A New Environment: The LiteStep Shell

Sit back get a cup of coffee it's time for another tale of technology
by Jimmy Freligh Jr | June 20th, 2004

Many people love Windows but, they hate the crashes the bugs the problems the restarts the pain. A lot people don’t know that there are shell’s out there for Windows not just some theme, some sounds and a nice looking wallpaper either. This is not a theme this is a shell replacement for Windows the look the feel of a whole new operating system all different and replaced all within Windows. This replaces not only the functionality but, it replaces the problems the freezes the crashes the bull. LiteStep is only for Windows and replaces only the Windows shell for all versions including server-side Windows boxes as well. Now there are no issues with installing pieces of software because your still on Windows. Windows has a built in shell called explorer.exe but, this is what everyone is stuck with because people don’t realize there are other shells for Windows just like in Linux. LiteStep is the most powerful and stable shell out for Windows and there aren’t very many that compare with LiteStep.

LiteStep is a powerful resource you can customize it any way you want, you can add modules on the desktop that do certain things that you want. For example checking your email, why run the program in the foreground when you can run it in the background. You can have your module in your shell on your desktop if you please and have it check your email as a background process not running in the foreground. You can tweak your desktop and the operating system any way you want and yes your going to need to know a few things about scripting. You can say LiteStep is not for your average user but, you don’t have to be an advanced user either. If you don’t mind defaults then install and play around because you won’t regret it. Give it a day to get the feel of LiteStep’s GUI there are a ton of different shells/themes for it. If you install the basic shell the one provided on LiteStep.net you will be fine. No more crashes, freezes and no more garbage. All the themes, modules tweaks and tricks are all on LiteStep.net.

Try it out besides if you don’t like it LiteStep creates you an icon on the desktop so you can switch between shells if you don’t feel comfortable with it. Give LiteStep a shot it is only 3MB it is open source it is completely free so there really is no loss. LiteStep is powerful stable faster and can be the future replica of the old explorer.exe. As for other shells really no company comes close to replacing the Windows shell but, LiteStep. Another good example of the power of LiteStep let’s say your computer freezes to a point you don’t have to restart your PC you close LiteStep. It runs in the processes and you reopen it, this function restarts your PC without your PC actually restarting get my drift. Yes you can do the same with explorer.exe but, let me just tell you good luck. Give it a try what do you got to lose the more people that use LiteStep the more happier people are going to be using there PC. That’s my two cents.

"For every nut there's a shell, for every computer there's LiteStep"
June 2004, Jimmy Freligh Jr


Jimmy Freligh Jr
Chief Information Officer (CIO) @ FiberOps | Winnetka City Councilman
Network Manager @ Lincoln Systems Inc. | Canoga Park City Councilman

Recommended Answers

All 17 Replies

Man nobody replyed to this has anybody tired it at least come on now it's just like switching from IE to FireFox someone give it a shot!

Explorer is fine fine fine for me ;-). No need to have a shell replacement for 2000/XP :-P.

I guess you never used LiteStep because you won't ever go back explorer blows big time.

I have Winxp pro [SP1 and all the updates avaiable] . you know the one that came out before Bills.LOL

It works great havn't formatted since install new harddrive last Fall.
3 users,AMD 1.1 gig ,768 megs sdram ,Aopen Mommyboard ,Via chipset ,Nviada 32meg video ,Sound Blaster live ,burner and dvd player .running from about 5am till midnight ,7 days a week,and it works just fine thanks ,don't need no other Shell .

Why dont you guys at least try it? You know there are serveral desktops built in every flavor runs faster and a lot more stable why not try?

O' ok where can i download it !:<

I dunno... If I want to be hacking around my GUI, I jump into FreeBSD or Linux.

I don't really dig sites you have to register with in order to download something...

Man all my real life friends have LiteStep how to you expect to learn if you don't play around with things man! Seriously this product is Jimmy Approved you can always switch back to your preivous shell read the article your missing out on so much you don't even know. Think about it man.

Ive tried it, and it has a serrious lack of support, not to mention its buggy as hell, its crashed 3 instaltions on my old 2000 server, i wont risk ever putting it on another production pc.

by default the explorer is way better.

One bad apple out of all I never had a problem did you at least install the lastest build?

Now tell me Jimmy, please. Does this thing run on Windows XP?

Damn, I hate sites that won't let you in to look!

You need to register since nobody wants to here are some samples of LiteStep download this. www.fiberops.net/temp/LiteDesktops.rar

**Also read the article before asking questions the answers are in it.

Man you guys are totally going down with LiteStep I feel this anger towards it seriously at the end of this year you all will be thanking me. Time will tell.

Yes it will run with XP. but the time to configure it properly and get it running right is way beyond what you should need to do, if i wanted a linux gui, id run linux.

True I hear you but, come on now give it credit default shell for all my friends worked fine. Anywho I will holler at you guys later I just got promoted and happy as ****!

Congrats on the promo ,I only seem to get demoted !:)

Man it feels good let me tell you this is one of the best days of my life "so far" everything is just going my way since this is a tech talk fourm all I got to say my life is running just like LiteStep stable for the first time.

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