ironfinger

I haven’t really found any Front End that can support my programs and devices. I've been contemplating skipping one altogether and going with
an optimized desktop solution.

So far I found that a combination of RocketDock, Yahoo Widgets, or similar programs can offer one a very good alternative. You can clean up your desktop and turn it into a icon based system that is very user friendly and simple.

Anyone here go this route?

ironfinger

here's a sample of what it can look like. Up top is rocket dock, in the center is an itunes widget, to the right is yahoo widget menu which I opened using rocket docket. Wheny ou close or minimize a program it goes back to the RD menu.



ofcourse you can replace any icon or program in the rocket dock up top.

I'm using a mouse on the menu to scroll, right now i don't have a touch screen to test this out.

NiSlo

I thought about doing this too, but there's one major problem.

It may be easy to launch the progrms using those nice big buttons, but using the progrms with a touchscreen while driving (changig music or whatever) is almost impossible and dangerous as hell. The big buttons of the frontends are the major reason I will be using one.

If my usual programs where touchscreen friendly, I'd have no issue in doing what you've done.

__________________
I installed my carpc into my pet Kangaroo, mate.

ironfinger

actually what I like about widgets is that some people have been able to make customized skins for programs such as i-tunes. Unfotunately they're aimed at the desktop user so they still tend to consist of small buttons. However widget customization seems so much easier than for the current batch of carputer programs. IT could be a more flexible alternative.