Appetizer vs GiMeSpace QuickMenu

Appetizer is a free, open-source application launcher dock for Windows that organizes shortcuts and folders. A wizard imports shortcuts from different locations, after which icons can be arranged by drag and drop or grouped in menus. The dock can resize and display horizontally or vertically, with small, large, and extra-large icons, custom icons, and skins; two skins are included. It supports launching several items together, a hotkey to hide or show the dock, and minimizing it to the tray. Special items provide controls for the desktop, Recycle Bin, and Control Panel. With the standard PortableApps.com folder structure, Appetizer should detect applications and documents automatically. Version 1.4 is offered as a Windows installer or portable ZIP; the ZIP can run from a hard drive or USB stick and saves settings in the application directory. The download page lists Windows 2000, XP, and Vista. Plugins add functions such as USB document encryption, shortcut grouping, and closing the dock after launch, but require a restart after installation. Multilingual help and an API reference are provided.

GiMeSpace QuickMenu is a Windows task launcher and switcher that appears at the mouse cursor when you press an assigned mouse or keyboard key. Its upper section lists running tasks, with the most recently used first; its lower section holds programs, files, and shortcuts that you can reorder or remove. You can choose a hotkey, enable click activation, and adjust the number of icon columns. When the cursor is away from the screen edge, QuickMenu can place the previously used task under the cursor to help switch back. The maker says it is designed for Windows XP and later and does not restore the Windows Start menu. It identifies tasks by their icons rather than preview windows. Adding store apps and their icons can be difficult; the maker suggests creating a shortcut first and adding that. Version 2.1.1 comes in high- and low-resolution display versions, with Unicode support listed for the high-resolution version only. The product page lists a free program and a 30-day trial, with pricing from 23 AUD.