Any alternate file managers?

[Carlos]

Directory Opus:

http://www.gpsoft.com.au/

The scale of customization is unbelievable!!
probably the best windows file manager ever!
(bought and using it since I got Vista)

Windows Vista Windows Explorer Toolbar has almost no buttons!!
Gone are the Windows Explorer Toolbar buttons that we take for granted in
Windows XP!!
(properties, delete, cut, copy, paste, undo, refresh etc.)
Those buttons made file management so much easier..
Maybe Microsoft decided like this to keep Windows Explorer design minimal
or imitate Mac OSX finder. Don't know..

Another worth noting is the free UltraExplorer

http://mustangpeak.net/subdomains/ultraexplorer/index.html

" it contains new ways of working with your files. The first and most
noticeable is the Columns View.
This view is a flat view of your files and folder aligned in a linear
fashion across the windows.
This is similar to the way many Mac file managers have been designed for a
long time."

 

[ToddAndMargo]

Hi All,

I have tried. Really, I have tried to like the file
manager that comes with Vista. It drivers me nuts.
I like XP's, I like A43, I like KUbuntu's Dolphin,
I like XFce's Thunar, even though it crashes constantly.
(Okay, Apple's file manager is annoying.)

I just don't like Vista's. Are there any alternates
out there that you would recommend?

Many thanks,
--T

 

[Rich]

Hi All,

I have tried. Really, I have tried to like the file
manager that comes with Vista. It drivers me nuts.
I like XP's, I like A43, I like KUbuntu's Dolphin,
I like XFce's Thunar, even though it crashes constantly.
(Okay, Apple's file manager is annoying.)

I just don't like Vista's. Are there any alternates
out there that you would recommend?

Many thanks,
--T

PowerDesk.


Rich

 

[Alan Biddle]

Definitely PowerDesk by Avanquest. The latest version has some Vista
tweaks. If you prefer clean rather than gimmicky interfaces, this
will appeal to you. Some learning curve, but no too steep. If you
Google around, there are some older version which had a freeware
level, but they may not play well with Vista.

Another program is FreeCommander, which is a emulation of the
venerable Norton Commander. I have it on another Vista machine, and
for me it is a good second to PowerDesk. Again, preferences differ.

 

[ToddAndMargo]

Hi Rich and Alan,

I will give Power Desk a shot. Thank you!

-T

 

[Steve Thackery]

My favourite is Directory Opus:

http://www.gpsoft.com.au/

SteveT

 

[Richard Urban]

Total Commander. It has been Vista compatible for over 2 years now. I have
been using it since 1995 and am very pleased with it.

Get it at http://www.ghisler.com/

 

[Steve Thackery]

PowerDesk.

I used to use PowerDesk donkey's years ago. I've just taken another look
and was pretty horrified. It's still got the Windows 95 chiselled look,
complete with rows if indecipherable icons and all that visual "noise" we
left behind years ago.

Nope, not my cup of tea.

SteveT

 

[scs0]

Vista's looks pretty, but it just doesn't make any sense. If you a re
viewing a folder in thumbnail mode the listview will have a header
with columns. This makes no sense whatsoever! The contents aren't
displayed in columns yet there are column headers that allow you to
specify how to sort. Huh? This just doesn't make sense.

And it also seems like Microsoft is moving even further in the
direction of believing users don't need to know where their files are
located, and that the user will never have two files on the system
with the same name so this lack of location info won't matter.

 

[Spirit]

Another vote for PowerDesk,,, been using
pro for many years.........

 

[PaulZ]

I've read that PowerDesk Version 6 runs on Vista as long as the option to
replace Explorer is uncheked.
Did you ever try 6 ?

 

[SacredHeart]

I totally agree with you. I hate the Vista Explorer too. Why on earth
did they get rid of all the file manipulation buttons??? Copy,
Delete, cut, paste?...will Windows 7 bring them back ? No...is MSoft
losing it? yes...I think so...

 

[Spirit]

I have been using PowerDesk since Win 95.

Presently using 6.0.42 Pro on Vista Home
Premium x86 (32 bit) as I have not bothered
to upgrade yet.

 

[Donald Lessau]

Try XYplorer. It's multi-tabbed, portable, highly customizable, and
extremely fast and light.

http://www.xyplorer.com/


Don

 

[PaulZ]

Good to know...thanks for the reply !

I have been using PowerDesk since Win 95.

Presently using 6.0.42 Pro on Vista Home
Premium x86 (32 bit) as I have not bothered
to upgrade yet.

 

[ToddAndMargo]

Another worth noting is the free UltraExplorer

http://mustangpeak.net/subdomains/ultraexplorer/index.html

Hi Carlos and everyone who responded,

Thank you so much for the advice. I eventually landed
on Ultra Explorer. Not because it was any better or worse than
the others, but bacause it was free and I can drop it on any of
my customer's machines without worrying about licensing.

I is nice to not have to click (an miss) a fuzzy green diagonal
when I want to open a directory tree.

I wonder if the our heroes at Redmond actually use the products
they design? But ...

-T