aNewDomain.net — As a Windows 8 user you already know the bad news. The Start button disappeared as well as easy access to My Computer, Documents, Pictures and other frequently used files and folders. You can search easily when working in the Modern tile (Metro) interface of Windows 8, but there is no easy way to browse files and folders in a structured hierarchy like there was in previous versions of Windows. To the rescue comes Metro Commander, a free Windows 8 app from Boo Studio.
Dual Panes Provide Easy Access
The Metro Commander features a dual-pane interface that is clean and easy to use. The app provides a functional way to browse, move, copy, rename, delete and open files and folders.
What’s really convenient is that you have complete control over each of the panes. In other words, you can easily choose the folder you want to see. If you regularly work in My Computer on your machine, and a network folder from another computer on your network, you can see them both side by side.
Clean Interface
Metro Commander features a simple interface with a natural feel. It is similar to those used in most FTP clients. By putting your source folder on one side and your destination folder on the other side, it enables you to access and move files quickly and easily. But Metro Commander lets you do much more than just move and open files.
As you can see in the screen shot above, controls appear on the top, bottom and sides of the screen, making it easy to navigate through your files and folders. There are options for moving, renaming and deleting folders and files, as well as marking them as favorites, pinning them to the Start screen and adding folders and shortcuts. There is also an icon feature that lets you sort the folders by name, type, size or date. You can also easily access Sky Drive files.
Metro Commander supports all Windows 8 gestures, so it can be controlled as easily with a touch screen as it can with a keyboard and mouse.
If you often find yourself working with files and folders, Metro Commander is a must have. Even die-hard Windows 8 Desktop users will find it a valuable addition to their arsenal of Windows 8 tools.
Based in Pinehurst, North Carolina, Sandy Berger is a veteran tech journalist and senior editor at aNewDomain.net covering tech tips and tricks, apps, gadgets, and consumer electronics. Email her at Sandy@aNewDomain.net. Follow her on Twitter @sandyberger, +SandyBerger on Google+, and on Facebook.
