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Fences - By Stardock.

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by ontheropes

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Whenever I find a program that has features that I like I want to share it with my friends. This is the case with Fences-By Stardock.
One of my pet peeves is that I'll find a great picture to use as a background for my desktop and then be unable to see it in all of its glory due to the dozens of icons I have scattered around my desktop. Fences allows me to doubleclick on any unused portion of my desktop and hide all of the icons. I like that feature the best.
Fences also organizes your desktop icons into different categories. I used the default organization and am satisfied with how well it worked.
If you're like me and have a LOT of Program icons Fences organizes any category into a fenced off area that uses a scroll bar to access all of the icons. I didn't like that so much so I dragged the Fence border until it was large enough to make the scroll bar disappear and shows all of my icons like before installing the software.
Right now Fences is a beta program set to expire August 31 of 2009 but Stardock claims that it will always be free.
Try it. Display your desktop background without the clutter. A simple doubleclick anywhere brings all of your icons back.
I think that it's a great program. It's available here: http://www.stardock.com/products/fences/

25 replies

by the scummy one

Now I gotta get some and a to play with.
I have been having some issues with a switch and replacement of :( , the switch started dropping connections like crazy recently, which has impacted the ability for me to mess with a bunch of systems. Trying to replace the 16 port switch with even a 4 port switch has proven almost impossible :( with the cutbacks on spending, even though my manager, her manager, and her manager approve of the funds...
This is what happens when approvals go outside of the route of those who know what is needed. No matter what, they just sit there rejecting shlt constantly and giving different reasons for the rejection each time.
I thought about just bringing in my own switch to not deal with the hassle, but, the company I work for makes Billions more than me, so if they wont approve the $30 then they can suffer the consequences

by ontheropes

Screw that. If the yahoos keep rejecting purchases let the entire place go down. Not your problem.

by boxfiddler

off my desktop for years. I keep them in the Quick Launch Bar, or I put them on the Office Toolbar, which I've set to Auto Hide.

You wouldn't believe the number of icons I've seen on some teacher's computers at school though. I don't know why they even bother having a wallpaper. I might suggest Fences to some of them.

< rolls eyes > etu

by captbilly1eye

After reading the blog article by Jack Wallen last month, I downloaded Fences and tried it out. It does the job it was intended to do quite well.
However, I'm always a little hesitant to add another program that will constantly run in the background. I like to keep as many resources available as possible.

Over eight years ago, I started using a trick for organizing Desktop Icons using a custom-made wallpaper. It does take a little bit of effort and the use of Photoshop, but it does the job without adding another utility.

Here are the basic steps:
1. Select the wallpaper you want as a background and then organize your icons in groups on your Desktop (ie. Utilities, Editors, Communication Tools, Games, etc.).
2. Take a screen shot of the Desktop.
3. Make sure the saved screen shot is a JPG or BMP image and is of the exact same dimensions as the original JPG or BMP that you use for your wallpaper.
4. Open the original wallpaper file in PhotoShop or some other graphic editor that allows the use of Layers.
5. Open the screen shot in the same program and add it as a second layer.
6. On that second layer, use an Outlining tool to draw boxes surrounding each group of icons.
7. Use a Text tool to add labels to the boxes ((ie. Utilities, Editors, Communication Tools, Games, etc.).
8. Use the Erase tool to remove the icons from the second layer.
9. Combine the Layers (Flatten) and Save the resulting graphic to your Windows directory as a JPG or BMP and select it in Display Properties as your wallpaper.

I'll admit it's not as flashy or easily adaptable as Fences, but it's worked for me for years.

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by road-dog

Let them see how expensive an outage is. Keep those emails about the purchase justification because it will be "your" fault when the crisis happens. You will have an opportunity to be a hero and have "I told you so" rights.

Some companies would rather hemorrhage money than spend it.... I feel for you bro, been there done that.

by the scummy one

since I am not in IT, I shouldnt need networking equipment.
This is regardless of having approvals from decently high up on the management chain.

by ---tk---

I don't mind adding a couple more process to my work computer... already using rocketdock for my quick launch... Desktop fences to hide all my Icons... now I'm looking for a program that will turn my non-focused windows fuzzy :)... I know its out there, I just forgot what its called... If anyone knows what it is feel free to shout it out!

by neill1973

I have been using it for a couple of weeks now and I really enjoy this program as I am one of those people who is always changing wallpapers.

by ontheropes

I tend not to change wallpapers often but it sure is nice to be able to get the full effect now. This program's hide icon feature has been needed, as part of the Windows OS, for a looonnng time.

by captbilly1eye

In Xp,
1. Right-click an empty area of the Desktop and choose "Arrange Icons By".

2. Now, check or uncheck "Show Desktop Icons" as desired.

3. Wait a few seconds, and your icons should appear or disappear as selected!

A big annoyance is when the system has an error or for some other reason the icons auto-rearrange themselves to a default layout.
Here's my favorite tool for restoring icons to a set position with just a click. Since you can save multiple icon configurations, it comes in extra handy when you have two monitors or use a laptop and sometimes hook it up to a second monitor. IconSaver:
http://www.iconsaver.com/index.html
Since it adds a right-click menu option to Save or Restore Icons, you don't need to have it running in the background.
BTW... it is supposedly Shareware and costs $5, but I've never seen it stop working without registration.
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by the scummy one

no, that's the problem. My managers know and agree that I should get these, and even offered it out of the dept. budget.
It's that the higher-up goofball has designated a 3rd party to reject orders that do not meet certain criteria. And then giving stupid and complicated criteria...
I finally got the order passed the first approver, now it was rejected by the second.

The switch trying to push through is 2x for $29 right now.
friggin stupid shlt-a$$ policies by a dumbf**k manager somewhere on the upper/est end of the chain making way too much money than is worth....

by older mycroft

Mainly due to all the time I was a poor(ish) post graduate student, mixing with all the really poor (younger) students who all had underpowered PCs.

If they'd known the throbbing power [230MHz] in my machine I'd have been ostracised forthwith, so I poo-poo'd wallpaper like the rest of them (with their SX25s & DX2-66s).

Then I kinda got used to having a plain background (still got colours to change though - WOO WOO!! :^0 ).

What with the proliferation of widescreen machines, particularly my laptop, I've found a happy compromise with a locked Taskbar always on show, plus my QuickLaunch bar located to the lefthand side of my Desktop screen.

Everything on show and always visible, yet minimal eye candy. Works for me.

[i]I do run the laptop with 'Flyakite' though - it looks all WHITE like OS X.[/i]

by ontheropes

Kidding.
I've tried a little bit of everything over the years, Fences caught my eye and I think I'll keep it or keep track of it if I go back to my usual black background.
Good to see you. I was just asking about you. :) ;)

by ---tk---

yep I would agree... Im trying it out on my vista box to see if that makes a difference... the other box was XP...

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