Is the program "Windower" safe to use?Follow

I am tired of living in the "dark ages" of logging into FFXI on my computer and not being able to "alt-tab" to browse the web. I just want something that works better then the built in windower under FFXI-configurations that allows me to lower the screen to do other stuff on my computer.

I have been playing since 2003 and I have a security token for protection, but if I get banned/keylogged hacked and my account get wiped my life is basically gone.

Is using the program, downloaded from the official site *link removed*, safe?

Every time I have to look up something I have to log, and my friends say that I don't have to if I use windower (they never talk about this in ffxi chat, they talk over team-speak). It would also be nice to be able to go do something in FFXI while having ffxiah's shout box opened reading shouts in Port Jeuno.

I'm sitting here weighing the risks,I really want to be able to browse the web while playing ffxi but I don't want to lose my account because one day SE gets tired and goes on a crusade banning people that uses 3rd party programs.

I'm sorry if this is a "forbidden" subject talking about 3rd party programs but I just need some information.


Edit: I wont be using any fancy plugins at all, I just want to be able to "alt-tab" the game.

Edit 2: Why didn't I use this back in TOA days?! I don't mean to sound crazy, but alt-tabing and browsing the web while waiting on slow people in voidwatch is making me feel like a kid in a candy store.

I wont bump this but if someone reads this wondering if windower is safe.. I have been using it for 12 days and it's pretty sweet, I can actually alt-tab boot up ffxiah's shout section and explore the world of FFXI while bored and *still* watch shouts in port jeuno! This is so amazing, thank you everyone for supporting me into doing this.



Edited, Feb 26th 2012 5:21pm by Omgstupidmouselolllll

Edited, Mar 12th 2012 12:02am by Omgstupidmouselolllll

Edited, Mar 12th 2012 12:06am by Omgstupidmouselolllll

To answer your questions, yes you can use the program to do what you are asking, alt-tab to use the rest of your desktop.

The makers of Windower have been around for years and a lot of pc user's use the program. There are no virus that come with it. The main reason you won't see your fellow LS mates talking about it in chat while in game is simply. Its a 3rd party program and against the TOS to use.

The only way your gonna get banned for using Windower is if you go running through town screaming you are using it.


Edited, Feb 26th 2012 8:22pm by Vlorsutes

As I said in another thread the other day:

Nobody has ever been banned for using Windower. Ever. People get banned for talking about using Windower.

Since you're mainly looking for just the ability to alt-tab, I would suggest that you look into Windower Light. Alternatively, you may be unaware that FFXI now has a built-in windowed mode which will allow you to alt-tab. You can turn it on in the FFXI Config in your Windows Start menu.

Also, you should remove the link in your OP. Direct links to Windower are not allowed here since Alla (ZAM) is considered an affiliate of sorts with Square Enix. This entire thread is probably pushing the envelope too far.

Vlor should nuke his own post for directing people to the windower site. Bad form zam overlord.

That's always been how we approach those sorts of topics though, so it's not like it's anything new. Any topic just asking about the logistics or morality behind using Windower, just general comments involving it (like someone mentioning they use windower or that they take screenshots with windower or things like that), but if someone's asking for technical advice regarding it, then we say for them to go to the Windower forum instead.

Except it sucks ***: tends to halve your frame rate, screws up gamma settings, and mutes the sound when not in focus so you can't hear /tells or agro when you're doing something else.

the memory usage is still messed up using SE;s built in windowing function. Almost everything in windower is there to address the clucky user interface in ffxi.

The built-in Windower also doesn't let you run fullscreen and retain the ability to Alt+Tab. It's either-or. You either turn off windower for full-screen with no multitasking, or you put it in windowed mode with multitasking.

The third-party Windower allows you to run fullscreen without losing multitasking. This is especially useful for people with multiple monitors on their PC.

My friend and I tend to refer to it as Fight Club while in-game, partly for the humor and partly to appease our slight paranoia.

It's still a pain to find the nearest conflux and log out near the npcs that give you the buffs. I would rather just alt/tab in a safe spot to save time.

windower is never more than you need...... never....

Honestly, I could live with everything standard except six-line macros. I would never go back to that.

For me, there's quite a few things I don't know if I could live without.

• Tparty: I can probably live without it, but it sure is nice. Having to hit TP announce macros was an unnecessary layer of communication. We can see each others HP and MP. We should be able to see each others TP.
• Distance: This is headed toward the "can't live without" range. It is so freaking annoying trying to hit my Provoke or Pet Fight macro on a moving target and to keep seeing the "blah blah blah is not in range" message. Trying to do the same with ranged attack is just as bad, since you have to come to a full stop or you get hit with the "you move and interrupt yourself" message.
• Light Luggage: This is on the "can't live without" end the spectrum. Built in auto-sort is garbage. I need to keep my gear separated into groups to be able to switch between my 7 jobs without driving myself crazy. If SE had implemented an auto-stack feature instead of auto-sort, this would be a different story.