Desktop Fences+ vs Dockside

Desktop Fences+ is a free, open-source Windows utility for organizing desktop icons, shortcuts, files and folders into virtual fences. It offers data fences, portal fences that reflect folder contents, and note fences for text. Users can customize colors, borders, titles, icon sizes, spacing and launch effects. A search pane finds shortcuts across data fences. Profiles can switch automatically when programs activate or be selected with hotkeys, while Smart Desktop rules can move files into portal fences or folders. The manual describes backup and restore, and fences can be exported and imported between systems. Supported items include Windows shortcuts, web links, folders, documents and network targets; the changelog also mentions Spotify URI shortcuts and basic Microsoft Store app support. The project is portable and compatible with Windows 10 and 11, but requires a user-writable location and .NET Framework support. The digitalsleuth repository has no releases listed; its README points to the original limbo666 repository for the latest release package.

Dockside has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.