Talisman Desktop is a configurable Windows shell replacement introduced in 1997 by Lighttek Software. It is available in a number of languages including English, French, Spanish, Swedish, Portuguese, Russian and Italian. Talisman Desktop is shareware, available as a free trial download that expires in 30 days. The registration fee for continued use is 25 USD.
Features:
Creating multilevel user defined fullscreen desktops
Creating Desktop Panels on Windows Desktop
Replaces default shell of Windows 9x/Me/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003/2008/Vista/7 explorer.exe with talisman.exe
Use of any number of pictures, buttons, objects of any type or dimension, instead of standard icons.
Place, free-moving and imposing of objects in the Talisman workspace.
All objects can run external programs or internal shell commands or http:// URLs by one click of the mouse.
The number of forms (screens) in one theme is not limited. Any screen object can be set to switch from one form to another.
You can create a set of independent themes, and store them on any disk in the local computer or on a local area network.
You can easily switch between different themes through your own objects or through the Talisman menu.
The Built-in Object Editor allows the creation, modification and removal of any element in a theme.
Large number of basic elements (forms, pictures, shapes, buttons of different types, text blocks, inputboxes, calendars, clocks, timers, HTML-documents, Flash and VRML documents.
Customizable taskbar, system tray, clock.
Sound support for all events.
Startmenu, foldermenu, taskmenu, controlmenu, custom menu and other menu objects.
Script language.
Messages engine for communication with other programs.
Plugins.
HotKeys.
Keyboard control.
Protection and limited access functions.
Russia
RemovedUser added Talisman Desktop as alternative to Open Shell
RemovedUser added Talisman Desktop as alternative to Window Maker
RemovedUser added Talisman Desktop as alternative to BorderSkin
Comments and Reviews
I think this is perhaps the worst excuse for a desktop replacement I have ever seen. If I could give it a negative number, I would, but they don't let me give less than a 1. it gets a 1. I certainly would never pay for this thing, and it wasn't worth the time to download it.
SLOW. Did I mention slow? Slower than molasses in Antarctica on a cold day. I run a pretty fast 8-core machine, and this pile of bits bogged the whole thing.
My advice: don't even download it.
It's ok - testing it on Win10 with 8 core CPU like the other reviewer, and with 32 gb ram. Not slow for me, just a little bit glitchy. Program's not been updated since 2009, and it's not really worth bothering with tbh.