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Is anyone aware of a program which would let you switch windows simply by navigating it similar as you'd navigate a menu with keys, or similar to how Opera's spatial navigation works?

Here's an example:

  • I have three windows open. Two side by side, one below them.
  • I have the leftmost top window active

To switch windows...

  • I press win + right arrow and the active window switches to the one on the right side of current
  • Or I press win + down to activate the window below

I was thinking this might be a convenient way to switch windows when you have large multimonitor setup. Alt-tabbing kind of sucks, and mousing feels slow.

Thanks!

ps. If you know the next-best-thing to this, feel free to suggest it too.

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What version of windows are you running? – John T Feb 7 '10 at 8:47
Windows 7. Also, the key shortcuts don't necessarily have to be windows key + something, could be different, but the general idea is what I'm looking for :) – Jani Hartikainen Feb 7 '10 at 8:59
Are you talking about a tiling window manager? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiling_window_manager – Ryan Thompson Feb 7 '10 at 21:28
No. I would prefer it to keep all windows in the positions they are, and just allowing me to use the keyboard to easily navigate through them. I already know where I have placed my windows, why do I have to remember where the window manager's switcher app places them, especially when it changes in them (like alt tab window order)? – Jani Hartikainen Feb 8 '10 at 5:24
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You might find Switcher useful. It's pretty customizable and you might find a configuration that works for you.

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I checked this out, and while otherwise nice, it shares the same issue as alt tabbing: I have to glance over all windows and determine which one is the one I want and then key in the correct window. This might be better if the arrow key navigation made sense, but it really doesn't. Up goes to the window with a smaller number, rather than to the window above the selected? Confusing especially when the window with the smaller number is on the other monitor or such. – Jani Hartikainen Feb 8 '10 at 5:25
I have accepted this answer as the "next best thing" since there does not seem to be any alternatives :) – Jani Hartikainen Feb 9 '10 at 7:39
For me, this is very slow on my dual monitor W7. Takes seconds to load the windows - same with all Exposé clones for windows. – Marek Jun 3 '10 at 13:54
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