Dolphin, the FM in the KDE desktop environment is easily my favorite choice. It is VERY customizable, is feature filled, and is smoother than ever from version 4.8 and on. Very impressed! Vote for the worst: Finder. HORRIBLE
I am now using XYplorer. It is stable and I am in the process of giving up on PowerDesk PLUS the license is good for all of my computers and is good for a life time.
For now, it's Windows Explorer. To be fair, I never experimented too much with other options. In the past, I tried Windows Double Explorer (abandonware?) for a short amount of time and that's about it.
None, since none of those I've tried are very good. If pushed I'd say my favorite is Thunar, since it stays out of my way; but it's still (IMO) overfeatured and underpowered. My ideal file manager would: - Display directories in tree form, like Finder in MacOS 9 - Have some kind of integrated application launcher - Be able to mount or unmount volumes as needed - Have options for modifying POSIX permissions on files and directories AFAIK there are no currently available file managers that fit those requirements... Maybe I'll make it a project to write one at some point (ha ha). Edit: to make things clear, I'm stuck in Linuxland. The native graphical applications here are mostly not that good.
Between Konqueror and Dolphin, you can do all that afaik. Konqueror can do all that. Not sure why you'd want to launch programs from there though. Alt-F2 or Lancelot can do it faster.
This free version of Commander, which works fine for me on Windows 7 despite not being officially supported.
In the old days of the IBM 286/386 I use to love Xtree Gold however I was also quite proficient with MS-DOS v3.1. These days I stick with Windows Explorer and the Command Prompt.
XYplorer will soon discontinue its lifetime license. if you ever thought about grabbing it this is the time. http://www.xyplorer.com/index.php
it is end of an era indeed! donald it seems is going the D Opus Way, but not exaxtly till major version number by the looks of it. 11.90 to 12.80 ? i do not understand the logic behind that.
I use Xplorer2 Lite in both Windows 7 and Windows 8 Pro in preference to Windows Explorer - good 2 pane File Manager.
I will never (!) use anything else than TotalCommander! - IIRC I started on Amiga 500 (later 1200) with DirWork and was completely in love with that great tool (hated workbench probably like I hate Explorer now! ). Also good was of course DirOpus as my 2nd filemanager. - Switching to PC I searched immediately a good replacement for those 2-pane-filemanagers and soon I had an even bigger crush on almighty WindowsCommander. - So TotalCommander it is, I am married with this thing and it will last, believe me. - Also best spent money ever, so far it's a lifetime license. It's unbelievable that there is no choice for TotalCommander in the poll!?
I am using directory opus since 2005, version 8. Couldn't be much happier. Fast, fast, fast. Everyday computer activities take half time than with windows explorer. Amazing program that has successfully replaced windows interface in all my machines.
DOpus is the main reason why i'm stuck with Windows and can't migrate to Linux. there just is nothing like it in the Linux world.
i hope you dont have 4 or 5 machines... because Opus license is not very kind with his "per machine" licensing. thats why i use another file manager and my opus license sleeps in my hard disk.
I never pay for software (the only money I spend in computers is in external HDDs and hosts subscriptions). I am working in a company that supports my PCs (i give my job priority always). Six licenses now still cost less than 200 euro. Personally I still have a spare license for one laptop and one desktop and one installation is in my kids' PC who don't even use it.
it's not cheap, for sure, but the license gives free updates until the next major version. which is once about every 3 years or so. once you have paid for the license, you only need to pay a discounted upgrade price for the next major version. like often most things in life, you get what you pay for. I have no problem paying for software i enjoy using.
... Midnight Commander is wonderful. That is all. Edit: if only the Windows version were feature-complete.