Review of Radian Application Launcher
There are plenty of free application launchers out there. Most of them will work fine in a pinch, and I’ve tried so many that I rarely get excited about seeing a new one. The only reason that I tried Radian, was because it had such a unique looking interface. (see the other app launchers we’ve mentioned)
As you can see from the screenshot, once it’s up, it looks entirely different from most launchers. The Radian launcher is triggered by a continuous right click anywhere on the screen. No matter what application is up on the screen, you’ll still be able to access your favorite applications.
Radian is currently at version 1.0.0.64 and is available for download as a 630k executable setup file. The installation is simple, and there are no surprises or unwanted companion programs. Since Radian is a free and open source software (FOSS) project at Sourceforge.net, I wasn’t expecting anything other than honestly free software.
As soon as the installation finishes, you are tossed into the “design mode”. This is the part that I found tricky. You’re left to try to figure out how to add, remove and organize the application links in the interface. After a bit of trial and error, I did finally get things the way I wanted them by dragging links around on the launcher and dragging new shortcuts from my Start menu onto the launcher. Once you get the hang of it, it really does make sense.
Later, you can re-open design mode by right clicking the Radian icon in the system tray.
Here is a video, from one of authors, showing some of the main features. Admittedly, this video has no sound, and it’s way too long, but it may save you time figuring out how to use Radian.
Radian Home Page and Download
Techie Buzz Verdict:
I like the unique interface and it’s ability to be called up no matter what’s showing on your screen. I gave this launcher points for being free and open source. I had to take away points for it’s seeming lack of a help file and good documentation and I’d rate it’s “ease of use” a little below average. However, if you like impressive graphics and need a good launcher, you should give Radian a try.
