Wednesday, May 05, 2004 6:01 PM szurgot

Do you Desktop?

Just a question I've always wanted to ask. How do people use their desktop? How many people have multi-monitor setups, and do you have background images? How many, rather than use IE's bookmark editor, grab URLs, and throw them on the desktop for later perusal (and better bookmarking if they are any good)

Obviously, I do all of these things. I have a 3 monitor setup (2 19s and 1 17) I have a program that randomly cycles different images across all three monitors (the only one that I'm aware of that works with Multiple monitors. Ultramon only does one set, not rotate). I do frequently drag URLs to the desktop for perusal, and I keep handy icons there as well. Since I got sick of minimizing to get to the desktop icons, I wrote a program that can capture the icons, and present them in a list. And, since I got tired of wrapped URLs in email, a quick program to capture URLs from the clipboard, and open them. When I'm in the zone, it doesn't matter, but if I'm just goofing off, I always make sure I've got a monitor free to cycle the wallpapers on.

I guess I'm kinda curious about how people use their desktop. Are there others like minded, or am I the only one who wastes time like this :)

I've released this before, but I've updated it a little bit, so I'm throwing it back out there. (http://www.szurgot.net/projects -> Tray Runner) Let me know what you think. Written in .NET (obviously) with a few Interop calls for the desktop stuff.

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Comments

# re: Do you Desktop?

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 6:37 PM by Jerry Pisk

I don't desktop. I don't have a desktop background and I have no links on the desktop at all, except the defaults (My Documents, My Computer, My Network Places, Recycle Bin and IE), and even those I kept only because I'm lazy to get rid off them, not because I actually use them. I don't use the desktop at all. Whatever I'm working on is in a maximized window (terminal sessions and command prompts are the only exceptions) so I can see as much as fits ont the screen. And if I'm not working I do not look at the monitor so there's really no point in having a background image (or even a spiffy screen saver).

I also use keyboard to do things, I don't run programs using the mouse and start menu, I run them using keyboard shortcuts. At least the 10 or so I use 99% of the time. And most of the time I have them all open anyways and just Alt+Tab between them.

# re: Do you Desktop?

Sunday, May 09, 2004 9:59 AM by Scott Brickler

I desktop! I like to keep shortcuts there to my most relevant content and most used applications. Of course I use a keyboard shortcuts when inside apps. Nonetheless, I have never adjusted to alt-tab so instead I use dual monitors (17" LCDs at home, 17" CRTs at work). I have been "dualing" it for about 2 years now and I love it. In fact it is catching on at my company (a great feat considering I reside in the rust belt and work at a manufacturing company!).

I am an avid OneNote user and really like the fact that I can open and edit a whole screen of notes while reading a document or a webpage on the other screen. I have been thinking about going to 3 monitors but haven't splurged yet.