite a bit of usefulness. I'll be picking this up tomorrow.
Reply #112 Friday, July 9, 2004 3:52 PM
Therefore it should be included in ODNT.
Reply #113 Friday, July 9, 2004 4:25 PM
Reply #114 Friday, July 9, 2004 4:29 PM
I can't wait til its released... It says that it will be available for purchase on Friday, but it doesn't specify which Friday...Can you specify on that...
Keep up the great work and once again can't for to use it....
Reply #115 Friday, July 9, 2004 4:29 PM
it could be called Stardock SKIN-Central and would come with a two year sub not just one.
because all of these applications ODnt + CursorXP + BootSKIN + ObjectDock ALL involve skins or skining of some format, that why i partially agree that there should at least be an option to purchase ALL skin related (either skin making or skin using including objectdock because i consider the themes for it "skins", no matter its functional purpose.
these "skins" for all these stardock applications are what make them a profitable application.
if you couldnt change what windows looked like with WB except for what it came bulit in with no one would buy it period.
if you couldnt change your cursors except for what comes built in with CursorXP no one would buy it period.
if you couldnt change your startup screen except for ones built in with BootSkin no one would buy it period.
To Frogboy, ill say this, bootskin and objectdock may not fit into your vision of what object dekstop is then i feel it has been incorrectly advertised, clear or not, because of the majority of the applications it does contain common sense says that it is a skin based suite of applications so when you tell us customers that you have created another new program that involves skins or skining in generals terms its like a slap in the face to common sense and just doesnt fit.
Now i did say u would pay $120 for the all inclusive package and two years of subscription.
ill explain this a bit.
the 120 i think is fair for all of that and since WinCustomize is basicly "Stardock in disguise" then i belive it fits into the skin based suit because thats the connection to the skins themselves.
The reason i say it should be a two year sub is that with all these apps out now being worked on tested released and bug fixed each individual application suffers at the hands of the others because work time is being spread farther and farther between all these apps,
one year just isnt enough anymore because updates/new features and bug fixes for individual apps are far and few between now adays compared to a few years ago.
now i have have already spent 50 for ODNT plus i renewed it twice last time jsut days ago so thats $130
i have also bought Wincust sub for 20$ + one renewal so thats 40 and its about to run out so add another 20 to make 60
130 + 60 = 190 over 2 years, and realy its not worth that but yet i continue to pay because without an active subscription if i had lets say a hard drive crash and lost what i downlaoded through SDC i can no longer install the apps i have boughten and im loyal. (ps i hate styleXP)
so yes ODNT is a bargin for all that you get, however because you cannot download and install the apps unless you have an active sub you are sacrificing a great deal for the "bargin" of the suit of apps.
I would like to work out a compromise between getting it all and being fair to Stardock, but that goes both ways Stardock also has to be fair to customers.
if it were up to me like if i won a billion dollars i would buy out Stardock and try to get it both ways simply because i hate it when people something is not possible,probable or viable.
So to end my rant/opinion
i say lets work together and figure soemthing out because i fear what might happen to one of my favorite software companies and my favorite community on the web if things go south for either side.
Reply #116 Friday, July 9, 2004 4:39 PM
Reply #117 Friday, July 9, 2004 4:42 PM
1) yes you can have multiple non-tabbed docks
and 2) yep old skins can be used in the new version on the new tabbed docks... if the skin doesn't provide tabs of its own the default will be used. Also, a new skinning guide has been made available with the program to help artists along with the new abilities.
-
hah and thanks everyone for the backing, yeah you definitely already get one big bang for your buck with ObjectDesktop as is... ObjectDock's perfect niche as a new program is on its own.
i'm excited for you all to be able to try out the new program!! hope it works well for you all
-Jeff
Reply #118 Friday, July 9, 2004 4:58 PM
go to http://www.objectdock.com
Reply #119 Friday, July 9, 2004 5:01 PM
, (despite i'm OD subscriber since years...) is that everyting is always "on development"....- WB is in alpha version since a while ...
- IconPackager is not really fixed ...
- Icondeveloper and SkinStudio are not fixed for Win98 (yep i know, development for Win98 is not a priority, but as they are still in beta version for XP, the troubles becoming under WIN98 should be analyzed ...)
Okay, Stardock has always counted on OD subscribers to help to find bugs and fix them, but somewhere, at a time, I think, Stardock should release Progs when really FIXED and /or if in beta version, for free ...
Reply #120 Friday, July 9, 2004 5:07 PM
At the end of the day, I think most people would prefer that programs like ObjectDock Plus be made.
And the only way programs like ObjectDock Plus can be made (by Stardock anyway) is if they are available stand alone. As much as some people would like it to be part of Object Desktop, I think people can understand at some level that we would have it in there if we could afford to.
If Product A generates X in revenue then we can only spend Y amount on it. It's really as straight forward as that. If Y exceeds X then eventually the product dies.
I think the most important feature of Object Desktop is that it is constantly improving, evolving. Regular updates across the board with occasional new components thrown in there. And the only reason why that's possible ix because we keep X greater than Y.
I will say this, we will look seriously at putting together some sort of PowerUser bundle where the user would get Object Desktop + WinCustomize subscription + CursorXP + ObjectDock Plus + some other goodies for say $89.95. But we'll have to put some thought into that.
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Reply #101 Friday, July 9, 2004 1:47 PM
This is a trend I'm seeing increasingly these days, of a subscription-based product with free upgrades being 'ignored' when a 'plus' version of the product is released.
At the very least you should probably remove the word 'Object' from the product name, simply because it lumps it together with Object Bar, Object Zip, Object Sweeper and Object Edit, all of which are part of Object Desktop. It's confusing for your customers, and some would say intentionally misleading. While the product was freeware it didn't cause any harm, as ODNT subscribers could still download the full software, but now it's gone commercial it would make sense.
Incidentally, I would still consider purchasing this 'plus' version for maybe $10, but I'd still feel a little cheated in the process.