Free Apple Mac style Dock with ...

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Free Apple Mac style Dock with Windows Vista and RocketDock Sun, Feb 10. 2008

One of the distinctive features of Apple computers is a piece of software called "The Dock". The Dock is sort of an always there menu with big icons that spawn your most frequently used programs. Docks also can run small programs or docklets that can do things like display a clock or show you the weather. Docks also can be configured to display running programs that have been minimized in a mini window. You bring a running program to the front, or launch a program by hovering over the dock with your mouse, and clicking on the icon.



I suppose that people who don't know any better might think that this is something you can only get from Apple, but as it turns out there are docks for Linux and Windows. At home I have a Gateway computer running Windows Vista business, and I wanted to add a Dock. After a bit of hunting, I found some recommendations and settled upon RocketDock from Punk Labs. Punk Labs as it turns out is really a couple (he's a programmer, she's a designer) who go by the pseudonyms of PolyVector and Skunkie respectively. The about screen describes RocketDock tongue in cheek as a "peace offering" from the pair of self admitted Apple fans to Windows users everywhere.

The RocketDock website provides links to the various versions and a straightforward online manual. You get most of the features of the Apple Dock program, and it's very easy to work with. Once installed and running, the RocketDock appears at the top of the screen, with a set of default icons. Right click on the RocketDock and you get a menu that lets you adjust Dock settings. There are various themes that will style the look and feel of the RocketDock, and the RocketDock site offers an Extra's link with downloads to styles and docklet programs other people have contributed. While it's just a quibble with this otherwise great program, there's not much in the way of Docklets available, but I found it hard to resist adding on the simple analog style clock.
RocketDock Settings Dialog
Right click on the RocketDock and you get a menu that lets you adjust settings. There are various themes that will style the look and feel of the RocketDock, and from the aforementioned Extra's link a long list of downloadable styles and docklet programs that work with RocketDock, or that other people have contributed. The RocketDock folks include their favorites in the install, but I found a few were broken. The extras section could use a little work, since it's currently missing user ratings, and feels a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack, but again, one can't complain too much when benefitting from such a useful and in my experience rock solid program.

Once RocketDock is installed and running, you'll probably want customize it by removing items you don't want, and adding programs you use frequently. Adding and deleteing is incredibly simple. To delete, hover over the icon of the item you don't want on the Dock and right click. You'll get a choice to delete it. To Add an item there's also a menu item, but RocketDock offers an easier method that will work fine for most people -- find an icon on the desktop or in the menu for a program you want added to the RocketDock and simply drag the icon to the RocketDock!

Vista Desktop with RocketDock
Even the most basic windows user should have no problem adding and deleting items, and in no time will be enjoying one of the usability features that made OS/X so popular. Click on the thumbnail to the right, for a screencap of my Vista desktop with RocketDock at the bottom of the screen. This was accomplished by unlocking the Vista bar and dragging it to the top of the screen, then relocking, and configuring RocketDock to appear at the bottom of the screen. The only major negative with RocketDock is that as of the current version, while it's free and published under the Creative Commons license, it is not open source, so if you have problems with it, there's not much you can do other than to contact Punk Labs. They do have a bug tracker on their site, where you can report issues. Unfortunately, RocketDock doesn't have a 64 bit version, so you can't run it on 64bit XP or Vista. > *Note: according to a comment left by Michael F., RocketDock works fine on 64bit Vista, and presumably will also work on 64bit XP. I don't have a system to test it on however.

In summary RocketDock is fast, stable, and free, so give it a try and say goodbye to Mac Dock envy.
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Posted by David Rolston in Tech Comments: (19) Trackbacks: (0)
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#1 - C Calva 2008-03-03 16:32 - (Reply)

*I like the Mac Style

#1.1 - mostafa.gohary said:
2009-03-26 16:10 - (Reply)

*thanks too much man

#1.1.1 - ali 2009-06-12 08:28 - (Reply)

*tanks

#2 - Cralos said:
2008-04-25 14:47 - (Reply)

*how do you install them the icons

#2.1 - Gizmola 2008-05-13 15:22 - (Reply)

*It will read the Icon for the application you add to the Dock, however, there are also icons you can use to override the defaults. In general, they seem to have thought of most everything.

#3 - Michael F. 2008-07-10 22:33 - (Reply)

*"Unfortunately, RocketDock doesn't have a 64 bit version, so you can't run it on 64bit XP or Vista." - David Rolston

That's simply not true. RocketDock is a 32 bit program, but it can be run on 64 bit systems that are capable of running 32 bit software - case in point, I am running it fine on my 64bit Vista system right now.

Rocketdock Rules!!

#3.1 - Gizmola 2008-08-02 11:46 - (Reply)

*Thanks for the update.

#3.2 - Dave 2010-01-15 21:22 - (Reply)

*You CAN run Rocketdock on 64bit Win 7, but unfortunately the stacks dockelt which to me makes the dock irresistable does not work - at least on my Vaio :-(

#4 - aj 2008-07-18 20:44 - (Reply)

*i wanna delete some icons and i dont know how can u teach me?

#4.1 - lulcats 2009-04-03 19:06 - (Reply)

*Drag them off the dock.

#5 - dave 2008-12-11 09:45 - (Reply)

*thanks ill try

#6 - tulio 2009-06-01 18:41 - (Reply)

*bueno

#7 - RandomFocus 2009-09-06 02:25 - (Reply)

*Has anyone tried RocketDock on Windows 7? Does it work ok?

#7.1 - David said:
2009-09-09 14:02 - (Reply)

*In my limited testing (64 bit Win 7 beta) RocketDock appears to work fine.

Here's a screenshot.

#7.1.1 - Stefan said:
2009-10-03 10:19 - (Reply)

*Nice!!

#8 - gorka said:
2009-12-30 11:10 - (Reply)

*Has anyone tried RocketDock on Windows 7? Does it work ok?
Al the videos that i´ve watched onlye appeared windows Vista

#9 - Casey 2010-02-25 17:50 - (Reply)

*I've installed RocketDock on Vista 32x and XP 32x, it works fine on both. I helped a friend get his new computer into shape, he has a new Dell with Vista 64x.

While it worked pretty well it was a lot slower to start. I think this is because all the 64x programs open first then the 32x ones come in after that.

In a bit of good news I just helped my dad organize his new computer. As luck would have it he just got a Toshiba Satellite Intel Core i5 with Windows 7 Home Premium 64x. RocketDock, at least to me, works better on it than on Vista 64x.

Of course your results may very, given different equipment.

#10 - Jay 2010-07-07 11:32 - (Reply)

*it works fine with vista 64bit

#11 - Mulham 2010-07-21 05:21 - (Reply)

*Will see .. ?!!


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