Filed under: Utilities, Features, Windows, Macintosh, Productivity, Freeware
Switcher 2.0 beta: Exposé clone for Windows Vista
by Brad Linder Oct 11th 2007 at 4:00PM
Mac OS X is pretty. Windows is functional. Windows Vista was supposed to help bridge that gap. Microsoft threw an awful lot of eye candy into Windows Vista. Some of it is really useful. For example, you can hover your mouse over open programs in the taskbar and pull up live previews of those applications, even if there's video playing in one.
But Flip 3D, while attractive, is really just a complicated, resource-intensive version of Alt-tab. If anything, it makes it harder to find the application you're looking for, not easier. OS X, on the other hand, includes a task switching utility called Exposé that is both eye-catching and useful. It allows you to view all the running programs on your computer at once and easily shift between applications with a single click. No "flipping" required.
While there have been many attempts to replicate Exposé on Windows Machines, we have to say, we're particularly impressed with Switcher. The application is being developed by Microsoft employee Bao Nguyen in his free time. It's not an official Microsoft product, but it is a polished Exposé clone.
The video above was captured at 16 frames per second, making it difficult to truly show the beautiful transitions. But we tried to demonstrate some of the major features. You can choose from tile, grid, or dock views. You can dock windows to the top, bottom, left, or right of your screen. And you can switch programs using your mouse or keyboard. With the keyboard you can either hit the number of the program you want to bring to the foreground or use your arrow keys to select an application and then hit enter.
You can also adjust the transition times and choose whether or not to display the desktop.
The latest version of Switcher available from Nguyen's homepage is 1.2.1.1764, but there's also a direct download link for Switcher 2.0 beta. Switcher requires Windows Vista and the Aero interface. That means Windows Vista Home Basic users are out of luck.
[via techspot]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
lars said 7:59AM on 10-12-2007
Yeah, I've used it for a long time - It's really, really good! I still use ALT-TAB often, but when I have several windows, and the window I am after is not the last one I activated, I just move my cursor to the top-left corner (you can set it to what you want), and click the live thumbnail! :)
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hazard said 8:54AM on 10-14-2007
actually I think Flip 3D is pretty cool I love using it - what's complicated for some can be simple and intuitive for others ;)
plus I've found that the Flip 3D makes no discernable impact on the system performance as it's GPU bound.
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Khuffie said 1:48PM on 10-14-2007
Expose does NOT allow you to open all applications with a single click. You first have to trigger Expose first, which is usually done with a click or key press. The mere fact is in Windows, you do not need something like Expose (or Flip 3D), because you can automatically see all open windows in the task bar and can just go down and click to it.
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prostuda said 8:09AM on 10-16-2007
Did you people actually used mac like ever? Would never considered really responding to something like that, but every time I read posts of people in love with Windows I just feel, they are simply poor people who cant afford mac... BTW in Mac you actually also see all program windows in the "task bar" and No you don't need to hit any button, just move your mouse over you preferred corner of the screen and TA-DA! Which is really nice and useful.
But of course the first sentence IS a killer: Mac OS X is pretty. Windows is functional.
You really have absolutely nothing to say... get a life, will you!
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tankvoid said 9:03AM on 10-29-2007
Wow Prostruda...harsh. He makes a fair point. All applications minimized to the dock only shows what application it is but not the heading, title, etc.
Window taskbar does this. BUT...the non mac user does not realize is that having more than four open apps in the taskbar defeats this purpose because everything is condensed to make room.
Expose is a godsend and no Windows apps has come near it. Flip 3d is a joke and is just eye candy.
tankvoid (long time window user)
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Dave M. said 9:15PM on 11-29-2007
Another small point to consider...
You won't find any "Flip 3D for Mac OS X" programs out there.
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