Neowin.net

There's nothing in Windows 7 remotely like this.

There's something in every version of Windows for the past 15 years that divides icons into related groups... It's called the start menu.

Not to demean the technical achievement of putting these windowish things on the desktop to hold icons.... but this seems like an app without a purpose.

Danny, watch the video on the site. I was skeptical at first too, then joined the beta, tried it out, and wouldn't do without it now.

Then obviously you need to try Fences out for yourself.

The one problem with graphical desktops (all of them, not just Windows) is that they *invariably* get cluttered. Application shortcuts. Document shortcuts. Folder shortcuts. Drive shortcuts.. Worse, there is no reasonable method for de-cluttering the desktop. The closest anyone has come prior to Fences has been KDE 4.x, and even that is far from a panacea, even for Linux/Solaris/BSDs, and what about the dominant desktop on the planet (which is Windows)?

Enter Fences.

You can organize your desktop into groups that make sense for *you* (which may be different from what someone else may think) or let Fences group your icons for you (which I chose for a first attempt). Either way, you can always go back and re-order your icons and groups to suit you. Even better, not only is Fences free, and works in every version of Windows from XP up, it's even bitness-neutral (it works just as well in the 64-bit flavors of Windows as it does in 32-bit; I'm running it on Vista Ultimate 64-bit right now). Looks like Brad and Team Stardock smacked another meatball out of the park with Fences (which is definitely going into my Free Toolkit For Everyone; in fact, I'll be installing it for my mom this week, as she has been PLEADING for something like this).

Well... you didn't actually say anything to give me a reason to, really. Everything you just said... the start menu already does (and the start menu is also "bitness-neutral."

But whatever. Just because I wouldn't use something doesn't mean that no one should. I just don't see what's all newfangled about this, other than the fact that it's on the desktop instead of in a menu or a flyout panel, especially when most people (me included) only see their desktop twice: once when the computer starts, once when it's shutting down.

Sorry wut? Do you put all your random temp files that you grab or may wanna dip into into your start menu ? Not likely. I download images for reference sometimes and organising them for project basis means this program is great. There's a load of uses here. You can't see them because you seem to think the Start menu does everything. Which is very far from true!

This program reminds me that I need to clean my GNOME desktop.

Indeed. But the really cool thing is we can use this feature now on a modern PC OS that actually runs every major computer program in every major business as well as all games and entertainment related software and hardware!

I made that comment on the old front page news posting that seems to have been removed

That is my first impression too. One of the nice features of KDE4 in my humble opinion

Granted. However, not even KDE 4 offers an auto-organize feature.
Auto-organize is easily one of Fences' slicker tricks; however, the slickest one of all is that it's not just Windows-friendly (as long as you have Windows XP or newer, you're golden) it's even bitness-neutral (a single installer works in 32-bit or 64-bit Windows), which is not exactly the usual fare, even today, for Windows-based utilities. Hats off to Brad Wardell and Team Stardock for deciding to make EVERY Stardock application/utility/game, fee OR free, bitness-neutral going forward; they are *already* not only over halfway there with their utilities and applications, they are COMPLETELY there with their games. (And Stardock is "how big"?)

Viva Fences.

That's not a good feature.... LOL - "bitness-neutral"

I wouldn't expect "Fences" would use drivers, so I would expect wow32 to handle it perfectly fine. Your complimenting them on stuff they shouldn't have problems doing anyways.

I'm complimenting them on actually doing it, as most developers DON'T do it. Most developers treat 64-bit like the infamous red-headed stepchild (they don't talk about it, in hopes that it will be ignored). Most Neowinians are just as bad when the subject of 64-bit (especially in relation to Windows) comes up. Stardock doesn't just develop bitness-neutral software, they actively TEST their software (all of it) on the 64-bit side of Windows (Brad Wardell has Vista Ultimate 64-bit as the main OS on his test machine; Stardock has long been a developer that *eats its own dogfood*). Many preach bitness-neutrality; however, Stardock actively practices it.

Objectdock 2.0 comes out soon!

Actually, Stardock has made it clear in forum threads that ObjectDock 2 is still months away.

Thanks! Really cool app!

wow, i discussed this idea with a friend 2 years ago...

dp.

Wow Stardock has finally released an app that might be of some use.

...for you, I find their other app useful too. :/

No I would never install it on any of my machines or for that matter anything from Stardock.

something we should know? lol

Video demo here:

http://frogboy.impulsedriven.net/article/3...ces_Video_Demo/

No not really I just have never found any software from Stardock that did not lead to crashes.

Bryon, you are probably in the vast minority there. I've never had issues with any Stardock product, and I've been using their products since Object Desktop for OS/2.

I really like Fences. I'm using it on my work machine. At home I only have a few icons on my desktop so I'm not planning on installing it.

Woks Great with my 10" netbook helps save space.