Controlling computer-based instances

A system for controlling computer-based instances, comprising:

• a bus;
• a processor coupled to the bus;
• and
• a memory medium coupled to the bus, the memory medium comprising instructions to:
• in response to receiving a selection of an empty location of a desktop screen of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for a computer, display an instance control function comprising a point of access to a window comprising instance categories;
• in response to receiving a selection of at least one of the instance categories through the window, display a second window comprising a list of computer-based instances corresponding to the selected at least one of the categories in the GUI;
• determine whether at least one of the instance categories is left-clicked or right-clicked;
• in response to determining that the at least one of the instance categories is right-clicked, display an option to launch a new instance corresponding to the right-clicked instance category, receiving a selection of the option, and launching the new instance;
• in response to determining that the at least one of the instance categories is left-clicked, display a second window comprising a list of computer-based instances corresponding to the selected at least one of the categories in the GUI, receive a selection of an instance from the list, the selection indicating a desired action for the selected instance, and control the selected instance based upon the desired action.

A computer program product for controlling computer-based instances, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media, to:

• in response to receiving a selection of an empty location of a desktop screen of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for a computer, display an instance control function comprising a point of access to a window comprising instance categories;
• determine whether at least one of the instance categories is left-clicked or right-clicked;
• in response to determining that the at least one of the instance categories is right-clicked, display an option to launch a new instance corresponding to the right-clicked instance category, receiving a selection of the option, and launching the new instance;
• in response to determining that the at least one of the instance categories is left-clicked, display a second window comprising a list of computer-based instances corresponding to the selected at least one of the categories in the GUI, receive a selection of an instance from the list, the selection indicating a desired action for the selected instance, and control the selected instance based upon the desired action.

A method for deploying a system for controlling computer-based instances, comprising:

• providing a computer infrastructure being operable to:
• in response to receiving a selection of an empty location of a desktop screen of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for a computer, display an instance control function comprising a point of access to a window comprising instance categories;
• determine whether at least one of the instance categories is left-clicked or right-clicked;
• in response to determining that the at least one of the instance categories is right-clicked, display an option to launch a new instance corresponding to the right-clicked instance category, receiving a selection of the option, and launching the new instance;
• in response to determining that the at least one of the instance categories is left-clicked, display a second window comprising a list of computer-based instances corresponding to the selected at least one of the categories in the GUI, receive a selection of an instance from the list, the selection indicating a desired action for the selected instance, and control the selected instance based upon the desired action.