(Replies in-line)

>Thanks, Mike... I'm getting there.
>
>So I take it that at some time I would start the MONTAGE application (assume first time, so no saved entities).

Right. When you launch it for the first time, you get an empty Montage "Desktop" window.

>
>Do I next use MONTAGE to start my regular apps up, or do I just go about my business of starting what apps I want to?

No. If you launch an app the usual way, e.g. from Windows Explorer, Montage doesn't know anything about it. Montage knows about apps that are launched "through" it. To do that, you'd drag a file, folder, link, or URL from Explorer or IE (for example) into the Montage window. That would create a Montage Shortcut, which looks very similar to a Windows shortcut. Double-clicking on the Montage Shortcut launches the application, like a Windows shortcut, but if you've used that Shortcut before, there's a difference. The next time you reuse the Montage Shortcut, you'll see that the previous window position and sizing is automatically restored, overriding whatever dumb-ass thing Windows defaults it to.

>
>I'll assume that I just start up my apps. as regularly.

Again, no. If you started the app through Montage, you wouldn't need to explicitly launch it, because it would be launched automatically, if that's the state you left the montage in.

>
>Some time later I decide that THIS IS THE WAY I LIKE THINGS. What do I do to have MONTAGE remember that for me? Does it present me with some list that I check-off (so I can have it ignore some if I want) or does it take everything or what?

The default behavior is to save and restore, but you can change this if you like, e.g. to prompt, or to not save unless explicitly requested. Also you can "Abandon", i.e. deliberately exit without saving, and you can control the saving and restoration of individual constituent objects.

>
>What is a "child" MONTAGE and how do I go about making one of them?

Any number of montages can exist, each as a separate "metafile". You create these via File, New Montage or View, Save As... They can be opened independently as "top-level" montages, e.g. via Windows Explorer, or they can be opened as child montages through a Shortcut in another montage. If a parent montage is used to open such children, closing the parent closes the children. Reopening the parent automatically reopens the children that were last opened through it.

>
>Can I have it 'remember' that certain apps are minimized and start them that way?

In principle, definitely, but in the current implementation, it doesn't handle "zoom" states other than "normal". This is a fairly minor enhancement I haven't yet gotten around to.

>
>Does everything run "under" MONTAGE or independently of it?

External applications run independently of Montage, even though it has some control over them. They are normal processes, and they don't generally have any awareness of Montage. There are also built-in viewer "applets", but that feature is still in a rather preliminary state of development, so I've played it down (for the time being).

>
>I've developed a way to work with Windows that may not be the best, but it is one I have become comforatble with. And it mainly centres around keeping the Explorer window open and using it to go from task-to-task that I want to START. I have 3 icons beside the "Start" button (IE, ShowDesktop and Outlook Express) and I have a few Desktop icons. I generally start something and leave it running. But because of the stupid way that IE positions itself when I've opened/closed a few instances (in random order) I generally restrict my usage to a single one and when I start another (open in new window) I try to remember to close those first before closing the original.
>
>I take it that MONTAGE helps me very nicely with the IE part, correct?

Yes, definitely, this is exactly the sort of annoyance Montage is meant to deal with. The same goes for Shell Explorer windows. Montage gives you an easy way to launch these so as to open in a consistent layout. Furthermore, it saves you the trouble of opening and closing these windows individually.

>
>Sorry to be such a bother.

You don't think I brought it up if I didn't want to discuss it, do you? :)

Mike

>
>cheers
>
>
>>Jim,
>>
>>(replies in-line)
>>
>>>Mike,
>>>
>>>I read that MONTAGE is designed to help me be more productive, and that I can use it to instantly put screen-using apps. back to their original positions.
>>>
>>>That might be helpful, but I'm not at all sure.
>>>
>>>Can you provide basic information like:
>>>
>>>1) What do I do to make it 'save' the status of things;
>>
>>When you close a montage, by default it saves the state of itself and all associated apps, and then closes them. Also you can explicitly do a Save View at any time via the menus.
>>
>>>
>>>2) What do I do to gt that status back;
>>
>>Reopening the montage restores everything as of its last saving. You can also restore the state of individual objects separately while the montage is open.
>>
>>>
>>>3) What would be a typical situation where I would use it to advantage?
>>
>>The first thing I do when I start up my computer is to open my main montage, for which I keep a Windows shortcut on my desktop. This proceeeds to open about 10 applications I normally keep open, including some Explorer windows, IE windows, WS-FTP, Outlook Express, and a few "child" montages. The child montages deal with specific activitites, like detailed development planning, help authoring, web site maintenance, volume management (backups), graphics, etc. Montage not only launches multiple windows, but it also restores their exact arrangement, and it gives me a visual way of organizing things.
>>
>>>
>>>Call me thick, but I'm just not "getting it".
>>
>>I would never call you thick, Jim! I've been so immersed in this, it's easy for me to lose sight of what may or may not seem obvious to others. Thanks very much for your input!
>>
>>>
>>>cheers