LaunchMate by TDRWare

"Launchmate" is the mother of all taskbar launchers. Sure, you could get a taskbar included in other utility programs that also include all kinds of non-esstial utilities that you may never use, but for a stand alone utility, this is one of the best.. If you are a power user, you'll find "Launchmate" quite valuable in allowing you to access all of your programs at the sweep of a mouse pointer. "Launchmate" allows the user to set icons to the left of the taskbar which represent groups of other icons which appear to the right. In my first example, I have configured my launcher to have group icons on the left for games, general, web work, and word processing. The icons showing on the right of the divider are the "General" programs that I use, identified by the highlighted monitor. When my mood allows me to work on my web page, I click the web page group icon (second from the left) and I have all of the icons to the right necessary to allow me to access everything I may need such as paint shop pro, Frontpage, a few choice web sites for graphics (that's right! You can set the icons for web sites too!! Think of the possibilities!!) along with a few simple text programs for writing my reviews. Now, if I click on the games icon (third from the left), I have access via the icons on the right for all of my favorite games that I have installed such as WarCraft2, Tetris, Sim City 2000 etc. etc.. Notice that I've changed the appearance of the bar a bit using the "blended" option, as well as adding the names of the programs to the icons. This is just a small example of how configurable this utility really is! In my general catagory icon, I have all of my basic program and utilities. Each catagory is easy to access. Just click on the icon!! Going back and forth is easy. "Launchmate" it totally configurable, with the ability to make many setting changes such as the color of the background, hide and lock, the design of the icons themselves, the width of the "hot" area and the time it takes for the launchbar to come up, sound, and the list goes on and on. Here's a sample of the "Properties" windows with just SOME of the setting catagories! Yes, the default "Windows" taskbar launcher is very good, but having this launcher appear on the TOP adds the appearance of "power" to everything you do. Besides, it's neat watching the bottom launchbar pop up, then hide as you make the opposite one come up!!! :) It's rare today to find such a utility as this with so many features at a price that anyone can afford, FREE!! Combined with all of the options and settings, "Launchmate" is marvelous! Download this program, pop it in and give it a whirl! Oh yeah, and E-mail the writer, Tom Ressler, and let him know!

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