21.08.99 – 27.08.99

To start this off, I’M A DADDY!! 250899 at 1:10am est, my gf
delivered our first child Serena.  At 7lbs 11oz she’s healthly, happy,
cute as a button, and ours!  I am completely proud of my gf, and am
quite elated at the chance to be a father.

Ok, now that I’m done bragging (=, on to LS related rants.  On
the list lately, some rather large threads have been hogging my band-
width.  A new themeing engine, more LS publicity, and an eaiser/gui
config editor.  Well, I’m not much into themeing and I personaly like
to edit my file in uedit32 so I’ll tackle the LS publicity issue.  I am
in favor of MORE publicity.  The argument has been made “Why do that,
you will only end up with morons who can’t handle editing system.ini
in notepad”.  Well, this is true but, who the hell cares??  If we
get LS out to more people, we have a MUCH better chance of getting new
coders, themers, and tons of new ideas.  The trade off between the two
heavly favors more publicity.  Now, I’m not saying “Ya lets go and yell
from the mountain tops how great LS is.”  At least, not yet.  I would
like to see what b25 brings about in the way of stability first. Also,
better documentation is needed badly.  I do know that necro is working
now on the LSDP, and if your reading this, shoot me an email and I’ll
see what I can do to help.

From another angle, lets look at the success of RedHat.  People
are just so sick and tired of Windows that they are changing OS’s
just to get away from it.  But there are still people who are to afraid
to do that because they don’t think they can learn a new os, or are
just confortable with Windows.  I think we can get this group of people
to use LS.  It adds the change they want while still having the
comfort of Windows.  If LS becomes a bit more stable and maybe eaiser
to configure, we may even be able to grab some of the Windows->RedHat
users also.  AND, LS is also free, so there would be no hesitation of
“Well RH is free and this isn’t.”  LS is eaiser to set up then RedHat,
easier to get rid of, and eaiser to switch back to Windows with.  I
think we should try and publicize to this group of people first.  We
will always get the custo-geeks, so we dont need to do heavy publicity
for them.

- demigod

—————————
TOP NEWS STORIES
—————————

- jugg Added to LiteStep Dev Team

“Visigoth posted a quick note to the LS Mailing List on Friday
about the latest addition to the Litestep Development Team:
module-maker extrodinaire, jugg. w00t! For a dead shell,
Litestep certainaly seems to have a lot of active coders.<g>”

url – tinomen.chunkymunky.com
(source: tinomen.chunkymunky.com)

- GeekMaster Added to LiteStep Dev Team

Yup, another great coder added this week.  “Fahim granted my
wish and gave me the official word that I was on the Litestep
Dev Team. I’ve actually been on the team, but it hasn’t been
official until now. I’ve recently found that I wanted to help
contribute and change some of the things that annoy me about
Litestep, so I’m going to be working sporadically on Litestep.
If you have any ideas/comments/questions, throw them my way,
I’ll make sure I answer them along with the other 300 emails
in my box each day.”

url – floach.pimpin.net
(source: floach.pimpin.net)

- LiteSpeed – A complete resource site

“An attempt is being made by SpiritWnd to put together a
complete Resource site for LS.  Currently gathering the source
code and compiled programs for various elements of LS. Though
currently unsure of the plans for themes talk is of a monthly
top 20 or taking submissions from the top theme creators. Tho
being hosted on Xoom currently on the look out for space where
uploading would be allowed. Also SpiritWnd is working with a
few others on standardizing themes.  This will aid newbies
in the use of LS.  A Doc Project, yes another one of a
different twist is also being assembled tho not ready yet
which will offer basic step-by-step procedures and aid the
newbie. SpiritWnd has a technical writing background and has
worked in various tech support and has as a technical writer
dealings with WROX publishing.You may visit this new site at

http://members.xoom.com/LSLitespeed/

url – http://members.xoom.com/LSLiteSpeed
(source: SpiritWnd)

—————————
MODULES
—————————

- LSTheme v1.62 ~ Two_toNe

“Not content to release only a single upgraded app at a time,
as mortal coder’s would, Tommy Crouson/Two_toNe has also
sweated out a revision in LSTheme, v1.62 [a damn-fine
theme-swapper for Litestep]. Of course, it was a tiny bug I
pointed out related to .lstheme file associations, but damned
if it doesn’t make a good app even better.<g>”

url – http://home.inreach.com/2tone/lstheme.htm
email – 2tone@inreach.com
(source: tinomen.chunkymunky.com)

- find.dll 0.98 ~ mirul

I’ve fixed find.dll so that it works on win98 (on my box, at
least). The stuff is on its way to tinomen.chunkymunky.com
and home.inreach.com/crouson/ now.

url – chunkymunky.com
email – amirul@sapura.com.my
(source: LS Mailing List)

- Systray 1.01 ~ Maduin

Maduin released this new version to fix the !SystrayToggle
issues in version 1.0.

url – http://maduin.dasoft.org/systray/
email – maduin@dasoft.org
(source: modulo.cbj.net)

- Chronos 1.2 ~ Maduin

“Chronos 1.2 is finally done. This release adds
support for multiple lines, transparency, edge
scaling, and a few others. The changes.txt file
has the details. Note: Chronos 1.2 uses some
new LS features and requires a development
build of lsapi.dll from August 23 or later.”

url -  http://maduin.dasoft.org/chronos/
email – maduin@dasoft.org
(source: LS Mailing List)

—————————
THEMES
—————————

- Evolution ~ TimewarpX

I have released a new theme, Evolution, after a long break
from theming.  This theme is fairly minimal, and going along
with my past few themes, uses a directory structure for
modification of the popups without editing step.rc. Also this
theme is probably the first theme that will work at ANY
resolution without ANY need to edit step.rc, the only reason
you would need to edit the step.rc would be to change the
background or modify a few things.

The only thing about this theme right now, is that lsxcommand
does not allow correct movement(if you minimize another module
on the bottom of the screen, lsxcommand should move left 128
pixels, but it moves 128 left and 128 up :( ) fortunately
visigoth has told me that this is already fixed in his current
code for lsxcommand, so once LSXCommand 1.7.6 (1.8.0?), an
update to that version is all that is needed.

I have also finally updated my site… and much to many
peoples dismay I am changing it so that I dont really need to
constantly update it. It will only contain a single page with
links to download and view my themes…

url – http://timewarpx.cjb.net
email – timewarp101@hotmail.com
(source: LS Mailing List)

- Blueclover ~ Cindy Groves

“Well, I posted my first theme at LSUnlimited (
http://pimpshit.binary.net/litestep/ ) and Litestep.com, so
come n’ get it!  It’s called Blueclover.  Also, I posted extra
wallpapers in 800 x 600 and 1154 x 862 res at
http://www.ovis.net/~cgroves/Blueclover/ .  Hope you like it.”

url – http://pimpshit.binary.net/litestep/
email – cgroves@ovis.net
(source: LS Mailing List)

—————————
WEB SITES
—————————

- LiteStep.com “Mean-n-Lean-Theme-Machine”

“Here are just some of the Features (-), Bennefits (+), and a
few pertinent Notes (*):

- Full login system:
+ Empowers Theme Authors to revise their existing Theme(s)
+ New versions [for each login] will automatically replace
old versions
* be sure to create a SEPERATE login for _EACH_ Theme

- Automatic thumbnail generation
+ Simplifies upload process
+ Reduces upload times

- Simple form-based upload interface
+ Quick and easy submissions, from your web browser
+Author must specify each Theme’s title/name
+ Author must specify each Theme’s resolution
+ Author must specify one (or more) category(ies) for each
Theme
+ Author’s email address is listed with each Theme
+ Author must specify each Theme’s description
+ Author can specify a homepage for the Theme

- Static and Dynamic Statistics
+ Download counters are in place to signify a themes relative
popularity
+ Byte sizes for each Theme
+ Author contact info for each Theme
+ Date and timestamp info for each Theme

*COMING SOON*
- Automatic Virus scanning of Themes, prior to public posting
- We’ll be populating the collection with EVERY existing
LiteStep Theme we can find
- ANONYMOUS/non-author Submissions
+ this’ll allow people to post Themes which they’ve found but
didn’t create themselves
- ZipFile contents listing
- Theme component breakdowns
- Detailed Module listing”

url – litestep.com
email – warewolf@litestep.com
(source: LS Mailing List)

- Modulo Comparisons Page

“I have added a brand new section to Modulo.cbj.net called
Module Comparisons (http://modulo.cbj.net/compare/index.html).
This section compares similar modules in depth. Currently,
there are comparisons of popups, desktop mods, task managers,
systrays, shortcut mods, and scripting mods. These comparisons
are in a table form and are broken down into many categories,
with examples when necessary.”

url – http://modulo.cbj.net/compare/index.html
email – eliwitus@hotmail.com
(source: LS Mailing List)

- LiteStep UNLiMiTED becoming LiteStep.net

“Yes, you heard right.  Lets see now, we have full system of
websites for litestep development.  Litestep.org as info site,
help for newbies, litestep.com of course being main litestep
site out there, main source of code, and binaries and what
have you, and of course litestep.net being theme site, is
coming back to being theme only site.

“There will be nomore old code, and LiteStep UNLiMiTED is
actually what’s becoming litestep.net.

I’m going to bring some beautiful features from old ls.net
like it’s message board.  I’m going to put all the themes
from ls.net that are for b24 and above into database.

“There are bunch of new ideas in my head, which I won’t tell
you about just yet, until they are implemented. Until then,
lets start bringing the glory of ls.net back.”

url – litestep.net
email – kirill@binary.net
(source: LS Mailing List)

—————————
PROGRAMS
—————————

- EzPop v.50

There’s a new freeware skinnable checkmail. It’s called EzPop
and is in beta stage (v. 0.50).
Why is it “slightly” OT and not “completely” OT ? Well…
because Morpheus X already made a skin (OK, he got the beta
before everyone) ! Of course, it’s gorgeous. But you guessed
it.

url – http://www.glabouni.com/EzPop
(source: LS Mailing List)

- SkinnyPad v.03

“Tommy Crouson/Two_toNe has turned loose of a freshly augmented
implementation of SkinnyPad: b0.3. What does b0.3 add to the
mix? Whelp, how about this schtuff:

* Fixed the bug that screwed up file associations
* Fixed the bug which files only got added to the recent menu
when saved
* Added scrolling filename option (useless, but cool looking)
* Added wordwrap function
* Added insert date, time and file
* Changed skin setup format, much faster and cleaner now
* Merged the finder into the main window, less desktop clutter
* Whole window changing on inactive window state”

url – http://home.inreach.com/2tone/
email – 2tone@inreach.com
(source: tinomen.chunkymunky.com)

………………………………

—-
Tips
—-

- If you have a problem losing your tray icons on a recycle, try
holding down the shiftkey during the recycle.  This should preserve
the icons.

- Oldie but goodie, unstead of rebooting your system after editing
system.ini to install litestep, just log off the current user and
log right back in.  The system.ini will be rehashed.

………………………………

————-
Latest Builds
————-
- Official – b24.5 build 220899
Changes
- Added support for hotkey.dll not assigning the Win key to
the popup menu with WinKeyNoPopup in the step.rc (GeekMaster)

- Preview – b24.5 build 180899
Changes (Murphy)
- no importfilter support (sorry, but in development)
- key support for TAB, PAUSE and APPS key
- popup-icons can be placed with POPUPTEXTOFFSET from edge
- NoPopupWithWinKey kill popping up the popup when pressing
‘Win’
- fixed cursormovement in popup. the submenus don’t open
automatically when moved with cursors. with mouse the will,
but you need to press the left mousebutton, when using key
before.
- return/enter opens now the subfolders correctly

………………………………

————-
Mailing Lists
————-
- LiteStep
To subscribe, e-mail: litestep-subscribe@litestep.ru.ac.za
To unsubscribe, e-mail: litestep-unsubscribe@litestep.ru.ac.za
Additional commands, e-mail: litestep-help@litestep.ru.ac.za
- Stuff
To subscribe, e-mail: stuff-subscribe@cbj.net
To unsubscribe, e-mail: stuff-unsubscribe@cbj.net
Additional commands, e-mail: stuff-help@cbj.net

………………………………

———–
News Groups
———–
- Server news.emci.com
litestep.installation.help
litestep.steprc.help
litestep.modulesini.help
litestep.graphics.help
litestep.themes.design
litestep.themesrc.help
litestep.core.suggestions
litestep.general.coding
litestep.general.questions