Which shell has the most themes or features?

from WinCustomize Forums
I really wanted Hoverdesk shell. It looks like it replaces everything even the border for the windows.

I have tried Talisman before but I wasn't to happy with it. I heard they improved allot it since I first had it (2000 or something like that)

Then there is... whoops I forgot. Aston desktop? Right? I just don't know too much about it to say I sould think about getting it and skinning it.

Then ther is Blackbox, litestep and others that are just beyond my ability at the moment.

So does anyone know the features and if they think any piticular shell is really good? Please no shell bashing I just wanted to know what I should get first and focus on skinning.

(One of my computers is getting a shell and explorer is out the window... but will XP run without Explorer?)

So many questions, and I have to go to sleep!!!

4,533 views 17 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Joe here is a recent review of aston from over at shell-shocked
http://shell-shocked.org/article.php?id=187

/me will leave that other stuff to the experts I use DesktopX these days...
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
and I almost forgot dutchy did a review on Hoverdesk a while back, somethings to read until the pros get here for you
http://www.teknidermy.com/issue6/arthover.html
ObjectDock - Access shortcuts and frequently used applications from an animated dock.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
XP will happily run with no shell at all if you need....but LiteSTEP has the greatest potential for diversity though 'can' be difficult to get your head around...
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I do really like LiteStep (Mostly because of you, Jafo) but for now, I just don't get it. I haven't really spent the time on it to figure out what is what and where it goes and why it goes there.

Thanks for the links Doreen. I think Frogboy did a news story about shells or some one else writing about the different ones. At any rate, this will help.

I think I am leaning toward Hoverdesk because Dangeruss works with it and I so respect his work... I am just being influenced by everybody these days but I don't have a clue as to what really would be the best for me.

With shells it would seem depending on which one, the skies the limit to what you can do with it, but not all shells are like that and have limitations.

--- confused in New York
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Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
'sky's'....Spell checker
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hoverdesk isn't a shell. It's a desktop enhancement, like DesktopX and NextStart.
It can be run as a shell though, and a lot of users do that, but you don't have a systray, and you lose your startup items too when you boot up.
There's a section in the helpfile by Moshi on setting HvD up as a shell, and how to use a 3rd party systray with it.

I've used the majority of the shells available, and I'd always reccomend Litestep over everything else.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I tried Aston a while back and while I liked it, I still found it to have short comings then. However it has been totally revamped and there are more plugins for it everyday.

I liked Talisman but it lost my focus when I got into DesktopX so I can't give it fair judgement.

I liked NextStart the best and thus used it the most.

I looked a litestep a couple of times but, as Jafo and anyone else will tell you, that takes WORK.

I've never done HVD so I can't even give an opinion on that.

In my opinion, DesktopX has the most potential in it's next release with the scripting capabilities. I am currently generating a list of what I hate about Explorer and trying to figure out what I would change and how to implement that into DX.

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Litestep has the most features, flexibility, and ability to customize your desktop to suit you.

It can be tricky to wade into, but there is an installer available, and it works out of the box for 95%+ users.

The current Litestep theme standard (OTS) has removed much (but not all) of the grief of installing new themes.

For the ultimate satifaction of complete control of your desktop, I reccomend Litestep.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Phar0e knows....
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What Phar0e said...



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Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
and leet is???

I always spelled sky's 'skies' Jafo. I never thought it was incorrect. (as far as saying sky's the limit) How come my teachers didn't pound my head in with a wet rag??

I though HoverDesk was a shell replacement??

LiteStep seems to be the most likely to do what I wnt once I get the hange of it.(but it scares me the most)

I want to skin a shell.!! I want a shell!!!
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Joe....the phrase is intended as 'the sky is the limit'...abreviated to 'the sky's the limit'...if it were 'skies' then it would need to be 'the skies are the limit' which it isn't so they're not....
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
they let me out ofthe box for tonight so i get to talkabout stuff w00t.

Im with Jafo and hippy on this one, litestep has the most potential, and isnt all that hard to theme, well once u get the hang of it anyway. Its pretty painless to install these days, and if u ever want to go back to explorer just reset it up as Explorer as ur default shell.

If u want to start with simple themes with no graphics take a look at my kiss theory theme to give u some sinple coding to get familiar with.

(by the way my typing is jafos worst nightmare)
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