I continue my search for a good Virtual Display solution for Windows XP. I have a few feature criteria …

• I like to see all applications from all screens in the task bar
• I like the preview to show me what applications are running on the differ virtual displays
• I want to be able to move applications from one virtual display to another

The solution I tried today - HideOver - does things very differently from the rest of the pack. Rather than “page” the display, HideOver installs four virtual screen drivers and then creates virtual monitors. The easiest way to see what I mean is to bring up the “display settings” dialog box. The #1 display is the physical video device and #2 thru #5 represent the virtual displays.

Some software gets confused. There is a feature that allows you to specify that some applications should render on the real display device. This can be confusing since the UI for toggling through the virtual displays skips the real one. The result is that you appear to have lost your program(s). Fortunately, Win+F5 jumps to that “real” display screen.

I’m going to play with HideOver for a few days before I give my final verdict. I’ve got this feeling it is using a bazooka to kill a mosquito. I’d really like to find something simple that handles my three requirements. I don’t need 3D or spinning cubes or any of that. I just need the short list of features above. Something as simple as the Workspace Switcher from Linux.

I created a sample of the HideOver experience and posted it. The creators have also put a video clip up on YouTube.