Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware
DExposeE2: Expose clone for Windows
by Brad Linder Apr 23rd 2008 at 1:00PM
DExposE2 is an Exposé clone that brings the same functionality to Windows XP and Vista. Hit the F10 button and your screen will darken a bit and DExposE2 will bring up large thumbnails of all your applications. You can use the arrow keys to move between applications, and hit enter to bring one to the forefront.
This isn't the only utility that brings Exposé-like features to Windows. Switcher and SmallWindows both do pretty much the same thing. But DExposE2 has some of the smoothest transitions we've seen, and it's easy to customize your options and do things like change your keyboard shortcuts.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Steve said 1:27PM on 4-23-2008
Could be neat (yet to try it out) but thats on quite possibly the worst designed website ever. Took me several minutes to even find a download link (why is it all the way at the bottom!?)
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ozzzy said 2:35PM on 4-24-2008
This program's web site just fails; I couldn't find the download link until viewing Steve's comment. Then bandwidth limit had been exceeded. There are dozens of web sites to host applications if bandwidth costs are an issue (FileHippo, Filefront, MajorGeeks, Download.com, etc.).
If the web site is this poorly designed, just imagine what the code looks like.
I'd love a Switcher/Expose clone for XP though, but alt+tab will suffice until then.
Davin Peterson said 1:52PM on 4-23-2008
If you want to get the Vista's 3D flip on XP than download WinFlip at http://winflip.stylekings.de/.
TaskSwitchXP is a free alt-tab replacement for XP. Download it at http://www.ntwind.com/software/taskswitchxp.html
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TurboFool said 1:57PM on 4-23-2008
"The 3D task switcher in Windows Vista is a lot prettier, but it's not really much more useful since you can only really see a live preview of one application at a time."
I'm sorry, what does this mean? I'm trying to decipher this. Are you saying that the live (i.e. moving, animating, playing, etc.) preview in the 3D task switcher only appears for one of the previews at a time (which is entirely untrue, as it's playing in all of them simultaneously), or that you can only see the full contents of one preview at a time since portions of the rest are blocked by other applications (which leaves me to wonder why you used the term "live")? Just trying to figure that out.
Either way, I find Alt+Tab, both due to habit and functionality, drastically more convenient than either the 3D Flip or this Expose clone. Holding two keys and alternating between holding and letting go of one flips me through my applications (which also have live previews when in Vista) drastically faster than hitting a key and then arrowing to my choice. The same applies to Flip 3D, but with that one it's just hard to remember to hit the Windows key instead of Alt.
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Brad Linder said 1:58PM on 4-23-2008
The second one. There are two things that make Expose a bit handier than Flip 3D.
1. You can see what's happening on each window. No windows are partially obscured by other windows
2. You don't have to flip through a dozen open windows to get to the one you want.
Arguably, Alt+Tab can be quicker/more efficient for many people, but it's not as pretty. Ultimately it all comes down to a matter of taste.
TurboFool said 2:11PM on 4-23-2008
That's fair enough, Brad, but if Alt+Tab is faster/more efficient (when you're used to it, it can't be beat by anything that requires additional fingers or interaction), then Flip 3D is just as fast/efficient, as it makes use of the exact same mechanics and runs at the same speed, and has additional style.
Not knocking this software, just noting that this one does seem to me like style over substance, like a lot of Mac concepts. Something that requires me to make use of extra keys or the mouse while looking prettier doesn't improve my experience in any meaningful way. If I can have both, then great, which is why it is slightly disappointing that Flip 3D hides some of the window, although not enough to give me a major problem.
Now if Microsoft would update it to provide more options on layout and visibility, we might be there. We shall see.
Dave said 2:36PM on 4-23-2008
Looks like his bandwidth is exceeded already on the DExposE2-Reloaded.exe anyone find a mirror anywhere?
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LisKiller said 3:05PM on 4-23-2008
WinMatrix apps have started appearing on other major sites.
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James said 5:34PM on 4-23-2008
Based on what I read here, I decided to give WinFlip a try. I am extremely disappointed. It crashed on its very second use (think I just did it too fast, but come on!) and TOOK MY SYSTEM WITH IT! That is, I didn't get a blue screen, but even Ctrl-Shift-Escape for the process list would hang. I had to log off and back in.
Then when I checked their forums for info on this bug, their answer appears to be nothing more than instructions to disable all Windows bug reporting and user notification when something crashes (a cheap workaround -- I still want to know the details of some crashes, but to make WinFlip work I have to give that up completely). They don't even talk about fixing the problem of why the program crashes in the first place; they only address how to make those crashes stop crashing Windows...
One user cheerfully stated, "I have triedd this method for about 1.5 weeks, during which WinFlip crashed in all possible ways ( before/during/after flipping and when WinFlip was running in the background ), but the system would never hang" -- well I don't know about you, but anything that crashes that much ain't hanging around on my computer.
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Matt said 11:28PM on 4-23-2008
Here's an alternative link posted by Lord Devrexster!
http://media.libsyn.com/media/parkylondon/DExposE2-Reloaded.exe
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philosopherdog said 12:02AM on 4-24-2008
These sorts of programs just crap out your machine typically. Save yourself the headache.
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iuqiddis said 7:25AM on 4-24-2008
I use the program called switcher (mentioned in the article) and it works great. As for 'turbofool' I think the combination that is faster depends on whether you're using the mouse or the keyboard when you're working. E.g. I use Alt+Tab when I'm using Word or Excel and need to go back and forth between them. That way my hand never leaves the keyboard.
However, if i'm juggling more than 2 or 3 programs then i just use the mouse to invoke the switcher program (its like expose). It's a lot quicker as i can preview several windows pretty easily and then select any one with the mouse or even the keyboard.
PhilE.Buster said 7:19AM on 4-27-2008
There's a PowerToy that'll do the trick nicely...
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Garry Lacey said 6:13PM on 4-28-2008
Haven't encountered a task switcher yet that beats the taskbar itself. The real Expose on Mac is great but you need Vista to find something of equal merit.
All the XP variations of visually rich task switching depend on the page being rendered after you invoke the switcher. So for instance if I have 10 open but minimised windows and start one of these task switchers, nothing appears in them until I maximise or restore up each one, then use the switcher, because they rely on making screenshots of whats running.
The real Flip3D on Vista doesn't have this limitation, it can render any window whether its minimised or not, as can the real Expose.
For me (emphasis here on ME) it's a show stopper and makes any of these switchers useless.
Gosh, did I just suggest something is better implemented in Vista that in XP? I'll go wash my mouth out with soap ;)
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Paul said 9:40AM on 5-12-2008
...Well, im still trying to find a use for this thing - pressing F10 does nothing at all for me - and what is that shadowy side bar down the right side of the screen somethimes?? Dont seem to do anything at all!!
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