CNET Editors' review
If you're losing the battle over your workspace to your desktop icons, a secret weapon is one click away. Fences quickly and easily organizes your icons into separate windows on your desktop, either automatically or manually. Labeling these boxes helps keep programs, photos, files, and Web links together, or you might choose to group by project rather than by file type. Whatever your logic, you'll be able to drag and drop fences (and the shortcuts within them) anywhere on your desktop.
You can furthermore drag and drop shortcuts anywhere, and resize the fence. A scroll bar pops up so you can find your icons in fences that you've resized to be smaller than their contents. In addition to sorting shortcuts, you can cleverly hide them completely by double-tapping the desktop; double-tapping again resurfaces them. Fences helpfully lets you exclude select fences from hiding. Customization tools can change the color scheme or take snapshots of your layout at any time, in case you'd like to switch among them without completely redoing your arrangement.
We just wish that creating a new fence was smoother and took fewer steps, and that you could create rules for certain files types to automatically download into specific fences. Perhaps we'll see that in a future premium version. In the meantime, we recommend Fences to anyone looking for a fast, fresh solution to persistent desktop clutter.
Publisher's Description
From Stardock:
Fences lets users clean up their desktop icons in moments. Users draw "fences" on their desktop which enables users to drag and drop icons into them. Users can have fences show and hide by double-clicking on the desktop. In addition, users can control which icons show and hide when the desktop is double-clicked on allowing for easy desktop clean-up.
What's new in this version: Updated desktop customization options and maintenance optimizations for Windows 7.
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All versions:
4.2 starsout of 1,085 votes
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Current version:
4.3 starsout of 377 votes
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My rating:
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"Does good job keeping desktop neat with six corrals."
Version: Fences 1.01
Pros
easy to install and configure. Has a lot of options for how it looks. I find it really useful when I'm grading to corral assignments in one spot--especially when I'll have 25-30--so it's functional for my needs.
Cons
I would like to be able to reconfigure the size of the fences because a couple are way too large for what they hold while others could use more space so everything in the corral is visible as I work. Maybe I need to move to the Pro version?
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"outstanding!!"
Version: Fences 1.01
Pros
the easiest program to date! everyone from novice to expert will love this app!! really keeps your desktop clean so easy to use it will amaze you!
Cons
absolutely none!!!
Summary
i love this app so much that i bought the pro version very very happy with it no need for any other desktop program at all!!!!
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"Great desktop "de-clutterer""
Version: Fences 1.01
Pros
Keeps icons out of the way. Can set it so your main FENCE(s) remains visible at all times, yet can hide/unhide the other FENCES for programs that you do not use as often by simple double-left-clicking the Desktop.
Cons
Would like to see an option that allows the FENCES to automatically roll back up to the top after you have opened a program from that FENCE..would return the FENCE to its original appearance.
Summary
Recommending it to all my friends along with OBJECT DOCK by the same company.
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"Excellent tool"
Version: Fences 1.01
Pros
clean and organized desktop
easy to useCons
none, no spyware, nothing
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"Works well to organize the icons on my desktop."
Version: Fences 1.01
Pros
Easy to download and use. A great organization tool for cluttered desktops like mine.
Cons
None that I have come across
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"Keeps me Organized"
Version: Fences 1.01
Pros
Can hide my icons to see my wallpaper
Can create as many areas as I want
Has many transparency settings
Holds more icons than a desktop because each area scrolls
Everyone who sees it wants it - conversation starterCons
I would like to be able to minimize the areas such that they can be stacked over each other and expanded when I want to view the contents.
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"Keeps desktop clean"
Version: Fences 1.01
Pros
Looks better than the default desktop
Cons
Kinda boring, IMHO
Summary
Not sure why it is ranked the "best". Seems just okay to me, but to each their own
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"Excellent Easy to use"
Version: Fences 1.01
Pros
find work on cluttered desk top
Cons
You might need to read the instructions
Summary
Have been using it for years and never had an issue
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"I like it. It works"
Version: Fences 1.01
Pros
I love it.
Cons
Hurray My favorite!
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"I LOVE FENCES"
Version: Fences 1.01
Pros
And everyone that sees it WANTS IT. I personally use the pro version because of the extras, but the free versions works well
Cons
None that I can think of.
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