Deskbands

[Zren]

Why aren't these more popular? Especially with Windows 7 and widescreen desktops, the taskbar has tons of empty space. I've tried out linux, and in with Gnome and it's panels, there are tons of little widgets you can add to the panels. Microsoft's approach to these things has been desktop objects and the unmentionable sidebar *gasp*. Personally as much as I love tweaking my desktop with Rainlendar/Rainmeter, it doesn't have a usefull purpose there. The other approach is the buttons in the aero preview box. Which is what Microsoft is endorsing rather then these things. Though for a system monitor, I'd find a glorified deskband a heck of a lot nicer looking any notification icon or hovering with aero.

What are deskbands? Ever minimized Windows Media Player and had it go into a funky button panel, that's a deskband. That pesky and annoying Language Bar, a deskband. I'm also sure that stylish looking Battery on Lenovo laptops is one too. You can find all these by Right Click your taskbar > Toolbars. More on how Microsoft is handling these in Windows 7 and the future is here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa511446.aspx#deskbands.

[petree08]

ram ussage,

also less things on screen the better, i hate cluttered desktop,

i'm running the windows 98 basic theme on my vista os computer,

[Insectoid]

Mac has it right. Common apps on the doc, which hides when you don't need it. Tiny ass toolbar on top, which functions as both the startbar and application blue-bar thing on Windows. Has an indexed search on it, so you just type the first few letters of a file or app name and it'll show up within a moment (unlike Windows' slow as balls search). Battery, volume, time and other things (depending on what you've installed) go up there as well.

Mine currently has an Adium (IM for mac) icon as well as network upload/download speeds, memory and cpu usage, network connectivity, Spaces, cable connection, Time machine, bluetooth, battery, volume, language, temperature, time and search on it. Only takes about 6 inches across the top of my monitor, leaving plenty of space for the application toolbar.

In my opinion, Windows is far too chunky. A huge, thick taskbar that isn't hidden by default, a separate blue bar for every window and massive, clumsy menus. Waste of screen space, in my opinion (Note that I have not tried re-configuring the Windows 7 desktop 'cause I don't use it).

When I used XP, I spent more time closing deskbands than benefiting from them. They sucked up all my RAM! At the time I didn't know how to disable them, so there were like 15 of 'em. Made gaming horrible.

[TerranceN]

I don't know why these havn't taken off, but I remember finding it annoying when I minimized wmp and didn't have a clear way to maximize it. So I think some sort of standard (like how windows always have minimize maximize and close buttons) would help.

How do they use so much RAM, that doesn't make sense to me (would it not be just like a minimized window with buttons?).

@Insectoid:

"Mac has it right"
I disagree, I think Linux has it right, allowing users to fully customize their desktop (allowing the community to make things like beryl/compiz-fusion). I hope Microsoft and Apple can come up with some interface to their window systems (cause they would never release the source).

"unlike Windows' slow as balls search"
It has never been slow for me, it is usually about 1 second or less.

[ProgrammingFun]

I agree completely with Insectoid on the RAM usage:

Mac Requirements (OSX Snow Leopard):
# Mac computer with an Intel processor
# 1GB of memory
# 5GB of available disk space
# DVD drive for installation

Windows Requirements (Windows 7):
# 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
# 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
# 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
# DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

I personally like Mac but the software compatibility issues prevent me from buying one...
I'd dual-boot my laptop but its new so I'm paranoid-ish...

[Insectoid]

I definitely agree that Windows and Mac need to add far more customization to their operating systems. Just like an addon or something. Myself, I think OS X's desktop is fine and doesn't need personalization, though no doubt some people aren't satisfied by it.

[ProgrammingFun]

@ Insectoid:

Completely off-topic but:

I LOL'D when I read your signature (quoted from Sniperdude).
Or maybe I was just thinking dirty...

+bits

[Zren]

Some of you seem to be confused. Deskbands have nothing to do with the Sidebar whatsoever and it's gadgets. To my understanding, it would act similar to a very small canvas in it's memory usage.

So I think I figured out why these aren't used much. They require some Registry editing for each one added. It also seems quite complex to utilize these things and there's lots of confusion on how to implement them and it's upgraded version with aero. I've been looking into a Visual Studio's example code from the SDK. It compile's, but now I just spent 15 minutes trying to edit the registry into getting a context option where the other toolbars are, and still no working solution.

Offtopic: lol 3 inches

[SNIPERDUDE]

@ProgrammingFun: Sure, he gets the bits, I say the quote...

On-Topic: I seriously have to agree with Windows being chunky. The problem is they try to please new users, but I'm sure by now that people have a grasp, and want some customization. Give us some damn options.

[ProgrammingFun]

SNIPERDUDE @ Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:52 pm wrote:

@ProgrammingFun: Sure, he gets the bits, I say the quote...

Sorry for that, it was just that he made me realize the funny side to the quote.
+bits for you too

[DtY]

Insectoid @ Fri Apr 23, 2010 4:57 pm wrote:

I definitely agree that Windows and Mac need to add far more customization to their operating systems. Just like an addon or something. Myself, I think OS X's desktop is fine and doesn't need personalization, though no doubt some people aren't satisfied by it.

It seems to me that Mac OS X has a lot of customizability. I haven't looked into how a lot of this is done, but you seem to be able to write plugins that change the interface of Cocoa applications (similar to XUL, I think). For example TotalFinder claims (I haven't installed it) to add Chrome style tabs to Finder. I think it's really just people not doing it than not being able to.

[andrew.]

Mac OS isn't that hard to modify, but the problem is that you must find and use third-party tools to do it. It would be nice if Apple added a PrefPane to allow you to change the theme or colours to something other than blue or gray.