Humble Software Bundle: Organize Your PC with lots of Stardock apps
Humblebundle is best known for its gaming bundles that are provided on a monthly basis. Users subscribe to one of the plans and may pick a certain number of games from the monthly offerings.
Less known is that the site creates other non-gaming bundles on a regular basis; these bundles include books but also software applications.
The Humble Software Bundle: Organize Your PC is such a bundle; it includes a total of eleven applications in three tiers that unlock when you pay a certain amount of money.
The bundle includes several popular Stardock applications, including Groupy, Fences, Multiplicity and Start10.
Here is the overview:
Pay €1 to unlock
- IconPackager
- CursorFX
- WindowsBlinds 10
Pay €9:50 to unlock (including all in the first group):
- SpaceMonger 3
- Start10
- WindowFX
- DeskScapes 10
Pay €12.30 to unlock (includes all apps of the two previous groups):
- Fences
- Multiplicity
- SoundPackager 10
- Groupy
I have reviewed four of the applications in the past, and found all of the reviewed applications to be very useful.
Fences
Fences is designed to help users bring order to their Windows desktops. As the name suggests, it can be used to create fenced areas on the desktop that display icons added to the area. It is furthermore possible to minimize or move these fenced areas around easily.
Start10
Start10 replaces the Start menu of the Windows 10 operating system with a custom version. The program includes several designs that include the Windows 7 Start menu but also designs that look more modern.
Multiplicity
Multiplicity gives you control over multiple Windows devices with one mouse and keyboard connected to one of the devices.
Groupy
Groupy is an application for Windows that adds tabs to windows. It uses a similar system that Microsoft envisioned when it tested tabbed windows in the company's Windows 10 operating system. Microsoft pulled it before release, and users need to use third-party solutions to group windows together in a single window.
Is the deal a good one?
How good is the deal? The answer is not as straightforward, unfortunately. If you head over to the Stardock website, you will notice that some of the listed applications are available for just a few Euros/Dollars.
If you are interested in only one or two, you may get a better deal by purchasing directly from Stardock. Groupy, for example, is available for €3.74 currently, and the regular price is €4.99. Multiplicity KM is available for €9.99, but it has a regular price of €19.99.
If, on the other hand, you are interested in several of the applications, you may get a better deal if you purchase the software bundle on Humblebundle.
Now You: do you use any of the listed applications or alternatives?
I use Start10, Groupy and Fences on Win10, with some issues.
Something like Fences (or Desktop Restore) is essential if you often change screen resolutions and have lots of desktop links – Windows will rearrange them every time. Fences doesn’t handle multiple monitors with different resolutions, or changing the primary one, very well.
Groupy has issues with whitelisting (grouping only specific apps), and it’s impossible to select a group via Alt-Tab, instead of a window. The capability to also group the corresponding windows in the taskbar would be nice.
Deskscapes, when I tried it, routinely crashed some display driver component, and anyway is just a way to play videos as desktop backgrounds.
Start10: Some transparency settings don’t work properly, even with registry hacks…
… particularly if you don’t keep up to date with the latest versions.
Stardock uses online activation, not a one-time serial number. One license is good for 1 PC. In order to activate an app someplace else, you need to de-activate it first. A Stardock account has advantages for license recovery, in case something goes wrong.
Start 8 and WindowBlinds were godsends for my Windows 8 computer. I still have that computer and actually like it better than Windows 10 on my newer computer which also has, of course, Start 10 and WindowBlinds. I’d still be using XP Pro (never had a Windows 7 computer as I hated its GUI) if these Stardock products were not available.
I have been using Open Shell (formerly Classic Shell) as an open source start menu replacer for Windows. This article reminded me to go check for updates. There had been no updates for a long time and I was wondering if the project was dead.
I see there actually have been a couple updates so I updated. So far; so good.
https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu
Start10 is an absolute god-send. Superb modern and customisable Start menu without the laggy, flappy-tile things.
Do you use any of the listed applications or alternatives?
No. I know how do be very productive with my workflow without such software, which is likewise more secure.
But I get it, as some folks like to pimp everything.
With so much good free software out there I simply refuse to pay money outright. If I find a program that is of real use to me over time then I give the author a donation, ie. play for pay rather than pay for play.
Do you have a free alternative to WindowBlinds, WindowFX or Fences?
TAGO Fences and Nimi places good alternatives. TAGO Fences has not been updated since 2013 and isn’t as feature rich. Nimi Places was last updated in January 2020 and is packed with features.
Both are Freeware.
Thanks for the info. I remember trying to use Nimi Places years ago but for some reason I uninstalled it. I just reinstalled it and will give it another shot, seems like it’s changed a bit since then.
Refusing to pay money outright isn’t so simple, as that extreme rule involves a dogma that is very political, complicated, and hence questionable.
Furthermore, if you’re a devotee of Richard Stallman, then I understand, yet I simply disagree with such extremism.
Personally, I don’t buy any software because I’m a slacker and a thief, and I don’t require a dogma to justify my actions.
It’s perfectly simple and your confusing philosophy with dogma. Read up on it.
I’ve noticed they’re showing exact versions of the apps being sold, makes me think that you’re getting these apps without being able to update them. Does anyone know for sure?
I’d be fine with spending €1 either way especially for WindowBlinds, but I’m intrigued by the €12,30 apps. Won’t go with the latter if I know it won’t come with updates…
I use Fences, Groupy, WindowsFX, ObjectDock, Curtains, and WindowBlinds. Bought them individually over the years though they do have a 10-package deal. Never had a problem with the above apps (though Fences do annoyingly auto-unroll if your mouse happens to cross over them while doing something else). I wouldn’t be without Windows FX and go back to static old windows for example. A great company imho.
I use InputDirector for my simple KVM needs.
http://www.inputdirector.com/
So true.
Stardock’s money grabbing schemes.
Stardock will sell you buggy software that when such bugs are fixed if ever, the upgraded versions that fix the bug(s), you have to pay for again.
If ever you’re caught in this, just ask for a refund of the original payment and dont fall for it again.
I never had such issues with Stardock software.
I bought Groupy and I must say this was not my experience at all.
I reported a few bugs in their forums and they quickly fixed them in the subsequent release.
Granted I stopped using it and went back to qttabbar but their support left a good impression on me.
There are many programs similar to fences in China.
But I prefer programs like Free Launch Bar, Powerpro, and Claunch.