- Average user rating: stars out of 18 votes Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
Full user review
-
5 stars
Version: Winstep Xtreme 9.5
"Fantastic!"
Pros: The amount of stuff you can configure is amazing. Lots of skins out there for the product. Great support community (the author is friendly and responds to questions and requests). Stable, has not crashed on me. Extremely light on resources.
Cons: There are so many things you can configure that for a new user it can be confusing. The options arent self-explanatory; I didn't know what "Respect Reserved Screen Space" meant until I enabled it and poked around to see what was different.
Summary: I like this product because it has enabled me to do exactly what I wanted. I recently gave Ubuntu (GNU/Linux) a spin and I loved the hell out of the Gnome desktop, but unfortunately Wine didn't play nice with all the Windows apps I need to use, and so reluctantly I went back to Windows 7. I especially liked Gnome's very roomy taskbar - I've always preferred to keep the desktop clear of icons, and just launch my most common apps from the quick launch. Unfortunately Windows keeps open apps, the systray, AND the quick launch all on the same bar, which makes it cluttered if you want to have a bunch of quick launch icons.
Using WinStep I was able to move the taskbar, along with the system tray and the start button, to the top of the screen, and I created a separate "quick launch" bar (dock) in the bottom of the screen, along with a OS X type mouse-over effect for when I browse the icons. This is precisely what I wished I could do with Windows, but couldn't before.
As an added plus, the product does not incorporate itself into the operating system; if WinStep were to crash (which it hasn't on me, though, it's very stable) it won't take any system components or other apps with it.
I am still new to WinStep myself, so I may not have mentioned some important features or whatever... I really just wanted to relay my own experience with it, and how well it has worked for me.
Submit your review
You must be 13 years of age or older to submit personal information to CNET Networks. In compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, CNET Networks does not accept name and e-mail address information from users who are under 13 years of age.
All submitted ratings and written comments become the sole property of CNET Networks, Inc. (CNET) and may be used at CNET Networks' sole discretion. Ratings and written comments are generally posted within two to four business days in batch groups, not in real time. However, CNET Networks reserves the right to remove or refuse to post any submission for any reason. You acknowledge that you, not CNET Networks, are responsible for the contents of your submission.
CNET Networks is not responsible for the content of the publisher's descriptions or user reviews on this site. We encourage you to determine whether this product or your intended use is legal. We do not encourage or condone the use of any software in violation of applicable laws. CNET Download.com does not sell, resell, or license any of the products listed on the site. We cannot be held liable for issues that arise from the download or use of these products.
