multiple windows (XP) desktops

[wpshooter]

The Ubuntu/Linux O/S has a built-in feature that allows the user to run multiple desktop sessions on the same computer.

Does M/S windows O/S already have this type of feature built-in ? And if so, how does one activate/access it ?

I see that there is an add-on program called Virtual Desktop Manager but I was wondering if this feature is perhaps already included (but hidden) in the XP O/S.

Thanks.

 

[QuixoticOne]

Wishful thinking. I'm on my vista 64 box now and I feel just ....wrong and naked....
without having multiple desktop workspaces like gnome/kde/whatever.

Now there are 3rd party "multiple desktop" programs for working with a single monitor and giving you different workspaces.

There is also the capability built in to most advanced video cards (NVIDIA, ATI) to hook multiple monitors to the same graphics card (usually they have 2-3 ports) or even use multiple graphics cards of the same basic family and have EACH port of those cards go to a different monitor and be able to extend your desktop across those multiple screens... so you can have multiple true desktops that way...drag things from one monitor to the other etc.

There is also built in "user switching" where you can "switch user" to a different login on XP or Vista or other OSs (W2K I think also) without closing programs / logging out of the other user... so you can bounce from one login session (and desktop / set of running programs) to another that way... you can have a few different accounts logged in at once... though I do not think you can have multiple logins of the SAME user... so you'd have to partition your work and have one set of stuff running as one user, another set of stuff running as the other user, etc. and make sure the file sharing is set up so you can access common files between all the users.

 

[wpshooter]

Originally posted by: QuixoticOne
Wishful thinking. I'm on my vista 64 box now and I feel just ....wrong and naked....
without having multiple desktop workspaces like gnome/kde/whatever.

Now there are 3rd party "multiple desktop" programs for working with a single monitor and giving you different workspaces.

There is also the capability built in to most advanced video cards (NVIDIA, ATI) to hook multiple monitors to the same graphics card (usually they have 2-3 ports) or even use multiple graphics cards of the same basic family and have EACH port of those cards go to a different monitor and be able to extend your desktop across those multiple screens... so you can have multiple true desktops that way...drag things from one monitor to the other etc.

There is also built in "user switching" where you can "switch user" to a different login on XP or Vista or other OSs (W2K I think also) without closing programs / logging out of the other user... so you can bounce from one login session (and desktop / set of running programs) to another that way... you can have a few different accounts logged in at once... though I do not think you can have multiple logins of the SAME user... so you'd have to partition your work and have one set of stuff running as one user, another set of stuff running as the other user, etc. and make sure the file sharing is set up so you can access common files between all the users.

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, the mutiple monitor scheme is what we are using currently. But that is a bit cumbersome. I was looking for a way that our accountants could have multiple instances/years of tax preparation in CCH Prosystem Global FX tax program open on the SAME monitor and toggle between them without having to have 2 monitors setting on their desks.

Has anyone ever tried the "Virtual Desktop Manager" program ?

Thanks.

 

[QuixoticOne]

It's ugly, but you could of course do this with having different virtual machines open in a couple of cascaded windows.

Or if you had something like citrix / terminal services / whatever you could flip between session windows or cascade them I guess.

I'd go with software like you're mentioning.. that kind of stuff used to work well back in the win3.1 / win98 days.. I imagine it would still.

 

[Canterwood]

Originally posted by: wpshooter
The Ubuntu/Linux O/S has a built-in feature that allows the user to run multiple desktop sessions on the same computer.

Does M/S windows O/S already have this type of feature built-in ? And if so, how does one activate/access it ?

I see that there is an add-on program called Virtual Desktop Manager but I was wondering if this feature is perhaps already included (but hidden) in the XP O/S.

Thanks.

Its an XP powertoy available from Microsoft called Deskman, and enables up to four virtual desktops.

Links on the right hand side of page HERE

 

[Bluefront]

I use Virtual Desktop Manager (the powertoy) on several machines, and have had good luck... Try it, since it's free.