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Post by R.O.B. on Nov 6, 2016 16:05:20 GMT -8
I'm going to be honest here. I used to think that the best method for using the classic theme would be to work with the existing explorer.exe shell that is shipped with Windows and modify it via hex editing/tweaks/DLL injections. However, while this does (sort of) work in Windows 8, Microsoft's upgrade methods for Windows 10 could make this very impractical (maybe even impossible). Microsoft is constantly changing Windows 10, and as some have pointed out, they're just going to make things less and less compatible with the Windows Classic theme. So, I was wondering what everyone else's opinion on this subject is. Should we try and work with Windows 10's default shell, or should we try and replace it. And if you think we should replace it, how should we go about doing that? Should we try and port another version of explorer.exe to Windows 10 (possibly from an older version of Windows or from ReactOS) or should we try and create our own from scratch? Like I said, I used to be on the boat of working with the default shell, and I still am with Windows 8. But after seeing some of the changes made to Windows 10, I'm not really sure this would be the best way to go about things. Personally, I'd say that we should try and create our own shell, or use an existing shell that is open source (like from ReactOS). The problem here of course is our lack of an experienced developer, and even if we did it would be A LOT of work to make something as polished and as flexible as the default explorer.exe from, well, any version of Windows. So I decided to create a poll to see what other people thought about this. I am interested to see what other people think about this. |
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Post by Splitwirez on Nov 7, 2016 4:49:29 GMT -8
Yeah, I think we need a new shell. And I think we should standardize it across Windows 8.1 AND 10. But I stand by my argument for ehy we should use a non-RTM Shell. Also uh  I'm going to reinstall 9841 and see how it takes the Classic Theme. I'll see how 9860 compares, too. If either of them can handle it as well as 8.1, I think we'll be in business. |
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Post by powerplayer on Nov 7, 2016 14:21:46 GMT -8
Im for a complete classic shell no more metro crap port nt4 shell or newshell
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Post by R.O.B. on Nov 7, 2016 16:15:05 GMT -8
NT 4.0 would probably be a more likely option than NewShell, since the source code for that is available online. Also, the NT 4.0 shell would need a lot of updating to give it the functionality of a modern version of Windows. Keep in mind that NT 4.0 uses the same shell as Windows 95, so there would be no quick launch bar, no nav buttons in Explorer windows, no address bar (iirc, there was a sort of nav bar when opening explorer windows via Windows key + E, but it was very limited), no WinXP or Vista start menu (unless we could get Classic Shell to somehow work with it) and many, many other features that the majority of people have already gotten used to. Not saying it's impossible or anything, but I do think it would be quite difficult. And that's not even getting into the legal issues we could run into, which is actually a bigger concern to me than anything else with using NT 4.0's shell.
That's why I mentioned ReactOS, since that is also open source and we wouldn't need to worry about legal issues with it. But even that would still require a lot of work to get it to be as polished and as functional as the default explorer.
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Post by anixx on Nov 8, 2016 10:21:33 GMT -8
Regarding NT4 shell I would miss only 3 features: Quick Launch, Start menu search (as in Classic Shell) and arranging icons by grid on the desktop. It also did not support full color icons.
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Post by R.O.B. on Nov 8, 2016 10:42:09 GMT -8
Yeah, well that's the thing. I'd like to make something that is as customizable as possible, but unfortunately the NT 4.0 shell simply doesn't have many features that people have grown accustomed to. Ideally, I'd like to have something that gives back control over the operating system to the user, so they can use their computer however they want. Given the amount of work it would be to re-implement features that have, for many people, become a standard, would be a huge pain, even if we had something to start with (such as the NT 4.0 shell or the ReactOS shell).
Also, I would hate not having 32-bit icon support. If I had to though, I would revert to the Windows 2000 icons.
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Post by Splitwirez on Nov 8, 2016 10:58:47 GMT -8
The legal issues are part of my argument for using a shell from a pre-release version of Windows... .-.
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Post by R.O.B. on Nov 8, 2016 22:03:24 GMT -8
The legal issues are part of my argument for using a shell from a pre-release version of Windows... .-. You wanna know something funny? Some of the EULAs in a couple of Longhorn builds are actually for Windows Codename Whistler. So you're accepting the EULA for a completely different operating system! Anyway, I'm not sure if that would actually mean anything, but it's still pretty interesting. But part of the reason I mention that is because some of Longhorn's shell is written in .NET iirc, so we could potentially work with that. |
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Post by powerplayer on Nov 8, 2016 23:59:25 GMT -8
Make anonymously legal issue solved , nobody can catch the 3rd party devs lol , newshell is basically an addon for nt3.51 to get the beloved system colors classic theme add a startmenu to that compatible with the reg edits of old systems like xp not the win7 butching of the option to have classic startv menu ... Oh and add classic taskbar to open explorer windows so that we dont have to download classicshell , an easier to use theme engine .
I always wanted to be able to replace the white color in an open window with transparency , so that u see what is under but the folders are not transparent
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Post by Splitwirez on Nov 9, 2016 4:58:09 GMT -8
The legal issues are part of my argument for using a shell from a pre-release version of Windows... .-. You wanna know something funny? Some of the EULAs in a couple of Longhorn builds are actually for Windows Codename Whistler. So you're accepting the EULA for a completely different operating system! Anyway, I'm not sure if that would actually mean anything, but it's still pretty interesting. But part of the reason I mention that is because some of Longhorn's shell is written in .NET iirc, so we could potentially work with that. The .NET factor was my argument at one point... .-. Make anonymously legal issue solved , nobody can catch the 3rd party devs lol , newshell is basically an addon for nt3.51 to get the beloved system colors classic theme add a startmenu to that compatible with the reg edits of old systems like xp not the win7 butching of the option to have classic startv menu ... Oh and add classic taskbar to open explorer windows so that we dont have to download classicshell , an easier to use theme engine . I always wanted to be able to replace the white color in an open window with transparency , so that u see what is under but the folders are not transparent a) I don't see how that makes it any more legal b)  |
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Post by powerplayer on Nov 12, 2016 3:11:09 GMT -8
a More legal build 2 shells from ground up one with themes and one small sized simple win2000 style.
b. no i want classic style only white background should be transparent
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sarah
New Member
Posts: 9 
OS: Arch Linux amd64
Theme: Redmond (GTK2) Modified Raliegh-Reloaded (GTK3)
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Post by sarah on Nov 29, 2017 2:35:55 GMT -8
at the moment i've got a little thing program i'm working on
right now it's just got a half-baked taskbar and a barely-functional start menu
if anyone wants either a screenshot or a download just ask
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Post by Splitwirez on Dec 2, 2017 9:51:32 GMT -8
at the moment i've got a little thing program i'm working on right now it's just got a half-baked taskbar and a barely-functional start menu if anyone wants either a screenshot or a download just ask Heh...you're not the only one working on something of the sort. I'm curious about yours. What language are you writing it in? |
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sarah
New Member
Posts: 9
OS: Arch Linux amd64
Theme: Redmond (GTK2) Modified Raliegh-Reloaded (GTK3)
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Post by sarah on Dec 2, 2017 19:43:17 GMT -8
C# with .NET 2.0 not the best choice for performance or flexibility but it's my mother tongue when it comes to computers link for an early version |
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Post by powerplayer on Dec 3, 2017 14:56:39 GMT -8
C# with .NET 2.0 not the best choice for performance or flexibility but it's my mother tongue when it comes to computers link for an early version It wont run tried on a win8.1 32bit with classicshell |
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sarah
New Member
Posts: 9
OS: Arch Linux amd64
Theme: Redmond (GTK2) Modified Raliegh-Reloaded (GTK3)
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Post by sarah on Dec 3, 2017 15:52:59 GMT -8
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Post by Splitwirez on Dec 6, 2017 12:37:50 GMT -8
C# with .NET 2.0 not the best choice for performance or flexibility but it's my mother tongue when it comes to computers link for an early versionJust took it for a spin last night. It's...a start. (Pun intended lol) ...are you at all comfortable with .NET 4.0? Because if so, then I think it may be in both of our efforts' best interests to join forces. PM me if you're interested... >:3 |
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Post by Splitwirez on Dec 23, 2017 8:52:48 GMT -8
Here, have a Taskbar that has no connection to Explorer:  EDIT: Powered by Start9 :> |
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Post by makochan143 on Jan 5, 2018 7:21:36 GMT -8
I remember someone porting the windows CE shell to the Windows Platform. Maybe that would be more functional to use as a base, the problem though is that I cannot find the original source anywhere. Shame too, as far as I remember they already had more implemented than RoS Explorer.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2018 10:48:54 GMT -8
Here, have a Taskbar that has no connection to Explorer: EDIT: Powered by Start9 :> start9 this |
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