I have an AWSOME IDEA, need to know if it can be done
Saturday, September 13, 2003 by naitsirch79 | Discussion: Skinning
Ok for practicality purposes the desktop themes don't seem to practical. Meaning eventually your going to want to get to your desktop. I even saw one theme that was pretty funny because it was an icon of a messy desktop and coffee being spilt on it. This icon would take you to your desktop items. This is close to what I am talking about but no cigar.
What I think is a perfect and praticle application of this technology is a couple of things.
1. Your desktop is very important, the way it looks, feels and acts is important, so for most people eventually they will want to access their desktop items. Why? I have about 60+ items on my desktop, it is a mess but I know where everything is, sort of like a chaotic organization. So a button like some of the themes that I have seen, big and right in the middle, should link directly to your "original desktop setting". Now I am more of an artist than a coder so I don't know exactly how this would work, but I am venturing it has something to do with the "loading and unloading" of your desktopx envirenmont. Now on the other hand you should be able to go back as well.
2. What would be on your "intial desktopx envirenmont". My thing is this, when I boot my pc and log in I could see me using the themes instead of the environment. But this is going to have to be more customizable to the user. meaning I would like my outlook email, my dsl internet connection link, and a coupld of important folders I am always accessing to be on the front. I am thinking of a customizable media player that instead of playing media it would play .exe or some way or another but shortcuts right in the "object" so when they are pressed that application starts.
Now I coul be totally off my rocker and something like this could already be out there but I really haven't seen it. So if you guys and gals are feeling me in my quest of the "desktop II type atmosphere" lets work together and make something. I will be a better artist than coder so that is what I have to offer.
Thanks and this stuff is great.
What I think is a perfect and praticle application of this technology is a couple of things.
1. Your desktop is very important, the way it looks, feels and acts is important, so for most people eventually they will want to access their desktop items. Why? I have about 60+ items on my desktop, it is a mess but I know where everything is, sort of like a chaotic organization. So a button like some of the themes that I have seen, big and right in the middle, should link directly to your "original desktop setting". Now I am more of an artist than a coder so I don't know exactly how this would work, but I am venturing it has something to do with the "loading and unloading" of your desktopx envirenmont. Now on the other hand you should be able to go back as well.
2. What would be on your "intial desktopx envirenmont". My thing is this, when I boot my pc and log in I could see me using the themes instead of the environment. But this is going to have to be more customizable to the user. meaning I would like my outlook email, my dsl internet connection link, and a coupld of important folders I am always accessing to be on the front. I am thinking of a customizable media player that instead of playing media it would play .exe or some way or another but shortcuts right in the "object" so when they are pressed that application starts.
Now I coul be totally off my rocker and something like this could already be out there but I really haven't seen it. So if you guys and gals are feeling me in my quest of the "desktop II type atmosphere" lets work together and make something. I will be a better artist than coder so that is what I have to offer.
Thanks and this stuff is great.
Satans Child
Reply #2 Saturday, September 13, 2003 1:25 PM
Reply #2 Saturday, September 13, 2003 1:25 PM
DX already has those capabilities, load and unload DX, works all the time 
and I think instead of haveing all those icons on your desktop, a DX theme with a few dropdown menus is great and much nicer looking IMO 
and I think instead of haveing all those icons on your desktop, a DX theme with a few dropdown menus is great and much nicer looking IMO 
I.R. Brainiac
Reply #3 Saturday, September 13, 2003 2:51 PM
Reply #3 Saturday, September 13, 2003 2:51 PM
I dont have a single icon on my desktop.Everything I need is available from OD or the start menu.If i'm desparate I will put something in quicklaunch.How much more do you need?
naitsirch79
Reply #4 Saturday, September 13, 2003 4:35 PM
Reply #4 Saturday, September 13, 2003 4:35 PM
I understand what you guys are saying and I feel you. I don't think your seeing it from my point of view however. Now this isn't some rouge attempt to change the whole face of this program. It is to make it much more streamlined.
Now close your eyes and follow me.
I have 60 icons on my desktop. At any given time I can use anyone of them. But not always. I understand that the load and unload exists I am just saying to put it into functional buttons so that you can go back and forth between your desktop original version (wallpaper and all) and back to the desktopx with the core functions such as email, blah and etc.
I think the program can do that I just haven't seen any skins that do that. Also it is important for the user to be able to streamline the buttons as easy as possible.
Here is another cool object I wish someone could create... WindowsXP has the funtion where when you have many browsers up at once, it will put them into a scroll type folder on your taskbar. I hate this because it is so hard to go back to the website your trying to choose. Now while other browsers have taken the approach of putting the "tabs" on their browsers which makes it much better for navigation. A cool "object" would be for the IE browser or anybrowser to have a scrool wheel, sort of like the jaguar file selections system for Mac. But a round wheel that scrolls the different pages you have open... Just a thought.
Now close your eyes and follow me.
I have 60 icons on my desktop. At any given time I can use anyone of them. But not always. I understand that the load and unload exists I am just saying to put it into functional buttons so that you can go back and forth between your desktop original version (wallpaper and all) and back to the desktopx with the core functions such as email, blah and etc.
I think the program can do that I just haven't seen any skins that do that. Also it is important for the user to be able to streamline the buttons as easy as possible.
Here is another cool object I wish someone could create... WindowsXP has the funtion where when you have many browsers up at once, it will put them into a scroll type folder on your taskbar. I hate this because it is so hard to go back to the website your trying to choose. Now while other browsers have taken the approach of putting the "tabs" on their browsers which makes it much better for navigation. A cool "object" would be for the IE browser or anybrowser to have a scrool wheel, sort of like the jaguar file selections system for Mac. But a round wheel that scrolls the different pages you have open... Just a thought.
Satans Child
Reply #5 Saturday, September 13, 2003 4:44 PM
Reply #5 Saturday, September 13, 2003 4:44 PM
my thought would be to make an object/shortcut and link it to the unload DX and load DX. Only thing I can come up with, just more "crap" on your desktop IMO.
naitsirch79
Reply #6 Sunday, September 14, 2003 11:27 AM
Reply #6 Sunday, September 14, 2003 11:27 AM
hmmm, so your saying make an object shortcut to the unload and load. What is a good object shortcut that you reccomemend?
chadlachlanross
Reply #7 Sunday, September 14, 2003 1:06 PM
Reply #7 Sunday, September 14, 2003 1:06 PM
0 icons on the desktop, thank goodness. I use DesktopX to keep everything I need one click away.
Jafo
Reply #8 Tuesday, September 16, 2003 3:11 PM
Reply #8 Tuesday, September 16, 2003 3:11 PM
LiteSTEP can do this, of course.....perhaps a little more research is in order....
j dott
Reply #9 Thursday, September 25, 2003 2:34 AM
Reply #9 Thursday, September 25, 2003 2:34 AM
Just pick any picture you like, make it be the size you want. Go into DX, create a new object, change it to desktop x controller, unload dx. Change the image to your image. Click apply. Stick the image in the middle of the desktop, or in a corner or something. Go back to the object properties, states, transparency, and set the transparency to 0%. Now you have an invisible shortcut that you can click to get back to the desktop. On the desktop, put a DX program shortcut somewhere, click it, and you are back. Simple and uncluttered (since it seems that's why you like DX).
paxx
Reply #10 Thursday, September 25, 2003 5:19 AM
Reply #10 Thursday, September 25, 2003 5:19 AM
I'm with you naitsirch, I too have a very crowded desktop. I use my desktop as a folder to access files I work on. Anything I download, I download to the desktop. For every project I currently work on, I have them conveniently placed in a folder directly on my desktop.
I don't have any program shortcuts though. I use the start menu or quicklaunch for that. Just a whole bunch of documents and folders.
There is an option in Desktop X that allows you to use your normal desktop, that's what I use. I can still have all the other objects I want there, AND all my icons.
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Reply #1 Saturday, September 13, 2003 12:44 PM