AstonShell is a shell visually very similar to LiteStep, or what LiteStep looked like seven years ago. It's the wharf that does it for me. Version 1.9.2 was released yesterday. Biggest addition seems to be multi monitor support.

“Aston is flexible and powerful Desktop replacement application, which lets you save your computer's resources while giving your Desktop a unique look. Aston completely replaces your old Desktop with a new one, providing numerous additional features and saving your computer's resources for more necessary tasks. Aston Desktop is faster, more beautiful and can be tuned to look and behave the way you like. By installing Aston you acquire a lot more than just a fancy look, you get a more efficient way of using your computer.

What's New in Aston 1.9.2:

• Multimonitor support (you can place different wallpapers and icons on all monitors)

• A-Master's GUI is rewritten to be even more logical and easy to use

• Theme Wizard is 90% rewritten anew, featuring new Theme selection and compiling dialogs

• New default Themes

• Support for compiled Themes in ATZ format

• Completely new documentation, created from the scratch

• New Theming tutorial, reflecting the most recent changes in Aston skinning

• Redesigned plug-in configuration: now supports tabs, has a way more logical config structure

• Most default plug-ins are updated

• New resource type supported: 3pic (two flanks, a middle part plus glass)

• New resource type supported: ANKz: zipped ANK files plus all required images

• Tray clock plug-in now has a build-in calendar

• New search plug-in, supporting a variety of search engines (the list is updated online)

• Tray can be tuned to Explorer XP-like behaviour

• More logical overall Tray behavior

• Tray can automatically restore on mouse over

• Taskbar supports 3PICs, added icon offset

• Main menu supports 3PICs, footers, headers, glass effects plus has more options for Theme creators

• Start button supports ANK animation

• Task previews

• Dragging icons with SHIFT pressed displays coordinates

• Option for global transparency disabling (troubleshooting)

• Fast config edit buttons

• Lots of bugfixes (too many for listing here)

• Lots of small tweaks (too many for listing here)”

AstonShell is 30-day trial shareware, $29.95. || craeonics | comments (7)

SharpE is a themeable altervative shell. It's prime characteristic is dockable toolbars. It's been in development since the damn of time now. Beta 0.7.0.1 has just been released and features a number of bugfixes plus a new clock module.

“SharpE is a shell replacement for Win2k/XP which is developed in Delphi 6. The goal of the SharpE project is to create a fast, stable and very graphical shell with lots of configuration options.

SharpE Beta Release - 0.7.0.1

• fixed Access Violations in taskbar.module when switching into standby mode

• fixed random Access Violations in taskbar module

• fixed wrong TFont handling (+mem leak) in TSharpELabel

• fixed SharpMenu appearing in task when showing the first time

• fixed MiniSCMD settings window

• possible fix for minimized tray windows appearing in task on first start

• added clock module

• minor fix in SharpDesk theme loading process (menu loading is now last action... possible fix for menu loading empty bug)”

This beta is meant for people already familiar with SharpE, so it doesn't come in gift wrapping. It's an eightteen meg download, so it really isn't for the faint hearted. || craeonics | comments