Can XP do what OSX does?

September 9, 2008 6:30 AM

Is there a way to make Windows XP have something similar to the "show all windows" option in OSX?

I noticed that XP has a "Tile Windows Vertically/Horizontally" option and once you do that there is an "undo tile" function that returns the windows to their original state. So it seems like the components are there.

Just to be clear, I would like to hit a button or a keyboard shortcut and all the windows tile (either way) and then when I click on a window that window comes to the foreground and then all the windows return to their previous location. None of the fancy animation or "greyed out" effect in OSX is necessary. Vista answers are no help to me.

posted by bytewrite to computers & internet (9 comments total)

WinFlip may do what you want, or, at least, it will offer you a more Compiz/Mac/Aero-esque visual task flipper...

(Caveat: I use Linux these days, I haven't tested the above...)
posted by benzo8 at 6:45 AM on September 9, 2008

iEx does this. It's free too.
posted by Happy Dave at 6:48 AM on September 9, 2008

Winflip doesn't really do what I want the "3D Stack" thing isn't nearly as useful as just tiling the windows.
posted by bytewrite at 6:50 AM on September 9, 2008

Microsoft Mice (with IntelliMouse 6 at least, and maybe even 5) come with an "Instant Viewer" feature that lets you hit a button on the mouse, which tiles thumbnails of your open windows across the screen, and you can pick one. I'm not sure if it's available separately, or if buying a mouse (or upgrading your microsoft mouse software) is an option for you.
posted by Galt at 7:20 AM on September 9, 2008

Some of these might be what you're looking for.

http://winsplit-revolution.com/home
http://dockbox.demonastery.org/
http://www.donationcoders.com/jgpaiva/gridmove.html

http://www.windowsizer.com/ ($20)
http://onlinetoolsteam.com/WindowsExposer/ ($7)

The last one is meant to mimic Expose, so it may be the most promising.
posted by alligatorman at 8:11 AM on September 9, 2008

The best Exposé clone I've found is TopDesk.
posted by kepano at 8:18 AM on September 9, 2008

I always use the alt-Tab function when I want to bring up a particular window to the front. Hold alt, then hit Tab repeatedly until you have the window you're looking for. And if you hit just alt-tab once, it'll go back to the previous window you were on.
posted by Grither at 9:01 AM on September 9, 2008

Microsoft implies that Intellisoft will work with non MS mouses. I haven't tried it though.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 10:15 AM on September 9, 2008

To add to what Grither said, there's a PowerToy called Alt-Tab Replacement that will actually give you previews of the applications while you're Alt-Tabbing.
posted by JaredSeth at 12:45 PM on September 9, 2008