Windows 7 has included a lot of different features to help the user organize, rearrange and adjust their windows and Icons. Some users like things scattered and want many icons on their desktop and some users would rather pin their most frequently used programs to the new taskbar. I’m typically the former, preferring to keep my desktop clear of any and all icons except for the recycle bin and the occasional file that I am currently using. The reason is because I can’t stand to have icons scattered all over and there is no built in feature other than ‘sort by’ to keep everything organized. That is, until Fences.
I am always looking for the next greatest utility to further enhance my Windows 7 experience and Stardock has specialized in enhancing the UI and features on PC’s for longer than I can remember. The same holds true with Fences. Simply put, Fences is a program that will help users group and hide icons so the desktop can stay organized. It basically captures icons in groups, surrounded by shaded “fences” which allow the user to organize and keep their icons separate.
You can hold right-click and highlight the group of icons to create a fence.
Fences also allows the user to resize and situate their fences however they would like.
When you double-click the desktop, the fences will disappear leaving you with a clean desktop. When you want them back, just double-click again.
To be fair, I can’t say that I use fences for every task and all of my icons, but I have found a particularly useful way of using fences. I am constantly converting video and various episodes to play on my PMP and phone, but I used to drive myself crazy creating numerous folders on my desktop to keep the original file and converted files separate. The solution that I found was to use fences to separate all of the different files so that I could work easily and never get the converted ones confused with the originals. There are many other uses for a program like fences, but I have found a few different uses which enable me to keep my head on straight.
Fences comes in a free download for a limited feature version and a pro version for $19.95. If you are interested in giving Fences a try you can download it here.
