Windows Explorer explained: Choosing a replacement
- — 04 December, 2010 01:56
For the past week-plus I've taught you a few basic things about Windows Explorer. It's a pretty important tool, and I hope you've found the lessons helpful.
That said, let's conclude by giving Explorer the heave-ho. Because, quite frankly, there are better file managers out there.
If you've got money to burn, look no further than Directory Opus (available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions). As PC World's Ian Harac wrote just a few months ago, it's the "Swiss army chainsaw of Windows Explorer replacements." It's also $83, which is more than I'd ever spend on a file manager (unless it came with, say, Jessica Alba).
At the opposite end of the spectrum, there's Windows Double Explorer. As its name suggests, Double Explorer employs a dual-pane interface, which you can view stacked or side by side. Within each pane you can create multiple tabs representing different folders on your hard drive. And you can drag any folders to the Favorites toolbar for fast, easy access to them in the future.
The learning curve's a bit steep, however (as it is with many file managers). If you want to check out some other freebies, I recommend MakeUseOf's 5 Good Free Windows File Managers.
If you've already tried some Windows Explorer replacements, let me know which one(s) you like best!
Comments
Alan Roscoe
1
Hi Rick
I'm using Windows 7 Home Premium and the substitue file mangler I'm using in lieu of Windows Explorer is called Explorer Plus. It was originally coded by Novatix but they've long since disappeared. Explorer Plus is what PowerDesk Pro was/is based on and while PowerDesk Pro continues in development it's, IMHO, a load of crap !
I've tried Directory Opus but being too expensive I find that Explorer Plus meets my everyday needs. It's kinda like X-Tree Gold on steroids !