Virtual Desktops - What Are They, How Do They Work, and How Can They Benefit Me?

Virtual desktops are software designed to allow the user to manipulate and transport the desktop from computer to computer. This means that the user can work on a file or application from their office computer, later bringing it home with them and continuing the process. A virtual screen can be very useful for users who travel on a regular basis because it can also be displayed on laptops and iPads, not just a home or work PC.
A virtual screen can also expand the viewing area of a screen beyond the ability of the physical viewing device. This means that, while your monitor may only be able to view 1440 by 900 pixels, your virtual screen could expand far beyond that. This can compensate for a small viewing device.
A user can have multiple virtual desktops at a time, further expanding the virtual possibilities. This can allow for multiple advantages, such as being able to maintain four full-sized windows in a side-by-side view. Artists, advertisers, dedicated students, and business owners in particular would benefit from this option. A virtual desktop saves a large amount of space, which would otherwise be filled by another viewing device or a larger one. By doing so, it eliminates a great deal of clutter on your laptop or PC.
There are several different kinds of virtual desktops. These include but are not limited to:
Switchable Desktops
A switchable desktop is not simply at an x, y position on the user's screen. Multiple desktops are turned into multiple screens, which can be accessed by enabling a context. The user can switch between these contexts, displaying separate screens of space that can hold several windows of applications at any given time. This makes it easy to run different applications for different purposes at a time.
Over-sized Desktops
Also referred to as "Scrolling Desktops" or "Viewports," over-sized desktops do not display multiple desktops, but one large screen. This is extremely useful for users with small screens or multiple purposes to fulfill on one desktop, without switching between screens.
Portable Desktops
Portable desktops are virtual desktops that can be transported from one device to another, from work to home to hotel, as far as you need them to travel.
There are, of course, software choices that encompass two or more of these functions. However, it would not be recommended unless you have a very powerful computer.
The best thing about virtual desktops is that they are constantly being developed to hold more data. There are free trial downloads available from several developers as well as full packages that can be purchased based on data the software can hold.