Launchy 2.0 released

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware

Launchy 2.0 released

by Brad Linder Dec 18th 2007

A few weeks back we asked you to name your favorite program launchers. While we're big fans of QuickSilver for OS X and Launchy for Windows, we had a feeling there might be something faster, fuller-featured, or otherwise better out there. And you rose to the challenge, listing a bunch of great alternatives.

But now Launchy's upping its game with the release of Launchy 2.0. It's still a lightweight and fast application launcher. But Launchy 2.0 sports a bunch of new features, and a ton of new customization options.

The two most noticeable changes are a new default skin (although you can select the classic theme if you like), and the fact that you can now easily drag and drop the Launchy bar to place it anywhere on your desktop. But that's not all that's new:

New icons and default skin
New options dialog with easy access to settings like opaqueness, number of alternative suggestions, theme selection, and folders to scan
Skin selector shows previews
Vista support

Your old plugins and skins will stop working when you upgrade, and your configuration file will be wiped. So if you don't want to lost data, you might want to hold off on upgrading to Launchy 2.0.

Tags: Launchy, launchy-2.0, program-launchers

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Luis said 11:39PM on 12-18-2007

I used to use MCL before I started using Launchy. MCL uses a lot less ram and takes up less disk space. It's not very nice looking at all thought. But I thought I should mention it.
http://www.mlin.net/MCL.shtml

Blog Jones said 11:43PM on 12-18-2007

Cool! Thanks for the post about this.

I found that it did retain my old configuration file since I was using the beta version of Launchy.

alex said 8:09AM on 12-19-2007

My fave is the super fast spotlight that is built right into leopard.

mgthantzin said 8:09AM on 12-19-2007

Long-awaited update. Yesh. The previous version did not really support Vista. Skins were unstable with Vista.

philosopherdog said 8:10AM on 12-19-2007

Just installed it. Unless there's something wrong with my setup... I am having 100% cpu hogging with the new version, which is clocking in over 50 mbs of ram! Obviously this won't do. I went back to the previous version, which running at 14 mbs of ram, which I had thought was a bit much already. Anyhow, stick to the old version.

westudi said 8:11AM on 12-19-2007

I'm pretty happy with my Logitech G15 and Rocketdock.

Grammar freak said 10:47AM on 12-19-2007

Can someone explain why you would need this on vista? I like it on XP, but what does Launchy accomplish that pressing the start key and typing in that start menu search box thing doesn't? (Unless you prefer run with the non-vista start bar)

Greg said 9:21PM on 12-19-2007

I run vista and i use launchy. Although I realize i can easily hit the windows key and type the name of an application I wish to run, I really enjoy the fact that I can hit ctrl + space (my preferred key combination) and type any keyword from any of my many firefox bookmarks. It's convenience like this that makes my life that much easier.

I've been having trouble with the new fade-in and fade-out feature. It seems that you don't have much control over the fade time. There is are 2 very nice long scroll bars in the options under General GUI but it appears that no matter where you set the marker it takes the same amount of time to appear/disappear. Has anyone else experienced this?

Joao Almeida said 12:23PM on 12-19-2007

I've been using the beta without any major problem

Matidio said 8:31AM on 12-20-2007

Whoever said "It's still a lightweight and fast application launcher." didn't even install or used that beast.

It has got a lame, fat duck.

darshil said 8:51PM on 12-20-2007

its using a bit too much ram now and it doesnt remain minimalistic in my opinion- its lost me, im going back to 1.25

Anonymous Coward said 8:07AM on 12-21-2007

Better than 1.25. In my case I index project directories so I can open them and flip between them easily. Hundreds of projects and prior version didnot have any cutoff in depth so it would not index properly. This version does it properly.
I might be wrong but I remember seeing prior version run 60M over a long run this version is significantly less...
I donot care about the skins as long as it is usable and saves me keystrokes so I'd appreciate more efforts into memory/speed/usability.

Ron said 8:47AM on 12-21-2007

Is it just me or do the old skins dont work with 2.0. Does anybody know where you can download skins that work with the new version.

Salvino said 9:55AM on 12-29-2007

I really like this soft since the V.1.25...

But i have a problem with de V2.0.0....

It simply doesn't launch my FireForx bookmarks anymore... :(

The web searches aren't working too

=> Google [tab] my_search and nothing happen...

Can someone me..... ?

Salvino.

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