Best Free Program Launcher
Program Launchers try to provide a more efficient way of running programs than by using the Windows Start Menu or having your desktop littered with icons. The approach adopted varies from product to product and ranges from dockable windows to tray icons through to keyword typing. None of the solutions is perfect; each has its strengths and weaknesses. However for many users, particularly power users, the keyword approach offers the most attractive option.
Launchy is currently the top product in the keyword category class. Recently upgraded to version 2, it is simple to understand, simple to configure, simple to use, simple to extend, not intrusive at all, open source. And it has a really small memory footprint too.
With Launchy you can not only launch applications but also--using the same keyword philosophy--launch your preferred media player with a specific MP3 file; invoke your preferred desktop search tool while entering a search term of your choice; have your preferred browser open on a specific bookmark or page from the history. The possibilities are virtually endless.
An alternative to Launchy is Find and Run Robot (FARR). It's actually a very similar product and now version 2 makes it the most powerful of the lot. I still rank Launchy as the category winner because of its ease of use, while FARR is reccomended only to power users. Only power users will be able to understand and exploit the full potential of FARR. While average users may find it difficult to perform the fundamental task of configuring FARR to suit their individual needs, power users will be delighted with the huge possibilities of customization, including full support for plugins, and the scoring mechanism that goes well beyond the simple extension mechanism of Launchy.
See also: Hotkey Utilities
Launchy
Website: http://www.launchy.net/
Download link: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=132975&package_id=146049
Author: Josh Karlin
Current version: 2.0
Version date: December 18, 2007
Download File size: 3.37MB
License: GPL
Operating systems supported: Windows 98-Vista
Additional Software Required: None
64 Bit version available: No
Portable version available: Can be configured as portable
Non-English languages supported: None
Other relevant information: None
FindAndRun Robot
Website: http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/findrun
Download link: http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/findrun/.
Author: Mouser
Current version: 2.10.1
Version date: June 18, 2008
Download File size: 5.38MB
License: Donationcoder freeware license
Operating systems supported: Windows 9x, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista
Additional Software Required: None
64 Bit version available: No
Portable version available: No
Non-English languages supported: None
Other relevant information: None
This software category is maintained by volunteer editor Fabrizio Lodi.
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XP offers four places for launching a program, all with some limitations:
1. Desktop Shortcuts - cluttered if too many
2. The programs pinned to Start Menu - limited space.
3. The programs listed in All Programs - cluttered if too many.
4. Quick Launch - cluttered if too many.
To cope with those, Vista adds another place:
5. Start Search.
This is a keyword approach to launching a program. One of the biggest drawbacks for keyword launch is that you need to remember the names or keywords of the programs.
Most users who load many programs will tend to forget the exact names of the programs, but know what the programs will do for them. Quite often I tend to forget such program names as IZArc, DeskPins, etc., and I know I have 'those' programs installed. How do I get to those programs quickly if I forgot their names?
Grouping of similar programs by their functions helps me a lot for easy access to them, quick and fast.
After many years of OS development, MS still has not come to this point!
That's why I hate Vista's Start Search, neither do I favor any keyword approach such as Launchy.
I still stick to Free Launch Bar, an improvement to Quick Launch with a much needed grouping feature. It is my time saver!
Each time I install a program, I add it to Quick Launch*, drag and drop it to the right category for ease of access.
Such as Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Writer, Calc, Impress, Notepad, WordPad, Jarte, etc grouped under "Office", various media players, media tools under "Audio and Video", etc., etc.
Other than Free Launch Bar, there are many other non-keyword program launchers as well.
A section for non-keyword program launchers should have a place and be seriously considered.
*Add to Quick Launch context menu option is available to Vista by default. For XP users, a VB script to add that option is available here: http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/219/1/Adding-the-Add-to-Quick-Laun...
how is executioner?
Its simple yet offers more functionality and takes just around 10mb ram.
Do you mean Executor?
This item has been moved here from the site comments page
May I suggest Rocket dock for pc? It's a mac like interface for an application launcher.
http://www.rocketdock.com/
RocketDock is a smoothly animated, alpha blended application launcher. It provides a nice clean interface to drop shortcuts on for easy access and organization. With each item completely customizable there is no end to what you can add and launch from the dock.
Now with added Taskbar support your minimized windows can appear as icons on the dock. This allows for better productivity and accessibility.
rocketdock rocks,have tried loads of them ,object dock was the best but kept crashing even the plus version.found rocketdock and never looked back.never crashes and you can still replace icns from stardocks websight as well as rocketdocks whose icons seem better quality.
What abot Zenkey, Toolbox 2.78 and FSL Launcher?
Zenkey - to my knowledge - is more suitable to the hotkey tools section.
About Toolbos, I discovered it recently and I'm trying it, but for now it seems more a simple launcher for removable media than a full featured one.
Finally, FSL Launcher. The actual version of the review is too much focused on type&search launchers, and I'll expand it to other types. FSL Launcher is one of the best talking about standard "icon collection" launchers.
Bye
Circle Dock works great - http://circledock.wikidot.com/ Free launch bar is another good choice (but the shareware version, True Launch Bar, is a better choice)
I was a heavy user of True Launch Bar, before launchy :-)
But I've never used circle dock. Do you actively use it? It is really useful? It seems to me a too complicated interface... Am I wrong?
I just started using program launchers and have been quite impressed with Rocket Dock. I also have SideSlide installed and find it more difficult to start programs than Rocket Dock. SideSlide is also cumbersome to add icons and place them in containers, being difficult to line up icons either flushed left or right. I keep the icons I rarely use in SideSlide and the ones I use often in Rocket Dock. My .02 worth.
I have tried Jetbar and it was quite good but have recently found QOSL at
http://home.mnet-online.de/horst.muc/win.htm
It is very small and quick, supports large and small icons and has everything I need. Each category of launch icons can have its own custom sized window so that all the icons can be easily.
I like it a lot.
Thank you, I'll try it
Excellent launcher. I really like feature "autoclose Qsel after launching an item".
Try keybreeze -- www.keybreeze.com
Obviously, the choice of "best" program launcher is mostly personal preference relative to your individual needs. I opt for small (< 1MB), efficiently written programs and found Traybar (no longer developed, but still available) to be a great choice. PStart is the new replacement - small, flexible, fast, sits in the system tray and has one-click functionality to go ANYWHERE. Including file and folder navigation when using the /e,/n,X:\my folder parameters with Explorer. It doesm;t have the eye-candy appeal or gee-whiz features of some of those mentioned, but it FAST, configurable and deserves to be reviewed.
I completly agree with you. As I said in another posts I try to make the suggestions (BTW, I'm in huge delay with the new review, sorry...) useful to the majority of readers and not as my preferences are. PStart is an example, I'm a user, I install it on every computer and usb key I have :-) but in my opinion is too much a niche product.
Bye
I have been using program launch bars since OS/2 Warp. When I became a Windows user I used beDemon for a while. Then the MS office shortcut bar. None of these are currently supported.
A program that I recently discovered is SideSlide by Northglide. http://www.northglide.com/sideslide.html It's a great program. It lets you create containers that can hold Program Shortcuts, URLs, Notes, RSS feeds, reminders, and pictures. To keep it all organized the containers can be rolled up (folded in Sideslide lingo) or minimized. Containers can also be detached from Sideslide and docked to the border of the desktop. I have been able to reproduce the function of the Office Shortcut bar and add URLs to it as well. This is a useful feature for accessing Web based applications and local programs from the same location.
BTW: Sideslide says that it requires MSXML6 extensions to be installed. I do not have them and it works just fine. Some features don't work, but they fail gracefully with an error message. Internal error checking is apparently quite good.
I tried Launchy. But it is so unobtrusive that I forgot it was there. With Sideslide I just bump my cursor on the top of the desktop and Sideslide drops into view. You should review Sideslide.
When I found Sideslide, I also noticed some other new program launchers on Download.com. I didn't try any of them. But they may be worth a look as well. There seems to be a lot of action right now in this field.
The area of launchers is one of the mose crowed of solutions and philosophies, with a lot of niches. Talking about all of them will require and entire dedicated wiki :-) Not to say about personal preferences of users, being that type of app very very personal.
The original category review (the one still published now) tried to simplify all that, but I've seen that it is no possible :-)
Actually I'm using and reviewing 14 apps to introduce them in the next cateogory review version, that will have two sub categories (launchy-like, standard aka click on an icon; the hot key type have already a specialized category linked to this).
SideSlide is not included, even if even I'm an active user, because I don't consider it an "application launcher", but much more than it. But I have to say that I don't know wich category could be ok for it :-)
Bye
I use HotkeyP all the time. http://sweb.cz/petr.lastovicka/others.html
"You can assign a keyboard shortcut, a mouse shortcut or a joystick shortcut to any executable file, document, folder or WWW page. You can also use all multimedia keys, the fourth and fifth mouse buttons and a remote control (if you install WinLIRC). Other commands are: remove USB drive(s), change keys in other applications, shutdown, restart, lock computer, start a screen saver, change the desktop resolution, set window opacity, audio volume, set process priorities, terminate applications, eject CD, set CD speed, show disk free space, empty the recycle bin, delete temporary files, change desktop wallpaper, save/restore desktop icons positions, minimize any application to the system tray, hide window, change window transparency, zoom tool, screenshot to BMP file, set window always on top, paste date/time or any text, ..."
Also I like it more then other hotkey managers because you can use mouse hotkeys, for example: fourth mouse button + left mouse button, 4MB+RMB, 5MB+LMB, middle MB + ...
Thank you for the suggestion. I'm thinking anout dividing the category in sub-categories: lanuchy-like, hotkeys, standard (mouse click on a shortcut of any type)
Bye
I use Winkey for the past 5 years --to start programs, to open folders/files/websites using shortcuts
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/OS-Enhancements/WinKey.shtml 1.8MB
Thank you for the suggestion.
I have been using PowerPro for many years and still like it a lot. Very powerful. You can do anything, which is scary at first... It took me a while to set it up just how I wanted. But after that it's great. I made a tiny self-hiding launchbar at the top of my screen for my usual programs and folders. It's much faster than the Start menu.
http://powerpro.webeddie.com
This software was already suggested by another site visitor. I've installed and used it for nearly a month, and I've found it powerful but sometimes instable (during some test I've got some errors, and one time even a system crash), this is the reason why it is not included. I still have 11 software suggested in review to add, not counting the software I've already exluded. This category is one of the more "populated", so I've to make choices because not all the apps can be included.
This is why I think are so important comments like yours, in order to let site visitor found also links to software for some reason not included in the review.
Bye, and thank you!
Maybe add a list of the alternatives that didn't make it or are still being reviewed at the end of the main review, that way people don't have to read through endless comments.
This is a good suggestion, but right now is not praticable because the review format requires the complete information you see right now for every software mentioned in the review itself. You can imagine the hughe and unreadable list it can became.
I'll ask permission to list alternatives not reviewed with only a subset of the information.
Thank you.
Some of the categories do it this way already, look at the "Best Free CD/DVD Burning Software" (http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-program-launcher.htm) as an example. I think the top choices can have all the details listed as it currently stands, just mention the others, however is interested in those can just Google it.
Yes, but it is not standard. Right now we are discussing on the editors' mailing list about the standard to adopt.
As soon as it will be released, I'll insert it.
Bye.
I've tried many different launchers (many not listed here) so it's obviously a very active and well populated category. My favourite is definitely JetAudio's jetToolBar v3.8.1. I particularly prefer its ability to use small icons where many others do not. JetAudio doesn't seem to be doing anything with it any more but I find it very good for the way I work. You set up categories which are accessed through tabs and the programs are simply drag-n-drop to add to the category. It can have an autohide (my choice) and can hold any kind of link to launch websites or files. Uses 2400K on my XP laptop but it's holding many, many links.
Voice Recognition feature seems cool.
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