Do you use virtual desktops?

[aDoomGuy]

I'm curious if I'm the only one who does in Windows.  

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

I'm just going to vote no since I haven't had the need to use them for a while now. I typically only used them when I'm working on different things at the same time, just so I don't mix up the windows for either task. Especially if I had web pages opened for like research for instance. Getting my Psychology papers mixed in with my Computer Science stuff is just not fun. 

[kelvinhall05]

No because it's not any faster than just tabbing between several windows.

[Nayr438]

I use it to split up what I am doing. It helps keeps my task list minimal so I am not flooding my task list and switching through windows I am not currently using.

I can startup up a project with all my windows and when I want a break, I can throw it to the background and do something else. It allows me to resume exactly where I left off.

 

 

[igormp]

I do on my laptop since the screen is quite small.

 

On my desktop, however, I have enough space to not need to use virtual desktops. I use linux on both, in case that matters.

[WhitetailAni]

Not anymore. I used to because I needed to use some Windows 98/XP applications, but now I have dedicated machines for that.

[trag1c]

My laptop I do but on my desktop I got 3 27inch monitors so screen space isn't problem (That's a lie I need more.)

[charlie_root]

I don’t use Windows but yes, I find virtual desktops essential. Wouldn’t run an OS without them.

[whm1974]

Only in Linux and not that often as I used to.

[PlayStation 2]

I've literally never had a need for it. I can press Win+Tab (or Alt+Tab) fast enough to get to where I need to get to.

[GDRRiley]

I do. school one, games and personal stuff on another, if I was doing work on my person machine then a 3rd. I wish I could just switch it by monitor though.

[abc_123]

If you have a game that's frozen and forcing itself on top and you don't have 'always on top' selected in task manager then you can press win+tab and drag it to a second desktop then kill it.

 

This is the only time I use that feature.

[Spindel]

I was introduced to virtual desktops when I ran Linux way back and instantly fell in love with it. 

 

I have no Linux machine nowadays but using virtual desktops is a given on both my Mac and my windows machine. 

[dilpickle]

No I don't use it because like any human being I can only do one thing at a time. There is no such thing as multitasking.

 

I can understand its value for organizational purposes. But I don't need that many windows open at once. I can just use the taskbar.

[Spindel]

22 minutes ago, dilpickle said:

*snip*...I can understand its value for organizational purposes...*snip*

That is exactly how I use it.

[Arika]

Everytime i remember they exist i'm like "Oh yeah, i might try that" and then just never do.

[dilpickle]

8 minutes ago, Spindel said:

That is exactly how I use it.

Out of curiosity how many desktops and how many windows?

[Spindel]

10 minutes ago, dilpickle said:

Out of curiosity how many desktops and how many windows?

I have 4 desktops, usually I use 2-3 of them. 

 

Some stuff I only have up to monitor something and it gives a better overview and is faster to switch between the desktops to get info I need than to press F3 (when on mac) or windows+tab (when in windows). On the mac it's even more fluent to switch between desktops since I use the magic mouse and I only do a two finger swipe on the mouse to the left or right to switch desktop (not that the windows hot keys are that hard to use).  

 

But this is just a question of personal preference and each person has to find their own work flow.

[mousesnob]

For a while, before i upgraded my laptop i used linux with windows in a vm. I stopped doing so for school work because the software my universety used to prevent cheating (locking down everythig and preventing you from leaving the test program) could not detect that i was running in a vm and basically only locked down the vm leaving the rest of the system free. 

Since i have no intention on cheating and getting caught would get me thrown out and my progress wiped i stopped using vms for my school laptop.

[aDoomGuy]

Much interesting here. Like some I got acquainted with virtual desktops in Linux, I've been using it from time to time and I soon learned to love the virtual desktops. Put my music player there, my web browser here my this and that there... Even with dual 1080p monitors I often find my desk space cluttered so I like to move things out of the way or put things together depending on what I'm doing. In Linux I had 4 desktops but in Windows I'm more dynamic with creating and removing as needed though I don't have less than 3. Hehe I even paid for a program in Windows 7 days to be able to use VD in Windows so I was happy when it finally was included in Windows.

 

I navigate desktops with the G keys on my keyboard but I'm thinking about how I can do it with my mouse, maybe the sniper button for task view and press profile up or down to switch desktops. Well, if I'm left with merely one monitor and no virtual desktops I ...I gonna freak out lol.

[Chionele]

In a way I do when playing PCVR games on my Quest 2, but otherwise no. Never managed to figure out how using one would help me be more productive than simply alt-tabbing - let alone when using multiple screens.

[WereCatf]

I am fully familiar with how virtual-desktops work and all, but I just have zero use for them. I mean, I don't have the habit of just randomly having apps open. If I have an app open, I am using it for something and thus tossing it on some virtual-desktop would be counter-productive. At times I may have a dozen apps open, but again, I am using them all, so still no benefit.

[LogicalDrm]

-> Moved to Operating Systems

[Mark Kaine]

On 11/30/2020 at 10:01 AM, Chionele said:

In a way I do when playing PCVR games on my Quest 2, but otherwise no. Never managed to figure out how using one would help me be more productive than simply alt-tabbing - let alone when using multiple screens.

agreed. I did once on accident, a very confusing experience, will not do it again... 

 

I also dislike alt-tabbing tho, but I'll do it when absolutely necessary, which is frankly not often. 

 

I'll never understand why the got rid of the "blade" system (which was copied from Xbox) all you had to do was press 1 button (home button basically) on any controller and it would open *all* open windows in a easily to scroll through view (aka "blades) with your keyboard or mouse or controller, it was *perfect* and the starting order was always oldest to latest so it was never confusing or tedious in any way.. 

 

And it looked good on top of it! lol 

 

 

 

[2plash6]

Hey look at the numbers in the poll! 1inamillion.