UltraMon: Updating to Windows Vista requires more than just drivers to be updated.
I am a tool junky. I use tools, like shell extensions in Windows and addins in Visual Studio so extensively that I depend on them as much as I depend on Windows itself. It's been a long time now since I adopted the multiple monitor as a minimum requirement and as a result need a utility that makes the additional monitor(s) transparent to my Windows experience. I think that most people would agree that UltraMon (TM) by Realtime Soft. has become, arguably, the most common utility for enhancing Windows to provide better support for multiple monitors. Specifically it adds the option to add a taskbar to each monitor containing only the applications that are displayed on the that monitor, it supports plugins, custom scripts, title bar buttons, and the list truly does go on.
I, like many of you, get very, we'll say... passionate when software that I've come to rely on is slow to update to be compatible with the latest versions of Windows. I mean let's be honest, how long has the beta, release candidate, etc been available? Don't get me wrong, I completely understand that difficulties that go into getting an application to be compatible with an operating system as complex and especially as secure as Windows Vista.
Christian Studer, the author of UltraMon, almost immediately released an update that fixed an initial compatibility problem with Vista and his flagship utility, which I found impressive... But then the most incredible thing happened... he, in the support forums for UltraMon, basically promised that the beta of a Vista supported version of UltraMon (Version 3.0) would be available before the end of March 2007... and here it is April 1st 2007 and guess what... I've already downloaded and installed the beta. It is obvious that this is only an initial release as there is much activity in the beta issues forum, but I couldn't be happier in his product, his support of it and his customers and in his transparency... All I can say is that I am now a lifelong customer of Realtime Soft. and will continue to praise Christian and UltraMon... Great Work!
So for the "review" part of this rant, it's simple... if you use multiple monitors on Windows you must buy this program. You can try it out for free by installing the trial or purchase the full version for the bargain price of $39.95...
