Multiple consoles or desktops...

J

jjacob

Registered
Just wondering if MacOS X has any type of multiple console or desktop support?

In several UNIX window systems you can have 4 or more desktops to do work in and switch between them. Also in MkLinux you could use the F-keys and switch between multiple consoles.

Has anyone heard about this or run into this?

Along the same lines as the multiple consoles, is there any way to have a plain text console -- a terminal without the GUI?
 
No multiple desktops in OS X. It's the only Unix GUI not to include this. I've been submitting feedback to Apple to ask for this feature, you should too. They probably don't even read their feedback, but it's worth a shot.
It should be very easy for Apple to include multiple desktops and it would really help reduce the clutter in the dock. It's such a useful timesaving feature, I can't imagine why they wouldn't include it.
Depending on how much control Apple gives developers over the Dock in their APIs, it shouldn't be too hard to write one. I would imagine that a lot of shareware apps will pop up after the release to do this.
 
I know this is not specifically the feature you are describing, but if you run Terminal, hit command-N say three times ( or as many times as neccesary to create your desired number of shells ), You can then select these shell windows with command-1, command-2, etc. You can also cycle through them with command-left_arrow, command-right_arrow. If you maximize the windows the effect may be closer to what you are looking for. Enjoy!
 
After doing a little bit of investigation I was told about two pieces of software that were written for NeXTStep. The first is Widescreen, which comes with source, and the second is Virtual space which you have to pay for. They are both available at Peanuts.org:

http://www.peanuts.org/peanuts/NEXTSTEP/tools/screen/

Do note that they were both written for NeXTStep, so they aren't going to run as is. If you get the source to Widescreen and know what it takes to port a NeXTStep app to MacOS X, then this is a project waiting for someone to work-on.

I know you were hoping for some pre-compiled MacOS X ready app, but this is the best I could find. I don't currently have the beta of MacOS X, so there is no way I can even look to doing any ports.
 
Oh, the guys responsible for VirtSpace these days is a company called NYRO ( http://www.nyro.com/ ). As said in my previous post, the software was written for NeXTStep/OpenStep, though they do provide, at a cost, a CD with the software and source-code for VirtSpace. You can read about the software on the products page and then head to the 'new' page for further info, such as pricing.
 
An other "look on the date"!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Maybe 10.5 will finally have the multiple desktops... ;)
 
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