From technology to politics to video games; these are the random thoughts of a geek with too much time on his hands

AppScout, a website run by the editors and analysts of PC Magazine, just the other day sat down with Stardock CEO Brad Wardell to talk a bit about Stardock DeskScapes, the software that extends Windows Vista DreamScene beyond simple videos and into the realm of dynamic animated content for your desktop.  Describing DeskScapes as "one of the first third-party apps to truly take advantage of the OS's graphical capabilities..."  they proceed to grill Brad over what DeskScapes is and how it is different (and better) than the standard DreamScene utility currently available from Microsoft.

Some of the topics covered:

  • Difference between DeskScapes & DreamScenes
  • What's possible with dynamic Dreams
  • Creating & sharing user-created work
  • DeskScapes on Non-Ultimate Vista???

The interview is probably one of the most informative articles on DeskScapes on the net so far.  If you're at all curious about the technology, and what may be coming in the future, head over and check it out.


Comments (Page 3)
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on Apr 06, 2007
Newegg
on Apr 07, 2007

DeskScapes is currently tied to Windows DreamScene which is available only for Windows Vista Ultimate. Getting mad at us for Microsoft's decision seems misplaced.

I was about to post much the same thing...

Drop125 ...you really NEED to be on Microsoft's website....complaining to them directly about their decision to only allow Dreams to function on Vista Ultimate....since that was/is something entirely outside of Stardock's control...

on Apr 10, 2007
No...Im iritated that my money went to develop an software that is barely usable by the larger majority of this community......you should have realesed the software compatable with vista and XP...but instead you choose to make it a major premium well beyond the normal 20 or so dollars you usally charge for stuff..like Object Dock and Windowblinds.
To run your new software has major requirments that not many have...Why put so much effort into this when you have proir obligations to the majority of your users...it may be a free download now, but I will gaurentee just like every other program you have there will be benifits to paying you to unlock a better version(see Object dock and tab features.)...But at this point most cannot even make use of the freeware version...and it will be sometime before everyone has a Ultimate version of Vista...But like I said..Im not money falling out my butt rich so Why bother supporting your community now...Especially if what little bit I give to you is going to develop stuff I cant even run....
on Apr 10, 2007
Which part of "it was Microsofts decision to make Dreamscene (and therefore Deskscapes which currently can't run without Dreamscene) for Vista Ultimate only" don't you understand?

Do we need to tatoo that on you forehead?

Your money did not go into the development of Deskscapes, as you never paid for Deskscapes. You paid for Object Dock and that's what you got.
on Apr 10, 2007
OK enough of this war, you all are rite everyone wins here, Vista sucks, I have Vista Ultimate and i tell you for a fact you cant run crap on it as far as games are concerned, no video drivers work, Nvidia or ATI i have both neither one are working, i get no FPS at all compared to XP. Also i would like to comment on a few things here like all this fuss about DeskScapes, and all the other programs in the past 2 years, Every time i see a new game or program come out I have to upgrade my system mostly Video cards, getting a little tired of buying a video card every 4 months at 3 and 4 hundred bucks a pop, any way im glad i got that off my chest, gotta go now, there is a couple new apps and games comming out, so I have to update my Video card, more Ram and some other stuff, thank goodness my wife makes good money lol,   
PS almost forgot DeskScapes Runs great thanks StarDock Keep up the good work!
on Apr 11, 2007
What part of I am iritated at the time stardock spent on another app dont you have tattoed in your not reading correctly forehead.....You people only read what you want to read..just like a kid......Like I said why are you wasting time on a progy that only limited numbers can use....Geez morons...(logs out and takes credit card with him)...Guess Ill pay you guys money when something comes around that I dont already have or can use....
on Apr 11, 2007
So you are saying that Stardock should not be developing any applications that do not benefit you?
Make sure to use that arguement with all the other vendors you deal with.  Please copy me on your note to Mr. Gates. 
on Apr 11, 2007

Like I said why are you wasting time on a progy that only limited numbers can use

You mean that you can't use. I paid good money for Ultimate, why shouldn't I have all the benefits which come with that?

Sounds like you are saying everyone should be dragged down to your level just because you have to be there. That's a pretty selfish viewpoint. Wouldn't it be sad if we all started complaining about others having better pc than us. My pc is over a year old and I don't wish to deny benefits to people with newer, more capable pcs. I got what I paid for, so did you.

Be grateful for what you have, others have a lot less.

on Apr 11, 2007
Yeah...like me. My cpu is over 3 years old.
on Apr 12, 2007

Just because it's an app you can't/don't use, doesn't mean the time spent developing it was wasted.  I personally only use a fraction of the tools packaged together with Object Desktop.  Well over half the apps in my Stardock Central list never get installed.  I'm not saying they're not great programs, they're just not of immediate use/interest to me.  It's like not every product in Microsoft Office is relevant to me.  I need Word and Excel.  Things like PowerPoint, Access, even Outlook, are just more than I really need.  Do I feel development time on those other applications is wasted?  Nope.  I recognize that other users have other needs.

You did recognize that we have far from neglected our XP user base, so in a sense I'm not sure what the issue really is outside of maybe envy that something this cool didn't come out for XP too.  Well, I'm not one of the app devs, but I do absorb enough knowledge through conversations around to office to know that DeskScapes wasn't something that could be done in XP.  Look into any description of how the desktop is almost a DirectX application now in Vista.  There are a few articles around here by Brad talking about the technical details.  This opens up doors.

Like it or not, Vista represents the "new" and "cool" and it opens up a lot of new possibilities in the world of desktop customization that simply are feasable under XP.  We're always going to be pushing forward, always trying to be on the leading edge of the tech curve.  It makes no sense to sit and wait for us to wait for Vista (and even Vista Ultimate) to reach critical mass.  As people move to Vista, we want to be there with them.  Right now it's a small number, but it will grow.  As more people come to Vista, we want to be here, ready to greet them.  Ready with some really amazing stuff to show them.

We have said many times we have every intention of keeping up with our XP users.  But in parallel we have to be moving forward in Vista.  It's not a one-or-the-other thing.

Spending time developing a program that no one else has, does things no one else does and looks wicked cool is far from a waste.  So the potential audience at this moment is smaller than it will be a year from now.  In a year when the audience is bigger, we'll already be in place, with a better product in fact as we add to it and improve.  To me, that's a pretty smart expenditure of time and resources, especially when it doesn't detract from everything else we're doing.

Can you still afford to be our customer?  Absolutely.  Your value has not decreased because we added an application you don't use.  You still have all sorts of cool apps that tweak out your OS.  Apps that are still being maintained and improved even as we work on Vista in parallel. 

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