Butler

[The Memory Hole]

Application Name: Butler
Creator: Peter Maurer
URL: http://www.petermaurer.de/nasi.php?thema=butler&sprache=english (Official Site)
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/20035 (VersionTracker)

I love this application because it gives me easy access to... practically anything I want through my menu bar. Applications, Files, Web Search, iTunes control (which gets better each release), Fast User Switching (without using a long user name taking up all of that precious menu bar space), System Preferences, Bookmarks, Address Book entries... almost anything. Plus, this is all very customizable... the possibilities with this are nearly endless. Plus, it is donation-ware... if you feel that the application has helped you, you are free to choose if you want to pay, and how much.

It is true this application does what others can do (iTunes control - Synergy, simple Fast User Switching - Winswitch, etc)... but why download so many others, when Butler can do it all in one single package. And while certain features are not as good as others (for instance, I feel the iTunes control in Synergy is much more elegant), Butler is practically free and is ALWAYS improving. Give it a try.

 

[rhinosaur]

Butler has really been an indespensible tool. I was bummed there was no FinderPop replacement in OS X - and was determined to find a CMM that would suffice. I reluctantly tried Butler three times. Third time was a charm. Once you really get into the meat of the options it really is awesome.

I have hot-keys set up for customized menus for apps, address book, system preferences and iTunes. I can control iTunes with hot-keys from within any application (something I previously did with another system pref - it's nice to have it all in one utility though). For example I use Control-Option keypad 0 to activate my screensaver, Control-Option keypad ENTER for sleep, Control-Option keypad 3-5 rates the current song in iTunes accordingly - the list goes on and on and on. Okay - 'nuff said. Try it, you'll like it.