Do you use a desktop manager with OS X?

[brepublican]

Do you use a desktop manager such as VirtueDesktop or Desktop Manager?

If so, which one and what are your thoughts?

I've always liked the feature to have multiple desktops in Ubuntu Linux and didnt know til recently that it was available for OS X.

 

[mkrishnan]

I go through phases of using Desktop Manager, but right now Exposé is enough and I don't feel a need.

 

[kretzy]

I have to say I'm one of the "what's a desktop manager?" crowd.

I imagine they assist some way in organising your desktop...

 

[celebrian23]

I have to say I'm one of the "what's a desktop manager?" crowd.

I imagine they assist some way in organising your desktop...

I'm in that crowd too

Really, what is it?

 

[mkrishnan]

I'm in that crowd too

Really, what is it?

Let's you have multiple virtual screens. So you can put apps on whichever screen you want, and that screen retains the configuration of the apps on it. The big utility of it is that you can switch to a different desktop to affect the visibility of multiple apps at the same time, and keep their placement and so on (which isn't as easy to do with say Exposé).

Here is the link to Desktop Manager.

 

[brepublican]

Let's you have multiple virtual screens. So you can put apps on whichever screen you want, and that screen retains the configuration of the apps on it. The big utility of it is that you can switch to a different desktop to affect the visibility of multiple apps at the same time, and keep their placement and so on (which isn't as easy to do with say Exposé).

Here is the link to Desktop Manager.

Thats a great explanation mkrishnan. Just to add on, it gives you the feeling of being logged in on as many computers (or as different users on the same computer) as you have desktops open. You have different windows and apps open in each desktop and you can switch between them at the click of a button (or several key strokes). It gives better control than using Exposé.

(I bet it'll feature in 10.5)

 

[madagi]

I use VirtueDesktops and I absolutely love it. It's especially handy on my 12" PB seeing as how you don't have that much screen real estate on a 12" laptop. Plus it's got the cool factor of the cube effect (or whichever you prefer) when switching desktops. People always love that when you show it to them for the first time. Another cool thing is the ability to change the wallpaper for each individual virtual desktop. Never really used any other ones because VirtueDesktops has always done exactly what I wanted, and it does it well.

 

[mkrishnan]

Thats a great explanation mkrishnan.

[...]

(I bet it'll feature in 10.5)

Thank you! *blushes* When I start using it I really do like it. But then when I use Exposé consistently I really like that, too.

I would be surprised if this feature gets put in Leopard, though, to be honest. Desktop Managers have existed for at least 15 years. They're not new. And this one has existed since long before Tiger came out. So I would be surprised if they added it now, having ignored it for so long. On the other hand, I could say maybe if these features were integrated and expanded in the process of incorporating something like Parallels in the OS. Which I wouldn't rule out at all....

 

[UKnjb]

Here is the link to Desktop Manager.

That was a brilliant exposition of what Desktop Manager does - and I didn't know until now what it was all about. I have downloaded it and am playing. However, I also looked around the site and went into the Blog --- here is the 1st entry - ------ um -- er --- Crikey!

View attachment 51057

Nice one, though! Thanks. And thanks to the OP

 

[dhc]

Just recently discovered the delights of Desktop Manager - it's not essential an essetial tool for me, but has it's uses, AND looks pretty groovy, too.

 

[mkrishnan]

Just recently discovered the delights of Desktop Manager - it's not essential an essetial tool for me, but has it's uses, AND looks pretty groovy, too.

Actually the gangsta' Quartz Extreme rotating cube transitions were approximately 99% of my reason for downloading Desktop Manger.