Lost and need direction please

[smarsh]

Hi,

We are web/Flash people but were asked if we can take on a project that I would describe as creating a shell environment for Windows (probably XP), to hide the normal Windows Interface.

The idea is for the company's employees to work in this environment and only have access to limited local apps. and never the Windows desktop or any other part of the OS. We would create a company branded graphic "overlay" with buttons to the apps (say MS Word or whatever) and the apps would open in a window (area) inside the overlay and function as normal.

We know how to make Flash full screen and pull data or video into it, but no idea on how to do this.

Is this even possible? Is it a C or VB or Adobe Air or what type of project? Has anyone done this before? Is this risky?

I appreciate your help guys.

Thanks.

[bitshifter420]

The idea is to write a shell hook.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbox
http://www.bb4win.org/news.php
You could write your own or just write a plugin for BB.
I found it really fun to customize the shell
There are many out there just look for 'windows shell replacements'

Edit:
BBLean is the simple version i had played with in the past.
http://bb4win.sourceforge.net/bblean/

[smarsh]

Thanks! Is that Windows or Windows emulation on top of Linux?

[OReubens]

Sounds like what you want is pretty much "active desktop" which was present in windows and got pulled for vista and onwards.
There are some alternatives (with varying degrees of success and features and price) for active desktop under vista. Alternatively require the OS to be XP.


Limiting access to apps is standard security issues.

[OReubens]

If you don't need this UI to run "regular" apps as well, and only need to use Windows as a basis for a entire UI and feature set of your own (a cashier system, a info kiosk or something like that), you would typically do this by making a Fullscreen application, and then DirectX is probably the way to go, although you could just as well launch IE in fullscreen mode and disable any means for the user to revert to windowed mode.

[smarsh]

Thanks guys.

I looked into what Wikipedia says active desktop is and that won't work.

Basically, the client wants a new interface for Windows, that allows their windows applications to rune within it, with icons that launch the applications, but no other access to OS features. Built in to the "application" will be an on screen keyboard, because they don't even want an industrial keyboard (it's a manufacturing environment).

So nothing can run in a browser, because these are full fledged applications that have to be accessible. If it was a "regular" kiosk type of application, it would be easy.

Any other thoughts are welcomed.

BTW - we will have to hire someone to put this together, so if anyone knows how to achieve this, it may be a nice paying job for them.

[MrViggy]

It sounds like you want something similar to LiteStep.

Viggy

[bitshifter420]

Originally Posted by smarsh

Thanks! Is that Windows or Windows emulation on top of Linux?

The original BlackBox was just that.
But these new branches are for windows use.

I have not played with BB for about 2 years or more.
I even forgot my username and/or password so i had to re-register

[smarsh]

Thanks guys! LiteStep and maybe BB for Windows is pretty much what I'm talking about. The trick will be how they call up applications and a keyboard.