XPieze 4.0 beta 2 feedback

[diddykong]

I've had XPize 3.0 for over 6 months now and am a great fan. I'd like to congratulate XPero on a great product, and appreciate the work! In trying to help, after some months of enjoying it, I've built up some queries, and with installing the latest version, have some feedback comments too which hopefully can be commented on and of help:

1. Has the homepage xpize.portraitofakite.com gone? Searching for "XPize" on google gives this url still, but this doesn't even load. It didnt seem to give the new page of http://xpero.msfn.org/ too, at least near the top. The search engines seem to need updating with the correct urls etc!

2. Is the XPize updater, supposed to update XPize? Silly question, but if so it isn't automatic, or prompt based is it? Because I had been on 3.0 for ages, clicked on the updater, it didnt really do much except install the updater I think. So after point 1. I eventually found a download link here, expecting there to be a new version by now. Luckily there was, and I'm glad I had thought of doing it, and checking, not just giving up on the updater and not finding the hompage.

3. XPize settings - Great new feature! First, the desktop Icon & Spacing section. Size 32 is too small, 48 too big. The sliders despite being able to slide minimally between the two, does not actually do that. Either it should only drag from point to point (32, 48 etc. where it does actually make a difference) or for me or general, setting in between is not working. I'm sticking with 48, but there really is very little gap between icons. In the control panel a number of the icons even overlap/have the tops cut off in classic view. Check Display, Internet Options, Network setup wizard, Quicktime, and more. They amongst others also cut the text off, from the above icon too, when you click on them once, which expands the top part of the icon, which was previously cut off.

4. I know this is in discussion, but the load up welcom page really needs updating, and it seems some good submissions are around. The box is too small and confined. If there are more than 3 user accounts, dragging to accounts after those can be very tedious also. There are many XP's with 10+ accounts, so the really needs expanding to at least near the capacity the deault welcome screen had.

5. Firefox is set as the XP default browser. Yet in programs, the icon for XPize website is IE. Every other program has Firefox icons fine, so its inconsistent, and misleading. Especially as it does load in Firefox.

Thats it. It's a great product. Much of the above are long built up queries/comments from over 6 months of enjoying this project, hence why it's a lot, but hopefully it's giving something back, and will help out this great product, to be even bettter.

Cheers.

[XPero]

First of all, thank you for the feedback

1) xpize.portraiofakite.com is gone. Redirection works well here. how to update google results?

2) XPize Updater repatches files that have been replaced after installing new hotfixes. No online update of XPize.

3) kalavera (creator of XPize Settings) says: "Ok I found the problem . Thanks for the advice. The smallest slice in the horizontal and vertical trackbars was the exact difference between 32 and 48 default values. So the solution, that i have already done and fixed, was to duplicate the slices and decrease the slice to half. If its needed more accuracy the gui will need changes (maybe a combobox instead of a trackbar). The users tell and I DO!

One note: when you select 32, the default values chosen are the windows default icon spacing values."

4) Are you referring to the BETA 2 logon? If yes, what alternative do you propose?

5) I also have Firefox as default browser and the IE icon in XPize Website. I think .url files get IE icon from url.dll. Anyone correct me if I'm wrong please.

[diddykong]

Thanks for the response. It truly is a great, and under estimated/not known enough product which many many would use if they knew about it.

That's why really I took the time to note those 5 points.

1. Updating search engines - I don't know exactly how this works, but did you ever submit your site and info etc to a company or search engines originally? I believe this is easily done, and you only have to briefly update one or two groups, to update your correct site for all of the web. As it is they have an incorrect, non working url. This is not only in accurate and wrong for you, it's wrong for the search engines too. Again it is quite easy to get it sorted, a quick question on a website type forum, or search, and it should be easy to update and correct.

2. OK - any plans for online update?

3. I could not get anywhere between 32 and 48 no matter where I placed the slider. So either it wasnt working, or it did not stop at the right place, and you had to minutely guess? If I understand you right. 48 is good but as said, it makes some icons to large, the spacing is wrong and overlaps especially in control panel, and on the desktop, there is very little spacing, and the tops of icons can even be cut off there too. Hope this has been of help then and seems like 48 will be fixed, and a between 32 and 48 entry made, as there's currently a big difference.

4. There seems to be quite a few designs and submissions even on the forums. The best one I can find does exactly what is needed, it reduces the small box confinement, free's all the user names, no scrolling, and is much better on the eyes, and fits the XP theme much better: http://www.deviantart.com/view/20840495/

5. I'm not sure. I do know that installing virtually any program, the website logo is the correct default browser icon. So it's not that common a problem, and is obvious a get around. So XPize does not change any other icons either, it is just the XPize entry in All programs. It is and IE icon (not seen anywhere else on the computer) but it opens in Firefox.

If I can help any further I'll glady try, as I do want to see this product become even better than it already is, and more popular! It's worthy for much more usage as it is, but making it better, correcting the odd problem is a must and always goe's a long way - for current and potential users.

Many thanks.

Edited July 28, 2005 by diddykong

[BoardBabe]

I'm using XPize uAE 2.0 MCE BETA2, looks excellent on my unattended. One thing though, I wish you did not modify the image of Start-menu properties (where it shows start-menu with nlite logo and XPero name). I think it makes it look a bit unpro

"Credits" should go elsewhere in my opinion, not the shell.

Other than that. This app is amazingly good! Keep up the good work!