[Gloucs] Yesterday's meeting

[David Corking]

Hello, Mick
>  > How does the world manage without multiple desktops? Where's
> >focus-follows-mouse?
> >
> >If anyone has tips for just managing windows and files, they'd be very much
> >appreciated.

Ouch!  Survival for Linux experts is definitely on-topic in my book :)

> When I've grizzled in a similar style, I've been told that tweakui will
> sort focus follows mouse. Appears to be a MS jobby. A Google for it
> brings up plenty of stuff.

Glyn was correctly informed.  tweakui.exe definitely works but it
became harder to find on the MS website (it used to be in the for-pay
power toys pack)  All it does is provide a quick-and-dirty GUI for
tweaking registry settings such as focus-follows-mouse.  I think the
registry setting is documented on sites like the windows annoyances
one.

Hey! a google shows that there is a new power toys for XP - free download
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

> For multiple desktops there is something called ZDesk (or ZDDesk). It
> kinda works but its kinda mediocre (IMHO) too.

Virtual desktops is actually built into the Windows GDI - it's just
turned off (and probably untested.)  The main thing tools like ZDesk
do is turn it back on, then add some bells and whistles.  Most of such
tools are either freeware or open source.

When I had to use Windows at work, I was quite keen on a GPL product
whose name I have surprisingly forgotten ...  but google reminds me
was called litestep.  No prizes for guessing what desktop inspired
that.
These links look promising
http://beyondconvention.net/ohussain/lsinstaller/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LiteStep
It replaces the explorer.exe graphical shell with its own code.

This is not the only shell replacement - download.com lists hundreds
of tweaking tools in the 'shell' category - see for example
http://www.download.com/Virtual-Desktop-Managers/3150-2346_4-0.html?tag=dir

I never got to use middle-click paste outside cygwin, as I recall. 
Nor did I decide whether Cygwin Emacs was better than NTemacs.  A bash
xterm also helps with homesickness - even if just for running ssh.

Anyway cygwin is very smart about finding its way round the filesystem
with forward slashes and often copes with spaces in directory names
too.  Some of your favourite bash and perl scripts may get a bit upset
about those spaces in the filenames, sadly.  What troubles are you
having managing files?

Best, David
--
David Corking
Principal, Corking Project
"Total Project Management for your supply chain technology"
Mail: dcorking at dcorking.com Tel: +44-7863-120641 Fax: +44-7863-440993
http://wireless.ecademy.com/user/davidcorking