Fences (software)
{{third-party|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox Software
| name = Fences
| logo = Fences5 icon 256.png
| screenshot =
| latest release version = 5.0.4
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2023|12|04}}
| developer = Stardock
| operating_system = Microsoft Windows
| genre = Desktop customization
| license = Proprietary
| website = {{URL|www.stardock.com/products/fences/}}
}}
Fences is a utility for Windows that helps to organize icons on the desktop. It is developed by Stardock and distributed as part of their Object Desktop suite.{{cite web|title=Object Desktop product information|url=http://www.stardock.com/products/odnt/information.asp|publisher=Stardock|accessdate=2010-02-03}} Version 1 was freeware after which it has become a commercial product.
Functionality
Fences defines translucent areas on the desktop that contain groups of icons.{{citation|title=Fence your desktop with Stardock Fences |url=http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/02/05/neowin-review-fence-your-desktop-with-stardock-fences |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120903183548/http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/02/05/neowin-review-fence-your-desktop-with-stardock-fences |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-03 |author=Chakkaradeep Chandran |publisher=Neowin |date=2009-02-05 |accessdate=2010-02-03 }} These fences can be individually created, named, moved, and resized — they will also display a scroll bar if necessary.{{citation|title=The secret to a perfect desktop? Fences|url=http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-10367053-12.html|author=Jessica Dolcourt|work=The Download Blog|publisher=CNET|date=2009-10-06|accessdate=2010-02-03|archive-date=2011-11-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123124307/http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-10367053-12.html|url-status=dead}}
Double-clicking on the desktop hides all non-excluded fences and icons, while another double-click causes them to reappear. Snapshots can restore fences to a particular configuration after use.
Reception
A PC World reviewer praised the free edition of Fences, saying that "it wasn't five minutes after installing this program that I realized I'll be using it for the rest of my computing life. It's that good."{{citation|title=Free Downloads Make Your Computing Life Easier|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/173928/free_downloads_make_your_computing_life_easier.html|author=Rick Broida|work=PC World|date=2009-10-20|accessdate=2010-02-03|archive-date=2011-06-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605073426/http://www.pcworld.com/article/173928/free_downloads_make_your_computing_life_easier.html|url-status=dead}} A preview edition was listed as TechSpot's download of the week in February 2009.{{citation|title=Download of the Week: Stardock Fences|url=http://www.techspot.com/news/33747-download-of-the-week-stardock-fences.html|author=Jose Vilches|publisher=TechSpot|date=2009-02-27|accessdate=2010-02-03}}
Download.com approved of the snapshots, and the ability to change colour schemes, but criticized the process of fence creation and the inability to sort icons into fences by type — a feature added in the Pro edition.{{cite web|title=Download.com editor's review - Fences 1.0|url=http://download.cnet.com/Fences/3000-2072_4-10909535.html|author=Jessica Dolcourt|work=Download.com|publisher=CNET|date=2009-10-05|accessdate=2010-02-03}} Some ZDNet readers also noticed visual similarities to the Folderview feature introduced in KDE 4.1.{{cite web|title=My Must Have Windows 7 Utility: Stardock Fences|url=http://blogs.zdnet.com/perlow/?p=10992|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327172801/http://blogs.zdnet.com/perlow/?p=10992|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 27, 2010|author=Jason Perlow|publisher=ZDNet|work=Tech Broiler|date=2009-08-23|accessdate=2010-02-03}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.stardock.com/products/fences/ Fences homepage]
{{Stardock}}
Category:Windows-only shareware