So, what's next after v25.9 ?

techlobo · **Joined:** Wed Aug 04, 2021 8:39 am **Posts:** 129

winstep wrote:

Wouldn't work properly and it would become extremely confusing with grid stacks, sub-docks, etc, popping in and out of view with slight movements of the mouse pointer in and out the activation area etc... it would become very annoying, very fast.

Not sure I would agree with this - if you have multiple grid stacks / sub-docks / etc then they already pop out as you move the mouse pointer over them (if open sub-docks on mouseover is enabled). Agreed that (as per your later comment) you can extend the period before activation occurs, but this doesn't help if you actually want to see what is in the grid stack in case it is what you are after.

winstep wrote:

Besides, currently you can open a Grid Stack, click on an item in the parent container (or even multi-select several items) and drag it to the Grid Stack without it closing. With what you purpose that would be impossible.

Sorry have to disagree again - you can select one, or more items and drag them over the grid stack at which point it will open and then you can drag the items into place.

winstep wrote:

The "problem" is that you have grid stacks, etc, to open automatically on mouseover with zero delay., so as you mouse along the shelf they open immediately but only close when you click on something else (or open another grid stack). Personally I would add a slight delay.

As mentioned above I realise that I can do that but it doesn't achieve what I would want. I just want it to close if I move away from it because it doesn't have what I need.

Anyway its no big deal - if its not do-able, or you don't think its worth providing as an option, then I will just continue to use it as I currently do.

nexter · **Posted:** Mon Oct 06, 2025 6:02 am

winstep wrote:

nexter wrote:

Aww - so near, and yet so far. Bit like "The Thing that must not be Named?"

Ahah!

But what really pisses me off: imagine if all my monitors were SDR... I would have been none the wiser about the HDR issue and would have happily painted myself into a corner,

A very tight one at that, no doubt.

BassdudeNZ · **Joined:** Thu Sep 08, 2016 10:10 pm **Posts:** 248

winstep wrote:

And here we are again after the v25.9 release.

So, for the next release I obviously want to add the Disk Monitor module we discussed in the previous "what's next..." topic..

Personally for me the peak of Windows in terms of look was Aero Glass in Windows 7 - and I know I am not alone in thinking this.

So with a little bit of sub-classing, I probably could make the UI background see through

Something else I want to finally tackle is the Winstep Gallery. Again, the main reason it is not publicly available is because of how (bad) it looks in terms of layout. But with the help of ChatGPT and CoPilot I might actually be able to change that myself, despite not being a web designer.

I asked the AI for a couple of ideas and it came up with something like this

Eventually after that even finish the Winstep Theme Builder, who knows?

So, in essence tie up the loose ends.

I also need to find a way to monetize the free version of Nexus. On the Winstep web site alone, the free version of Nexus has many tens of thousands of downloads per month. With that many monthly downloads I am sitting on a goldmine of wasted user engagement.

The problem is that to make Nexus ( at the time a relatively late newcomer) able to compete with the popular free docks (RocketDock, ObjectDock, etc, all gone now) I had to give it so many features that now the free version is "good enough" for most people.

So although I feel proud that so many thousands of users (Nexus has had millions and millions of downloads over the years) are enjoying the free version of Nexus, as a business this came back to bite me in the proverbial bottom. Especially now that I have a ravenous two-year-old toddler at home who, if given a chance, would devour this world and the next. It's not cheap to feed the little bugger and I have to be careful not to feed him after midnight.

I know for a fact that there are users running the free version of Nexus for YEARS! Either they don't actually need the extras in the paid version or cannot afford the paid versions.

Things I would NEVER do to monetize the free version - that I personally hate with a passion - is add adware (nice and quick way to destroy your company's reputation) or cripple existing features.

Your approach is really comprehensive and well received. I also figure I'd say so in case nobody has.

The unfortunate part with any artificial intelligence is that it certainly understands the exact meaning of words it has been fed, but is still very lacking in interpretation. It's like when you are walking with your child and walking too slowly, then you say, 'shake a leg'. The child looks at you bamboozled or asks why would you want them to do that?

Everything has to be specific with AI to every i and t being dotted and crossed or it will never come close.

I think what you are trying to do is great and yes definitely, I am also one of those who loved the transparent glass of aero above all others, though Vista was a lot more gnarly than its predecessor in some areas.

- as for NEXUS it's great. Do whatever fits best.

I think you're on the right track Jorge, go hard.

P.S. - As a side note, I grew up in the coding period where developers used to compress their code. Children of friends who are avid gamers are forever telling me that they release new things perpetually before fixing the old and the bugs carry through and compound. This seems to be the century of instant gratification.

winstep · **Joined:** Thu Feb 26, 2004 8:30 pm **Posts:** 12638

BassdudeNZ wrote:

This seems to be the century of instant gratification.

Preach!

BassdudeNZ · **Joined:** Thu Sep 08, 2016 10:10 pm **Posts:** 248

winstep wrote:

BassdudeNZ wrote:

This seems to be the century of instant gratification.

Preach!

I would, if it would do any good but it won't. The best things in life used to be the ones you had to wait for the longest or worked the hardest to achieve or acquire.

Anyway back to topic, I think the fact you genuinely care about the quality and user-accessibility puts you ahead of many developers. So the idea of a manual is a great idea that details every feature, as is being able to drag 'n drop features where they currently do not, as does improved swiping and other features that take full advantage of Windows newer features.

A new comprehensive theme skinner has been in the pipeline for a while and from my perspective will always be most welcomed.

As for a website that details what you wish to add or change, AI has been there for quite a while with 'auto' websites. While many can and will design it according to your ideas within its own limitations, in many ways, I truly believe you may be best to put pen to paper and draw the old boxes and circles then detail what you want in each before going to the AI. You can at the least, instruct it non-ambiguously to do what you want. It guarantees nothing but I am confident it is a heck of a lot better than giving it one inch to make its own decisions.

nexter · **Posted:** Fri Oct 10, 2025 12:58 am

Work according to the KISS principle Jorge and you can't go far wrong.

Drive mod/s, fine, and perhaps a public 'beta' of the Winstep Theme Repo?

nexter · **Posted:** Mon Oct 13, 2025 3:15 am

nexter wrote:

Work according to the KISS principle Jorge and you can't go far wrong.

Drive mod/s, fine, and perhaps a public 'beta' of the Winstep Theme Repo?

Oops, should have added Free NExus "nagger" - "Buy a healthy meal for my insatiable child/son/boy/toddler"!

Definitely should be in next update.

BassdudeNZ · **Joined:** Thu Sep 08, 2016 10:10 pm **Posts:** 248

nexter wrote:

Work according to the KISS principle Jorge and you can't go far wrong.

Drive mod/s, fine, and perhaps a public 'beta' of the Winstep Theme Repo?

Oops, should have added Free NExus "nagger" - "Buy a healthy meal for my insatiable child/son/boy/toddler"!

Definitely should be in next update.

Jorge could choose to tug on the heart strings and have an animation of a crying baby that is hungry saying "Feed me"... Sorry, too hard to resist :lol:

Seriously though, with so many downloaded and it is really great, a cup of coffee or $5 is nothing to ask for in any currency. I'd bet most of the people who have it have smartphones and have spent more on phone apps which are the same price. I'd happily pay the $5. I reckon I have got ten times that in usage and probably 100 times that in support. I buy something for the support...old school.

nexter · **Posted:** Fri Oct 17, 2025 5:08 am

BassdudeNZ wrote:

nexter wrote:

Work according to the KISS principle Jorge and you can't go far wrong.

Drive mod/s, fine, and perhaps a public 'beta' of the Winstep Theme Repo?

Oops, should have added Free NExus "nagger" - "Buy a healthy meal for my insatiable child/son/boy/toddler"!

Definitely should be in next update.

Jorge could choose to tug on the heart strings and have an animation of a crying baby that is hungry saying "Feed me"... Sorry, too hard to resist :lol:

Ooh, I love that idea! Yeah, definitely should have something like that.

BassdudeNZ wrote:

Seriously though, with so many downloaded and it is really great, a cup of coffee or $5 is nothing to ask for in any currency. I'd bet most of the people who have it have smartphones and have spent more on phone apps which are the same price. I'd happily pay the $5. I reckon I have got ten times that in usage and probably 100 times that in support. I buy something for the support...old school.

There probably are some users of free Nexus who don't have access to any international payments though. So it's likely not always to be a matter of sparing a few quid (or even paying for the app) but just not being able to make payment, alas.

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So, what's next after v25.9 ?