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| PowerDesk 2.0 | Utilities |
Prior to Windows 95, power users enhanced their desktop by replacing Windows Program Manager with a desktop manager such as PC Tools, Norton Desktop or Dashboard. Although the migration to Windows 95 incorporated many of these programs' features, some integrated components were lacking--especially file management tools in Windows Explorer, the heir apparent to File Manager. The best alternative to Windows Explorer is PowerDesk from Mijenix. Originally marketed by MicroHelp, this terrific product was reacquired by its original developer, Mijenix. It is completely customizable and can be easily adapted to your particular office setting. PowerDesk consists of two main components: PowerDesk Toolbar and Explorer Plus. New in this version are PowerDesk File Finder and the PowerDesk Size Manager. The latter gives valuable information on system and disk usage. The PowerDesk Toolbar is flexible and powerful. It can be moved anywhere on the screen or left floating. Using Auto-Hide, the toolbar can be popped up when needed. PowerDesk features such as QuickLaunch, Start Menus, Print Manager, MultiView and System Access can be placed on the Windows 95 TaskBar. The Toolbar is completely customizable and provides immediate access to several system functions. The Start Menus tool places each of the menus under Programs on your Start Menu onto the Toolbar. The Print Manager supports drag-and-drop printing and faxing. QuickLaunch holds icons for frequently used programs with-out using the Start Menu or cluttering your desktop. System Access provides control over your machine with quick shut down/restart of the computer or of Windows. This tool will also change the screen resolution on the fly. The System Monitors provide graphical status of various resources such as memory, CPU and disk storage. For DOS diehards, a DOS command line with history can be placed on the toolbar. If you must keep track of several time zones, the Clock tool you can add multiple instances to your toolbar. The real gem in this collection is Explorer Plus. Although the Windows 95 Explorer was an improvement over File Manager, in some ways it was a step backward. Explorer Plus is very customizable. You can add tools and icons to your Explorer Plus toolbar for frequently used functions such as formatting diskettes. Also, you can open the Viewer Pane and view the contents of any file with a single click. DOS diehards will like the command line incorporated into Explorer Plus. Explorer Plus also allows drag-and-drop un-archiving of compressed files. For instance, you can view and create Zip files easily. If you associate Zip files to Explorer Plus, additional items are added to the context menus that pop up when you click the right mouse button. Heavy Internet users will like the ability to add Internet shortcuts to the toolbar. Another wonderful feature is Dual Panes, which lets you have two folders open at once. PowerDesk also includes an SDK (software development kit) for extending the Windows 95 environment with custom add-ons tailored for specific products, tasks and environments. Using this open-development environment, you can configure your desktop to suit your individual needs. If you are a Windows 95 power user, you will love PowerDesk. The product is very reasonably priced and a good value for the money. |
Mijenix Corporation $29.95 Reviewed by J. Michael Jimmerson, attorney, author and technology consultant with Altman Weil Inc., Chicago, Ill. PROS CONS VERDICT |
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