The Object Desktop Network (OD or ODNT) is a software subscription service created by Stardock. Launched in 1995 on OS/2, it transitioned in 1997/98 to the Windows platform. Subscribers typically download Object Desktop components across the Internet using Stardock Central, although CD snapshots are available on request. Once downloaded, users may use release versions of components forever.

Object Desktop is composed of most of the graphical user interface customization and productivity products offered by Stardock, including WindowBlinds, IconPackager, ObjectBar and DesktopX. Notable exceptions include ObjectDock and CursorXP (sold under the WinCustomize brand) and the ThinkDesk components, which are oriented more towards professional/corporate users.

History

OS/2 (1993 to 2001)

The initial version of Object Desktop was developed over three years by Brad Wardell and Kurt Westerfeld after Stardock's success with OS/2 Essentials, a pre-registered set of OS/2 shareware.

The initial concept for Object Desktop was entitled The Workplace Toolset/2. Object Desktop 1.0 was a success, and 1995 and 1996 were good years for Stardock, with 1.5 and Professional versions following in short order.

However, by 1997 the OS/2 ISV market was flagging, and many customers were switching to Windows NT 4. 1997 OS/2 revenues were 33% of those in 1996, and they fell to 25% of 1996 levels in 1998. This led to their decision to switch to Windows in mid-1997.

Nevertheless, Stardock remained an OS/2 ISV until February 2001, when they stopped selling Object Desktop for OS/2.

Object Desktop 1.0

The initial release of Object Desktop was both praised for its functionality and criticised for performance and compatibility issues.

Object Desktop 1.5

Object Desktop 1.5 was released on 2 May 1996, fixing many problems, and adding the following components:

Enhanced Folder

HyperCache

HyperDrive

Object Package

Stardock Internet Shell

Object Archive

Users of 1.0 could upgrade for $37.

Object Desktop Professional

Object Desktop Professional was (as the name suggests) aimed at professional users of OS/2. It was released on 24 August 1996, priced at $179; users could also upgrade from OD 1.5 for $69.95, or from OD 1.0 for $119.

In addition to the features of OD 1.5, the package included:

Desktop Backup Advisor

Object Advisor

Object Backup

Object Inspector

Object Package

Object Scheduler

Object Security

Object Viewing

Object Desktop 2.0

Object Desktop 2.0 was an update to all previously-released components, and an integration of the Professional features into the main package. It was priced at $99.95; users of Object Desktop Professional could upgrade for $39, while other versions could be upgraded for $69.95.

An upgrade to 2.02 was released at the start of 2000, but it was made clear that it would be the last release.

Windows (1997 onwards)

Early Experience Program

When it became clear that OS/2 would not remain a viable platform, Stardock decided to move to Windows. This required rewriting old components and writing new ones to replace those which were not appropriate for Windows. This would take time, but Stardock needed money instantly to sustain development.

To cope with this cashflow problem, Object Desktop users who had switched from OS/2 to Windows were asked to purchase Windows subscriptions in advance of the actual software, on the understanding that their subscription period would only begin when the software was reasonably complete (which ended up as December 1999). This program was called the Early Experience Program. Due to significant goodwill built up over the previous years, many signed up, and Stardock survived.

Changes in focus

Initially the new Object Desktop package was closely related to the OS/2 versions, with old favourites like Object Edit, Control Center and Task/Tab Launchpad being ported over. However, as the userbase expanded from its traditional core of technical users into the wider Windows market, newer components shifted to centre on customizing the graphical user interface. The flagship component of Object Desktop became WindowBlinds; other popular additions to ODNT were IconPackager, ObjectBar and DesktopX.

Components

Object Desktop is based on the idea of high-level software components, some of which are also sold separately. New components may be added, and old ones that are deemed to have become less relevant may be removed, or left without updates. Many newer components require Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

Components (both new and improved) are typically released in beta form on the Object Desktop Network before being released to other users. Some non-Object Desktop users have said that this creates a dual standard and forces people to upgrade to Object Desktop in order to get the latest features, while Stardock says that the policy is due to too many standalone users expecting beta versions to have the same reliability as release versions, and the increased ease of releasing a build on Stardock Central over a separate installation package.

Stardock Central

Stardock Central is the main interface for registering, downloading and updating components, and can be used (in most cases) to download components by both ODNT and standalone customers. It is roughly equivalent to a package manager, although it also contains an interface to the Stardock discussion forums, an IRC client and (for WinCustomize subscribers) many features of the WinCustomize Browser. It was preceded by the Component Manager.For more details on this topic, see Stardock Central.

Current Components

These are the components available to Object Desktop subscribers as of June 2005.

Component Tray

The Component Tray is a satellite applet of Stardock Central that sits in the system tray and checks occasionally for updates to components.

ControlCenter

ControlCenter (sometimes Control Center), provides virtual desktops, folder shortcuts and statistical displays. Its importance has diminished since the release of DesktopX, which allows the creation of equivalent objects with more sophisticated graphics and customized functionality. A new version is due out shortly (June 2005) as part of ObjectBar 2.

Desktop Gadgets

The Silica Desktop Gadgets are a set of desktop widgets created with DesktopX Professional that perform a number of functions:DesktopX desktop widgets in action

Calendar

Clock

CPU meter

Disk drive space meter

Memory meter

MP3 player

Picture frame

RSS reader

Internet search accessory

Stock ticker

To-do list

DesktopX

DesktopX is a widget engine for Windows 2000 and above. First released in 2000, it is available in four versions, two of which are able to create independent executables.For more details on this topic, see DesktopX.

DriveScan

DriveScan (previously Object DriveScan) is a utility to allow visualization of the file contents of drives in pie chart, bar chart or list format. It also shows a folder-by-folder breakdown of used space.

Enhanced Dialog

Enhanced Dialog is designed to enhance common dialog boxes, allowing users to customize the places displayed at the side and to add "quick launch" buttons to the area above the folder view. It reached version 1.0 in July, 2006.Icon customization is popular

IconDeveloper

IconDeveloper allows the creation of icons from existing pictures, as opposed to software designed to create them one pixel at a time. It also provides for recolouring icons or icon packages.

IconPackager

IconPackager is an icon manager - users can load icon packages (some of which are sold on WinCustomize in their own right), replacing existing application and file type icons, as well as being able to create their own. It was the subject of controversy when competitors TGTSoft filed a lawsuit against Stardock over the rights to the IconPackager file format.

IconX

IconX provides antialiased resizing, transparency, and mouseover effects/animation for desktop icons. Initially a part of DesktopX, it was split out into a separate product in August 2004.

Keyboard LaunchPad

Keyboard LaunchPad creates keyboard shortcuts that can be used to launch applications, control media players, or insert clipboard snippets. It can be expanded through the use of plugins.

A special click-simulation plugin was created for disabled users, who were able to press buttons on their keyboard and move a mouse around, but were unable to click mouse buttons.ObjectBar is often used with DesktopX to create a theme

ObjectBar

ObjectBar is a highly customizable shell add-on, oriented around "bars". It has been most popular with users of Windows 98/ME wishing for XP's taskbar and start panel, for which it provides an effective emulation - users on more recent versions of Windows tend to use WindowBlinds to change this. A redesigned ObjectBar 2 is on the verge of release as of June 2005.For more details on this topic, see ObjectBar.

Object Edit

Object Edit (previously Text View?) is a text editor that supports syntax highlighting.

ObjectMedia

ObjectMedia is Stardock's media player component based on DirectMedia. It can be run standalone, but is most often used with the DXPlayer plugin for DesktopX.

Object Sweeper

Object Sweeper clears out temporary files and web caches, as well as removing empty folders from the Start Menu.

ObjectZip

ObjectZip (previously known as Object Archives) provides basic ZIP, RAR and CAB support, including Windows Explorer shell integration.

RightClick

RightClick offers an expanded right-click menu for the desktop, going so far as to offer plugin support for menu items. Many features work in a similar way to ObjectBar, from which it is derived.SkinStudio is mostly used to create WindowBlinds skins

SkinStudio

SkinStudio (previously known as BuilderBlinds) is a utility offered by Stardock to create skins for several of its applications.

SkinStudio Free, which allows basic editing of WindowBlinds, ObjectBar, WebBlinds, PocketBlinds and Koala Player skins

SkinStudio Enhanced, which offers extra features such as pre-made widgets, skin colourization and importing parts from other skins

SkinStudio Professional, which includes the ability to create Windows Media Player skin creation

Object Desktop subscribers get the Professional version.

Did you know? SkinStudio's motto: There's only one thing better than a facelift . . a new skin!

SpringFolders

SpringFolders was created to ease folder reorganization - it opens folders when other folders are dragged onto them, in Explorer windows or on the desktop, and then closes them after the drag operation is complete.

Stardock Virtual Desktops

Stardock Virtual Desktops replaces the component known as BandVWM, which was previously part of ControlCenter. It integrates into the taskbar, adding virtual desktop capabilities.

Tab LaunchPad

Tab LaunchPad was a popular replacement for the OS/2 LaunchPad, adding tabs to allow the storage of more shortcuts. In recent years it has been eclipsed by other components, most noticeably ObjectDock, which added a tabs feature to its Plus version.

Theme Manager

Theme Manager (previously known as WinStyles) allows the creation and application of theme suites, which change the skin for various applications, including all Stardock applications that support a skin.

TweakShell

As its name suggests, TweakShell allows the modification of several elements of the shell, although the Windows PowerToys now provide a more complete solution. It is included in the installation for IconPackager.

WindowBlinds

WindowBlinds is a program allowing the alteration of visual styles for window borders, window controls, the taskbar and (on Windows XP and above) the Start panel and other areas. The first versions of WindowBlinds were released in 1998 for Windows 95, and it has been under continuous development ever since, quickly becoming Object Desktop's most popular component. WindowBlinds technology is also the basis for DirectSkin, Stardock's ActiveX/COM skinning component.For more details on this topic, see WindowBlinds.
Sample transition

WindowFX

WindowFX is a program that makes use of advanced graphics cards features outside the realm of personal computer games. It offers many features, some of which are computationally expensive and require hardware support from a dedicated graphics processing unit. As a result, it has had problems when device drivers do not support the required functions, or implement them inefficiently. Transitions are created using a proprietary scripting programming language.

Retired Windows Components

These components have either been withdrawn from service or did not make it past the beta stages to a 1.0 release.

Association Wizard

Association Wizard managed file associations. It was superseded by improved support in Windows 2000 and above, and was withdrawn in 2004.

SmartIP

SmartIP offered users the ability to create dynamic DNS entries of the form username.stardock.net with a system tray applet. It was withdrawn ca. 2002, although the service remained running for existing users until the end of 2003.

TreeView

TreeView adds a "Tree" option to the list of View options in Windows Explorer folders. This functionality is similar to that offered by Mac OS. It is still available in beta, but CEO Brad Wardell has designated on the treeview newsgroup that he does not consider it a viable component at this time. New subscribers to ObjectDesktop will no longer see it available on their software list.

WebBlinds

WebBlinds was an early demonstration of DirectSkin, Stardock's ActiveX/COM control version of WindowBlinds. It allowed users to skin Internet Explorer with WindowBlinds skins, as well as to change the toolbar icons. The icon functionality was merged with WindowBlinds.

Retired OS/2 Components

These components were not brought forth onto the Windows version of Object Desktop.

Desktop Backup Advisor

The Desktop Backup Advisor was used to give the option of packaged desktops (useful for corporations wishing to roll out a standard desktop layout to users) as well as to improving performance by repairing OS/2 INI files, which tended to fill with invalid entries over time.

Object Navigator

Object Navigator was an advanced file manager for OS/2. It displayed long filenames on FAT partitions, and the professional version offered a view pane that displayed most types of file.

Object Netscan

Object Netscan displayed a bandwidth usage graph and other statistics relating to network usage. It was made redundant by DesktopX desktop widgets with similar functionality.

Object Inspector

Object Inspector allowed users to inspect and modify OS/2 Workplace Shell objects.

Object Package

Object Package was used to backup the desktop and other shell objects.

Object Schedule

Object Schedule was a folder-based task scheduler.

Object Security

Object Security provided basic desktop-level security.

Object Viewing

A further OS/2 component that allowed the display of numerous file formats in applications, as well as in Object Navigator. This was the equivalent of Quick View for Windows 95.

Subscription

Object Desktop is a subscription service. Users pay an initial fee for access to the software and one year of access to the Object Desktop Network to download updates to their components. They may also download new components that are released during their subscription period. After their subscription expires, they can no longer download updates until they renew. It differs from some subscriptions in that users do not lose the use of released (non-beta) software that they have downloaded, nor is it necessary to renew instantly after expiry. Renewals also add a year of access from the date of renewal, not the expiry date.

An occasional complaint with this method is that a subscriber's favourite component has not been updated recently (updates are not guaranteed for any specific component during a subscription period), or may be left in beta for a long time. On the other hand, popular components such as WindowBlinds tend to be frequently updated, with beta releases every week or two, release versions with new features every few months, and major version changes every year or so.

Historically, the initial subscription fee for the Windows version of Object Desktop has been $50, while a year's renewal has been $35. OS/2 versions were sold in the classic "initial version and upgrade" manner, and cost more than the Windows versions due to lower volume.