Another way of changing desktop backgrounds..and alternate image viewer?

The easiest way to do this is to navigate to the directory you want to view, then hit command (apple) + A (the select all command)...then right click (or control-click if you don't have a two-button mouse)...then select the Slideshow command in the menu that appears. You can get onscreen navigation, but the arrow keys on the keyboard will work as well. You also have other options (such as viewing them all at once in an index sheet).

As for the desktops, I keep mine in iPhoto and use the Desktop icon to change them out.

 

firefox+mozImage
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/168
turn firefox into a image viewer and set as background of your desktop if u need to

 

I think this'll help. Xee (this is regarding your 2nd question.. I don't know the answer to the first one )

 

One program I highly recommend is Phoenix Slides a great simple program. I've never tried PicturePopPro, but it looks cool.

 

For your desktop image problem:
I opened Automator and made a workflow with "Get Specified Finder Items" followed by "Set The Desktop Picture". Then I went to File-> Save As Plug-In and saved it as a plug-in for Finder.

This way, you can right-click on an image, go to "Automator", and then choose the plug-in you created (I named mine "Set As Wallpaper"). This will set the image as your wallpaper.

It works really well. That was one feature I was jealous of in Windows...but this is just as good.

 

erhem...just wanted to make sure you saw this.

 

I agree with this answer Xee is pretty close to the Windows Picture imager.

As for the first question Quicksilver has an easy built-in function to change the selected picture file to the desktop background, or use Automator. (no simple answer on Mac for this )