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For the past year or two Paolo has been working on various tools to give the RISC OS desktop a more modern look and feel, and add features that will be familiar to anyone coming from other platforms. The central tool to manage this will be the DME - Desktop Modernisation Engine.

This will include improved theming with new icon sets and window furniture, a dark mode, sound effects, and more keyboard controls. He plans to provide utilities to make it easy for non-technical users to create their own themes, which can then be saved out and distributed for use on other computers. His aim is for these themes to be compatible across RO3-6, so users can have a retro or modern look whatever the age of the system they are using.

One of the main components is a new application launcher to replace the primitive Apps icon. Provisionally called LaunchPad, it is nearing completion and a demonstration of its facilities will form the centrepiece of Paolo's presentation. As with all DME components, it will be released as open source on the RISC OS Community GitHub page.

Paolo is always open to suggestions and (even better!) contributions, so come along to the meeting to join in the discussions. And if we are really good, maybe Paolo will give us a sneak peak at some of the other things he has been working on...