This chapter explains the following:
- the concept of virtual desktops
- how to use virtual desktops to enhance productivity
The Concept of Virtual Desktops
Normally, your monitor screen is your desktop. It is very similar the physical desk you work on. You bring out documents, and put them on your desk, so you can work on them. Sometimes you work on one document, sometimes you work on a few documents so you can compare and cross reference. Sometimes you leave some documents on your desk and work on something else, because you know you will come back to them soon.
If you need to work on a few documents at the same time, your desk would become cluttered very easily. To solve this problem, people buy more desks, or buy bigger desks, to obtain bigger desk space. A new problem arises. The desk is now so wide that you have to constantly move your chair around to access different documents.
Just imagine, what if there is a button, by pressing a button, a robot will come and put the documents away, so you are left with a clean desk to work on another set of documents. By pressing the button again, the robot will put away this second set of documents, and bring up the previous set of documents, arrange them back into the way they were before, so you can continue working on them. And this switch between the two sets of documents happen instantly. This allows you to be more organized.
This is exactly what multiDesk does with your monitor screen. If you have to work with many applications and documents at one time, your screen probably is always cluttered. You can use dual or triple monitors, but you'll need a VERY BIG desk, and the radiation would really be unbearable. With multiDesk, you distribute documents and applications into different imaginary screens, and switch between these imaginary (virtual) screens instantly to access your work.
How to Use multiDesk
For example, I am now writing the documentation for multiDesk. A somewhat trivial task, yet I need to have a few windows open:
- the folder for the documentation is open, so I can access files
- FrontPage for authoring
- Screen capture program for making images for this documentation
- Image editing application
- Browser for testing the documentation links
- Browser for checking the web (stocks)
- WinAmp to play music
I really don't access all these things constantly, but I really don't want to reopen an application every time I need to access it. So, I categorized by priority.
Desktop 1 - authoring. My main task is writing documentation, so my first desktop has the main tools I need for authoring. This including the folder for the documentation, FrontPage and a browser for testing the links. Since there are only two windows on this desktop, I am not distracted nor confused. And when I need to test the links, I can quickly find the browser window.
Desktop 2 - imaging. Once in a while, I need to make images for the documentation. I switch to this desktop to make the images. On this desktop, I have the screen capture program and the image editing program.
Desktop 3 - miscellaneous. I put the rest here. For example, I only have to access WinAmp once every few hours, why leave it open to clutter the desktop? Put it on desktop 3, and I know where to go when I need it.