Author Topic: Need Virtual Desktop software recommendations (Read 44829 times)

zridling · « **on:** August 31, 2006, 01:32 AM »

Trying to find some good Virtual Desktop apps and am wondering what you'd recommend. Here's the three I've been using:

— Virtual Dimension (Open Source)
— VirtuaWin (Open Source)
— Dexpot (Personal Freeware/Business shareware)

I'm too the point where I need this software! Once you start using it, you can't live without it.

Eóin · « **Reply #1 on:** August 31, 2006, 04:00 AM »

Don't use virtual desktops myself so can't exactly recommend one, but Microsofts own Virtual Desktop Manager is another option.

f0dder · « **Reply #2 on:** August 31, 2006, 08:06 AM »

I've never really gotten used to using virtual desktops. But I have them available, thanks to blackbox for windows.

housetier · « **Reply #3 on:** August 31, 2006, 08:45 AM »

I friend of mine is using bbLean and has just recently discovered the usefulness* of virtual desktops.

*Useful for him of course.

mouser · « **Reply #4 on:** August 31, 2006, 09:13 AM »

as someone who got used to and fond of the virtual consoles in linux (when linux was text mode only!), and switched between them with alt+f1 through alt+f9, i use VirtuaWin to emulate this (alt+1 through alt+9) and it works great.

lanux128 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 31, 2006, 08:23 PM »

i too have no actual need for virtual desktops but i keep one such app , just in case.

anyway, here's Robin Keir's BossKey. it may not be a full-fledged virtual desktop manager to some but it's good enough for me...

zridling · « **Reply #6 on:** September 01, 2006, 04:15 AM »

Thanks I appreciate the feedback!

rjbull · « **Reply #7 on:** September 01, 2006, 08:18 AM »

PowerPro can control multiple desktops:
http://powerpro.webeddie.com/index.html

PC Rangers third-party PowerPro support
http://powerpro.pcrei.com
Contains archives of the user groups, the "Wink" based Flash demos, etc.

abhishek_del · « **Reply #8 on:** September 01, 2006, 10:57 AM »

u can use microsoft virtual desktops i.e it comes in power toys. so head for power toys on microsoft.com

zridling · « **Reply #9 on:** September 01, 2006, 05:27 PM »

Good find, abhishek_del. Microsoft's Virtual Desktop Manager is on their Powertoys page, third from the bottom, but is limited to four desktops. RJ, PowerPro is a nice and different, more direct approach.

roneill · « **Reply #10 on:** September 03, 2006, 11:26 PM »

I find VirtualDimension to be the best virtual desktop utility. It has the best interface I've seen for switching between desktops and for controling which applications go on which desktop. Also, I like how it syncs the Windows taskbar with whatever virtual desktop you're viewing.

AndyM · « **Reply #11 on:** September 04, 2006, 11:17 AM »

I find VirtualDimension to be the best virtual desktop utility. It has the best interface I've seen for switching between desktops and for controling which applications go on which desktop. Also, I like how it syncs the Windows taskbar with whatever virtual desktop you're viewing.
-roneill (September 03, 2006, 11:26 PM)

VirtualDimension gets my vote also.

gwynevans · « **Reply #12 on:** September 04, 2006, 02:21 PM »

Trying to find some good Virtual Desktop apps and am wondering what you'd recommend.
-zridling (August 31, 2006, 01:32 AM)

While I'm not really using any virtual desktop app at present, Flash Desktops (http://www.flashdesktops.com/) is the best one I've come across when I did try various others a while ago. It looks not to have been updated recently, but the author's still active in the support forum, so maybe it's just working well enough as it is and doesn't need updating!

Edvard · « **Reply #13 on:** September 05, 2006, 07:33 PM »

Personally, I cannot get on without a VDM. So much so I wrote a mini-review a while back...
https://www.donation...dex.php?topic=2485.0
and BTW, if you use Litestep, there's at least 5 different ones available as plugins.

zridling · « **Reply #14 on:** September 06, 2006, 04:36 AM »

Thanks for the reminder, Edvard, I love it. Are you still using PowerPro?

Edvard · « **Reply #15 on:** September 06, 2006, 11:26 AM »

Yep, still using it and still learning how it works.

I experimented with skinning it two weeks ago, and drove myself batty and then suddenly it worked....
rjbull suggested I do a mini-tutorial but I don't know where to start... I guess I can tell everybody how I made my launcher and hotkeys, but I also make use of a lot of 3rd party apps. I use JSpager for virtual desktops because I dislike powerpro's VDM, I use Hawkeye ShellInit because I can't get PowerPro to do desktop margins consistently, and I use AutoHotkey/AutoIt because I don't like PowerPro's scripting language, things like that.
Maybe I could answer questions as I have time in a "Ask PowerPro questions here" thread, who knows? I don't get to this forum as often as I used to, so it may be sketchy. Whaddya all think?

tomos · « **Reply #16 on:** September 06, 2006, 12:27 PM »

Zaine
see this link for review of a couple of V.desktops
http://www.probo.com...blosxom.cgi/2005/Oct

author recommends goscreen in the end:
http://www.goscreen.info/

Ervard,
it would be interesting to find out a bit more about PowerPro and how you or others use it,
me, I use it to:

enlarge dialogue windows
right click on titlebar closes window
make various systemwide hotkeys. Ctrl+Q closes any window, phew! (Never did get to grips with Autohotkey - I'd never
make a programmer

)

I never got much beyond that, well, I do have a launchbar but its collapsing in on itself from lack of use since I got Find & Run, & I keep going back to the desktop in spite of everything.

Speaking of which (back to Virtual Desktops) I'd love something that would (easily

) allow me to make a few desktops with different icons, say graphics icons, tools, maybe a desktop for my partner who uses my computer occasionally.
Its not important to me whether programmes minimise to one window or all.

Carol recommended DM2 to me before but I couldnt even find a helpfile for it (it could be me !?)

I know Dexpot can do it, but after struggling through a couple of pages of directions (in deutsch & I'm not particularly good at it) I think i figured it out but it seemed painfully slow & complex. Also I've read elsewhere here that it uses a lot of memory ...

I read in above link that jspager's desktops show in taskbar - can you than Alt-Tab them? Can you change the icons on its windows?

rjbull · « **Reply #17 on:** September 07, 2006, 04:36 AM »

I'd love something that would (easily ) allow me to make a few desktops with different icons, say graphics icons, tools, maybe a desktop for my partner who uses my computer occasionally.
-tomos (September 06, 2006, 12:27 PM)

Why not try Horst Schaeffer's freeware program launcher Qsel
In "Large Icons" mode it's rather like using a different desktop.

The bottom right icon "Tools" is actually a link to another Qsel window, so it's easy to change between sets of applications.

tomos · « **Reply #18 on:** September 07, 2006, 04:39 AM »

thanks rj
I'll give that a go

tomos · « **Reply #19 on:** September 08, 2006, 10:45 AM »

Well,
I'm happy with that - Qsel,
simple & effective
thanks!
tom

mouser · « **Reply #20 on:** September 08, 2006, 10:46 AM »

tomos you might also want to check out our own LaunchBar Commander, which is similar to QSel:
https://www.donation.../LaunchBarCommander/

Edvard · « **Reply #21 on:** September 13, 2006, 02:19 PM »

zridling, did you see Trandesk in the C++ Builder contest winners?
https://www.donation...93.msg33859#msg33859
http://www.xhirl.com...are/trandesk/webhelp

Blaster · « **Reply #22 on:** September 13, 2006, 02:47 PM »

This one is quite amateur, but you maybe find some interesting solutions in it...??

http://www.taraba.co.../download.php?id=192

cnewtonne · « **Reply #23 on:** March 27, 2007, 10:41 PM »

I thought this thread won't be complete unless we mention GoScreen and Altdesk. I look for 3 things in a VDK...
- stable: if this utility crashes/hangs you loose all your windows. You will see them in taskmgr but loose their interfaces.
- Uses pager to switch desktops so you can visually tell what apps is running where.
- Ability to manage windows e.g. move, pin, assign, and min/max/restore them.

I used Altdesk for over 2 years now but recently it started crashing on me. It was not able to handle unresponsive apps which caused it to become unresponsive itself. I went on a pursuit to look for an alternative and how glad I was to find GoScreen. I've been using it for a week now and it delivers very well. I need more time to test it, but so far is has been a true winner. Please check it out http://www.goscreen.info/

2stepsback · « **Reply #24 on:** March 28, 2007, 01:03 AM »

I use a simple one: deskillusion
Basic, no-frills, but very stable and fast.