Best free program launchers
Free program launcher also works on USB drives
8Start is a Start Menu replacement utility that offers a high degree of configurability. 8Start can be launched from the system tray icon, from a middle mouse click or from a hotkey. It allows you to organize your shortcuts into groups and categories entirely of your choosing. As a result you can get easy access to hundreds of different programs, websites, files and folders with just a couple of clicks. I tried it and it works well but frankly I prefer keyword-style program launchers such as Launchy [2] and Enso [3] to Start Menu replacements and launch bars. This is purely a matter of personal taste; I know some folks who can't stand Launchy. What I will say is that 8start is a good example of its genre and being portable is an attractive option for USB flash drive users with large program collections. Thanks to John Lees for the suggestion. Freeware, Windows 2000-Vista, 1.07MB
[1] http://www.8start.com/
[2] http://www.launchy.net/
[3] http://www.humanized.com/enso/
The best free program launcher
If you only use a few programs you don't need a program launcher as you can get by perfectly well with the Windows Start Menu or by using Desktop Shortcuts.
However, once you start using a lot of programs, these methods become clumsy and inefficient. At that stage you need a program launcher.
Programmers have come up with several different design approaches for program launchers. One approach is to use a dockable command bar containing shortcuts. Another is to use hotkeys to launch particular programs.
My preference though is for keyword based approaches where you launch a program by typing in the name (or part of the name) of a program. The best known freeware examples of this approach are Launchy [1] and Find and Run Robot [2].
Now these two top programs have some hot competition in the form of Enso, a former commercial program that is now free.
You use Enso by holding down the Caps Lock key and typing a command followed by a program name. But you rarely have to type the full name. For example, on my laptop all I have to do to launch Firefox is type "Open Fir". At that stage Enso has determined that I wanted Firefox and has offered me the option of launching it. It's fast; lightning fast.
That's all very familiar to Launchy users, but Enso has some neat extra tricks. You can navigate to folders, websites, open particular files in designated applications, swap between Windows and more using the same basic command structure. For example, you can jump to any open Firefox or Internet Explorer tab by typing part of the tag title. It doesn't even have to be the first part of the title. So to open a tab titled "where to buy cheap beer", all you need to type is "GO beer." In fact, "be" is probably all you need type.
You also don't have to rely on typing application names because Enso can link a command to any keyword. For example, Firefox could be launched by typing "FF" if you so wish.
Enso is fast and addictive, but then again so is Launchy. Which is better?
Launchy is smaller, open source but not quite as powerful, while Enso is faster and more flexible but with a smaller user base. My advice is to try both and see what better suits your personal style. Personally, Enso suits me better, but your mileage may vary.
What I can say is that if you have never used any of these products you are going to be surprised just how useful they are.
Thanks to subscriber Philip McMahon for letting me know Enso was now free. Enso is freeware, works with Windows 2000, XP and Vista and the download is 12.1MB
[1] http://www.launchy.net/
[2] http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/findrun
[3] http://www.humanized.com/enso/launcher/
How to convert normal programs to portable software
Any program that can be run from a standard .exe file without the need for installation can be run perfectly well from a USB stick. However, quite a lot of .exe files are actually installer files or special archives containing multiple files. Universal Extractor is a free utility designed to extract the individual files from many different kinds of archives including msi, .cab and a wide range of .exe installer packages. Once you have extracted the files, it may be possible to find a stand-alone executable for use on your USB stick, though it's more likely that you will also need the supporting dlls. Be aware that many programs absolutely require installation and simply wont work as portable apps. It is surprising though, just how many you can get to work. Another trick worth trying is to install the application on your normal PC and then copy the whole installation directory to your USB drive. This often works fine though note that your newly created "portable app" may write to the registry of the host PC. Universal Extractor is a free, open source program. It works on all Windows versions and is a 4.59MB download.
http://www.legroom.net/software/uniextract
Novel program launcher delivers the goods
Look at any user's desktop and there's a good chance you will see it littered with shortcuts to commonly used programs. That's fine but if you have too many it can take quite a while to find what you want.
Many folks address this problem by using an application launcher. Commonly these employ a dockable toolbar containing shortcuts to various programs on the PC. The toolbar can usually be hidden so it doesn't take up desktop space.
I've never been keen on these things as often they achieve little more than what's available from the Windows Start menu.
However, I've found an application launcher that actually really works. It's called Find&Run Robot.
It doesn't use a launch bar approach but rather allows you to locate an application by simply typing its name into a query box.
You rarely even have to type the full name; mostly all you need do is just type a couple of letters. Find&Run Robot instantly displays any program that contains the letters you typed in.
Its power lies in the fact that it's lightning fast. It works on a find-as-you-type basis. Let's say I'm looking for Excel. When I type the letter "E" I instantly see all programs whose name contains the letter E. There are quite a few as you can imagine. If I then type in the second letter "X" the list shortens immediately to only those programs that contain "EX". By the time I type in the "C" the list is down to one program, Excel itself. Double clicking then executes the program. The whole thing takes less than 2 seconds.
I've seen a few programs that work like this but Find&Run Robot works the best of any I've tried. To start with, you can bring up the search box instantly using either a hotkey or by clicking the tray icon. Second, the program search area is totally configurable. Even the scoring system that determines the list order is configurable. Third, it's only visible when you need it and that's the way it ought to be.
Users of Microsoft Desktop Search don't need Find&Run Robot as they already have the same capabilities direct from the search box.
Find&Run is free but only available under a rather strange license system, see item 1.8 above for full details.
Freeware, all Windows versions, 1.57MB
http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/findrun/index.html