Stuck on a Windows XP computer? Want to Spice it up a bit?

[dopefiend]

http://www.hamar.sk/sphere/

I've installed this on my desktop and let me tell you.....

Its pretty interesting :p

Doesn't take but a few seconds to install.
No configuring or such needed.
Can just turn it off instantly.
Great if you need a bigger desktop.
Doesn't even hog resources!
Easily uninstall able.

Link to some screen shots and video:

http://www.hamar.sk/sphere/screenshots.htm



My opinion:
I like it!

Post what ya think!

[g30ffr3y]

i havent been able to use it... but it looks similiar to the "looking glass"
tech demo from sun that went around a while back...

could be neat... but windows still sucks...

[MorganX]

I'm just not convinced a graphic windows management system is needed for the vast majority of desktop, nor that it's more efficient than the taskbar or Powertoy or OS X alt-tab switching. Maybe for Virtual Server & PC. But even then a huge monitor is needed. 3D is mostly for visual appeal in desktop computing as well as entertainment. I've yet to see a 2D productivity metaphor that truly adds functionality to the 2D equivalent.

The lookinglass demo did show one "good" use. That was copyright info, or notes on the back of an application window. That was sweet and useable.

Moving Windows out of the way, that just eats real estate. I'd rather minimize.

3D by it's nature adds another plane to traverse. More effort, more distance, more time. It needs to be used wisely and creatively or it will just clutter the desktop.

[edesignuk]

Doesn't seem to like dual screens to much :rolleyes:

[dopefiend]

Doesn't seem to like dual screens to much :rolleyes:


Don't think there is support for it just yet, hehe.

Kind of new I think, although you may want to check over at the forum.

Someone might have gotten it to work out.

[womencantsail]

I saw this on TechTV awhile back. Looks alright, nothing to spit at. Personally, I prefer my regular, 2D desktop.

[benguru]

Hi,
I saw it on another site and tried it. My computer is super-fast or slow, but SphereXP was incredibly slow, also I though Looking Glass looks much better, you can rotate anything anyway you want it LG, in SphereXP it goes around a sphere, and when it is on the sphere, the graphics of the window become unusable. Cool idea, bad implementation,

[dopefiend]

in SphereXP it goes around a sphere, and when it is on the sphere, the graphics of the window become unusable.


What do you mean unusable? Increase the resolution if you can' make out the windows.

[Dippo]

While I really liked how my map of the earth background was turned into a sphere, which looked really cool, the program provides nothing but eye candy.

My dual display is way more productive than this program will ever be. While I didn't find it to be slow, I did find it a pain to "rotate" around. Maybe an "screen edge" based rotation might be a better implementation.

It's a nice idea, just badly done.

[grneyedjay]

What the heck is this? It just makes me feel disorganized, like my windows are getting away from me, or that I might even lose one. It's bad enough having to have a 2-dimensional layered windows interface, why introduce 3 dimensions into the mix! (Note that this is also related to my problem with video games today, which started back with Nintendo 64)

[pinto32]

the best mod for windows I've seen is Stardock..I installed this on my PC a few weeks ago and can't live without it now