Windows 7 - Does Windows offer virtual desktop options?

Anonymous
2009-10-21T13:19:43+00:00

original title: Multiple desktops in windows 7 ?

Hi,

Why Windows 7 is not providing the virtual desktops like in Mac or Linux ? It helps a lot in arranging the applications into various groups like personal, office etc and placing them on different desktops.

Best regards,

Bins.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2011-03-27T20:25:33+00:00

Hello SanatTalmaki,

The download does not seem to be malware. I suggest you might scan the file with another Antivirus such as Microsoft Security Essentiasl and see if you come up with the same results.

You can download Microsoft Security Essentials from the link below:

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

Thanks,

Marilyn

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Anonymous
2010-10-18T18:38:31+00:00

I've developed an application because I wanted the same thing. My program is extremely lightweight and requires no configuring.

You install, or you can use the zip and just run it. Then use alt+ the number of the desktop to switch to it. Then alt+ctrl+number to send the active window to a desktop.

My program is open source and free.

The current desktop is shown in the tray on the icon, and the icon can optionally be hidden.

http://code.google.com/p/mdesktop/

Jason

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-08-06T00:00:47+00:00

    I've tried all but Sondle and they all have their good and bad points. 360 does not create virtual desktops. It instead just extends the desktop creating a large panorama that goes the full 360 degrees. I can't remember what version I tried, but it was full of bugs at that point (such as being a PITA to find particular windows, intermittent crashes etc.) and I gave up on it very quickly. 

    Crystal worked well and was the most intuitive, as well as being easy to setup. Unfortunately it kept crashing on my Win7 X64 box. I couldn't try it on a 32 bit pc so I don't know if it was any more stable. It was also a resource hog. I could never get it to run as fast as their video clips. If I doubled my 2Gb ram I presume it would work a lot faster.

    I finally settled on Dexpot http://dexpot.de/intro_en.html . Not quite as easy as Crystal to setup, with a lot of configuration options, but once setup to your satisfaction (it took me 2 hours the first time) it does everything I want in a multiple desktop manager. It is also not as resource hungry as Crystal. Unfortunately Dexpot also crashes occasionally insofar as the taskbar would disappear on all the other desktops bar the one currently open. Easily fixed. Close then restart Dexpot. When you close Dexpot it gathers all open windows from the other desktops into the desktop you are currently on. I'm waiting for an answer on their support forums.

    There were 3 main reasons I chose Dexpot over Crystal. More options, uses less resources, and the price (Dexpot is freeware). I'd like to try Sondle, but I've got Dexpot running how I like it and I don't want to uninstall and re-install at this stage. Possibly I could turn off Dexpot and try Sondle, but it's probable there would be conflicts in the registry, so I'll stick to Dexpot for the meantime.

    I don't understand why MS have never included multiple desktops in Windows. I use Linux on my laptop and in Virtualbox on this pc, and I usually run 6 desktops. It just saves so much clutter on the taskbar, though this has been mitigated somewhat with Win7. Is it a patent or licensing issue? Maybe one day.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-07-13T09:11:25+00:00

    Try this:

    http://www.brightek-soft.com/cdesktop

    Works great with Windows 7 even if the UAC is switched on(most virtual desktop managers have problems with it).

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