2005 • May • 05

More random Tiger and Mac thoughts

I wish I could have "soft" desktops/displays on my Mac.

That is, I'd like the second (or third or more?) desktop to display to a VNC server while still maintaining the hardware LCD screen as an independent desktop. Then, I could open a VNC client on my work machine and move some windows over there. I can do this under Linux with some X11/VNC tomfoolery, so I miss it--though I do understand how and why Quartz != X11.
Path Finder for Mac OS X reminds me of Directory Opus for Amiga--at least, it feels like that sort of improvement over the stock system.
I've noticed that the green maximize button in Tiger windows does the thing I expect more often now. That is, it makes a window alternately fill the screen (except the dock) or shrink back to the size before I hit the button.

Archived Comments

George Hotelling

2005-05-05T13:22:19

One thing that kills me about the zoom button (technically not a maximize button as shown by iTunes) is that when you click it in iChat on 10.3 it changes the width to fit names and pictures, while on 10.4 it resizes iChat to fit names, pictures and status. The default "I am currently away from my computer" away message now causes my window to expand to fill half the screen, and there's always someone who puts up an epic poem as their away message which causes iChat to go fullscreen. I prefer the 10.3 way of shrinking to the smallest window that can fit the information.
Tim Schwartz

2005-05-05T22:18:21

I use Desktop Manager for os X which lets you have multiple desktop, its pretty well done. I havent tried it with 10.4 though. Brings me back to windowmaker...mmmmmmm. -tim http://desktopmanager.berlios.de/
Pete Prodoehl

2005-05-06T07:24:51

Desktop Manager? http://desktopmanager.berlios.de/
l.m.orchard

2005-05-06T09:42:02

Well, the problem I have with desktop managers versus other displays, is that the process of swapping between virtual desktops is agonizingly slower than me just flicking my eyes to another screen. So, like, I have a few IRC windows open on a monitor to my right while I'm working in Word front-and-center. I can just glance to my right occasionally to see what's up, rather than flipping my whole desktop over to another. Of course, it does bear mentioning that I have a 12" PowerBook, so I could do with a larger display.
Anonymous

2005-05-25T05:42:55

"the problem I have with desktop managers versus other displays, is that the process of swapping between virtual desktops is agonizingly slower than me just flicking my eyes to another screen" on the other hand I can bring desktop manager with me in the train, I can hardly bring 4 external monitors with me on the train...
dan

2005-05-31T22:20:07

Have you checked out Synergy http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/ it may be what you are looking for.