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Fences Released!

By Zubaz on February 4, 2009 1:46:25 PM from JoeUser Forums JoeUser ForumsExternal Link

I love Fences!

 

Fences is a one-of-a-kind program, allowing you to draw labeled shaded areas on your desktop, which become movable & resizable containers for your desktop icons. These groups can help bring organization and consistency to your computer's desktop, solving the "constant mess" problem that has plagued the desktop since its inception.

Fences also helps you finally appreciate the wallpaper you have hiding behind all of that clutter.
In addition to its organizing features, Fences offers a novel quick-hide feature (in-patenting-process). Double click your desktop, and all your icons will fade out. Double click again, and they'll return.

+735 Karma | 33 Replies
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Reply #1
DrJBHL
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February 4, 2009 2:05:36 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

 To Jeff for this one, Zu.

Not often a reputable corporation which sells really good software gives away a program which genuinely helps people achieve order on their cluttered windows desktop.

I don't know if the industry gives awards for this kind of thing, but someone at Stardock should notify PCMag about Fences.

Really.

I think Jeff deserves recognition for this project, and I just don't know how to do that beyond "Thank you very much, Jeff!".

Reply #2
Annatar11
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February 4, 2009 2:10:14 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

I think Jeff deserves recognition for this project, and I just don't know how to do that beyond "Thank you very much, Jeff!".

Maybe a keg?

But yeah, Fences looks great. I'll be sure to give it a shot. Thanks!

Reply #3
BluesBrother
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February 4, 2009 2:16:05 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

iam a newly discovered fan of this feature.  its really practical. ive not had any problems with it. good going jeff bro

Reply #5
Trigeminal
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February 4, 2009 2:31:08 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Looks awesome, wish it was as cool looking on XP.  If I had Vista or XP, I would get this today!!!  It's FREE!!!  Amazing work for a "side project".

Reply #6
Kitkun
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February 4, 2009 2:36:57 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Almost makes me wish I had icons on my desktop.

 

Reply #7
2of3
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February 4, 2009 2:42:58 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Almost makes me wish I had icons on my desktop.

I feel exactly the same. I don't have any use for fences since I bought objectdock plus but I think it's great that Stardock has released this program and you can get for free no less!

Reply #8
DethAdder
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February 4, 2009 2:51:09 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums

Home run!!! Five minutes with Fences and I wonder how I ever did without it

Reply #9
Zubaz
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February 4, 2009 2:58:08 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Before Fences I'd create custom wallpaper that had boxes of color for all my projects.   It was useful . . but sucked.  This is so much better!

Reply #10
BluesBrother
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February 4, 2009 3:05:23 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

iam going to try and reachout to my friends , no doubt some of them need fences.. lets see how successful my mission will be.

Reply #11
teddybearcholla
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February 4, 2009 3:05:24 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Before Fences I'd create custom wallpaper that had boxes of color for all my projects.
  Say, too bad you didn't share that tip, I surely could have used it!!! ...but now there is/are *Fences*!!!!!!!!!! 

Reply #12
Fuzzy Logic
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February 4, 2009 3:08:39 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

I don't use my desktop for anything, but this looks interesting - will definitely have to give it a go

Reply #13
Drengin
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February 4, 2009 3:16:34 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums

I switched out from Objectdock to Fnces as i really liked the end result i got with the program

 

My desktop with fences loaded.



I especially like the way the scroll bars dissapear unless you need them. Great for gouping programs with only the most commonyl used ones on show.

Reply #14
picardsm
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February 4, 2009 3:28:08 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

I do not use my desktop either... I like to look at my Aquarium 2009    However, I started putting some shortcuts in Fences to try it out, and it is way cool.  I can see how this would be very handy for people who use their desktop. And it is free!!  Way to go Jeff & Stardock!!

Reply #15
Zubaz
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February 4, 2009 3:52:33 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

I do not use my desktop either... I like to look at my Aquarium 2009
Just remember that double-clicking on the desktop hides all the fences (and icons). 

Reply #16
picardsm
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February 4, 2009 3:59:44 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Quoting Zubaz,
reply 14

Just remember that double-clicking on the desktop hides all the fences (and icons). 

Yes I saw that... I have since loaded a bunch of fences.  This is great! double-click... everything I need... double click... disappeared.  Ingenious.

Reply #17
T1Pimp
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February 6, 2009 10:13:04 AM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums

It would be awesome to be able to collapse a fence. I'm also interested... what will be included in the Fences Pro FeaturePack?

Reply #18
Meridianox
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February 6, 2009 10:38:31 AM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums

I'm using dual displays and I use UltraMon to handle a bunch of dual display settings. One problem I'm facing is that UltraMon sets a different desktop background for each monitor, but installing Fences seems to disable that.

Any work-arounds?

Reply #19
Jaric
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February 6, 2009 11:20:40 AM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums

Quoting Meridianox,
reply 17
I'm using dual displays and I use UltraMon to handle a bunch of dual display settings. One problem I'm facing is that UltraMon sets a different desktop background for each monitor, but installing Fences seems to disable that.

Any work-arounds?

I'm having the same problem here. The moment I installed Fences the ability to set different backgrounds using UltraMon stopped working. After uninstalling Fences everything works fine again.

Reply #20
Daiwa
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February 6, 2009 11:26:21 AM from JoeUser Forums JoeUser Forums

Just remember that double-clicking on the desktop hides all the fences (and icons).

That worked flawlessly with the initial download, but the .037 update has a problem (here on XPP, anyway): the fences themselves hide with the double-click but icons within the fences remain visible on the desktop.  FYI Jeff.

Great idea & great little app.  If the suggestion box is open, though, I'd like the ability to adjust the font face & size of the fence titles.  Being able to 'skin' the fences would be even better (I know you can adjust the color & trans, etc., now).  Forgive me, but you know how we are - there are never 'enough' customization options.

Reply #21
Coelocanth
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February 6, 2009 11:37:31 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Quoting picardsm,
reply 13
I do not use my desktop either... I like to look at my Aquarium 2009

You know it's easy to hide your desktop icons (in XP at least. I don't know about Vista). All you have to do is right-click your desktop, choose the 'Arrange Icons By...' option, then choose the 'Shw Desktop Icons'. Clicking on it once will hide all your icons. A second time will show them. I've been using this method for some time.

Granted, Fences is much slicker and allows you to arrange related groups of icons into a single fence though. And double clicking is faster and easier.

Reply #22
bhavnarana
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May 1, 2009 5:04:07 AM from GUIChamps Forums GUIChamps Forums

It doesn't matter when it was released. As soon as the idea is made public, anything coming after Pai Gow Poker can be considered a "clone". It doesn't necessarily mean that the developer has even seen the original software.Bumptop is a good example, there are numerous clones out there, and bumptop isn't released. All similar software (such as realdesktop) are still clones.

Reply #23
Trigeminal
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May 2, 2009 12:35:41 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Been using this since a week or two after you released this.  Will never go without it again.  Thanks!!!

Reply #24
Daiwa
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July 15, 2009 7:09:52 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

Just installed the update released yesterday (7-14-09) and my problem is still there - the fences themselves hide just fine with double-click on the desktop but the icons within the fences don't & stay visible on the desktop.

XPP SP2 on a Dell Vostro 1500 notebook, Core2 Duo 1.4Ghz with 2GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 185.85 drivers (most recent WHQL set).

There's not much unusual about my rig but here's the system info from WBConfig just in case:

WindowBlinds version : WindowBlinds 6.4 (build 73 x86)

WindowBlinds is installed correctly on this PC
WindowBlinds appears to be activated on this PC
Your machine supports per pixel borders on WindowBlinds skins.

(Plug and Play Monitor) 1 is attached to NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT  

Wblind.dll         2009/03/24 14:04:20
Wbsrv.dll         2009/02/10 15:28:58
Wbconfig.exe         2009/02/10 15:28:20
Wbload.exe         2008/04/28 11:35:14
Wbhelp.dll         2008/04/28 11:35:07
Wbui.dll         2008/04/28 11:35:05
Tray.dll              2008/04/28 11:35:21
Screen.exe         2008/06/13 11:24:09

It also happens that I have both a domain profile and a local-machine profile that I use to log on to this machine.

Reply #25
kyogre12
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July 15, 2009 7:15:55 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Just installed the update released yesterday (7-14-09) and my problem is still there - the fences themselves hide just fine with double-click on the desktop but the icons within the fences don't & stay visible on the desktop.

I was under the impression that it was supposed to do that, so you can clearly see your desktop. You can exclude something from quickhide, so it stays visable when you doubleclick.

Reply #26
Daiwa
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July 15, 2009 7:35:10 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums

The icons are supposed to 'hide' with the fence, but they don't here.  The fence itself hides but the icons within the fence are still sitting there on the desktop.

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