Circle Dock is nothing more than a circular dock for the Windows operating system, as the label implies. Designed to integrate seamlessly with both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows Vista and Windows XP, Circle Dock version 0.9.2 has now reached the Alpha 8 development milestone and is available as a free download. This because the dock is an open source project delivered under the GNU General Public License V3. Circle Dock 0.9.2 Alpha 8.1 provides a simple way for Windows users to centralize all applications, files, and folders into a single location placed on the desktop and access all docked items with a click of the mouse.

“If you’re into something really cool to show off with your friends and family, check out this superb desktop organizer. No more lists, quick launch menus and colums of shortcuts, you can manage it all in this superb and small client. If you take a few minutes to pimp it in the settings,” revealed Miel Van Opstal, Microsoft Technology Evangelist. “The coolest part is that it has the ability to run from a USB key on computers with the .Net Framework 2.0 or above installed.”

Circle Dock 0.9.2 Alpha 8.1 brings a few enhancements compared to its precursors. The latest Alpha build will permit end users to actually launch the Windows Start Menu. At the same time, docked items can be grouped and launched together rather than individually.

“Instead of a simple bar that attaches to a side of your computer screen, Circle Dock will launch (via a hotkey) wherever your mouse sits on the screen. The apps it contains can display either as concentric circles or as a spiral. There’s a lot you can do with Circle Dock too - you can rotate it, skin it, and add apps, files, folders, and shortcuts to the dock by drag and drop,” revealed Microsoft's Sarah Perez via Channel 10.

Circle Dock 0.9.2 Alpha 8.1 is available for download here.