News and Reviews > Best Dialog Extender
Revisiting (XfilesDialog, File-Ex, Direct Folders)
Darwin:
Stardock is ok, but Direct Folders can do that at half the price, and it can do more. Besides, I don't want to install a suite for one little application.
-superboyac (March 16, 2008, 02:12 AM)
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;D Completely agree about the disinterest in installing a suite for one little app... Although you dont' have to - you install Stardock Central (which is a download and installation manager) and select the components of Object Desktop to install from within it. Problem? You have to update and uninstall applications from within it as well.
Not sure I agree about Direct Folders doing more, though. I have a license so maybe I should revisit it... Note as well that I received notification of a new Vista compatible beta for XFilesDialog this morning as well. Not sure what functionality/compatabilities, if any, beyond that that has been added, though.
superboyac:
Not sure I agree about Direct Folders doing more, though.
-Darwin (March 16, 2008, 07:42 AM)
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Honestly, Direct Folders is better than XFilesDialog. I'm a little sour about his upgrade policy. During the time when I was registered, he only had two extremely minor updates. And the supposed "support" you're entitled two during the registration period isn't all that responsive. I mentioned the Autocad thing to him on more than one occasion, and he responded maybe once to it, but obviously never implemented anything (which I guess is not my right, I'm just saying), but it's not like he's the most responsive person in the world. I mean, look at guys like Pierre, they respond immediately for something you haven't even bought yet.
I doubt his new version adds anything besides being compatible with Vista.
Another thing that bugs me about him is how on his webpage, he proudly and liberally uses the word "FREE" (yes, all capitals) even though nothing is free, and he actually is quite restrictive and paranoid even for the shareware norm.
Examples:
Join XDESKSOFTWARE MAILING LIST and get the latest information about our programs and tips about other valuable programs and sites! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!! FREE OF ANY OBLIGATIONS and with no "spam risk". It is also the only way to get access to beta versions and inside information!
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Oh really?! I can join a mailing list for free? Wow, thank you for being so gracious.
New registered users get a FREE 12 months subscription (which means FREE updates and FREE technical support)!
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Wow, free 12 month subscribtion...all that means is you get updates for only a year. Again, compared to most other shareware (except AV programs), it's nothing to brag about. And, whoopee, I get Free technical support which I probably won't use, and even if I do, it's not that responsive or special in any way. I can get free technical support for most shareware, even if I haven't bought it, simply by contacting the author.
Anyway, that's all I'm saying. If his software was the by far head and shoulders above the rest, I'd give him a little slack, like I do for DOpus. But it's not.
Darwin:
OK - I think I misunderstood you: I thought you were talking about Direct Folders and Stardock's Enhanced Dialog and responded based on that assumption.
You're preaching to the choir about XFilesDialog... ;) The first person I "met" at DC (after Mouser) was Scott and we had quite a PM session about XFilesDialog. That coincided with me taking advantage of some offer or another and buying (very cheaply) a three year subscription. I recall we were both quite sheepish about doing this, given that we were complaining about the product to each other. Anyway, XFilesDialog has been gone from my system for a very long time, because I won a copy of File-Ex here on DC. Since then, I've had a lengthy daliance with Enhanced Dialog, a brief one with Direct Folders, and an extremely brief one with XFilesDialog - just long enough to figure out that it didn't work with an app that I wanted it to and to have waves of flashbacks about some of the things that got up my nose about it that last time I had it installed - and I am back to File-Ex. I'd be back to Enhanced File Dialog except that the last time I tried to install it, perhaps a month ago, I could not get it to work at all, so gave up.
I'll give Direct Folders another gander when I get a chance.
tomos:
dont you have Powerdesk Mike - or anyone else out there too :)
and it has a "Dialogue Helper" -
how does that one shape up / compare ?
Darwin:
Yessiree Bob, er, Tom! I do... Powerdesks Dialogue Helper isn't bad. It inserts a Favourite Folders and a Recent Folders Icon into the Menu bar along with a Preview buton to take advantage of its Stellent Viewers. I used to have it enabled but never used it. I'll play around with it when I get a chance and report back.
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