DesktopX Pro released!

Published on November 19, 2003 By Stardock Central In WinCustomize News

For Immediate Release:

DesktopX Pro allows developers to create and distribute desktop objects as stand alone programs
Stardock releases DesktopX 2.0 Professional

LIVONIA, MI (November 19, 2003) — Software developer Stardock Corp. released DesktopX Professional today. DesktopX is a program that allows users and developers to create powerful desktop objects that can perform a variety of tasks. These objects can be combined together to build entire desktops or be used on their own.

DesktopX Professional contains all the features of DesktopX with a single addition: DesktopX Professional can export objects as stand alone applications. These applications are a single .EXE. No support files, no run times, just a single file that will run on Windows 98, ME, 2000, or Windows XP.

This ability can decrease development time on small applications from months to literally minutes. That’s because DesktopX is already designed to make creating desktop “widgets” very easy. Turning these “widgets” into applications takes only a few seconds.

Here are some of the features DesktopX includes:

• Replacement of desktop icons with objects that can be of any size, have shadows and react to mouse events.

• Built in visual system monitoring such as resource usage, CPU monitoring, disk space meters, Internet traffic graphs, and visual graphing of all readouts from Microsoft’s built in performance monitoring APIs (i.e. hundreds of local and network resources can be visually monitored without any programming).

• Full support for animation and alpha blending. Using a strip of .BMP or .PNG files, users can set the frame rate and play animations right on their desktop.

• Integrated support for both VBScript and Javascript which includes a powerful programmer’s editor. Developers can quickly access information and data from their network or via the Internet and display it on screen using industry standard scripting languages.

• Built in security allows users to lock down their desktops incrementally. DesktopX can be used to build kiosks, publicly accessible terminals or secure home family desktops.

• Direct support for COM/Active X controls. Users can access any ActiveX control on the system and use them to create a corporate or home desktop environment. These controls act just like any other DesktopX object and can have scripts attached to them to control their behavior.

These are features in addition to the key feature of DesktopX 2 Professional – application creation. For software developers, exporting DesktopX objects as applications is the feature of focus.

A free version of DesktopX is available at http://www.desktopx.net which allows for objects to be exported as packed objects for distribution (they require DesktopX). DesktopX Professional enables the exporting of objects as stand-alone applications.

See Sample programs and more information on DesktopX Pro at:
https://www.stardock.com/products/desktopx/pro.asp

More information & video demos at: https://www.stardock.com/products/desktopx/info.asp

# # #

DesktopX 2.0 Professional
$499
DesktopX home page: http://www.desktopx.net

DesktopX 2 Enhanced
$19.95 (and is also part of Object Desktop)

Free version of DesktopX at: http://www.desktopx.net/downloads.asp

Stardock Corp.
17292 Farmington Rd.
Livonia MI 48152
Phn: (734) 762-0687
Fax: (734) 762-0690
Web: https://www.stardock.com

Comments (Page 2)

Frogboy

on Nov 20, 2003

Considering that Geeps hasn't even purchased any of the desktop customization programs here (nor submitted any skins) I don't think Geeps view is particularly valuable on this topic.

Based on current sales, I would be surprised if DesktopX Pro hasn't reached six figures in sales by the end of the year. Software Developers, as in, people who get created to make software, can definitely see the value.

Heck, we're already using it to create custom software for large companies.

NickOHara

on Nov 20, 2003

Dear Frogboy,

I know perfectly well what Photoshop does and costs, I read your article and I think you are, rationally speaking, for the full hundred percent absolutely, perfectly, mind-bogglingly right, but ... also a bit naive, in a way that reminds me of the techies and engineers described in the Dilbert books. (The books, not the cartoons.) To a varying extend selling things is about rational arguments, but the cardinal sin in salesmanship is antagonizing customers, for if you do that, it's totally irrelevant if your selling points are valid or not. You may have a point, but if you're not getting it across because you annoyed people emotionally into 'near outrage', you might as well be doing something else. 'Near outrage' among your customers isn't something to be very smug about, whether they are right or not.

It may be that the big companies and not us stupid 'blissfully unaware' little people are paying your mortgage, but I don't think it's a good idea at all to rub that in here, as happy as you may be with your baby.

That being said, I am using the clock (it really was something I was waiting and looking for, thanks), the fish is happily swimming away, and I was in fact thinking of a runtime .exe when I said 'some middle way' in my earlier posting. Just don't wait too long with it.

Netherworks

on Nov 20, 2003

I think it looks like a great tool for businesses and developers. However, maybe it wasn't a particularly good idea to post about a version of the application in such a widely visable spot here - to where I suspect the membership is largely end-users. And no, I don't have any skins up yet - I'm a new Object Desktop subscriber and I'm seriously trying to shake the addiction it's caused me

Frogboy, I totally appreciate the value I've gotten in buying OD. I see lots of late nights making skins in my future - um, like this one -

Brock Beesley

on Nov 20, 2003

Brad, I really appreciate your comments on this issue (not like I really had a problem with the $500 tag in the first place). But your thoughts definitely clear the air. I hope that you sell tons of them and all of you at Stardock end up multi-millionares. Personally, DXPro isn't valuable to me, but I'm sure it is to a company that sees $500 as an investment, not a lot of green. All I do know is that I enjoy customizing with my computer and OD has allowed me to do that. I'll definitely spend the money on OD, a Wincustomize Subscription and other exclusive suites. It's a blast and you deserve all the money in the world. Keep it up and ignore the crap of others!

JeremyG

on Nov 20, 2003

People are so silly!!!!!!!

Let's analyze what's actually going on here:

#1. DesktopX is FREE!!!!!! You can make an object and tell people you know to install desktopX and run your object.

#2. Even with a fancy "DX Object as an EXE" It's still going to need the same program running in the background on the computer. The EXE packaging is not removing pieces of the main DX infrastructure. The only thing it would be missing would be object editing tools and configuration dialogs.

#3. The only thing this version buys you is the ability to distribute objects to other people without them downloading and installing the full DesktopX.

If you dont have a need to give OTHER PEOPLE DesktopX objects that are "no think" then you have no need for this $500 application.

Frogboy

on Nov 20, 2003

mikhailk

We are on a skinning site where most of the content is created with Photoshop, a $649 program. Assuming that they're all not pirating it, multi-hundred dollar programs are not unusual to people visiting this site.

Cherokee Kid

on Nov 20, 2003

Ouch!! I can't hunt with these dogs, I'll just stay on the porch Thank You

Vanilla Ice

on Nov 20, 2003

"VI, I kind of suspect you haven't used DesktopX recentlyif you think it's heavy on resources and is convoluted. DesktopX 2 is totally different from DesktopX 1."

actually, i used DX2. maybe it's just my system (doubtful) but it does run slow. and i still do not like the object properties dialog and all that. another thing i dislike is i haven't seen any good themes. i mean there's a LOT of themes, but not many are USEFUL. having a good looking theme is one thing, having a useful GUI is another.

"BTW, how much did Visual Studio.net cost you? It lists for over $1000."

er, well, nothing. just a long-ass time downloading on my 56k...

i am a software developer so i understand how piracy affects sales, but big companies overprice software. like i use Flash MX for one of my websites. there's no way i'm going to, or even could, pay $700-$800 for it. so i'm obviously not buying it, but there's no reason i shouldn't be able to have a little flash menu on my site... and so why use a sub-par flash authoring program instead which would still cost about $100? the sub-par app, like Swish, isn't worth the money either cause it sucks.

i mean i buy CDs when i can and i buy my PS2 games, but paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for something i can't and won't do.

now in my case, one of the programs i sell is $20. in almost 2 years i've sold 5 or 6. starting a year ago the app sends back registration info to the server. since then i've logged nearly 500 people using pirated serials. now, $20 can be afforded by anyone... it's totally different. i sell for as low as i can, and if i could they'd all be free, but i hafta make a little bit of money.

Digital3000

on Nov 20, 2003

Price is outragous. there's no reason to price it that high. I love object desktop and it's programs but this is the one program I don't use. Theres barely any good skins/themes for it. and the program is constantly crashing..(yes I have a brand new system that is a 3ghz machine) I can't believe they are charging this much for this program that still isn't doing much.

But thats just my thoughts..

on Nov 20, 2003

I like the idea, expecially in certain parts such as making alpha-blended items, which is hell in vb.

Yes, I tried to add alphablending support to XXCalc in old days.

Enzyme

on Nov 21, 2003

$499 is nothing for a business tool like this for marketing, etc. If the feature was in the $20 version, don't you think the bigger companies would just take advangage? - I know I'd would release some objs like a shot. Now I have to do a cost-benefit analysis before deciding (sadly I suspect I won't end up buying as I don't THINK it'll be significant for me - yet).

As far as software:

Brad, don't forget that Photoshop Elements 2.0 does a perfectly good job of editing Photoshop files for lower end users and costs less than $100 (unless I'm missing something - I'm not a HUGE Photoshop user, can't quite justify the cost and therefore use Elements 2.0 instead).

I am really touchy about pirate software, I insist on buying legit software and it is quite frankly galling the way people pirate Windows, Office, Photoshop, etc then use them every day and say they're not worth the price - they're professional tools for business use for gawds sake! Most people could use, for example Windows XP Home, Office XP Small Business or Photoshop Elements 2.0, but they end up using full Photoshop, Windows XP Pro and Office XP Premium - the end result the pirates won't purchase as they would have to buy inferior versions and given the choice of paying for lower versions or keeping pirate software, paying always loses.

Finally, I've encountered the same problem as Vanilla Ice with my apps - in fact I ended up giving the result of about 6-12 months work away as freeware as I suspected making a shareware version would simply put legit users off, whilst the pirates couldn't give a crap and wouldn't pay anyway. Kinda sad, and it impacts the time I can spend maintaining these products as they do not generate revenue. I'd have loved to have used DirectSkin with some of my apps, but as they don't provide revenue I obviously cannot do so.

Phil

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