Re: Dual pane file browser [with visuals]...
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 5:43 pm
30$ .... not free 
I have tried xplorer2 many times over the years and just couldn't live with the layout, customization, and functionality limitations and quirky GUI non-standardisms. In the beginning it had so much promise, but the developer definitely doesn't work the way I do.
Commanders: I've tried nearly all of them (though there are many and Q-Dir was new to me) over the last 20 years and IMO:
TC has hands down the best file manager functionality of any file manager. The plugin architecture blows all the competition away. No contest. Absolutely indispensible, even with the substandard folder tab implementation, funky folder tree approach, lack of internal scripting, limited tool bar, etc etc. The way the column info plugins (wdx) are integrated into filters, searches, and filenaming is just phenomenal.
SpeedCommander has the best layout options, arguably the best folder tab behaviors/options, plus the best virtual folder GUI for a 2-panel commander.
Finally here is my dark horse: Altap Salamander. Most fluid and responsive. Best dialogs. Most "rational" approaches to simple tasks. Too bad it is so badly feature restricted (only 10 folder favorites, can you believe it, and no folder trees?) and the upgrade schedule is several years between versions.
XnView should not attempt to emulate scope of the commander file managers. But the ability to tile two browsers left and right within the same XnView instance would be very very useful. No doubt about it.