Winexpose Test Results

I personally don't have a big problem with the author's desire to make a few dollars (US$9.95, to be exact) for his efforts at delivering a remarkably faithful clone of Apple's Expose. Considering the alternatives, I think it's worth the money. So let's leave the ethical and trademark/IP infringment implications out of this discussion and look at how well WinExpose actually works, okay?

First: it installed and worked flawlessly on both computers on which I've tested it. Both machines were running XP; one is running at 1.4GHz, the other at 2 GHz. The 2GHz machine is very close in smoothness to Expose running on a Mac; the slower machine is roughly equivalent to (and maybe a little slower than) Expose running on a non-Quartz Extreme Mac. So, overall, performance is acceptable.

Features: The good: minimize all windows, app windows only and show desktop works as expected, with a configuration panel that looks a lot like the Mac's. Despite some reports I've read elsewhere, it works just fine on a dual monitor setup, at least for windows on the main monitor. Stability is good and resource usage is minimal. The bad: minimized windows don't show movies or live animations while they are minimized (big deal!), the show desktop feature seems to have a bit of extra redrawing going on, but it's not really noticeable on a reasonably fast machine. The ugly: no window title text overlay, as is so nicely implemented in Siwu's app, Iex 0.2.

So, overall, I like it.

PS. if there's another open WinExpose thread somewhere here, I apologize. I found a few before posting this, but they were all closed. I think this app deserves further discussion. It's good, and will probably get better. The programmer has already responded to one of my queries, and readily admits there are still a few shortcomings.

#99248

I'm still trying to buy the damn thing! - For some reason, my PC just isn't happy (in any browser) of processing my order!

:rant:

#99249

Can you take some screenshots? (Y)

#99251

What's the settings for your 2Ghz?

My animation shows only 3 frames when using fast high quality on my 2Ghz.

It runs decent... not smooth... when using fast low quality when less than 3 windows are open. Anymore it becomes jumpy.

The maximize animation is decent for all settings

Also, it flickers before minimizing which is kinda irritating.

For now I just left the animations off. It's really a pretty good app except for the animations.

oh yeah and... video does continue running sometimes.

#99254

Originally posted by dappleyard@Jan 13 2004, 07:29 AM

I'm still trying to buy the damn thing! - For some reason, my PC just isn't happy (in any browser) of processing my order!

:rant:

Cool it, mate... I see that siwu's app is coming along very well... :naughty:

#99264

DinoJr: I'm using the default settings, (Fast animation, low quality). My graphics card is a Radeon 8500DV. I'm not sure about how many frames per second the "shrinking" animation is, but it is acceptably quick. And yes, you are right -- videos in Media Player Classic (etc.) continue to play (at full size) even when the player windows is minimized. The "flicker before minimizing" issue you note is negligible on my 2GHz/Radeon 8500 machine, but just on the verge of being annoying on my 1.4 GHz machine, with SavagePro DDR graphics.

Anyway, I'm going to try it on a Windows 2000 box and another test machine running Windows Me next. I was never able to figure out how to run Siwu's Iex under Windows 2000, so this app will really come in handy there.

I find it amusing, reading all the negative comments about this app on the Mac fanboy forums (Macbytes, Macslash, Macrumors, etc.). If the tables were turned, and this app had come out for older Mac OS releases (say, Jaguar, for example), it's a pretty safe bet they would be singing a much different tune.

#99272

It doesn't seem to like Desktop X at all. I had all kinds of problems with my config. I'm trying iExv0.2 and that works fine. I'm running P4 3.02 @ 3.2 with 9800XT.

#99279

Well since you said all the nice features let me say something bad things about this...

If you are using object bar and samurize script, docks, and ralendar skins, or say like

clock x....pretty much all the aqua mod apps, this app is pain in the axx....because

it's thinking that as one object and it minimize everything.....and there is no exclusion

option......

so I would say it ain't worth 9bux...

#99280

Thank you very much for the in depth review Tom. I know alot of people are wondering how it works before they buy it. It is nice that you tested t on two computers. However, those computers are on the higher end. Mine, for example is 1/3 the speed of your slowest computer, and you said that the 2GHz computer was smooth, so it makes me wonder how slow it would be on a 500MHz.

Thank you for your review, it was nice to know that someone was willing to buy and test it for us.

#99390

wizard, did you run the test progs that siwu released? i'm curious about the speed and quality of those.

#99394

Anybody want to buy my copy of Winexpose? I don't think I'll be using it for daily work.

#99406

Neither WinExpose or iEx really work well with Blackbox (I'd imagine it's a similar issue as to the desktopx issue with WinExpose)

#99410

I thought that you gonna post something like fps and stuff like that... may be in your next post you might do that. and some screenshots too

#99433

Originally posted by rooskee@Jan 13 2004, 09:10 AM

wizard, did you run the test progs that siwu released?  i'm curious about the speed and quality of those.

very fast, but I'll hate to see how much it slows dows once he implements everything. That was just to resize the windows on a blank background. A very basic test.

#99474

im not impresed with it, not much beter then iex with a GUI to edit the effects

it expecialy sucks cause you cant exclude stuff so theres a big black box for every desklet

#99529

If only this was for linux, i know theres an app for linux as well, but i'd need to re install metacity.

#99535

what i'm getting from this is that if you don't have a higher end machine - don't bother.

#99705

Originally posted by lostspyder@Jan 13 2004, 09:23 PM

im not impresed with it, not much beter then iex with a GUI to edit the effects

it expecialy sucks cause you cant exclude stuff so theres a big black box for every desklet

well... too bad... you waste almost 10 bux for nothing <_<

#99854

Originally posted by Blade@Jan 14 2004, 04:00 PM

well... too bad... you waste almost 10 bux for nothing  <_<

should have....

I feel absolutly no moral oblication to pay the money because its a blatant rip of apple. Check this out, it doesnt even check the values in a serial# it just checks length.

#99898

Originally posted by lostspyder@Jan 14 2004, 06:00 PM

should have....

I feel absolutly no moral oblication to pay the money because its a blatant rip of apple. Check this out, it doesnt even check the values in a serial# it just checks length.

Hasnt it been said that this isnt Apple's idea. But I dont like it, its too buggy.

#99911

At least the guy tried (emphasis on tried ) :smartass:

#99912

[ Edited no WAREZ Requests you have been warned ]

#102318

thats warez, and one of the rules is no warez talk, please do not ask for a serial key here.

-bolero

#102321

this is a crapApp :6

it works worse on my P4 2.66, 512 PC 3200, Ati Radeon 9000 64MBDDR than iEx 0.2!

it`s slow and transitions look like in slow motion, save your money and give it to siwu if you wish. iEx 0.3 will ROCK!

#102379

Originally posted by Unbeliever@Jan 19 2004, 09:13 PM

it`s slow and transitions look like in slow motion, save your money and give it to siwu if you wish. iEx 0.3 will ROCK!

That's for sure.

#102392