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Windows Replacement Shells


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If you're currently using Windows, you probably envy users who get to use KDE, GNOME or even people who use Macs, and you arent too sure about Vista's Aero. Windows just can't keep up with them in terms of style and looks. You can change all that by getting yourself a replacement shell.
It's possible to easily change the way windows looks by replacing the default shell explorer.exe with something better-looking. The benefits are not just cosmetic, even the functionality and stability are improved.
Some users crave a better UI than windows has to offer, while some want a watered-down UI which consumes lesser memory. Both types of users can benefit by replacing their shells.

Most replacement shells are pretty customizable as well, and allow the user to utilize his creative instincts to the fullest.
Shells vs. Skins
Shells and Skins have a fundamental difference: while skins run on top of explorer.exe, shells replace explorer.exe and perform its task (in the same or different way).

Shells can change quite abit about the functionality as well, while skins can’t do anything at all to the functionality.

Skins can’t radically change the UI as they have to work within the limitations of the Windows Explorer framework. For example, skins can’t remove the Start Bar or Desktop icons. Shells, on the other hand, have much more scope and fewer limitations, and can thus totally change the UI as well. Shells can even place a dock in place of the start bar, or totally remove both and adopt a KDE-like menu system.

Skins tend to use up even more RAM as they run on top of the standard windows shell.

Applications like DesktopX and HoverDesktop are not shells, as they rely on explorer.exe

Limitations of Shell Replacement

A lot of shell replacement problems don’t behave as well as Explorer, and hence don’t install/run all programs perfectly.

Some windows replacement shells

The following are a list of relatively common and popular shells that can be used in place of explorer.exe:-

  1. BlackBox
  2. AstonShell
  3. Emerge Desktop
  4. Geoshell
  5. LDE(X)
  6. LiteStep
  7. SharpE
  8. Talisman

All of the above, except Talisman and AstonShell, come under the category of Freeware.
AstonShell can be obtained for $28, while Talisman costs $25.

AstonShell
AstonShell is a pretty-looking shell that can be used in place of explorer.exe. It's easy to customize and it also supports skins. Gladiators Software (the creators) also claims that it is extremely stable (which it truly is) and has a small memory footprint and low CPU usage. It can be configured through a GUI. Although it costs $28, AstonShell is one of the best shells avalaible in the market. Check out the screenshots on the AstonShell website.

Emerge Desktop
Emerge Desktop is an open source shell replacement utility for Windows 2000 and XP. The interesting this about Emerge Desktop is that it allows you to access the start menu by right-clicking anywhere on the screen. However, its main advantage over, say, AstonShell is that Emerge Desktop is free and Open Source. Check out the screenshots, which give an idea of how Emerge Desktop looks.

GeoShell
GeoShell is another good replacement shell. GeoShell is different from the other shells as it has a rather nifty feature, GeoBars. And GeoShell also claims to use less system resources that explorer.exe in its standard installation. Once again, a very good looking shell. See the screenshots

LiteStep
LiteStep is free. LiteStep is stable and good-looking. No wonder its also the most popular replacement shell for windows. Get LiteStep

SharpE
SharpE is also free and the code is available in parts under the LGPL license. The aim of the SharpE project was to create a "fast, stable and very graphical" shell which is easy to configure and highly customizable. These features seem to have been implemented quite well in SharpE. Check out the screenshots

Talisman
Although I haven't tried Talisman myself, I've heard good reviews and the description and screenshots featured on the website are quite impressive. Unfortunately, Talisman is free to try for 30 days, but costs $25 for proper usage.
This is what the Talisman website has to say:

"Talisman Desktop" (Talisman) is a desktop alternative and shell-replacement for Windows 9x/ME and NT/2000/XP, capable of transforming your desktop into an interface organized as you like. The program's basic purpose: Launch other applications in a new interface, instead of the standard Windows desktop. But the opportunities presented by "Talisman" are much broader. The program does not limit your computer fantasies - draw anything you like and arrange it as your imagination tells you to. When you get tired of looking at the same screen - change it all over again. If you are in a good mood - throw flowers and favorite photos on the screen. If you're not feeling so bright - leave the black screen with lonely Norton Commander or winking Bill Gates. Create invisible buttons - they will open those places and the pictures, known only to you. Construct galleries of the best pictures and photos. Simply create your own little world, created by and for you, instead of staring at the same lines of icons on your desktop, year after year.

With the help of "Talisman" you can create your own interface or use one of the hundreds ready themes that are available in our collections and in the internet. Interface (theme) is a set of screens, forms, "rooms" and objects. All these objects are interactive and respond to movements or clicks of the mouse.

Check out the site

Conclusion
Replacing the standard windows shell can be a very rewarding and fulfilling experience. You can quite easily get a good looking user interface, or better stability and speed, or reliability, or all of these and more. It's certainly worth trying, especially if you're not a big windows fan. And its eay to do as well, and is free in most cases, so you've got nothing to lose! So go ahead, take the plunge, and refresh your desktop!

Check out Shell-shocked magazine for more interesting stuff on shell replacement.


Comments

  1. Anonymous Anonymous 

    I've been using Flyakite OSX for months now. Makes your sys look like a mac. Moreover, its pretty stable.
    Check it out here.

    For those who want to flaunt the vista desktop (with features of the kind as the aero transparency, the sidebar, the drive icons et al), the best shell extension i've come across so far is the Vista Transformation Pack v6. Extremely stable, low mem usage (not more than 10 megs, at the most) and compact (the setup file is about 30 meg). Gives you the Vista 'feel' without having to undergo the nuisance of installing vista on your sys.

    Oh, and btw, I really like your blog a lot, and have added it on my blog roll. I expect you to return the favour :) Thanks.

  2. Anonymous Anonymous 

    p.s. Flyakite OSX and the Vista Transformation Pack v6 both are shells rather than skins. And best of all, they're free

  3. Anonymous Anonymous 

    You're wrong about Flyakite and the Vista Transformation pack. These are skins because they use explorer! They are basicly standard windows themes with some GUI modifications added to explorer.

  4. Anonymous Anonymous 

    The Vista Transformation Pack is 100% definately only a Skin. It still uses explorer.exe and it's incredably slow in my opinion!

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  7. Anonymous Window replacement hoppers crossing 

    Thanks for sharing the information....

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