PlexyDesk is a widget based desktop extension for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Using this feature rich application, you can render your desktop workspace with a number of handy tools for organizing it in a better and more stylish way. The available widgets include a clock, photo frame and file manager/browser, which are all placed over a user selected wallpaper background. This background can be removed when PlexyDesk is exited from the system tray. Extra QML based widgets can also be added by simply dragging them onto the desktop.
PlexyDesk can be installed in Ubuntu by adding the following PPA to Software Sources. Once the PPA is added, go to the Ubuntu Center to install PlexyDesk.
ppa:plexydesk/plexydesk-dailybuild
If you don’t know how to add a PPA, then see the following posts:
- How To Add PPA To Software Sources In Ubuntu Linux From Ubuntu Software Center
- Search & Add PPA Easily With Application Name Using Y PPA Manager
Once PlexyDesk is installed, launch it from the Unity Dash. PlexyDesk works from the system tray and instantly changes the look of your desktop. It does not perform any extra changes and all transformations can be removed by exiting it.
You can drag and drop the clock, picture frame and getting started guide widget anywhere on the desktop. The file manager is compact and is not movable. It is meant to provide the convenience of managing your files and folders within a small auto aligning file browser.
You can drag and drop images on to the desktop to set them as the wallpaper background or your picture frame. The Getting Started section provides information about adding and removing desktop widgets, changing the background wallpaper and provides a link to PlexyDesk Wiki page.
PlexyDesk is still under development and perhaps that is the reason because of which there is no EXE file to install it in Windows. Windows users will require compiling PlexyDesk from the source package for which instructions can be found here. For more widgets you can also use Screenlets. For installation instructions regarding the use of Screenlets, see my post: Get All Kinds Of Widgets For Ubuntu Linux With Screenlets. PlexyDesk works with
- Windows XP
- Windows Vista
- Windows 7
- Mac OS X
- Linux (including both Gnome and KDE based operating systems)
