No matter how great the operating system might be, there are always ways to make it even better. OS/2 has the raw power, Object Desktop makes that power accessible and adds to that power with its own impressive set of features.
A Higher Level Of Performance
HyperCache
OS/2's first third party cache for the desktop allows you to cache folders that you use often. Once cached, folders open instantly after bootup making navigating your system a fast and painless task.
HyperDrives
When you open a folder, OS/2 looks at each file, searches for its Extended Attributes (EA) for icon info, association info, detail info, etc. This takes time. HyperDrive can eliminate this lengthy file attribute searching, and present folder content much faster by taking an intelligent guess of the file type. HyperDrive provides immediate performance benefits when folders are opened.
A Unmatched Level Of Power
Browse Mode
Since the dawn of the Graphical User Interface (GUI), users have complained that their screens get cluttered with too many open windows. Browse Mode eliminates this problem by displaying a sub-folder's content inside the original parent window. A "return to parent" button is added to the title bar to browse backward to the original folder.
The Keyboard LaunchPad
Drag and drop your favorite programs onto the Keyboard LaunchPad, assign a hot key, and that program will now load when the hot key is selected.
Example: All of your Internet programs could be associated with Ctrl+Shift+I. When you type this keyboard combination, all your internet programs will load and display automatically.
Object Navigator
More than just a powerful file manager, Object Navigator is something many users believe should have been in OS/2 in the first place. The first and only truly object-oriented file manager for OS/2, Object Navigator can sees shadows, program objects, long file names on FAT partitions, and works with OS/2's built-in file associations.
Object Archives
Many users use ZIP, LZH, and ARC files everyday. But working with them can be awkward and difficult. Object Archives changes this by making compressed archives part of the operating system. With Object Desktop, file archives behave like standard OS/2 folders. Work with data and many programs right from within the ZIP file.
Example: You place all of your graphics files into one ZIP file called "Graphics.zip." When you want to access those files, simply open the archive like a folder and double click on the file you want to load.
A New Level of Ease of Use
The Tab LaunchPad
The Tab LaunchPad organizes your programs, data, and even running programs into Tabbed categories..
Example: You could set up your Tab LaunchPad to have an Apps tab, a Games Tab, and a Tasks Tab. By clicking on a tab, you can select between running programs, your applications, and your games quickly and easily.
Control Center
This Object Desktop feature could be a product all by itself. With virtual desktops, real-time monitoring of drive space, CPU usage, swap file size, and laptop battery power, along with cascading folder objects, the Control Center puts the user in control of the desktop.
What's New in v1.5
Object Package
Representing a leap in object technology, Object Package allows users to seamlessly backup and restore Workplace Shell objects-- including complete desktops! Object Package's power and elagance are unmatched and unique in the market. Convert packages to REXX scripts or INI.RC files, and distribute your desktop across the LAN or the world. Object Desktop also comes with a set of default desktop and folder packages for your use.
Example: You have a Windows program with its own unique custom icon, and spent hours fiddling with the settings to get it to run properly. Now you want your co-workers or friends who have that program to be able to run it well as well as you can. With Object Package, just package the Windows application program object and copy the package file to a disk or onto the LAN for your co-workers to use.
Stardock Internet Shell
As nice as the Web Explorer is, it is sometimes a bit painful getting around the Internet with it. The Stardock Internet Shell makes the Internet part of the OS/2 desktop.
Example: You want to send email to Stardock, just double-click on the "Stardock Info Email" icon and type in your message. The OS/2 Internet Connection will automatically start and send your email to us.
Performance
Stardock was able to dramatically increase Object Desktop's performance over v1.0. In fact, Object Desktop on a typical OS/2 system serves as a performance enhancement product. Object Archives has been better integrated into OS/2 so that the performance of opening, extracting and working with files within compressed archives is far better.
Object Navigator 1.5
The Object Navigator has been overhauled to provide the features and power that will make it a power-user's dream while still accessible to the novice user. Easily copy files between drives, select files via attributes (example: select by *.txt). The new Object Navigator addresses the concerns of v1.0 users.
Control Center v1.5
The Control Center can now map off part of the screen so that it is always visible to the user. Users who don't want to see the Control Center at all times can use "Auto-hide" to have the Control Center (and Tab LaunchPad) disappear after the mouse is moved away.
Window Roll-ups
Users can now "roll-up" windows by either double-right-clicking on the title bar or by clicking on the roll-up button (optional). By rolling-up a window, only the title bar is displayed, returning valuable screen real estate back to your applications.
Lot's More!
There are so many minor enhancements to v1.5 that we can't even begin to list them all. Every part of Object Desktop has been enhanced and its performance tuned.
The Complete Desktop Solution
Object Desktop brings OS/2 to its potential. When you combine OS/2 Warp + Object Desktop, your environment reached an unmatched level of power, ease of use, and productivity. If you use OS/2, you should have Object Desktop.