How many desktop applications do you normally have open at once?

[MichaelCorfman]

GPWA member Chips posted a screen grab of his computer desktop a few weeks ago which showed (by our count) 16 applications open at the same time.

Vin, managing editor of the GPWA Times newsletter says that for him, this is quite normal. But he also says everyone makes fun of him for it. Personally, I see that I have exactly sixteen windows open right now (although most of them are minimized). But as the boss no one makes fun of me about that.

Anyway, what do the rest of you think? How many desktop applications do you normally have open at the same time? And be sure to share your thoughts about whether whether having a lot of windows open helps or hurts your productivity and why.

Michael

[universal4]

I have actually reached a point where I run applications on a few different systems at once. (not counting the servers)

And currently, I have an issue with the video on my main laptop so I work from my backup laptop, and terminal (remote desktop) into my main laptop and run a dozen or more apps on it....sometimes more.

I do this mainly because the main laptop has a much larger hard drive, all my spreadsheets and much more memory in it.

I then also remote into my web server at home which stores all my current webs, this allows me to do some code changes in notepad or editplus directly on the files.

The main laptop runs dream weaver and front page but connects to the share on the home web server, and when the remote window is maximized you'd never know I was on this POS little pentium....lol

I also then usually remote in to my main work station in the office which runs Vista and this allows me to use a few apps on it and test in different browsers under Vista since I have seen differences in browsers on different OS's.

Now if I need a scanner or printer, that is connected to a small workstation in the office which is nothing more than a print server, or an internet, chat or facebook computer for Meri's kids if they visit or if anyone stops by and needs internet for any reason....lol

Now when I have any major things to do on the servers in the NOC....geez I can have numerous windows open just for remotes....but I often just remote into the main Domain Controller and then open a dozen or so remote sessions from that server since the servers' remote administration allows numerous connections from a single snap-in.

Patch Tuesday....or the day after can be kinda hectic at times.....lol

Rick
Universal4

[giggles7p]

There goes Rick talking Gibberish again!!!

I need a damn Translator!



Love ya stripper boy!
lol

Pat

[giggles7p]

PS...I love the first choice in the poll!!

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

[ironman2000]

I have a small set up in my little office from home with the desk top computor all wireless to Scanner and printer with all my applications on it.

Then I have my laptop docked into to its work-station,so I just clip it in & pop it out when I need to junp to meetings or come meet all you wonderful members at a conference or two.

A very basic set up which is very functional for my perposes, not like ricks set for programing etc and helping all up novices out now and again......lol

Keith

[GamTrak]

That is a great question and got me to thinking. hehe

If you count all three systems that are on my desk then the number gets to an embarrasing amount, but normally I have about 7 apps per unit at any given time.

I use one for my musical/video entertainment, one for testing (preview pages on the server) of my application that I'm writing and the desktop, my work horse, for everything else.

Is this over the top?

[Chalkie]

I prbably only have 7 or 8 apps on the go at most, thats quite enough for my 386 system! (must upgrade to a pentium 1 one of these days!)

My down fall is having that many tabs open in firefox that it takes me 27 minutes and 32 seconds to scroll from 1 end to the other.

[universal4]

Robin, thaat is certainly not over the top.

If you ever need to recover some of your "desk" space back, you could easily set up one or more of your systems to work on them remotely.

This is an interesting thread.

Rick
Universal4

[jarvi]

Have always followed a one file (physical) open at a time policy and that has kind of translated through to the computer as well. The applications might stay open, however, the files are always saved and closed. My dock is also hidden until I mouse over it. This all comes about from working in a hotdesk type environment where we would move desks every few weeks so the less you had the less it took to move. Same for the computer, when I shut it down, the less applications open, the less time to turn off.

As for equipment, I have a MacBook Pro and an iPhone and that's it. Have been scanner/printer/anything else free for a few months now and have only missed them on a few occasions. Rick, my brain ached just reading that, let alone configuring and maintaining it all. And don't give me that crap about Windows makes it so easy...

Michael, a future poll could be how many icons on the desktop.

[GamTrak]

Thanks Rick! I feel a bit better about it now. hehe

I really do need to have them all connected as I have a desktop in the guest room that I use as well when I want some 'me time'. It would also be nice to hook up hubbys system since he does not maintain the household budget/bills very well that I installed and have to check him!

How do I go about connecting them all? I'd like to spread them out and work in different rooms during the day for a change of pace.

Robin, thaat is certainly not over the top.

If you ever need to recover some of your "desk" space back, you could easily set up one or more of your systems to work on them remotely.

This is an interesting thread.

Rick
Universal4

[universal4]

We should discuss this by phone and then later email or pms so as not to bore others....and it might make Jarvi's head hurt.....LOL

Let me know when you want to discuss your options and you can call me whenever it is convenient....

I will pm you my cell #

Rick
Universal4

[gamblingbutler]

7-8 is pretty standard for me at work. At home less, maybe 4-5.

On a really busy day, I believe anything between 10-20 is possible...

[DylanBaxendale]

7 - 8 is normal for me but I remember one day I got ripped off by my boss when he came over to ask me something, I had around 20 going at once! He wanted to know how I could keep track of what I was doing with so many apps open at once! My brain was so sore from working all this out that I couldn't give him an answer, from that day I made sure that I only had enough apps open to see them and not have to go into any drop menus and look for the app I require.

[bonusbeast]

I usually have about 5+ applications running at any given time. IE, Dreamweaver, FTP Program, Photoshop, Firefox to name a few.

[Anthony]

I would like to see some screen shots from the 20+ applications people

[SmartNexus.com]

I normally have about 10, but sometimes laptop is not responding))

[wagerjunction]

I have 6 which I need to keep open permanently when I am at work.

Then any others I open and close as per when I need them. I am a control freak so I can't stand having too may of them staring back at me. I top at 10 - anything above that and I get upset lol

[Smoking]

Right now i have 8 firefox windows with about 6-8 tabs on each open, on Chrome i have 6 windows and 6-8 tabs open on each !
I also have 2 different skpyes open and also my yahoo and gtalk IM's, with 3 remote desktops open to my servers or vps and also 14notepads open if they count ! and dont forget dreamweaver and c++ notepad also

[xecutable]

I would like to see some screen shots from the 20+ applications people

Well I never got used to tabs and I always run 6+ FF windows open, plus I have the habit of not closing whatever I am doing. Personally I think you open whatever you can to the extent that your machine lets you. I recently build a new machine and I never close anything, and here's a screen just for ya

I am so used to this mess that if it's not that crowded it feels empty. Screen here

P.S that's the minimum FFs open. I used to work as an online customer support and I would have had every letter opened in a new window. I hear those take a lot of memory

[rak]

I'm a 12 unique applications sorta guy.

But that doesnt include the 1-212 skype chats open.
2-8 browsers tabs in firefox,
usually 2-8 browser tabs in opera
couple of msn chats going
few emails open ready for replies or reading
couple of spreadsheets

and then the usual
media player
image editor
notepad
file explorer
email client
word
excel
webserver

but then I did put 0 in the poll. Sometimes I just stare at the screen.