News and Reviews > Mini-Reviews by Members
Tray Management Utilities Mini-Review
Sentinel:
Very good point! Thanks mouser.
Josh:
That's great news. I've been a registered user of SysTrayX for a while but am strongly considering converting to PS Tray Factory as soon as there is a DonationCoder discount or my SystrayX upgrade expires ($19 for yearly maintenance is just ridiculous). Frankly the upgrade policy is the one thing that would make or break my purchase of PS Tray Factory.
I'd like to add some of my insights to your review, if I may: -
1. Default Icon. I too would like to change the default tray icon for both programs. That being said, PS Tray Factory has a fairly attractive and up to date icon whilst SysTrayX looks like something from the Win 3.1 days. If you have a fully skinned up version of Windows SysTrayX looks dated and out of place. It is good to see that PS Tray Factory now allows the changing of other icons in the system tray though.
2. Default position for program icon. By Default PS Tray Factory places itself at the far-right of any system tray icons which I would consider ideal behaviour. SysTrayX has a habit of placing itself to the left of any new sys tray icons it encounters until you set 'Special Position' for that icon which can look messy.
3. As I remember SysTrayX has slightly better handling when it comes to settings which icons are displayed in the tray, in its menu, or both. I could be wrong, but at present you cannot set PS Tray Factory to display an icon only in the tray (I haven't tested it in some time).
4. Registered updates. I like the fact that PS Tray Factory can be downloaded and made registered with your existing key. The upgrade to SystrayX is somewhat laborious with the shareware version being released several weeks before the registered version is mailed to registered users (yes, email updates only!). Surely any software author should consider their paid customers as paramount, especially if you are expecting future revenues from upgrade maintenance.
5. I've found the SysTrayX support lacking with emails going unanswered from the author. Never used PS Tray Factory support so cannot comment.
6. I have so many programs configured already I'd like to see some form of migration utility included in both tools to allow me to change to the competing product, should I decide to change.
I'll add to this post if I think of anything else.
--Sentinel (February 05, 2006, 01:48 PM)
--- End quote ---
1. The default icon for SysTrayX is very outdated and win3.1ish as you said. The idea of being able to change the default icon is a minor one to me, but the option would be nice.
2. Again, another option that would be nice. The ability to specify where the icon is positioned would indeed be nice, but for me is not needed since I have only the PS Tray icon in my sys tray (and am considering hiding that as well since I can assign various hotkeys to perform clicking functions on the icons.
3. You can in fact set PS Tray Factory to display an icon only in the tray. In fact, that is the default behavior. If an icon is in the system tray, it will not display in the right click context menu.
4. I agree with you on the SysTrayX upgrade policy. Requiring a user download a customized registered version of an update is a bit of a hassle and the fact that you can simply enter a reg code into PS Tray is indeed an attractive option for upgrading. I understand why XDesk would have such an upgrade policy, in order to prevent piracy, but it can also detract users if an upgrade became available.
6. A migration option, in my honest opinion, wouldnt be a worthwhile addition as there are so many different tray utilities out there. The author would be forced to pick and choose which ones he supported. I think the 5-10 minutes spent reconfiguring PS Tray after a swap from another tool is well worth it since you only have to do it once. However, a nice option would be to have an "Export Settings" option for ps tray so that if you want to migrate to a new windows installation this would make transporting your settings very easy. Although, again, that wouldnt be too necessary if you ask me since the 5-10 minutes, again, isnt very much time to ask for an app like this :)
Sentinel:
. You can in fact set PS Tray Factory to display an icon only in the tray. In fact, that is the default behavior. If an icon is in the system tray, it will not display in the right click context menu.
-Josh
--- End quote ---
It was a long time ago since I tried this, but last I remember, PS Tray Factory didn't allow you to prevent a program from being listed in its menu whilst being visible in the normal System Tray. Hopefully that is no longer the case.
4. I agree with the SysTrayX upgrade policy. Requiring a user download a customized registered version of an update is a bit of a hassle and the fact that you can simply enter a reg code into PS Tray is indeed an attractive option for upgrading. I understand why XDesk would have such an upgrade policy, in order to prevent piracy, but it can also detract users if an upgrade became available.
-Josh
--- End quote ---
It is both a hassle and a frustrating delay, especially if you are waiting for a particular bug to be fixed. I'm of the belief that developers should put paying customers first, prospective second and the rest 3rd. Typically if someone wants to download a crack they probably never had and never will have any intention of paying anyway. At least if you keep existing customers happy, with a yearly subscription model you can be assured of at least a certain level of income and offering excellent benefits will get prospective customers every time.
6. A migration option, in my honest opinion, wouldnt be a worthwhile addition as there are so many different tray utilities out there. The author would be forced to pick and choose which ones he supported. I think the 5-10 minutes spent reconfiguring PS Tray after a swap from another tool is well worth it since you only have to do it once. However, a nice option would be to have an "Export Settings" option for ps tray so that if you want to migrate to a new windows installation this would make transporting your settings very easy. Although, again, that wouldnt be too necessary if you ask me since the 5-10 minutes, again, isnt very much time to ask for an app like this :)
-Josh
--- End quote ---
True, but an option to move from the main competitor would be a great feature for myself. Just checking the SysTrayX rules on my server and I currently have 65 in total. That would take me the best part of at least 4 hours to run and reconfigure those programs I reckon, without fixing any human errors introduded. With such close competition I feel a feature like this would be enough to consider a switch. At the moment I think "Yes, this is better, but do I want to spend the time making it work like my existing solution?". It may be my need for this feature is somewhat exceptional though.
Josh:
. You can in fact set PS Tray Factory to display an icon only in the tray. In fact, that is the default behavior. If an icon is in the system tray, it will not display in the right click context menu.
-Josh
--- End quote ---
It was a long time ago since I tried this, but last I remember, PS Tray Factory didn't allow you to prevent a program from being listed in its menu whilst being visible in the normal System Tray. Hopefully that is no longer the case.
4. I agree with the SysTrayX upgrade policy. Requiring a user download a customized registered version of an update is a bit of a hassle and the fact that you can simply enter a reg code into PS Tray is indeed an attractive option for upgrading. I understand why XDesk would have such an upgrade policy, in order to prevent piracy, but it can also detract users if an upgrade became available.
-Josh
--- End quote ---
It is both a hassle and a frustrating delay, especially if you are waiting for a particular bug to be fixed. I'm of the belief that developers should put paying customers first, prospective second and the rest 3rd. Typically if someone wants to download a crack they probably never had and never will have any intention of paying anyway. At least if you keep existing customers happy, with a yearly subscription model you can be assured of at least a certain level of income and offering excellent benefits will get prospective customers every time.
6. A migration option, in my honest opinion, wouldnt be a worthwhile addition as there are so many different tray utilities out there. The author would be forced to pick and choose which ones he supported. I think the 5-10 minutes spent reconfiguring PS Tray after a swap from another tool is well worth it since you only have to do it once. However, a nice option would be to have an "Export Settings" option for ps tray so that if you want to migrate to a new windows installation this would make transporting your settings very easy. Although, again, that wouldnt be too necessary if you ask me since the 5-10 minutes, again, isnt very much time to ask for an app like this :)
-Josh
--- End quote ---
True, but an option to move from the main competitor would be a great feature for myself. Just checking the SysTrayX rules on my server and I currently have 65 in total. That would take me the best part of at least 4 hours to run and reconfigure those programs I reckon, without fixing any human errors introduded. With such close competition I feel a feature like this would be enough to consider a switch. At the moment I think "Yes, this is better, but do I want to spend the time making it work like my existing solution?". It may be my need for this feature is somewhat exceptional though.
-Sentinel (February 05, 2006, 04:36 PM)
--- End quote ---
Sorry, I reworded my reply to you, I didnt intend to insenuate that I agreed with SysTrayX's upgrade policy. I think the subscription system only works for certain apps, and a tray utility isnt one of them.
kiwi2b:
Just had to add this caveat...
This is a grab from an email I sent:
QUOTE: Just paid for your PS Tray Factory programme: it looks like a
>> really good way to control my System Tray.
>>
>> But it's hitting problems. Every few hours or so it makes my
>> taskbar and System Tray completely lock up. The window works as
>> normal, but the Taskbar buttons don't work and neither does the
>> tray. When I use Task Manager to close Tray Factory the problem is
>> fixed. I thought of setting up a macro to restart Tray Factory
>> (because I think it's worth keeping) but of course this doesn't
>> work because Tray Factory needs to be started before the programmes
>> it is controlling.
>>
>> I tried Safe Mode too, but the problem still seems to be there.
ENDQUOTE
In the end the problem wasn't resolved. I sent this email:
QUOTE: I have tried out v1.94 and it has the same problem. Also, I have tried out
some other products and they have the problem too! So I tried unloading
everything in my system tray but still the same problem.
I can only suggest it is something with my operating system: I run the
Tablet PC version of Windows XP. This is surprising as I have tested
probably a few hundred programmes and not encountered a problem.
As I said, PS Tray Factory is a really useful programme for me: my tray is
about 7 cms at the last count (even after switching off what icons I can)!
Anything you can think of to make it work on my PC would be great.
ENDQUOTE
Just posting all this to warn anybody who is thinking of using this great looking programme, who also uses a TabletPC.
I decided at the end to use the native XP 'hide unused icons' function (and TrayPilot at http://www.colorpilot.com/ to hide the tray completely if necessary)
Hope this helps ...
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