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The Windows Explorer shell is responsible for some of the most basic aspects of the way Windows looks. The Start menu, system tray, and other aspects of the taskbar are all part of the shell. Emerge Desktop replaces the Windows Explorer with a different, more customizable shell. On the whole we didn't find it to be a huge improvement over the Windows default, but if you like to tweak your desktop's appearance, it might be worth checking out.
The program's interface isn't the most intuitive thing we've ever seen, and we had to consult the built-in Help file to figure out how to get started. Fortunately, the Help file is quite thorough, and Emerge Desktop isn't difficult to use once you've learned its basics. The program consists of multiple modules that are referred to as applets, and these can be rearranged on the desktop however the user sees fit. Applets can contain the Start menu, quick launch icons, system tray icons, the clock, and more, and each one is individually configurable. Users can adjust the position, color, opacity, and other characteristics, and we liked that the configuration menu for each applet was easy to access with a right click of the mouse. Users can also access the Start menu by right-clicking anywhere on the desktop, which is a nice touch. Overall, Emerge Desktop didn't totally blow our minds, but users who prefer more flexibility than the Windows Explorer shell provides might find that this program is exactly what they need.
Publisher's Description
From Emerge Desktop Development Team:
Emerge Desktop is a replacement windows shell. In order to replace Windows Explorer as a shell, Emerge Desktop will offer a system tray (the area that collects the icons collected at the lower right corner in Explorer), called emergeTray. Emerge Desktop will also provide access to the users programs (normally accessed with the windows start button) via a right-click on the desktop, via emergeCore. Emerge Desktop has an open API, which allows for applets to be coded with compilers other than MinGW if someone wishes to do so.
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All versions:
3.2 starsout of 11 votes
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Current version:
5.0 starsout of 1 votes
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My rating:
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"Fantastic!"
Version: Emerge Desktop 6.1.3
Pros
- Allows Customization of all applets.
- Runs better then the Original Vista/Windows 7 default shell if on a modern operating system.
- Allows custom applets to be coded to work from any compiler.
- It's stable and has a lot of detail.
- Very convenient to have a right click menu instead of a start button menu to make your program access(es) take less time.
- Themes change the entire desktop look, no hacks, no 5 hours of messing around with third party files. Just install, select, and use it.
- The start menu doesn't lag as much when you have many programs installed, unless your hardware isn't very modern.Cons
- The task bar applet being placed along the vertical axis has a bug that causes the applets to overlay each other. Not really a severe problem, but the way it should be fixed is if two applets are touching each other it will automatically expand each one to fit the size of the screen. Otherwise I have no complaints.
Summary
Worth it for someone who wants a more beautiful desktop environment for Windows.
Default theme can be changed by going to theme manager. And applets are configured by pressing CTRL + Right Mouse on each applet.
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