Frogboy

Join Date 03/2001

+2419

Stardock announces DeskScapes 2.0

Animated wallpaper for all versions of Windows Vista

Stardock announced DeskScapes 2.0 today. DeskScapes is a program that allows users of Windows Vista to have animated wallpaper on their desktop.

DeskScapes 1.0 was released earlier this year exclusively for Windows Vista Ultimate users. It supports playing video content as animated wallpaper, dynamic content as animated wallpaper, and more.

DeskScapes 2.0 will run on all versions of Windows Vista that can run Aero (Windows Home Premium, Ultimate, Business). What makes DeskScapes special is that it can run animated wallpaper and use virtually no CPU and very little memory.

DeskScapes also supports the .DREAM format for animated wallpapers which allow for user configuration of individual animated wallpapers, triggers, author info, and more. You can see a gallery of .DREAM files here.

DeskScapes 2.0 will be released in February 2008 to the general public. A freely downloable version will be available as well as an enhanced registered version for $19.95 which will also come with Object Desktop. A beta version will be available to Object Desktop users shortly.

Screenshots:

DeskScapes home page

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This is great news for all Vista users wanting to run animated wallpaper! I hope to see an increase of user created dreams when this comes out!

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Hurray! Really glad all us home premium users can finally get in on the party.
Can we have some new stardock design dreams ? they rule the roost when it comes to low cpu usage.

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YES!!!

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This is great news for all Vista users wanting to run animated wallpaper! I hope to see an increase of user created dreams when this comes out!

Bit of a kick in the teeth for Ultimate users though who were meant to get "extra" benefits for buying the top of the line package, if someone finds a way to enable remote desktop into Home Premium that pretty much voids the need for Ultimate for 90% of people. I'm sure glad I got an OEM just for buying a HDD!

It just boggles the mind why software piracy is so high

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Wow. You guys helped develop it for Microsoft specifically as an Ultimate Extra that they marketed Vista Ultimate with and now you're using the stuff you developed and selling it to all Vista users? That kinda hurts.

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Personally, I think this is great news!!! As a vista business user. I'm pretty psyched about this. Don't have a need for media center which I why I didnt go with Ultimate but the animated wp's will be great!

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I agree with Aquamonkey, it is a bit of a kick in the teeth for us Ultimate users. I remember when DeskScapes 1.0 came out and I was unable to use it on my version of Vista Home Premium. So, I dished out a few hundred bucks on the Vista Ultimate edition so I could run DeskScapes. I was forced to buy a more expensive operating system so I could get the extra benefits that other operating systems did not have. Now less than a year later, I find out that my "Ultimate" edition is going to be the same as the Home Premium which I had bought originally. What a bunch of BS!

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ZubaZ

Join Date 11/2001

+917

I was forced to buy a more expensive operating system

"Forced" is a strong word. You made a choice.

so I could get the extra benefits that other operating systems did not have.

I hope that animated wallpaper wasn't the real reason or I hope you have enough money that animated wallpaper was worth the ROI.

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This is how the tech industry works. I bought x and now y is available that has more features/smaller/faster/cooler and is now cheaper that what I paid for x. The iPhone was out only two months before its $200 price cut. Fact is, early adopters pay more to have it sooner.

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Haha, Awesome! I've been a long time Home Premium user and have wanted this from the beginning. Thank's so much Stardock!

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Crank out a version for XP, and then we'll talk.

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I am delighted to see the news. I have Vista Home Premium, and the only thing I want from ultimate is animated wallpaper, and I don't want to pay $200 for that. It sounds like Deskscapes 2 will make me very happy.

I want to thank all the people at Stardock who make this possible.

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Any feature changes or enhancements?

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CarGuy1

Join Date 03/2007

+548

I don't see where the Vista Ultimate users are affected by this at all. If I'm not mistaken, Dreamscenes is still going to be an Ultimate only extra.
Stardock released Desk Scapes as a bonus to Ultimate and since the rights for it belongs to them, they should by all means target whatever OS they would like to. Remember...Stardock is in business to make money. For them to only target a small minority, Vista Ultimate users, with any program makes little fiscal sense.

Personally, I bought Ultimate for all of the additional features that it had out of the box. For someone to feel slighted by an "Extra" that did not ship with the program is makes no sense to me.
Also, I think this is a wise move on their part and would be willing to bet, the shareholders feel the same way.

Lastly, it's great that I can now use it on those 2 Home Premium copies I bought on the family plan.

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CarGuy1

Join Date 03/2007

+548

Any feature changes or enhancements?

There must be since there is an "enhanced" version. Now, if we could get a list of what those enhancements are...

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PurrBall

Join Date 02/2003

+23

How soon is soon for a beta?

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Personally, I bought Ultimate for all of the additional features that it had out of the box. For someone to feel slighted by an "Extra" that did not ship with the program is makes no sense to me.

Ultimate has more options than standard users will ever use. That's why there's Home Premium. Just because you bought the higher priced OS has no reflection on what other companies chose to create for other OSes or versions thereof. Ultimate is a combination of Home Premium and Business Edition. If you bought Ultimate, and only use HE's features and not BE's, it was your decision.

The simple fact that DeskScape's uses less resources than Ultimate's, is one of the top qualifying attributes.

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CarGuy1

Join Date 03/2007

+548

Personally, I bought Ultimate for all of the additional features that it had out of the box. For someone to feel slighted by an "Extra" that did not ship with the program is makes no sense to me.

I should proof read things a little better. That should have read as below.

Personally, I bought Ultimate for all of the additional features that it had out of the box. For someone to feel slighted due to an "Extra" (Dreamscenes) that did not ship with the OS makes no sense to me.

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ShelbyGT_The_Car

Join Date 01/2004

+103

I bought Ultimate not for the Dreams - but as you said Business Edition is what I use at work and here at home I try to make my work fit with Vista Ultimate. Thus no big deal for the Dreams. They are nice...
Will be very happy when this is released so it will save on what is being used by a dream while working with my system and such. The Dream Scapes 2 sounds pretty good to me!

SGT

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I have Ultimate and I think this is good news for whoever wants to use animated wallpapers. It's a nice feature but is not the primary reason I went with Ultimate to begin with and those who say that Ultimate users paid an extra $200 just for that feature because that's the only difference are mis-informed. As always, Stardock continues to innovate while every once in a while pulling one out of their bag of tricks that is completely un-expected. Way to go Stardock, I hope this product is a financial success!!

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I don't see where the Vista Ultimate users are affected by this at all.

I don't think it's that difficult to see where the Vista Ultimate users are affected. Though it would be silly to buy the Ultimate version for the Extra's only IMHO, it was one of the advertised must-haves to get Ultimate.
Microsoft failing to deliver any decent Ultimate Extra except for.... dreamscene already frustrates a lot of Ultimate users. Now, if this one and only decent Extra will be made freely available to other-version users I can easily imagine the feelings of a number of Ultimate users. On the other hand I can also imagine the contrary feelings of the Object Desktop users (including myself

).

Cheers,

M.

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CarGuy1

Join Date 03/2007

+548

Microsoft failing to deliver any decent Ultimate Extra except for.... dreamscene already frustrates a lot of Ultimate users. Now, if this one and only decent Extra will be made freely available to other-version users I can easily imagine the feelings of a number of Ultimate users.

But, Dreamscenes is still a Ultimate only extra. DeskScapes and Dreamscenes are 2 seperate programs.

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Fuzzy Logic

Join Date 05/2002

+493

Stardock releases DeskScapes 1.0 and people who do not have Ultimate bitch and moan.
Stardock releases DeskScapes 2.0 and people with Ultimate bitch and moan.

Here you have a software company constantly striving to bring new and innovative products to the user. I say 'fantastic news' for all that a company is making this kind of effort.

Some folks will never be satisfied however, that green eyed monster will forever rule their destiny

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Wow I wasn't expecting this

.I have vista home premium so it's great news,can't wait for the beta!

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I have Vista Ultimate, and I am not vexed at all.
It was only a matter of time before someone else unlocked this "feature" on all Vista editions. I mean, the possibility is there (Vista Aero).
As long they don't use the same code as Dreamscene, and charge money for that, I don't see a problem.
And I run most of the time with it turned off anyway, because of the "driver stopped working" messages

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