Chris Posted February 8, 2004 Report Share Posted February 8, 2004 Overview:The aim of Desktop Sidebar is provide you with instant access to some of your most important daily information.Desktop Sidebar is integrated with Microsoft Outlook so you don't have to transfer their data to a new application. While using this application, you won't have to switch to Microsoft Outlook in order to check their schedule or tasks. Desktop Sidebar is docked to the edge of the screen and it is always visible, so to check your schedule, one look at Sidebar is enough!Desktop Sidebar displays e-mails, appointments, task, notes, Messenger contacts, stock quotes, weather forecasts and constantly updated news from blogs, RSS newsfeeds and web pages. Finally, “Information at your fingertips" :)Still not enough? You can control Windows Media Player or WinAmp from Sidebar, and Google is only one key click (Win+Q) from you.Desktop Sidebar is fully customizable. With skin support, you can change the appearance of sidebar and can freely arrange panels by adding, removing, moving and grouping them together. All panels can be configured with a number of specific options.More | Here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 It seems to take up a lot of screen space. I honestly don't think it will be very popular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Blink_182_fan Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 yea it might be handy if it was a bit smaller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted February 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 Thats the point Andsome and blinky it is essentially there to inform you of well what you fancy really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 I just gave the beta version a go.I feel that this side bar, and the official MS version that will be launched with Longhorn will be very sucessful.I use Outlook to manage just about everything, and to see that the side bar that i have downloaded works along side Outlook is great!I do feel however that the side bar i have just tested can not be customised to the way which i like, but i'm sure this will change in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted February 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 I just gave the beta version a go.I feel that this side bar, and the official MS version that will be launched with Longhorn will be very sucessful.I use Outlook to manage just about everything, and to see that the side bar that i have downloaded works along side Outlook is great!I do feel however that the side bar i have just tested can not be customised to the way which i like, but i'm sure this will change in time.I have a feeling the LH will be good :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 From my own personal point of view, it's possible to clutter the screen too much. Together with a lot of other folk, I am not in that much of a tearing hurry that this item will be needed. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think that most people will do without. I was recently criticised by several people on the forum when I had cause to publish a shot of my desktop, I was told that the wallpaper I was using together with the shortcuts was way over the top. The point is that I remember where the shortcuts are and can quickly click on them, I wouldn't find much additional use for this tool, and I think it looks a mess. Just my own opinion you understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 I was one that commented on andsome's desktop. It wasn't criticism - it's his desktop to do with what he wants. My comments were directed purely at a possible casue of confusion and lack of clarity of the icons against a brown mottled background into which everything appeared to merge.Anyway, that is by the bye. I don't really see the point of this sidebar. It doesn't offer anything that can't be found elsewhere on your machine and it seems to me to be, like andsome says, a mess and takes up screen space that could possibly be better utilised.I'm always one for the philosophy of keep it lean, keep it keen i.e. don't stuff you computer up with loads of unnecessary, unused or unsuable programs, items on your desktop or any other junk. Any program you have that you haven't used for, say, two months - chuck it out or move it on to a spare partition of disk space. You obviously don't need it and you can always re-install if you do. Your computer will function much better without excess baggage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Radfordin Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 Surely its 'usefulness' must in part come from the way you use the computer normally. I do 90% of tasks using the keyboard - using the RUN command to start any office applications. This may not be the quickest but it is the one that works for me.I don't have the dekstop icons showing becuase I don't see the point - I've got the desktop as a shortcut from the taskbar if I need it and then anything else can be got at through the start menu.A toolbar like the one here is something that I may actually use - but I like my screen space too much to give it any room! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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