The calculator needs an "always on top"

[Metspitzer]

The calculator needs an "always on top"
They should add an always on top for any program. Put it on the title
bar with the close minimize and full screen.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

The calculator needs an "always on top"
They should add an always on top for any program. Put it on the title
bar with the close minimize and full screen.

What should happen if you turn it on for two (or more) prog.s (whose
windows overlap)?

 

[Metspitzer]

What should happen if you turn it on for two (or more) prog.s (whose
windows overlap)?

It is pretty easy to find out. Just take VLC and open it twice and
make it "always on top"

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

What should happen if you turn it on for two (or more) prog.s (whose
windows overlap)?

IIRC, there was an episode of the original Star Trek where Captain James
T. Kirk defeated the evil computer by doing just that.

So the message is not to try it on your personal computer, or you might
lose it.

Back to reality: I hate always on top, since I can't see the program I
actually *want* to see[1].

Without always on top, I use the standard ways to bring to the front the
program I want to see at a given moment.

[1] Of course, I could minimize the offender, but admitting that would
ruin my argument

 

[VanguardLH]

It is pretty easy to find out. Just take VLC and open it twice and
make it "always on top"

You're assuming always-on-top processes will cooperate with each other.
I've seen where a couple of always-on-top programs compete with each
other (regarding z-axis positioning) with the result of constant
flickering as each program yanks focus away from the other always-on-top
program making both programs unusable (and, as I recall, consuming so
much CPU despite for a minimal change of property, like focus, that the
computer because nearly unusable).

So why haven't you looked at 3rd party utilities to manage the window
attributes as you want? Like:

http://www.softpedia.com/dyn-search.php?search_term=always+on+top

 

[Metspitzer]

You're assuming always-on-top processes will cooperate with each other.
I've seen where a couple of always-on-top programs compete with each
other (regarding z-axis positioning) with the result of constant
flickering as each program yanks focus away from the other always-on-top
program making both programs unusable (and, as I recall, consuming so
much CPU despite for a minimal change of property, like focus, that the
computer because nearly unusable).

So why haven't you looked at 3rd party utilities to manage the window
attributes as you want? Like:

http://www.softpedia.com/dyn-search.php?search_term=always+on+top

I really don't like to use 3rd party stuff. The work around I used
today is to just make one panel small enough so the calculator will
sit outside the other window and doesn't over lap. I can't see why
anyone would object to an option of putting a program always on top.

 

[VanguardLH]

I really don't like to use 3rd party stuff. The work around I used
today is to just make one panel small enough so the calculator will
sit outside the other window and doesn't over lap.

Why not use the tile function of the Windows taskbar to make windows
not overlap?

http://www.howtogeek.com/?post_type=post&p=11073

Then you don't have to bother with the time and effort of dragging the
edges of windows so they don't overlap. I think window tiling has been
available since Windows 95. Right-click on the Windows taskbar and
select which tiling you want: vertical, horizontal, cascaded. Of
course, windows are given equal sizing parsed from the available screen
space versus your effort to produce custom sized tiled
(non-overlapping) windows.

I can't see why anyone would object to an option of putting a program
always on top.

It's not whether it is an objection by a few or a request by a few.
It's whether a majority of paying customers (which means Corporate
America buying volume licenses) has communicated to Microsoft that they
want or need this feature. Looks like the big volume, big buck
customers haven't been vocal on this issue. Out of about 450 million
sold copies of Windows 7, even several thousand end users that have
purchased single licenses all clamoring for the same feature won't
effect enough momentum for Microsoft to consider expending the
resources on what they see as trivial or insignificant or not even a
blip on their cosmic radar.

 

[Evan Platt]

What should happen if you turn it on for two (or more) prog.s (whose
windows overlap)?

What if you put a humidifier and a dehumidifier in the same room?

 

[G. Morgan]

The calculator needs an "always on top"
They should add an always on top for any program. Put it on the title
bar with the close minimize and full screen.

How about just replacing the Windows calc. ?

This one has more functions, is free, and has the "stay on top".

http://www.moffsoft.com/freecalc.htm

 

[Metspitzer]

Why not use the tile function of the Windows taskbar to make windows
not overlap?

http://www.howtogeek.com/?post_type=post&p=11073

Then you don't have to bother with the time and effort of dragging the
edges of windows so they don't overlap. I think window tiling has been
available since Windows 95. Right-click on the Windows taskbar and
select which tiling you want: vertical, horizontal, cascaded. Of
course, windows are given equal sizing parsed from the available screen
space versus your effort to produce custom sized tiled
(non-overlapping) windows.


It's not whether it is an objection by a few or a request by a few.
It's whether a majority of paying customers (which means Corporate
America buying volume licenses) has communicated to Microsoft that they
want or need this feature. Looks like the big volume, big buck
customers haven't been vocal on this issue. Out of about 450 million
sold copies of Windows 7, even several thousand end users that have
purchased single licenses all clamoring for the same feature won't
effect enough momentum for Microsoft to consider expending the
resources on what they see as trivial or insignificant or not even a
blip on their cosmic radar.

Thanks

 

[Metspitzer]

How about just replacing the Windows calc. ?

This one has more functions, is free, and has the "stay on top".

http://www.moffsoft.com/freecalc.htm

I bookmarked that, but I doubt I will install it. I am really really
really afraid of third party free stuff.

Thanks

 

[Char Jackson]

I bookmarked that, but I doubt I will install it. I am really really
really afraid of third party free stuff.

You sound like someone who waved at the bus as you walked to school.

 

[G. Morgan]

I bookmarked that, but I doubt I will install it. I am really really
really afraid of third party free stuff.

Why? I install software to try almost daily.

 

[Metspitzer]

You sound like someone who waved at the bus as you walked to school.

You should like someone that took the short bus to school.

Just kidding.

 

[Ken Blake]

I bookmarked that, but I doubt I will install it. I am really really
really afraid of third party free stuff.

Your choice, of course, but in my view, you are making a *big*
mistake. How good, or how risk-free a piece of software is has to do
with the particular piece of software and the skills of the people who
developed it. There is absolutely no reason to assume that something
is better because it came from Microsoft. Some Microsoft software is
better than the competition, some third-party competition software is
better than Microsoft's. And some free software is better than
software for sale.


You should make your choices based on what you need, and how well the
various competing products meet your needs, not on whether Microsoft
wrote them or somebody else, or whether it's free or for sale.

 

[XS11E]

The calculator needs an "always on top"
They should add an always on top for any program. Put it on the
title bar with the close minimize and full screen.

I have trouble imagining someone too lazy to move the mouse to the
taskbar and click on the calculator icon if the calculator is hidden by
whatever program has focus but for those of you who are, I guess an
"always on top" function might be useful?

If we're voting, I vote NO!

 

[XS11E]

I am really really really afraid of third party free stuff.

You're missing all the really great programs. My PC is loaded with
third party free stuff, my email program, my newsreader, all my
security software (except MSSE), the list goes on and on....

 

[Gene Wirchenko]

I have trouble imagining someone too lazy to move the mouse to the
taskbar and click on the calculator icon if the calculator is hidden by
whatever program has focus but for those of you who are, I guess an
"always on top" function might be useful?

Depending on what one is doing, having an always-on-top windows
can be useful. I have Windows Task Manager set that way. When I want
to monitor my system, I usually want Windows Task Manager in clear
view.

Sometimes, I would like having the calculator always-on-top. This
would be useful when switching back and forth between a helper app --
such as a calculator -- and a maximised app.

If we're voting, I vote NO!

Why bother? Run your system the way you want, and leave us to
run ours the ways we want.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

 

[XS11E]

Why bother? Run your system the way you want, and leave us
to run ours the ways we want.

That's OK until someone starts making suggestions to MSFT. Then it's
NOT OK.

 

[Gene Wirchenko]

That's OK until someone starts making suggestions to MSFT. Then it's
NOT OK.

As long as whatever it is can be configured, it is not that big
of a deal.

Did you know that the location of the taskbar can be set to any
of the top, bottom, left, or right sides? I happen to prefer it at
the top, and I have set it that way on my systems. You are free to
position the taskbar where you want it on your system.

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko