DesktopX 2 is going to be soooo cool!
Saturday, April 12, 2003 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
Been playing with some of the new internal builds of DesktopX 2. The underlying graphics engine has been completely replaced by a whole new technology called DirectGUI.
Whereas with DesktopX 1 your objects, when put together, were never very...well they never felt like a single unit, in DesktopX 2, when you put together a complex object, it's a real thing.
Imagine being able to make a Windows Media PLayer or Winamp 3 level object visually and in function but without having to mess with XML or anything else, just draw it up and put the pieces together.
And that's just one example. I'll try to write something up more later on but this stuff is really exciting. It's like being back in the early days of skinning when it was all new and fresh again. The possibilities that DesktopX 2 based technology bring to skinners is tremendous.
Whereas with DesktopX 1 your objects, when put together, were never very...well they never felt like a single unit, in DesktopX 2, when you put together a complex object, it's a real thing.
Imagine being able to make a Windows Media PLayer or Winamp 3 level object visually and in function but without having to mess with XML or anything else, just draw it up and put the pieces together.
And that's just one example. I'll try to write something up more later on but this stuff is really exciting. It's like being back in the early days of skinning when it was all new and fresh again. The possibilities that DesktopX 2 based technology bring to skinners is tremendous.
snarph
Reply #2 Saturday, April 12, 2003 7:27 PM
Reply #2 Saturday, April 12, 2003 7:27 PM
WIll it be one of "those" things where it hits for every one at the same time or will it be like WB4?
MadIce
Reply #3 Saturday, April 12, 2003 7:32 PM
Reply #3 Saturday, April 12, 2003 7:32 PM
I don't get it either. I am responsible for SDPlayer/ObjectMedia, but I don't support any of these players.
Frogboy
Reply #4 Saturday, April 12, 2003 7:51 PM
Reply #4 Saturday, April 12, 2003 7:51 PM
No, I'm saying that DesktopX 2 using DirectGUI is powerful enough to create media players that visually are as good as WMP or Winamp 3. You would use ObjectMedia to power them though.
We're just talking skinning ability.
With DesktopX 1, someone trying to create an MP3 player with ObjectMedia would find that the various pieces didn't flow together very well because DesktopX 1 couldn't draw them together.
We're just talking skinning ability.
With DesktopX 1, someone trying to create an MP3 player with ObjectMedia would find that the various pieces didn't flow together very well because DesktopX 1 couldn't draw them together.
joetheblow
Reply #5 Saturday, April 12, 2003 11:57 PM
Reply #5 Saturday, April 12, 2003 11:57 PM
I hope some one comes with a good example of this working when it comes out. I would love to take a look at how it works when it works.
MadIce
Reply #6 Sunday, April 13, 2003 2:03 AM
Reply #6 Sunday, April 13, 2003 2:03 AM
With DXPlayer you were able to control ObjectMedia (Stardocks media player) by adding individual objects (like a play button or equalizer fader). When you designed a full featured player that has a lot of these objects (lets say 30 or 40 or more) then one could see "after images" while dragging the object and one could see some CPU usage increase. Therefore DX1 was limited to simple player objects. With the new technology all these side effects are gone, CPU usage has been reduced significantly and you can create more complex objects.
Not only the player will benifit from this. You can now make complex themes that are faster, use less CPU and move smooth.
Example: Try making a tray with 25 or more buttons. If you move that tray you will see all those buttons follow the tray and leave a small trail behind (the "after images"). It also makes the CPU work harder. This of course has to do with CPU intensive operations like per pixel alpha blending and animation. With the new technology you will see such a bulky object move smoother and use less CPU time.
Not only the player will benifit from this. You can now make complex themes that are faster, use less CPU and move smooth.
Example: Try making a tray with 25 or more buttons. If you move that tray you will see all those buttons follow the tray and leave a small trail behind (the "after images"). It also makes the CPU work harder. This of course has to do with CPU intensive operations like per pixel alpha blending and animation. With the new technology you will see such a bulky object move smoother and use less CPU time.
moshi
Reply #8 Sunday, April 13, 2003 6:39 AM
Reply #8 Sunday, April 13, 2003 6:39 AM
nothing new for us LiteSteppers. we have LSBox since April 2000. 
it´s a great module as it makes themes feel much more "real", so i´m sure you enjoy this. 
it´s a great module as it makes themes feel much more "real", so i´m sure you enjoy this. 
joetheblow
Reply #9 Sunday, April 13, 2003 6:28 PM
Reply #9 Sunday, April 13, 2003 6:28 PM
hey, I guess this sound good. So I can make a huge animation and have more control over the frame output *(like CursorXP) and stuff?
I can't wait to get my developer hands on this. I have plans... plans...
I can't wait to get my developer hands on this. I have plans... plans...
da_zman20
Reply #10 Sunday, April 13, 2003 11:19 PM
Reply #10 Sunday, April 13, 2003 11:19 PM
you know what I like about frogboy??? I like the way he enjoys his job so much... he's out here telling us how cool everything is... and he really feels that way he was the same way with WB4.. I think brad may be most of the motivation at Stardock. And Brad you usually are right about how cool these things are ... I can't wait for Desktop X 2.0 ...
he was the same way with WB4.. I think brad may be most of the motivation at Stardock. And Brad you usually are right about how cool these things are ... I can't wait for Desktop X 2.0 ...
ToeJo
Reply #13 Wednesday, April 16, 2003 12:42 PM
Reply #13 Wednesday, April 16, 2003 12:42 PM
I look forward to it sooo much. It seems like development on it has taken soooo long. I'm sure it will be worth the wait. So...what time tomorrow can I DL it? 
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Reply #1 Saturday, April 12, 2003 7:24 PM
Well, I don't get it but I hope it is as cool as you say.