One of the first things I do on every computer is install an 'orthodox' file manager, with a layout similar to Norton Commander. I've previously recommended options like Double Commander and Multi Commander, but today I'd like to add Altap Salamander. Its latest build dates back to 2019, yet it has proven to be very stable, has a good number of plugins, and is very easy to customize.
I've spent the past few months crossing swords with File Explorer in Windows 11, and honestly I don't know how people put up with it. Besides not offering any significant improvement, its latency is a real horror, and this happens even with a freshly installed operating system. For this and other reasons (muscle memory, configuration flexibility, etc.) I didn't think twice and returned to an orthodox file manager like the classic Norton Commander, but before installing Double Commander (highly recommended, I must add), I discovered Altap Salamander in its latest version 4.0.
Replace File Explorer with Altap Salamander
Altap Salamander is the successor to Servant Salamander, originally launched in 1997. Its creator Petr Šolín founded the company Altap, the first shareware appeared in 2001, and in 2007 it adopted the name Altap Salamander. Twelve years later, Fine Software acquired Altap and decided to offer version 4.0 of Altap Salamander as freeware.
The program's interface has everything we need and more. Two main panels, keyboard shortcuts at the bottom, shortcuts to plugins and secondary functions. The Spanish translation is very good, and it should activate automatically if we use that language in our operating system. As for keyboard shortcuts, Altap Salamander follows almost the same rules as Norton Commander:
- F2: rename files and folders
- F3: view their content
- F4: edit them
- F5: copy
- F6: move
- F7: create directories
- F8: delete content (pay attention to this)
- F10: enable the menu
In the Settings section we can modify multiple aspects of Altap Salamander, from the persistence of history to the columns available on screen, including the customization of an alternative user menu, the creation of quick routes (i.e., frequently used drive paths), and most importantly, appearance and colors. In 'Appearance' we can define the main font and the behavior of the selection command (the Insert key), while in 'Colors' there are four schemes available... and one of them is Norton Commander's.
A slight warning when deleting files: Altap Salamander sends them to the recycle bin by default, but if the recycle bin has been disabled, files will be deleted directly without warning or possibility of recovery. The way to fix that is to go to the 'Recycle Bin' section, select the option 'Delete immediately', and then visit 'Confirmations' to enable alerts for all delete operations (the five at the top).
To conclude, Altap Salamander 4.0 hasn't received updates since 2019, but the code for version 5.0 has already been published on GitHub, and it's only a matter of time before we see the first binaries. Links below!
Official website and downloads: Click here
Code on GitHub: Click here
