ThinkDesk Beta begins!
It's almost here!
Friday, September 9, 2005 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News
Stardock has put out the first public beta of ThinkDesk. ThinkDesk is Stardock's new suite of utilities that has been in development for over two years. It is quite unlike other utility suites out there. ThinkDesk was designed as a set of utilities to deal with the problems users have today. The four primary components of ThinkDesk include:
Multiplicity. Multiplicity lets users take their computers and put them together and use them as a single computer. Lots of people over in the "show us your setup" thread have desks filled with keyboards and mice. They should be using Multiplicity. Only one computer needs to have a keyboard and mouse and a universal clipboard is set up between computers. This news post was created with the help of Multiplicity ("test" box with all the beta software for getting screenshots and the production machine for doing the post, print-screen on the test box and pasting into the editor here). Anyone with a laptop and a desktop PC should have this.
KeepSafe. Nobody does backups it seems not matter how easy you make it. Stardock developed it in response to its own issues. It automatically creates a backup revision of any file type you choose to protect with it. Users can go back to any revision of any file they've protected simply by right clicking on the file in question. Stardock uses it heavily in development and with .dxpacks and WindowBlinds skins since often...mistakes are made and the need arises to go back to a previous revision. Users can set where file backups are placed (such as on a server or a removable drive).
SecureProcess. Virus scanners and spyware scanners are great but they really are only useful after you've suffered from a problem. SecureProcess is designed to prevent you from running into problems in the first place. The way it works is that a user "trains" their system over a period of a week or two. SecureProcess learns what programs you normally run and builds an "approved" process list. Once training mode is turned off, other processes are prevented from running (unless you're an admin at which point you can add them to the approved list). It's an ideal program for people trying to keep things from getting onto their systems, people who used shared computers (such as if you have kids using your PC) or for network administrators who want to keep their machines stable.
ThinkSync. Folder synchronizing programs are nothing new. But ThinkSync takes it to the next level. For users who have files on multiple machines, even over the Internet, ThinkSync uses your Stardock.net account to keep different folders containing the same things. Anyone who has files at home and work that they wish were in both places will definitely want to be part of the ThinkSync beta. If you're using USB keychains to take files back and forth, ThinkSync is for you. It is also very good for local synchornization for those who want to complement KeepSafe's backup features into protecting (synchronizing) entire directories with remote backup servers or USB hard drives.
ThinkDesk is still in beta and will be in beta for the rest of this year as we listen to your feedback and suggestions on additional features, interface options and of course bug reports. Some of the programs are already done (Multiplicity). Others are nearly done (KeepSafe). By joining getting it now, you get to shape the future of the suite and you receive updates from now until it's official launch plus a full year's worth of updates after it's released.
The ThinkDesk home page is http://www.thinkdesk.net. If you have Object Desktop, you can get ThinkDesk for $25 less!
 |
|
Page 2 of 2 | |
|
|---|
Reply #22 Sunday, September 11, 2005 8:50 AM
| For those still concerned over the price, REMEMBER you do get a FULL version of Multiplicity, a value of $39.99 by itself. And the other items may be in beta, but are fairly mature enough to justify $5 more (when you get the $25 off it is only $44.99). |
Actaully, KeepSafe is a release candidate, so it's nearly done.
Reply #23 Monday, September 12, 2005 1:53 AM
Reply #24 Monday, September 12, 2005 2:33 PM
| this gotta be the dumbest marketing.. PAY FOR BETA??? u kidding me... i am skeptical about trying out new products for free let alone a paid beta.. |
Some thing from Stardock website:
| It's currently in beta. Those who purchase it now get everything already available for it, plus everything released on it for a full-year after it is released next year. It's $160 in utilities for only $69.95! |
So ... please try to think and evaluate before throwing your words in air ...
Reply #25 Monday, September 19, 2005 10:09 AM
I have been in the beta for Galactic Civilization 1 & 2 and now I got into this one for Thinkdesk.
My experience tells me that usually those beta proposals are a good deal if you want what is going into beta.
I never had to scrap any of my PC because of a Beta.
Specifically for Thinkdesk, one week ago' I decided to buy a pc switch to control from a single kbd,mouse and monitor 2 pc.
When I got into details I found that my laptop couldn't be hooked because had no external kbd or mouse plug.
Then I found that Thinkdesk's Multiplicity could do my job except for the dual monitor need (but the laptop has it anyway).
I tried the demo version of Multiplicity and is working perfectly. I decided to pay 5 extra $ and get the whole suit.
BTW I was spending about 40$ just for the switch...
Don't shoot at Frogboy/Stardock/Brad, I found them always available to help with a personal touch.
gherardo
Reply #26 Wednesday, September 21, 2005 9:18 AM
Please login to comment and/or vote for this skin.
Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
- Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums and downloading skins.
- Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
- Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
- It's simple, and FREE!
|
|
Page 2 of 2 | |
|
|---|
Reply #21 Sunday, September 11, 2005 8:10 AM
This is how ALL of Stardocks products have worked from the dawn of time. Windowblinds, Object Desktop, and Total Gaming Network (formally Drengin), all of them, you pay a reduced amount, and not only do you get the Beta's now, but the one year subscription doesn't start until everything goes final. So you are not paying for a year of Beta, your paying for the Beta period plus an entire year after the Beta ends. One thought about Stardock's Beta's, the Beta software that Stardock puts out, more often than not is equivalent to numerous companies FINAL products. I have purchased nearly all of the software that Stardock offers, and I have never been dissatisfied. The decision is up to you.
Chris