Windows Shell?

Are there any decent shells for XP? Currently running a straight up default version.

Specifically, anything that is lightweight and customizable.

Bblean is your best choice though don't expect much customization. There is also GeoShell which takes second as far as I am concerned. Don't bother with Litestep or Aston. Only other ones that come to mind are Emerge and SharpE but I have no experience with either.

Thanks.

Anyone post more if you have them to recommend.

bblean and litestep arent a shell replacements. Don't know about the rest.

The shell is what interfaces with the kernel and files. Replacing the startbar and adding a menu with shortcuts to the desktop is not that.

Are there any ACTUAL shell replacements, as in, Windows Explorer?

I, in my insanity, once tried using an old version of ACDSee (2.*) as a shell replacement, running under Litestep.

It works surprisingly well. If you love navigating with the keyboard, I daresay you'll have a hard time finding a better GUI-based shell.

I should also mention Total Commander. I found it a bit more clunky, although it's more capable at file manipulation.

bblean  is nice though because it can shade windows. i really miss that feature in the windows explorer.

>>4
A shell is anything that permits access to kernel services, whether it is a CLI (Bash, Dash, etc) or GUI (Enlightenment) does not matter. Though in reality replacements like bblean and are more of window managers like their *nix brethren.

>>8
But bblean does not replace your shell or how you access kernel services.

It only replaces the start bar. The window manager and executing function remains intact.

Xtree Gold.

>>1
FAR Manager is all you need. It does everything (with plugins, including controlling Windows services or editing the registry, for example), it's piss fast, it would fit a diskette, it's reliable, and best of all, it's nicely combined with a command line. For Linux users, it's like MC, only with a proper command line integration (lol "The shell is already running a command", lol no simultaneous command line output and file panels), and having approximately 137.5 times more features.

P.S.: Fuck graphic file managers full of drag'n'drop gay shit.

use lunix lololololol

OP here. Under >>2 's suggestion, I tried bblean and Geoshell. I've decided to extensively try the latter. I'm still trying how how to add custom menu bars and stuff, but it seems nice so far. Just not very n00b friendly.

geoshell sucks

>>14
Then suggest something better.

>>15
Lunix, the OS Linux Tarballs created in his spare time as a 12 year old kid.

>>16
(with KDE of course, Linux Tarballs confirms)

go go putty

>>18
>go go openssh
fixed.

>>13
Stay away from Litestep then.  LS is about the most newb unfriendly of them all.  (Though probably the most customizable)

OP again. After finding a version of the basic plugin guide, I find Geoshell to be rather easy. Editing Geoshell's registry info is a piece of cake, and the whole thing is starting to look nice

I've actually thought about trying out Linux, but it's kinda daunting. All the distros, learning how to use them, learning a whole new OS in general.