Messages

1

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: April 18, 2008, 01:41 AM »

Anyway, I see that the "purists" over at the XY forums are all smacking themselves on the back and posting how only rank amateurs want dual pane explorers, and "real" power users know that single pane explorers are so much better.

-J-Mac (April 17, 2008, 09:29 PM)

I think nobody thinks that "SP is good and DP is bad" or "only amateurs use DP". It's just a matter of personal tastes.

I never understood that so many people seem to see it like a war between different concepts and everybody who prefers "the other one" is a fool. We should be happy to be able to choose: some prefer XY (not because it's NOT a DP file manager but because of it's unique features, great support, etc.), some prefer one of the various other DP file managers.

2

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« on: April 08, 2008, 01:27 PM »

Proud new XYPlorer Lifetime License holder! 

-J-Mac (April 08, 2008, 10:58 AM)

Congratulations!

Now to spend some time figuring it out and configure, configure, configure.

-J-Mac (April 08, 2008, 10:58 AM)

And many new features every few days. <b>XY</b> and boredom just don't fit together.

3

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« on: April 04, 2008, 10:58 AM »

Too bad we no longer have a discount there -- I'm going to have to pay full price for it!

Jim

-J-Mac (April 04, 2008, 01:01 AM)

Yes, but <b>XY</b> is really worth the price. Lifetime license, no additional costs for dual install, no additional costs for portable versions. And the program itself...awesome.

4

General Software Discussion / Re: Calendarscope (annoying/paranoid license procedure)

« on: March 17, 2008, 02:13 PM »

Calendarscope is a great program but I agree with you that it is really overpriced (there should be at least two years of free upgrades).

However, as they write on their homepage, you don't have to pay the full price again if you decide to upgrade (I think the discount is 50%):

After the first 12 months, if you would like to upgrade to a newer version, you will be able to do so after purchasing a discounted upgrade license (and you will get another year of free upgrades with the purchase). Of course, you are in no way obligated to upgrade to the new versions: you may continue using the version that you have purchased for as long as you like, if it works for you well enough, without paying any additional upgrade fees. [http://www.calendarscope.com/faq.html]

5

General Software Discussion / Re: My favorite software! What's yours?

« on: February 25, 2008, 02:20 AM »

Oh, and the program is 100% in German. No English...

-Curt (February 24, 2008, 06:03 PM)

Just go to Allgemein > Lokalisierung (General > Localization) and switch from Deutsch to English. But - as far as I know - the help file is only in German.

I tried a LOT of applications of this kind, but Shortcut is - in my opinion - by far the best one.

6

General Software Discussion / Re: post your 5 most used applications in 2007 here!

« on: January 01, 2008, 02:57 AM »

• XYplorer
• Firefox
• TheBat
• Treepad
• SoftmakerOffice

7

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: November 20, 2007, 01:13 AM »

I did write: "There are many other file managers available which are more suitable for visually and mouse oriented users".

-luc (November 19, 2007, 07:03 PM)

I think I am a very visually and mouse oriented user and I really have no problems with XYplorer. I do nearly all my file operations with the mouse and only use Keyboard Shortcuts when they are really useful.

But you are absolutely right, the first time with XYplorer is not an easy one. Before I installed XY I worked with other file managers like SpeedCommander, DirectoryOpus and TotalCommander for years. All of them are dual pane file managers and all of them are so much better than WindowsExplorer. So it was just natural that I developed a antipathy for single pane file managers.

The first time I started XY I automatically associated that it has to be a product of poor quality which would not excel WindowsExplorer. I didn't use XY for two weeks but then - I don't know why - I gave it another chance, read the Wiki, read the Tutorial and discovered so many interesting things. The support is the best one I ever saw and Don adds new features at a pace which is really impressive.

Personally I don't miss dual pane and I don't need it in my everyday work. If I really need to visually compare two folders I open a second instance of XY or use a specialized tool. But I can understand that a lot of users would prefer to work the same way they are used to.

Some people are happy with apples only and some with oranges only - and some would prefer to have both.

-luc (November 19, 2007, 07:03 PM)

Yes, that's why I don't know if it is really a good idea to make the apple (XYplorer) look more like an orange. If I prefer DP there are so many great file managers out there but if I want a good single pane file manager there is only XYplorer. If Don can find a way to implement "both worlds" without sacrificing the things which make XY so special then all users (SP and DP fans) would be happy. But I think that's not an easy task...

8

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: November 20, 2007, 12:29 AM »

Sometimes the small details can be so nice - and there's so many really nice features here in the first couple of minutes..

looking forward to getting to know better

-tomos (November 19, 2007, 05:36 PM)

Yes, the small details and the big advantages like: great usability, active development, fantastic user forum, no extra payment for dual install, portability, no changes in the registry, and and and...

A good place for new users to start is the Support Site (http://xyplorer.com/support.htm) with a lot of great sources of knowledge:the XY Tutorial, the wonderful XYwiki, the Cheat Sheets and - of course - the user forum.

9

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: November 19, 2007, 03:07 AM »

>>I think 3 out of 5 stars isn't really a hate review
[...]I just felt that this particular case was mainly motivated by the frustration about the lack of a particular "feature". [...] So what Luc is saying is: "This apple has a severe problem: it does not taste like an orange."

-DonL (November 19, 2007, 02:33 AM)

Yes, I see your point there.

I put feature in quotes because DP is a whole different approach to file management, not just a feature. It's not just about adding a 2nd pane.

-DonL (November 19, 2007, 02:33 AM)

You are absolutely right, DP is far more than a feature, it's a different concept. The question is: Can it be implemented without destroying the present XYperience? Will XYplorer with DP (even if it is optional there have to be so many changes throughout the program) just be another clone as all the other file managers? It's a difficult design question...there could be much more destroyed than achieved.

I have many paying customers and many contributing users in the forum, and they all are pretty happy with XY for a long time. Hey, this app is not just good, it is successful!

-DonL (November 19, 2007, 02:33 AM)

Pretty happy? That's more than an understatement, I love this application! 

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Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: November 18, 2007, 03:25 PM »

Thanks for the hate review at snapfiles. It won't increase the chance for DP in XY, but you probably feel better now.
(If you are not luc0815: ignore this post.)

-DonL (November 18, 2007, 11:00 AM)

I think 3 out of 5 stars isn't really a hate review. You know, tastes differ...and some guys just prefer Dual Pane.

Some time ago I couldn't imagine to use a single pane file manager. I was very happy with SpeedCommander and DirectoryOpus.

But now I can't imagine to use anything apart from XYplorer to manage my files. Yes, it must be this Zen thing. 

I also think you shouldn't implement a feature you don't like yourself, Don. The special thing about XYplorer is, that everyone who reads your forum can see at once, that you want to create a masterpiece. You only add features when you are convinced that they really improve XYplorer without bloating it.

Earning money is important (and DP would very likely bring more registrations), yes, but in the end it's mostly better to remain true to one's principles. To try to make all people happy is very rarely a good thing. If you keep on improving XYplorer more and more users will realize that DP may be a nice additional feature but it isn't something you can't life without.

But if you - some day - think that DP really would improve the XYperience (there may be these rare occasions when it is handy to compare folders visually) and you find a way to integrate it, it would mean that DP isn't implemented because it is requested but because it really is a feature to make XYplorer even better.

11

General Software Discussion / Re: Acronis True Image OR maybe not ???

« on: September 24, 2007, 01:08 PM »

Actually there is an alternative one should really look at : drive snapshot from a German developer: http://www.drivesnapshot.de/en/

-MerleOne (September 24, 2007, 10:48 AM)

Yes, DriveSnapshot is a wonderful program.  I don't like bloated applications and so I never liked Acronis TrueImage or O&O DiskImage.

Another great program (very small and fast) is Image for Windows (www.terabyteunlimited.com/imagew.html), but I don't know whether it does incremental imaging.

12

General Software Discussion / Re: Looking for an E-Mail Client which can be run on an USB Stick

« on: September 24, 2007, 12:41 PM »

My first choice would be InScribe, but also Koma-Mail is a good program.

Other great portable email clients:
- Popcorn (www.ultrafunk.com/products/popcorn/)
- si.Mail (http://simail.sourceforge.net/)

13

General Software Discussion / Re: anyone tried i.Scribe email client?

« on: September 23, 2007, 07:27 AM »

I type my password in the Send and Receive tabs of Account Properties and then click the OK button on the bottom. Then if I open again the two tabs the password is gone (there are no asterisks), even if i check "remember password".

-muntealb (September 23, 2007, 07:02 AM)

Yes, it really would be better to hide the password by displaying asterisks. But my version of the program remembers the password and everything works fine.

Then I found Koma-Mail and it does everything I need and it is free.

-muntealb (September 23, 2007, 07:02 AM)

Great that you have found a tool which fulfills all your needs. It seems to be another very good progam and I will give it a try! 

14

General Software Discussion / Re: anyone tried i.Scribe email client?

« on: September 23, 2007, 04:05 AM »

I tried to use iScribe (last time 1-2 months ago) but I couldn't make it to work with my Gmail account.

-muntealb (September 23, 2007, 03:00 AM)

I had no problems with Gmail, I just used this tutorial:
http://www.memecode....ibe/tutorials/gmail/

So I searched for another free e-mail client and found Koma-Mail, that works with Gmail (and Hotmail). It has Unicode support and its interface can be translated, two things that I search nowadays in any application. It doesn't need to be installed, because it is portable (comes as a zip archive). It has also a spam filter and other useful features.

-muntealb (September 23, 2007, 03:00 AM)

I think InScribe does have all of these features. It's portable, cross-platform, multi-language, has a built in bayesian spam filter, and and and...

15

General Software Discussion / Re: anyone tried i.Scribe email client?

« on: September 22, 2007, 04:40 AM »

Yes, I know that's an answer to a very old post, but I just tried InScribe...

It's a great program, I really can recommend it. 

Of course InScribe is not in the same league as TheBat, but it is very small and very fast.

So just give it a try!

16

General Software Discussion / Re: Top 3 programs you use

« on: September 10, 2007, 08:46 AM »

You might want to provide a link to Meskalin - it's a bit hard to google for

-f0dder (September 10, 2007, 07:31 AM)

It wasn't that hard 

I searched for "meskalin software" and the first link I found was this: http://www.xbeat.net/meskalin/

It seems to be another program of Don (the author of XYplorer). As the website states "A brand-new imaging software that leaves no panty dry" 

17

General Software Discussion / Re: Top 3 programs you use

« on: September 10, 2007, 01:41 AM »

(Not counting Firefox and Opera)

1. XYplorer
2. Treepad
3. Calendarscope

18

General Software Discussion / Re: My favorite software! What's yours?

« on: September 10, 2007, 01:15 AM »

Here are my favorites:

> XYplorer (http://www.xyplorer.com)
> The Bat (http://www.ritlabs.com)
> Treepad (http://www.treepad.com)
> IrfanView
> Calendarscope (http://www.calendarscope.com)
> Jetico Firewall, BestCrypt (http://www.jetico.com)
> MailbagAssistant (http://www.fookes.com)
> BootIt NG, Image for Windows (http://www.terabyteunlimited.com)
> Bookmark Buddy (http://www.bookmarkbuddy.net)
> ShortCut (http://www.typer.de, I think the homepage is only in German but the program is also in English)
> PC-Adressz (http://www.hastasoft.de, only for the German speaking guys here)
> TrafficMonitor, SuperSpamKiller (http://www.trafficmonitor.de, http://www.superspamkiller.de, only for the German speaking guys here)

19

General Review Discussion / Re: Best spreadsheet

« on: September 09, 2007, 03:18 PM »

You can find some information here: http://www.softmaker...om/english/dm_en.htm

Some days ago they announced on their board that the public beta test for the complete new SoftMaker Office 2007 (including TextMaker, PlanMaker, Presentations and BasicMaker) will begin in some weeks.

After SoftMaker Office 2007 is ready and shipping they will start the public beta test of DataMaker in late autumn.

20

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: September 09, 2007, 03:06 PM »

Thank you for the tip 

I just bought XYplorer and I'm absolutely happy with it.

I think you really can't make much wrong to buy a lifetime license for such a great price (no more update costs every two or three years and I can install it on more than one computer).

I also have licenses for Directory Opus and Speed Commander and I really like these applications and always prefered the dual-pane approach. But as I had to learn by giving XYplorer a try the multi-tabbed interface is far more than a simple substitute. In correspondence with the catalog feature it's really fantastic.

XYplorer doesn't have all the features of DO or SC but most of them I only use once or twice a year. For everyday file management it has all I need, is very simple and intuitive.

Don seems to be a very enthusiastic dev and releases a new version almost every day 

So, thank you again, without this board I would have missed this excellent product 

21

General Review Discussion / Re: Best spreadsheet

« on: September 09, 2007, 03:02 PM »

Yes, I love their products. Fast, easy to use and nevertheless very powerful.

I am also looking forward to a new version of DataMaker, then their Office Suite would be complete 

22

General Review Discussion / Re: Best spreadsheet

« on: September 09, 2007, 02:44 PM »

Yes, I really can recommend Softmaker's PlanMaker 2006 

It's a great product. Just give their demo version a try. I think you won't regret it 

They also plan to release Presentations, an excellent alternative to MS Powerpoint, later this year.