Multiple "desktops"

Emulate separate desktops using Launch8 - would be a nice feature

from Stardock Forums

I have just downloaded and tried Launch8, and I like what I see so far. However, it seems now that there are 3 levels of desktop complexity

  1. The Launch8 dock
  2. The normal Win8 desktop tiles
  3. The Win8 "More Apps"

I'm thinking this might be extended to simulate what many people crave - multiple desktops on Win8.

My thinking is this:

  • Allow the Launch8 to be resizable and occupy more of the desktop
  • Allow for multiple, nameable, docks within Launch8
  • Allow for the docks to replicate the Win8 icon groups off the desktop
  • Pop out a mini desktop with that groups content when the groups icon is hovered
  • ... or even just allow multiple named docks in Launch8 would be a step in the right direction for me.

I have about 8 or 9 groups of icons on my Windows desktop, and a lot of swiping goes on. Ideally Win8 would allow me to collapse either collapse the groups, or provide multiple desktops itself, but it doesn't do either.  I use the same PC for development, support work on client sites, and (if I am lucky) leisure. I have disparate groups of icons on my desktop for Development, Support, Games, Social Media etc, which relate loosely to the different usage scenarios. I'd like to only see the groups relevant to the scenario I am in.

Multiple users won't cut it as I am always me, and there are some apps I always need access to - email being the obvious one. If a client emails me I need to switch from leisure to support PDQ or I'll end up with an awful lot more leisure use than is financially viable!

 Is this an area that Stardock aims to cover? It seems like a gap that is waiting to be filled, and Stardock seem best placed to fill it.

launch8
3,171 views 1 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

I too, wish that there was some way to get "folders" or "stacks" in Launch8. I'm using an excellent add-on for the desktop side called "Bins" by the 1Up company that gives me what I want on the desktop side - the ability to have a single icon that when you float the cursor over it, expands to a custom group of shortcuts that you've created.

On the ModernUI/Metro side, I was hoping that Launch8 would do that, but unfortunately it just gives you singular app shortcuts which is less useful to me. I've always believed a significant UI deficiency in Windows 8's interface was the lack of ability to jump to tile groups so you're forced to swipe -swipe-swipe until you get to the group you need (or MS could have solved this by allowing tile groups to collapse/expand at will).

All Stardock has to do is make it so Launch8 can be customized with these folders of icons that we can drag app tiles to. Another close workaround would be the ability to create a shortcut icon on the Launch8 dock that could go to a specific tile group - so if you created "graphics", "communications", "games", "productivity" tile groups in ModernUI/Metro, the Launch8 would have a corresponding icon that would jump the view directly to the tile group in ModernUI/Metro.