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  XSWEEKLY SPECIAL EDITION #2 - Shelling on a Razors Edge
 ---------------------------------------------------------

	Lowspirit and his team over at Low Dimension have put out
some rather nice programs in the past.  Among them are IP Watcher,
MadCow, and the very popular Quick Notes.  Along this line of great
programs comes SharpOS.  Like the programs they have made in the
past, SharpOS does not disappoint.  Pleasing to look at and easy
to use, it will be a shell for all level of custo users.

	After speaking with Lowspirit on IRC a while back, I asked
him how SharpOS was going.  He later sent me a pre-beta version of it
and I have been playing with it ever since.  I am really impressed
by how it is coming along.  Although at this time it is static and
not modular, it is a very clean, easy to use, and appealing shell.
There are a ton of options already and new ones are being added with
each update.

	Here follows the interview I had with Low.  It covers SharpOS's
current state, it's future, and a few personal questions.

                           +-------<*>-------+

<XSWeekly>  Why did you decided to start work on SharpOS?

<Lowspirit> Inspiried by shells like Outsider and LiteStep, we just
	    wanted to create something in between.  It all started 
	    with a simple launchbar, and it evolved into a full
	    fledged shell as we decided to add more and more features
	    to it.

<XSWeekly>  So is SharpOS still something in between?

<Lowspirit> We aimed at making it as feature packed as Litestep can
	    be with all the modules available out there, while still
	    keeping that compact feeling of having it all in one
	    place.  So I'd say it's a good description, a cross
	    between LiteStep and Outsider.

<XSWeekly>  Although it seems to be very featured packed, it is not
            all that modular.  What are your plans for implementing
            more functionality?

<Lowspirit> We are currently looking into having the possibility to
            load litestep modules.  Other then that, once we get a
            stable version we do plan do make all the things you see
            in the SharpBar separate plugins, so initially it won't
            be modular at all, but with time we aim to make it so.

<XSWeekly>  What about third party support?  Does this go along with
	    the future plan of making the SharpBar plugin capable?

<Lowspirit> Once we establish a plugin format we will of course make
            a SDK available.

<XSWeekly>  Do you every plan on opening the source under a gpl or
	    similar license?

<Lowspirit> Actually yes.  Once we get a taskbar in there I think the
            code could be interesting for people to peek at since we
            would have code for a fully functional Systray, VWM,
            Desktop, and task management in there then. Originally I
            would have said no since the code in the SharpBar is very
            generic and relatively easy to code.

<XSWeekly>  What do you see for the future of SharpOS?

<Lowspirit> My vision of the future for SharpOS goes in waves,
	    sometime I just feel it sucks and why bother with all the
	    other high quality shells out there, and sometimes I
	    feel like it really really rocks, and right now I feel
	    that it really really rocks and I think it has a bright
	    future with a place in shell history.

<XSWeekly>  As it is right now, the looks is pretty static.  Are
	    there any plans for changing this?
	    
<Lowspirit> This is still haven't been decided, if we want it
 	    skinnable or not.  We do know people would want it
 	    skinnable, but there are so many of those out there so...
            as I said, still undecided.

<XSWeekly>  How about an alternative, like geOShell did?

<Lowspirit> We would have to finish all the core components first,
            before deciding anything, but personally, I don't feel
            any need to skin it and think it only would bloat the
            code and make it eat more memory.  It's not really up to
            me to decide. After the first public beta, we'll listen
            to user feedback and decide which way to do it.

<XSWeekly>  Tell me a little about yourself.
<Lowspirit> Well I'm Swedish, 19 years old, have a daily job, I train
	    Ashihara Karate 2 times a week.  Other then that I'm
	    pretty much your average fellow.

<XSWeekly>  How is it living out there?

<Lowspirit> Out here? It's arctic cold and polar bears roam the
 	    streets... =) , it's nothing out of the ordinary, cold
 	    though.

<XSWeekly>  Besides martial arts and coding, what else do you do for
	    fun?

<Lowspirit> I'm a cinema freak, so I tend to spend quite a lot money
	    on seeing all the latest movies (even if they suck) and I
	    sleep a lot... yeah, sleeping is nice.

<XSWeekly>  Do you have anything you would like to add to this
            interview that I have not asked?

<Lowspirit> Well, since SharpOS is under development I'd like to
            urge people to send in suggestions of features they'd
            like to see in the final product.  Anything goes so
            don't be afraid the email me. Other then that, nope.

<XSWeekly>  Well, thanks for taking some time out of your sleeping to
            grant me this interview.  I personally cannot wait to see
            the final product.

<Lowspirit> Thanks.

                           +-------<*>-------+

	I wish I had had more time to interview Low, but work was
already getting in the way.  I like the work that he does, and the 
person that he is.  I see SharpOS doing what he hopes that it does,
taking its place in shell history.

- demigod

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