15 Windows 3.x Graphical Shells + Install Files
Hello everyone,
Firstly, I apologise if this is posted in the wrong section, but it really didn't seem to fit anywhere else.
Following on from my look at various DOS GUIs, these are all the alternative shells I've been able to find for Windows 3.x.
There are 15 different shells with 34 versions in total in the uploaded zip file.
They range in form and function from the very good (Calmira, Calypso, Silver Wolf, Norton, Central Point) to the very awful (Microsoft Bob).
Most of these are freeware, but some (Norton Desktop, Central Point Desktop, Xerox) are/may be shareware.
I've not done a review document on these, so you can download and try whatever takes your fancy.
Based on my impressions, I've categorised them into 3 main and 3 sub categories:
01 - Excellent / Very Good / Good
. . . . 01a - Windows 95 style
. . . . 01b - Top menu bar style
. . . . 01c - Neither of the above
02 - SoSo
03 - Poor / Awful
Your experience of them may be different so rather than quibble with my assessment, download the zip and try them out.
All the install files I have are in the uploaded zip file.
There are also screenshots of each shell in the folders - note that for Calmira Longhorn and Calmira XP I couldn't get the screen resolution in Virtualbox set to suit them, so some solid colours are rather low-res.
I've also created floppy images and/or ISO images for each one (if they didn't have one) so that I could install them in either DOS or Windows 3.1 and these image files are included in the relevant folders.
The Windows 3.x shells I've included in the zip file are:
The Excellent, Very Good and Good:
. . 01a - Calmira I, Calmira II, Calmira Longhorn, Calmira XP (10 versions)
. . 01a - Calypso v2.1
. . 01a - Winbar v1.2
. . 01b - HP New Wave Desktop
. . 01b - Norton Desktop (5 versions)
. . 01b - Central Point Desktop (2 versions)
. . 01b - Silver Wolf Desktop
. . 01c - Easy Desktop v5.0d
. . 01c - Workplace Shell (IBM)
The SoSo:
. . 02 - Aporia Shell
. . 02 - HDC Windows Express
. . 02 - Wayfarer Shell
The Poor and the Really Awful:
. . 03 - Packard Bell Navigator (4 versions)
. . 03 - Xerox Rooms / Global View (3 versions)
. . 03 - Microsoft BOB
The Internet Archive link is:
https://archive.org/details/50-Windows-3.x-Shells (50 ? - the curse of cut'n'paste)
My web site link is:
https://multiboot-windows.dscloud.me/
There are some really excellent Windows 3.x shells in the zip, so download it and try a few.
Kind regards,
shotter_nail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are a few screenshots of some of the shells (the full set is on the IA and my web site):
Firstly, I apologise if this is posted in the wrong section, but it really didn't seem to fit anywhere else.
Following on from my look at various DOS GUIs, these are all the alternative shells I've been able to find for Windows 3.x.
There are 15 different shells with 34 versions in total in the uploaded zip file.
They range in form and function from the very good (Calmira, Calypso, Silver Wolf, Norton, Central Point) to the very awful (Microsoft Bob).
Most of these are freeware, but some (Norton Desktop, Central Point Desktop, Xerox) are/may be shareware.
I've not done a review document on these, so you can download and try whatever takes your fancy.
Based on my impressions, I've categorised them into 3 main and 3 sub categories:
01 - Excellent / Very Good / Good
. . . . 01a - Windows 95 style
. . . . 01b - Top menu bar style
. . . . 01c - Neither of the above
02 - SoSo
03 - Poor / Awful
Your experience of them may be different so rather than quibble with my assessment, download the zip and try them out.
All the install files I have are in the uploaded zip file.
There are also screenshots of each shell in the folders - note that for Calmira Longhorn and Calmira XP I couldn't get the screen resolution in Virtualbox set to suit them, so some solid colours are rather low-res.
I've also created floppy images and/or ISO images for each one (if they didn't have one) so that I could install them in either DOS or Windows 3.1 and these image files are included in the relevant folders.
The Windows 3.x shells I've included in the zip file are:
The Excellent, Very Good and Good:
. . 01a - Calmira I, Calmira II, Calmira Longhorn, Calmira XP (10 versions)
. . 01a - Calypso v2.1
. . 01a - Winbar v1.2
. . 01b - HP New Wave Desktop
. . 01b - Norton Desktop (5 versions)
. . 01b - Central Point Desktop (2 versions)
. . 01b - Silver Wolf Desktop
. . 01c - Easy Desktop v5.0d
. . 01c - Workplace Shell (IBM)
The SoSo:
. . 02 - Aporia Shell
. . 02 - HDC Windows Express
. . 02 - Wayfarer Shell
The Poor and the Really Awful:
. . 03 - Packard Bell Navigator (4 versions)
. . 03 - Xerox Rooms / Global View (3 versions)
. . 03 - Microsoft BOB
The Internet Archive link is:
https://archive.org/details/50-Windows-3.x-Shells (50 ? - the curse of cut'n'paste)
My web site link is:
https://multiboot-windows.dscloud.me/
There are some really excellent Windows 3.x shells in the zip, so download it and try a few.
Kind regards,
shotter_nail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are a few screenshots of some of the shells (the full set is on the IA and my web site):