Task View

Task View is a task switcher and virtual desktop system introduced in Windows 10 and is among the first features new to Windows 10. Task View allows a user to quickly locate an open window, quickly hide all windows and show the desktop, and to manage windows across multiple monitors or virtual desktops. Clicking the Task View button on the taskbar or swiping from the left side of the screen displays all open windows and allows users to switch between them, or switch between multiple workspaces. It was first previewed on September 30, 2014 at a Windows 10 press event in downtown San Francisco.[1]

Task View
Operating systemWindows 10
PredecessorFlip 3D
TypeVirtual desktop, task switcher

Similar applications

Similar effects are used on other operating systems.

Windows 3.0 first introduced a window switcher in 1990. Using Alt+Tab ↹, users could see a flattened view of all open windows. Every version of Windows since then has also provided this window switching functionality. Windows Vista and Windows 7 provide an additional feature called Windows Flip 3D, which has a broadly similar purpose. Flip 3D allows a user to flip through all open windows with a 3D perspective. A downside to this method is that the front most window covers a significant portion of the other windows, unlike Mission Control (macOS). On the other hand, this allows the user to see the contents of the front most window, while this can be difficult in Mission Control, especially if the user has a large number of windows open. Vista's Desktop Window Manager exposes a public API that allows any application to access the same thumbnail representations that Flip3D uses, and so there are a number of third party add-ons that are able to provide Mission Control-like functionality in Vista. A very few third party applications, such as the Emcee Desktop Organizer, provide Mission Control like organization of similar windows into visual "stacks," or support Windows 8's "Immersive" Apps.

Microsoft's Intellipoint Software for Microsoft Mice has a feature similar to Mission Control[2] as it also works with live images of windows, rather than a static representations. Additionally, several freeware Windows applications exist to emulate the functionality of Mission Control.

Compiz and KWin are compositing window managers for systems using the X Window System. Both include plugins similar to Mission Control - the scale plugin in Compiz and the present windows effect in KWin. Skippy also performs similar functions to Mission Control.

Starting with version 3.0, the GNOME desktop environment has gained a new mode called "Overview", which is used to launch applications and manage workspaces. In this mode, windows are scaled and arranged in an Mission Control-like fashion for quick switching.

Chrome OS has a window overview mode[3] that shows a thumbnail of all open windows, available by pressing the 'window switcher' key or swiping up with 3 fingers on the trackpad. Windows in overview mode can be closed by clicking an associated close button, or selected by clicking on the window thumbnail, which also closes overview mode and brings the selected window to the foreground.

For Classic or Legacy Macintosh systems, the free Finder Workspaces[4] offers functionality similar to Spaces.

Mission Control of macOS allows a user to quickly locate an open window, quickly hide all windows and show the desktop, and to manage windows across multiple monitors or virtual desktops. This is activated from the F3 key, or F9 on older keyboards. On Apple's Magic Mouse or multi-touch trackpads, this can be activated by pulling up on the trackpad with three or four fingers. Mission Control redesigned this feature extensively to show all running desktops.

See also

References
  1. Metz, Cade (September 30, 2014). "Microsoft Unveils New Operating System, Dubbed Windows 10". Wired. Conde Nast.
  2. "Mouse and keyboard hardware". Archived from the original on March 6, 2011.
  3. Sneddon, Joey-Elijah (August 30, 2013). "The New Overview Feature in Chrome OS". OMG! Chrome!.
  4. "Finder Workspaces 2.2". Archived from the original on March 19, 2014.
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