DesktopX 3 is coming!
And a new website is on the horizon...
Monday, February 7, 2005 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News
Stardock, the world's leading developer of OS enhancement utilities, announced DesktopX 3 and DesktopX 3 Pro today which will be released on March 1st.
DesktopX is the program that helped introduce the concept of desktop content that does more than icons but aren't traditional applications (what later became known as "widgets"). With DesktopX, users could design their own mini-applets or entire desktops and export them for others to use. First released in 2000, DesktopX has received millions of downloads, including over 2.5 million downloads on CNET's Download.com alone making it one of the most popular OS enhancement programs of all time.
DesktopX 3 includes a host of new features over DesktopX 2. But most importantly, it is being presented in a whole new way. In DesktopX 3, the development environment is separate from the user portion. In previous versions of DesktopX, the content creation aspects were integrated with the end user portions. With DesktopX 3, users who just want to use widgets and desktops created by others can do so without interacting with the development environment.
"The entire presentation of DesktopX is being streamlined and simplified," said Alberto Riccio, Project Manager of DesktopX. "The people who want to add calendars or media players or stock tickers to their desktop can do that without ever having to deal with the full DesktopX configuration interface as they did before."
The part that Stardock expects to make the most waves is the release of DesktopX Pro at $69.95. DesktopX Pro allows users to take their widgets (exported content that requires DesktopX to be installed) and turn them into gadgets (stand alone programs that can be sent to any Win2K/XP user without additional downloading).
DesktopX Pro opens the door for ambitious software developers to create new, innovative software at a fraction of the time.
Shae Petersen, founder of Dmense Solutions and known widely for his efforts at 545 Studios (developer of Aimutation, Greybook, and countless other programs) sees DesktopX Pro as a way to create small, high quality programs quickly and easily. "DesktopX Pro will let Dmense to create slick, highly functional mini-programs that we can then provide to our customers in a timely manner."
To facilitate developers and customers, Stardock is also announcing a new website called DesktopGadgets.com. This new site will enable developers to upload their gadgets, set their price, and if they pass moderation become available for sale with the revenue split evenly between the author and the site. DesktopGadgets.com is expected to launch in April.
For widget/gadget developers and users, DesktopX 3 has a significant advantage over other widget enabling programs in that ActiveX controls and WMI features are directly accessible from DesktopX enabling a much wider range of widgets to be developed (i.e. a whole world beyond clocks, weather widgets, and RSS feeds). For example, where other widget enablers might have to include explicit support for developers to create battery meters, DesktopX provides direct WMI access to the complete WMI interface for battery information. In other words, developers aren't limited to what Stardock thought of for creating content.
DesktopX 3 will be available in three forms on March 1, 2005:
- A DesktopX run-time for $14.95 for those who just want to run objects, widgets, and desktops created by others.
- DesktopX Standard for $24.95 which will allow users to design their own desktops, widgets, and objects for personal use or for sharing with others.
- DesktopX Pro for $69.95 which allows for objects and widgets to be exported as gadgets (Stand-alone programs) that anyone can use.
The home page for DesktopX is http://www.desktopx.net. DesktopX 3 standard will also be part of Stardock's Object Desktop suite of desktop enhancements (www.objectdesktop.com).
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Reply #22 Monday, February 7, 2005 7:55 PM
HOW ARE THEY OFFERING ANYTHING DIFFERENT??
Please, read and understand before you go off on uneccessary rants and make yourself look foolish. Thank you.
Reply #23 Monday, February 7, 2005 8:19 PM
- Object Desktop subscription is $49.95 end user set of tools.
- DesktopX Pro was always $499 tool for developers that allows you to sell programs you develop with it. Only this version - which was NEVER part of Object Desktop and was never intended to be is not more competitively priced. Those two products happen to have similar name but are indded a very different products. Just like ObjectDock and ObjectDock Pro.
Reply #24 Monday, February 7, 2005 8:20 PM
Wicked.
Reply #25 Monday, February 7, 2005 8:24 PM
Cygnus - we never implied DesktopX Pro as part of DesktopX. DesktopX Pro 3 has been available for over a year.
You can't have it both ways - a $49.95 product that also contains a $69.95 program. It seems like that would be obvious. The altenrative would be to raise the price on Object Desktop to $120 and renwals to $90. I suspect more users would object to that.
The fact that DesktopX Pro is only $69.95 we think it pretty amazing.
Reply #26 Monday, February 7, 2005 8:50 PM
| Those two products happen to have similar name but are indded a very different products. Just like ObjectDock and ObjectDock Pro. |
No you are drawing the difference yourself. where on the StarDock site, prior to the PRO $499 version was there ever a distinction? I do not have to fear looking foolish. If I do I accept that fact, but you must prove me to be playing the fool. I am not new to ODNT, so please do not confuse me with someone that is without a clue. I know of exactly what I am speaking. It the white paper that was published prior to the 'PRO' version was still around you would also.
So here's the Timeline
| 1999: Teams up with developer Alberto Riccio to lead the project. DesktopX Whitepaper released. It envisioned a program that would extend Windows to support "live objects" that could have scripts of any scripting language attached to them. Clocks, calendars, MP3 players, Factory monitoring, Stock tickers, system resource monitoring are the kinds of things one might want to have on the desktop. Things that don't make sense to have as a full blown application but are still useful. 2000: DesktopX 1.0 is released. It allows users to add objects to their desktops and use those objects to add functionality or to design completely new desktops. These objects and desktops can then be exported for others to use making it much easier for users to create content that was once only possible by expert software developers. Most of the early objects were cosmetic in nature - "super icons". Internet Explorer "objects" that zoomed up in size on mouse over, Animated icons on the desktop, and more made DesktopX 1.0 an early hit. The first clocks, news tickers, system resource monitors, mail checkers, MP3 players and other "live" objects begin to show up. 2001: DesktopX 1.3 released. It enabled users to begin attaching scripts written JavaScript or VB Script to be attached to objects. It is also about this time that Stardock runs into the downside of such ease of use -- buggy content makes DesktopX itself look frail. Since all objects run in the same memory space, if one object is buggy, it brings down all of DesktopX. Also, some objects could use tens of megabytes of memory (this in 2001) due to animation causing some new users to conclude that DesktopX itself was not just buggy but consumed too much memory to be practical. 2002: Stardock begins development of DesktopX 2. The goal is to allow users to export their objects as programs that run in their own space as .EXEs. The term "widget" is used to describe these exported objects. 2003: DesktopX 2.0 released with support for exporting objects as widgets. Lots of objects, widgets and themes are made. |
2004 things Change, when the power of Widgets and gadgets are Surmised.
My questiions goes like this... For five years DesktopX was one unified product, now all of a sudden it isn't. Why?
Now here's a blast from the past. Directly from the white paper. http://tinyurl.com/6jcdr
| DesktopX is a object frame work that provides Windows users with the ability to have “living” objects on their desktop. A living object is an element on your desktop that can receive as well as send messages to other objects, other programs, and other components of the operating system. Its goal is to make it possible for users to create very customized desktop user interfaces. DesktopX is part of Object Desktop whose overall goal is make the OS flexible enough to be tailored to the user’s particular needs. Windows, by default, is a fairly one-size fits all proposition. In reality, to maximize productivity the desktop shell should be designed to meet the rather specific needs of a given company or individual. The net result is that companies and individuals will be able to create desktop “themes” that transform the Windows desktop to their exact needs. These themes are made up of DesktopX objects which can range from being simple pictures to being light weight applications in their own right. These objects can easily be traded back and forth (the same with themes) with other users with minimal effort. For instance, an individual’s DesktopX theme might be something similar to a Litestep theme in which their favorite programs and commonly used tasks are placed in a sci-fi or fantasy setting. Each object could animate itself when the mouse is over it, it could play sound depending on the event, etc. But because it’s broken into parts, a DesktopX theme, unlike Litestep, is resolution independent. Which means that there is no such thing as a “this theme is a 800x600 theme”. A corporation might use DesktopX to monitor factory resources and keep a department team in easy communication as well as lower training costs by having their desktop display only the items necessary for their efforts. One DesktopX object might be displaying the temperature on a blast furnace and if the reading becomes abnormal, it my vocalize “Blast furnace temperature alert!” An object containing the list of team members and their status might be up in the top right. By clicking on a member name, it might interact with ICQ or some other instant messaging program to let the user send them a message. Meanwhile, the network drive object might have a small pie chart on it displaying how much drive space is currently available on it. |
Where in this is it reffered to DesktopX PRO?
| Conclusions If you’ve managed to stick through this document, hopefully you have a better understanding of what DesktopX can do for you. Whether your need for customization of the desktop is for a corporate kiosk, an IS department, or personal enjoyment, DesktopX is designed to fulfill that role. Over the coming months, it will be exciting to see what sorts of things users are able to create. What types of incredible objects users make. DesktopX merely provides the building blocks, it will be up to DesktopX users to really show what a next generation desktop will be like. |
Where is the differetiation? There isn't one. It was never a seperate product until 2004, and it was spun off, yet the ODNT Documentation never reflected the fact, hence it is a mistake, and should be rectified...(Again)
Reply #27 Monday, February 7, 2005 9:25 PM
The fact remains is this.
Your ODNT subscription WILL NOT be changed because of this "seperation". You will STILL get DesktopX Enhanced. YOU NEVER HAD PRO BEFORE, AND NEVER WILL HAVE PRO UNLESS YOU BUY IT! It has ALWAYS been like that! Whether you knew about it or not...
Now please, stop these idiotic rants, they are pointless.
Reply #28 Monday, February 7, 2005 9:28 PM
Wicked.
Reply #29 Monday, February 7, 2005 9:28 PM
Reply #30 Monday, February 7, 2005 9:37 PM
Again: DesktopX Pro has existed for over a year. It's not "all of the sudden" popping into existence.
Secondly: A white paper of 1999/2000 doesn't mean anything since it never implied that you would be able to generate stand-alone programs.
DesktopX, in that white paper is clearly defined as an environment that can run live objects on the Windows desktop. That is what DesktopX enhanced (standard) does.
DesktopX Pro is designed to let people take those objects and export them to be stand-alone programs. So they don't remotely fit into the white paper concept.
I am not sure why you are even arguing this. We're not going to include DesktopX Pro in Object Desktop. The time for that debate would have been a year ago when DesktopX Pro was first released. And even then, it would have been the same answer.
Reply #31 Monday, February 7, 2005 10:09 PM
ObjectDock+, CursorXP, Logon Studio, Bootskin . . . these seem like logical fits for ODNT. Keyboard launchpad, springfolders, object sweeper, object zip, tweakshell, drivescan etc . . not so much.
I just wish there was more . . "structure" . .or understanding on my part what makes up part of ODNT and what doesn't.
Reply #32 Monday, February 7, 2005 10:31 PM
Why because I see a difference. I do not care what any of you say. I am not splitting hairs here. I am stating published fact.
Ok, we can make this simple. Here's Brad on Usenet.
| Oct 29 2003, 9:20 pm 2002: DesktopX Pro won't be part of Object Desktop. The only difference between regular DesktopX and DesktopX Pro is the ability to export objects as executables. DesktopX Pro will be out in November for $499. There will be an upgrade price for Object Desktop users who are interested in that. |
Now this is already a stated feature of DesktopX as it is described in the Time Line on StarDock very own site.
| Stardock begins development of DesktopX 2. The goal is to allow users to export their objects as programs that run in their own space as .EXEs. The term "widget" is used to describe these exported objects. |
How can this be DesktopX PRO and yet DesktopX? Here's a kicker for ya.
Written by Brad Himself. Not to forget the second to last bulleted item Mentions developers.
But this is a review for DesktopX 2.1 not 'PRO.'
http://tinyurl.com/6cjkk [XPThemes.com]
| Full history at: http://sdcentral.stardock.com/public/dx/production/history.htm * Registered users can now export their objects as programs (.EXE) that can run on any computer that has DesktopX installed. These are called widgets and run like any other program. |
Actually it's kind of hard to prove my point when I have to write the same thing over and over. I really appreciate whomever deleted my last message, that was a real sign of maturity, and it really convinces me I wrong here. So wrong in fact that my post got deleted. Now ain't that a hoot.
Now I have been playing fair here, to this point and everything I have said is defendable. You might not like what I say, or agree, but I can defend it. So tell me deleting my post is fair?
Reply #33 Monday, February 7, 2005 10:37 PM
I can understand If I am cursing you or saying something untrue. I know this was last years discussion, and it is this years discussion, because you refuse to fix the errors. Fix or remove the white paper, clean up your trail of errors, and make the record straight, on the ODNT Pages. It's that simple or do you want it to continue. Something similar to this very issue was brought up, almost 5 years ago, and your attitude was the same then as it is now. Which goes to prove your not going to change at all. But hey that's OK, right because I am just another user you can pooh..pooh.
Reply #34 Monday, February 7, 2005 10:58 PM
Reply #35 Monday, February 7, 2005 10:58 PM
I really do not care. It's all sychophants, toadies and apple polishers to me, from this point.
I'll readily stand to WC's defense with the best of them, but when it comes to being told I'm wrong, when the facts are in black and white... Well, that's another story. God love all of ya, and on another topic we can find a better debate, but I am not going to budge on this one. If It means I feel like StarDock is screwing me, then that's the way I see it, and no amount of diatribe is going to change my mind. That's it..go on about your merry ways and, ohhh!..and ahhhh!.. over the Kings NEW Clothes.
Reply #36 Monday, February 7, 2005 11:11 PM
| If It means I feel like StarDock is screwing me, then that's the way I see it, and no amount of diatribe is going to change my mind. |
How are they screwing you? ODNT came with DesktopX Enhanced...and...ummmm...ODNT still comes with DesktopX Enhanced. Explain it to me in 3 sentences or less and I'll personally buy you a copy of DX Pro.
Reply #37 Monday, February 7, 2005 11:15 PM
It appears that you are getting mixed up with the terms being used.
DX 2.X (Today)
There are 3 ways to export your work; DXPacks (Objects), Widgets (Stand-alone executables that require the user to have DX 2.X installed), and Applications (Complete stand-alone executables). DXPacks and Widgets are what you can produce with your current ODNT subscription version of DX 2.X, and you need to buy the $499 DX 2.X Pro version to export an Application.
DX 3.X (Tomorrow)
There will 3 ways to export your work; DXPacks(Objects), Widgets(Stand-alone executables that require the user to have at least DX 3.X Run-time), and Gadgets (complete stand-alone executables). DXPacks and Widgets are what you will be able to produce with your ODNT subscription version of DX 3.X, and you will need to buy the $69 DX 3.X Pro version to export Gadgets.
I can't see how you don't understand how this is an improvement to what Stardock is offering us today...
Wicked.
Reply #38 Monday, February 7, 2005 11:16 PM
Reply #39 Monday, February 7, 2005 11:37 PM
I think it's somewhere between a case of semantics and product descriptions not being retroactively revised.
In all reality a product description from 2000 cannot predict the future and provide 'exclusions' for something not-yet even developed.
No-one is being 'screwed' here, not at all. In fact there seems to be a price-point reduction from 499 to 69....
As for comment removal...I was late to this thread so have no history to check one way or the other, but with T-Man's recent bug-squashing within the last 24 hours anything is possible...
[thanks for fixing things, Pat]...
Reply #40 Tuesday, February 8, 2005 12:25 AM
I'll get DesktopX Run-Time for my friends!!! (Or just buy DX Pro and make the widgets/gadgets - not themes because that is DX Corporate - gor my friends)
One thing though:
I think, if a person needs to, should be able to edit a few things in a DX theme or widget in DX Run-Time. Other then that I agree with everything that is going on here (even the 69 dollar price for DX Pro so that companies and widget creators can sell there work)
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Reply #21 Monday, February 7, 2005 7:45 PM
See, "while developing", you yourself even acknowledge the distinction. When Subscribing to ODNT I subscribed irregardless of the products future features or developments (owing to the fact I was given to understand I didn't have to draw the distinction). I believed in the product enough to go along for the ride, and Stardock encouraged me to do so (for a set price.) Now Stardock want to tell me that what I paid for has been developed into something other than what I paid for.
This is a Product fork, for revenue, at the expense of the Subscribers. Plain and Simple.
Brad Needs to clear this up, that's all there is to it. Clarify the ODNT Descriptions, and cover his losses on upgrading the present subscribers. If a store makes an error in an advertisement with no legal dislaimer, that store is held accountable for it errors. The ODNT Descriptions amount to advertisement.
It just needs to be addressed and fixed.