Re: Beta Release, if of interest

"MikeD" <nobody@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:O6uRsPoYGHA.3328@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:



You don't have to be a "shell expert" to know the shell's basic
purpose and functionality and to realize that a shell replacement
written with VB is quite possibly going to be somewhat unstable and/or
lacking full functionality of Explorer (as the shell).

Well, the main purpose of the shell is to provide a UI to the OS. The UI
being a task swapper, a way to launch programs, a notifictaion area, and
a clock, and a system-wide DDE server.

DDT is FAR from unstable.

But if they do exist,
they're sure not common like they were for 16 bit Windows.

I agree. But, back in the Win3.x days, the users of PC were not the
typical users of today. You'd have to say the 'Program Manager' was
horrible. A MUCH larger percentage of users were very technical, because
you had to be to keep your PC running. Those users tried everything they
could to enhance the way their PC worked. Nowadays, you've got grandma,
grandpa, Uncle Eddie, little cousin Jill, and everyone else buying PC's
at CC and BB, and from Dell, that quite frankly, have very little
knowledge of anything, they can't even figure out the way an ATX power
button works. So the figure went from a LARGE percentage of people that
wanted to improve their PC functions, that would go out and try all these
small utilites, and whatever, to now 90% (at least) of the PC user
population just hoping that Windows will boot up the next time they turn
their PC on and barely knowing how to do anything except e-mail and web
surf. That could be why it doesn't seem a prevalent as it had.

http://shellcity.net/cgi-bin/DB_Search/db_search.cgi?
setup_file=topicpage.setup.cgi&submit_search=yes&topic=A

If you want
to call me a naysayer, fine by me. I suppose I am on this because I'm
quite skeptical about your program (and according to Merriam-Webster,
a naysayer is "one who denies, refuses, opposes, or is skeptical or
cynical about something". Yep, I guess that fits.

I'm curious, how many different PCs have you tested your program under
thus far? What programs are installed? What were these PCs used for?
Have you tested your shell program with any programs that hook the
shell in anyway?

I have 4 PCs that this has been tested on at my home, and 3 at my place
of employment. These are everyday home use PC's, and business PC's.
Programs installed range from your obvious internet apps, to CAD and EDA
software, an MRP system, several different programming environments, AV,
firewalls, etc.

Provide me with some names of programs that hook the shell and I will
test them if I can d/l a trial or evals.

I also don't understand why you seriously doubt I wasn't looking for beta
testers and just wanted to share what I had created. Is it wrong to feel
'proud' of writing a decent program ?

Market ? No market. There is no plans to sell or make money out of any of
this. Noone makes money off of shell replacements. I have no desire to
create software to sell only to be cracked and never see much income from
it.





Being such an 'expert' as to say that it can't be done when he has no
clue as to what needs to be done, well, he might as well move to
.Net.

Next time you want to say something about me, say it TO me.


Fair enough.

So what I will say, if your that skeptical, try it on one of yout test
PC's. Install it, create a menu, and use it WITHOUT being set as the
shell. You'll still have Explorer as the shell and all the desktop and
everything you are used to. Biggest thing is learning to middle click,
instead of going to the taskbar, then start menu, then programs, then one
two or even 3 levels deep in the start menu.

Just a middle-click, then a click, for the menu you built. Of course,
when it's not the shell, you have the common issue with the SystemTray
not having some icons as many programs don't properly respond to the
broadcast TASKBARCREATED message. Like when Explorer crashes and it re-
starts, some SystemTray icons are missing.

To Quit DDT, hold the control key while clicking the 'X' button at the
bottom of the DDT window.

Here's where I say that you trying it is a great idea, but you probably
won't do it.

As truthfully, you have no grounds to say it won't work, lacks features,
etc. unless you try it yourself.

Just like when I say I don't like brussel sprouts, when in fact, I can't
even remember trying them, ever.
.