I use a lot of Windows freeware – some of it I couldn’t live without. I decided that every now and then I’ll share my freeware finds – focusing on those apps that are off the beaten path – not the ones everyone has heard of like Firefox, Thunderbird, and Skype – I’ll mention the OTHER apps. Today’s freeware is an explorer replacement…not an Internet Explorer replacement, a Windows Explorer replacement.

The app is Xplorer2 (imagine that 2 is a small 2 at the top of the line – I’m not sure how to make a superscript). So, what makes this such a good explorer replacement you might ask? Many things! Here are a few:

• Bookmarks – you can bookmark a directory then hit a key combination (like Ctrl-1) to go straight to it.
• It remembers – go back to a directory tree you just visited and it highlights the directory you just went to. Then you can navigate back down the tree just by hitting ENTER every time (hard to explain)
• *IF* it were to crash, it won’t take down your system tray with it
• Muti-Views – you can have TWO explorer trees in one window – makes it easy to compare directories or copy/move files
• keyboard shortcuts for everything
• need a command prompt in a directory? Hit F10 then ENTER. New Folder? F8. New File? F7
• LOTS more

Xplorer2 saves me SOOOO much time when coding and jumping from source dir, to build dir, to deploy dir, etc. Heck – even at home it saves me time! Give it a try – you won’t be sorry!

There is a free version and a pay version. I use the free version (though I SHOULD pay for the pro version)
Download the free version here: http://zabkat.com/x2lite.htm