Just so that the XOS team does not feel "left behind"...
Your neXgen code takeback looks awesome. Look-wise, it REALLY tackles the MS original, and with some 3d work, I am ready to BET it can be used as a "replacement", function-wise, to MS Dash. And being a tHc user, I can safely give you my WORD that, and I swear before your personal God (it being your lover, whichever orientation you have), that THIS neXgen project will surely have me as one of its users. MP3 and OGG sound support, FTP / HTTP server et al... within a dash looking like MS's will surely make me one of its supporters. Better yet, if you integrate MySQL, Perl and PHP in the HTTP server (fsckingly SICK, i know), then the Xbox could very simply be used as a Home WebServer without taking the hassle of installing Linux. But the last sugg could easily be made as an app...
Let's just keep to the kickass-presently dashboard which will have the MS easiness and the geek-made power!