3D-Space VFS (Visual File System): Fast, Spectacular 3D File Browser/Launcher

Originally downloaded 7/29/06. After a year’s lull, this project came back in June with a new release, and now they have another upgrade. I’m curious to see if the “major rewrite” that occurred prior to the June release had a significant impact on usability. Certainly, this is a cool idea, and worth taking a look-see. It’s shareware, with a free trial.

Update 8/27/06 I’m delighted to report that this alternative Finder interface is making terrific progress, and though it’s not yet an actual Finder replacement, it’s certainly a heckuva lot of fun! The current version (as tested) is stable, fast, visually stunning, marvelously addictive to navigate with, and provides a glimpse of what a usable 3D file system could be like. The developer has plans to fill some crucial functional gaps (as noted in the “cons” below) soon, and when he does, I expect to be using 3D-Space VFS for more than simple entertainment value. At that point, I’d gladly plunk down some bucks to encourage his efforts on this little jewel. In the meantime, I highly recommend downloading and trying this one out. If nothing else, you can amaze your friends—whether they’re running Mac OS X already or are still hanging on to Windows!

Here’s a list of the pros and cons I noted in testing the software over the last few weeks:

Version as tested: 1.9.3