I use workspaces in both Photoshop CS5 and the program Bridge, A image file management program, that comes with the PS CS versions.

I find it very handy to switch between workspaces as needed for different views of my images instead of trying to change the programs base view settings every time I need a different view. Like a light table, film strip and the like.

I may use it in PD, that is IF I ever use a version of PD with this feature.

I'm probably old school, having used DOS and all, but I find this kind of stuff always confusing. I have vague idea of what you are saying, but really would want to see it in action or on a "sufficiently rigged demo" ;-)

Personally I like to work with files on the exact place they are and not make use of the libraries and stuff Microsoft keeps putting ever more in Windows. I find that it gets confusing to find where files are among different users, not to mention different computers that way.

The reason I use Powerdesk, and actually the only reason I can think of why anyone would, is that I like to work in a more direct way with my files than the fuzzy Mac way Microsoft now seems to copy.

My point is really, a nifty thing would be if Powerdesk could easily identify where the special folders are on a disk, without a user having to spit through all the paths himself. If that can be done with workspaces that would be a great enhancement.

The concept behind workspaces is not really to ofuscate the location of individual files. It is about giving you infinite flexibility in how you want to see the layout of your individual "shortcuts" to various areas on your disk. The workspace is a container and it contains views to the various of disks/folders you are interested in. It is also the master location for saving preferences regarding fonts / toolbars etc. You can save workspaces and reload based on the job you intend.

I think that copying good ideas is the best form of flattery. Remember one of the challenges for a company like ourselves is that we need to allow for those who just want to use their computers and not spend the time you and I have spent to learn how things work. I become offended when the file system is ofuscated in such a way I can't figure out where things live--if I want to. This is where MS fails and OS X does better in my opinion. So I agree with you you to some extent. I don't think that where MS went wrong was copying OS X. Where they went wrong is how they implemented it. :) Virtual folders should be just that--a view on a filesystem without hiding the details of where the file lives. They could easily fix it because if you right click on the file and selected properties you can see the path--the question is why did they make it so hard?

We plan on a open beta of PowerDesk 9 so you will get to see it in action. Right now the focus is on finishing Patch 3.

-mark=