[prev] [thread] [next] [lurker] [Date index for 2007/01/24]
On 24/01/07, Andrew Black - lists <andrew-lists@xxxx.xxxxxx.xxx.xx> wrote: > DO I get the feeling that virtual dimensions is worth avoiding. As per muttley's conundrum, I'm not sure whether to hate Virtual Dimensions or XP. Allegedly XP now supports virtual desktops. Yay! we all cry. Windows could now have something that Linux has usably had for years, without having to go through the hackery that made the various widgets that emulated it (buggily) on WinNT. I tried EvilDesk (nice, but ultimately annoying) and a couple of other alternative windows managers which all sucked in various ways. Finally I installed Virtual Dimensions, on the basis that it more or less leaves the default Windows desktop the same, and therefore should break less. It more or less works. Changing from desktop to desktop is a bit slow: the task bar entries don't immediately switch but sit stupidly there for a bit before realising that they have to replace themselves. This doesn't really sit comfortably with the idea that the desktops are supported natively. Some apps, notably Firefox will occasionally decide that they want to make a break for freedom and sit on all desktops. Other apps, notably Thunderbird, will decide not to register their presence in the taskbar anymore (until you Alt-Tab to them). Simon's PuTTY hate could well be VD related too, as the data points in the thread suggest. VD adds items to the window menu -> move to another desktop, set transparency, or "always on top." Transparency works ok, (though without being settable by slider it's frankly unusable to me, I don't like transparency except to enable it quickly to peek behind a window). "Always on top" (basic functionality in Gnome anyway) doesn't work at all. I wasn't sure whether to really hate VD (it has some functionality), but as it would be off topic if I didn't, I will. It is a hateful buggy piece of shite that doesn't even provide the basic functionality that would bring this part of the WinXP experience to the basic level of usability that Linux desktop has (and believe me that's not a fantastic or unattainable level to aspire to). Hate, osfameron
Generated at 04:02 on 27 Jan 2007 by mariachi 0.52