"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.
Download: Talisman Desktop 2.9.2900 | 6.17MB (Trial)
Screenshot: >> Click here <<
View: Lighttek Software
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.
Changelog
- Updated: LAME 3.96.1 (sorry, but 3.97 will need to lose its beta tag before we upgrade)
- Fixed: playlist focus issue after adding files to playlist
- Fixed: crash on multichannel songs with EQ enabled
- Fixed: internet connection detection not working when set to "dial-up"
- Fixed: manual playlist advance with winamp videos
- Fixed: EQ text display glitch
- Fixed: video not filling up video window
- Fixed: black bars in fullscreen video
- Fixed: [gen_ml] crash with no write access
- Fixed: [gen_ml] CDDB Dialog Media Library drawing glitch
- Fixed: [in_dshow] seeking on files with no video or no audio
- Fixed: [in_cdda] aspi ripping crash
- Fixed: [ml_wire] "my music" folder creation
- Fixed: [ml_wire] Podcasts with dates before 1970 handled properly
- Fixed: [ml_wire] Downloading of podcasts with parameters in URL
- Fixed: [out_ds] fade-on-seek settings
- Fixed: [in_wm] pause glitch
- Fixed: [in_mp4] view-file-info filename not scrolling
- Coming Soon: Multi-user profile support (preliminary support enabled)
- Lots of other small bugfixes and optimizations (core/gen_ff)
- New: 'Station Info' Prefs page (for configuring radio browser)
- New: Password protection for Shoutcast TV ratings

It's a good shell tho, i've been using it for months now for my Gnome clone.
I remember the original versions of this!
That's 8mb's for the shell itself (talisman.exe) and 3mb for the tasks module (ltaskbar.exe)
I cant compare it to DesktopX since i never used it.
But it's easier to make themes in than Litestep , bb aso...you dont have to edit .rc files and such, there's a 'theme maker' GUI.
Also don't forget: Litestep is free and comes with source (under the GPL), while Talisman is proprietary, closed-source and costs money. In terms of flexibility and value, I think that Litestep has the upper hand.
Of course, if textfile editing isn't your cup of tea, I can see that Talisman might be a viable alternative.
It doesnt have to be bloated.
Will try it out.
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