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Phar0e
Phar0e
Join Date 03/2001
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DesktopX vr LiteStep

September 3, 2001 6:09:46 PM from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
I'm interested in a comparism between DesktopX and LiteStep. I know DesktopX isn't a shell replacement, so I'm not looking for a comparism of those type of technical details.

I wondering more about what similarities exist between the two. Whether there are comparable features in DesktopX like: Shortcuts, hotspots, scripting; and what third party type mods or objects are available.

I need a "seasoned expert" or two to lend me their opinions on that, to help me decide whether to take the "DesktopX plunge"
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Phar0e
Jafo
Join Date 03/2001
+1813 sdemployee
Reply #1 September 3, 2001 6:50:07 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
So far, my experience with the two crashed LiteSTEP, so I'm assuming one or two of the modules I use have 'issues' with DesktopX.
Once I killed LiteSTEP as a process, I was able to fiddle around with DX while shell-less.
I must experiment further....
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Phar0e
BoXXi
Join Date 03/2001
+385
Reply #2 September 3, 2001 8:21:41 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Go ahead and take the plunge Phar0e.
I was a dedicated stepper until I started having problems with newer Litestep builds on my system, so I began to play with DX. I really like it now,(I even bought it!) and I find I can do more or less what I did with Litestep. The main advantage of DX is not having to mess with a step.rc, which I find makes it quicker to put together a theme. One thing that I do miss is the pop-ups in Litestep, if DX had the same thing I would love it even more. I must point out that I am no hardened expert in either, and I like my desktop to work in a certain way, which is quite simple. But you should try it, it can be great fun.
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Phar0e
paxx
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #3 September 3, 2001 10:34:59 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
A killer combo: DX with NextStart. You get all the desktop customization DX brings, with the customisable popups of NextStart.
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Phar0e
Chris
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #4 September 3, 2001 10:53:05 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Paxx, I haven't tried that combo yet. Do hotspots still work by clicking on the desktop or does DesktopX capture the mouse clicks? That is, do the two apps get in each other's way.

Just curious. Actually I don't think I'd have a problem anyways since I use bump edges for my NS hotspots.
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Phar0e
grimspoon
Join Date 06/2001
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Reply #5 September 4, 2001 12:05:07 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Hey Phar0e
I had a go at DX myself.. it's kinda 'toyish' after using LS for years.

So, my memory load atm is:
LS= 3.548K
WB= 1.120K
that is all my resources tied up by shell replacement and windows skinning
compared to the load of:
IE= 16.960K
OE= 14.376K
ICQ= 12.432K
and when I had DX loaded the mem hog was around 20.000K.

I think that they have missed one important aspect of skinning when they created DX and similar programs. And that is the fact, that lot of PPL chose alternative progies, not because they love skinning and playing with their pretty tiles, but because they are looking for a more stable and more resource friendly environment... like me!

I can't justify getting a program that will, after all, sit on top of Explorer (with a combined mem usage of almost 40.000K) while duplicating functions already avaliable.

So if you are not going to use Explorer for your desktop needs... why not replace it?

"LS 4Ever!"
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Phar0e
Tarkus
Join Date 04/2001
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Reply #6 September 4, 2001 12:27:43 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
grimspoon: There's nothing forcing you to use DesktopX on top of Explorer. In fact, there's nothing stopping you from using it on top of LiteStep.
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Phar0e
Jafo
Join Date 03/2001
+1813 sdemployee
Reply #7 September 4, 2001 12:45:22 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Hmmm....LiteSTEP.exe 2,548k....Wbload.exe 2,600k....
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Phar0e
Phar0e
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #8 September 4, 2001 10:24:14 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Thanks guys, good info all around

Heya Grimspoon, long time
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Phar0e
Phar0e
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #9 September 4, 2001 5:52:33 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
That's not to say this discussion is neccesarily over though!
Tell me more

And, as it's not a shell; what exactly is it?
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Phar0e
Frogboy
Join Date 03/2001
+2410 sdemperor
Reply #10 September 4, 2001 7:17:54 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
DesktopX is designed to give your existing shell object oriented features and OO themes.
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Phar0e
Phar0e
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #11 September 4, 2001 8:28:53 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
So its definetly an add-on to explorer then.
Is its' main method of app launching via the existing explorer start button?

Are there any third party modules developed for it?
ie: music player remote, calendar, weather or news ticker, those types of things. If not, could those types of things be developed in the future?
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Phar0e
Chris
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #12 September 4, 2001 8:44:45 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
No you don't interact with it through the start button. It places interactive objects on your desktop. These can be smart icons that are antimated objects, panels, and so on, that perform some sort of functionality.

You can build your own StartMenu or TaskBar or SysTray. Sort of like a wharf in LiteStep.

Desktop objects can be grouped together so that a parent object can control children objects. DesktopX also allows you to specify behaviour for these objects such as launching apps, showing favorites, showing/hiding other DesktopX objects. There's a whole bunch of commands you can give to DesktopX objects.

It does has an API and there are plugins/modules
that folks have developed. There are plugins for controlling winamp and displaying its playlists. Modules exists for CPU/memory monitoring, clocks, and so on.

I imagine there are currently more modules for LiteStep since LiteStep has been around alot longer.

The thing I like about DesktopX is that its object/modular structure allows you to easily modify the desktop through the GUI.

IMO, it's much easier to get started with DesktopX then LiteStep, though I think folks are now starting to make LiteStep distro's that are aimed at easy installation.


Sorry if this seems like a sales pitch for DesktopX
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Phar0e
paxx
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #13 September 4, 2001 10:03:01 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Chris: "I imagine there are currently more modules for LiteStep since LiteStep has been around alot longer."

Oh, that's an understatement. Hehehe! There are what, over one thousand Litestep modules, while maybe a dozen DesktopX plugins. But indeed DX is very yound and extremely promising. I've learned to love it, but I also can't wait in a year or so when a lot more plugins are available.
I love Rainlendar, but I wish it could be part of DX so it can be just distributed with a theme.
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Phar0e
paxx
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #14 September 4, 2001 10:20:49 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
ADDENDUM:
Hum... Just went to check out the modules available... Is it me or does it seem there are less now than there used to be at modulo? Anyhow, I guess it's more like one or two hundred, and not "over one thousand" like I said before.
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Phar0e
Phar0e
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #15 September 4, 2001 10:36:41 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
hehe, I believe the total is around 225.
Of which probably 150-175 actually still work with current builds of LiteStep.
I would guess at around 25-40 diffrent mods are frequently (not all at once) used by themers.

Although memory usage is a LiteStep "selling point"; by the time themers have had their way with all sorts of third party mods, good looks and features carry more weight than "light on the resources"
But I should leave the topic of healthy usage of rainmation out of this thread *grin*
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Phar0e
Jafo
Join Date 03/2001
+1813 sdemployee
Reply #16 September 5, 2001 12:05:51 AM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
And what's wrong with rainmation...hmmmm?....
Just cos I use it all the time....
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Phar0e
Tarkus
Join Date 04/2001
0
Reply #17 September 5, 2001 1:34:25 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Phar0e: It's not "definitely an add-on to explorer then." It's an add-on to whatever shell you're using.
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Phar0e
Phar0e
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #18 September 5, 2001 3:55:59 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
hehe, I gotcha Tarkus.
It could be applied on top of any shell (theoretically anyways)
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Phar0e
rmiles7721
Join Date 03/2001
0
Reply #19 September 5, 2001 6:36:32 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
Chris, Nextstart and DX work pretty well together. I set NS to my left and middle click, and keep the DX right click. I did try NS awhile back using the default right click, and it kept the focus, but I seem to remember having a few problems (older version of DX and NS though).
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Phar0e
Frogboy
Join Date 03/2001
+2410 sdemperor
Reply #20 September 5, 2001 9:13:30 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
There are about 250 Litestep modules, a lot of which are duplicates.

There aren't as many DX plugins yet but there are about three dozen floating out there that do everything from stock tickers, weather, time of day, moon phases, news tickers, virtual desktops, trash cans, printer monitors, CPU monitors, disk monitors, MP3 players, etc.

Then there are plugins like DXToys that just do a ton of different things.

The cool thing about DX is that you can use it with any shell (including Litestep) so you can mix and match the parts you like.

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Phar0e
Jafo
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #21 September 5, 2001 9:52:44 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
I've just got to remember to boot into a simple LiteSTEP shell and try DX on it.....my super-duper 160 meg - 3000 file LiteSTEP shell/theme system is a bit too fussy....too many tricky modules and scripts...
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Phar0e
Jafo
Join Date 03/2001
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Reply #22 September 5, 2001 9:55:54 PM
from WinCustomize ForumsWinCustomize Forums
That's 160,770,561 bytes and 3058 files.....guess you can't call it 'Lite'STEP.....
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