Virtual/Multiple Desktop Thingy

[Ish]

Can anyone recommend a good, reliable, free multiple virtual desktop on one monitor style program for Windows XP.

If that makes sense.

[Super Stu]

It does, and I've searched so much for a decent XP one that I've come to the conclusion that Windows is ****e at it On Solaris, I could run as many desktops as my brain could cope with, all of them completely seperate. I've yet to find a single bloody singlescreen/multidesktop or multiscreen/multidesktop program on Windows which does the same.

I don't know if it's completely seperate that you're after (ie, seperate icon set etc), but I didn't have any joy.

[Sarkster]

Bah...you want the ****ing world on a stick, you pair do.

[Commander Marklar]

Microsoft do one...

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/powertoys.asp

...see Virtual Desktop Manager. A little primitive, but it does the job...

edit: Like Stu says, Windows is ****e at it. There isn't really a multi-desktop kind of thing in Windows, it just doesn't work that way (unlike say, X-Windows). You could use the above or go heavy and use Litestep for a better implementation.

[Super Stu]

it's **** :/

I wish Linux would hurry up and take over the world, sick of waiting for useful *nix features to arrive in Windows.

[Commander Marklar]

Yea, tell me about it Best loved *nix feature? Mutiple logons on the same machine... awesome. You won't believe this MCSE* Certified Windoze bloke's face when I "crashed" a process on Linux (he scoffed at this point as the console 'froze'), only for me to logon using another console (same machine) and kill the stuck process, logout and return to my unfrozen console and continue working

Bah, enough talk of *nix for now



*(Minesweeper Consultant & Solitaire Expert)

[Ish]

Finally found one that does what I want (multiple desktops, and really importantly, a seperate taskbar with each one):

http://www.managedesk.com

Pity it ain't free... but I'm going to give it a go for the trial period and see if I like it. I'm using it at the moment and its really helping out at the mo. I have tonnes of Windows open when I'm developing and foruming and downloading and writing specs at the same time.

I don't know about different icon sets (I doubt it...) but it does do different wallpapers and resolutions.

[Valken]

I think the closest *Nix will get to the mass market desktop is OSX. I've been tinkering with it now for a few months and it's great, Apple even have a nice rootless X11 server for it and some blokes have been porting debian packages to it.

*nu-apple fanboy*

Anyway, it sounds silly but my favourite *nix feature the file structure (although I hate hearing "everything is a file" as it's a cop out explanation) and the way you can mount drives where ever you see fit. Such an old OS but such an elegant idea.

[Valken]

Just found out that this nview crap nvidia ship with their drivers does multiple desktops. Seem ok if a little fiddley and it is free.

Worthless if you have an ATI or other card!

[Commander Jameson]

I use Vern (http://oneguycoding.com/vern/) in work with two monitors. Each monitor can have a separate Vern setup and works very well.

Might be worth a go for you.

CJ