How do you launch an app?

aishafenton

aishafenton

Most remote member
Hi all,

How did Apple intend us to launch applications in OSX? I use LaunchBar personally (and love it!), and I have seen a whole heap of other 3rd party tools. And this works for me just great! I love OSX and the Dock – It’s ten times better than the w2k machine I have to use at work...

But how did apple indent us to start applications??

You can only fit so many icons in the dock - and even then the dock already has enough jobs without being the app launcher too.

Having an alias to your app folder on the dock, or a folder of alias works... but then it can only be on the right-hand side of the dock (and next to the trash!). Not exactly user friendly for something you'd be constantly using.

So that leaves firing up the finder and starting an app from its install directory.

Is this how apple envisioned it working?
 
I know what you're saying. I may be new to the Mac world, but I remember a time when things were a little more logical. I practically Studied MacKido.com's GUI Guidelines article. And understand your beef. Having the folders next to the trash isn't exactly Human. We gotta realize this is actually modeled after NeXT OS. Look at the similarities. The NeXT's Dock had the "Trash" on the right and the "Finder" (Whatever they called it) on the left. But they could also have multiple Docks which sounds and looks awesome.

Things changed ALOT when they released OS X. Some of these things will probably Never change to the way they were. Some will. But it's up to US to submit our Feedback. Tell em how WE want it to work.

Just be glad they brought back the Clock and Apple Menus. If Steve had his way, OS X'd look like the Beta right now. Which was more NeXT like than OS X Final is.

As cool as the NeXT OS is, it's not really "Mac-like".. in fact It's NOT Mac-Like. It's NeXT-Like!

There are some NeXT features I'd LIKE to see in X and there's some I want gone. But the only way that will EVER happen is by Telling them you Want it that way. Notice a feature you used in OS 9 is gone? Tell them you miss it. Bring it back!
 
I use Launch Bar and Drag thing to launch my apps, but one thing I disagree with in your post is the Apps alias in the Dock. I really do not see what the difference is between having the App folder to the left or right of the seperator. Is it really more intuitive to have it to the left?

Another option that I have used was doctored Favorites folder. I created a number of subfolders based on tasks (imaging, browsers, video, audio) within the Favorites folder and placed the Fav's folder in the dock.

I just do not see the difference between having the app launcher on the left or right side of the dock.

One question I have has to do with OS9. I really have not used 9 at all, I am a Mac user from way back when, who adopted Windows because of work, and then transitioned to X when it was introduced. How did you launch apps in 9, I would assume it was basically done with the favorites folder (or some other folder where alias were kept) placed in the Apple Menu.

Just my $.02,
Jason
 
I personally put my most used apps on the dock (mail, internet, MP3, prefs, etc) and then I just do apple-a (or whatever the shortcut is) to go to the apps folder and just double click like in OS 9 and bellow.

I just wish I had the ability to program the F-keys like in OS9 to launch apps from there too :rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by AdmiralAK
II just wish I had the ability to program the F-keys like in OS9 to launch apps from there too
Click to expand...

I think there's a program on Version Tracker or CNet that lets you do that, and more. Can't remember the name, though. :(
 
the very best app for this is a small app called SNARD! This is similar to having a folder on the right side, accept it is only one click and customizable a bit. Look for it on versiontracker.
 
I put a folder of aliases to apps in my dock. Actually I have three folders sorted by app type. I use custom icons so I can differentiate between folders. My dock is on the left so it's similar to using the apple menu, but better, because I have THREE apple menus.

I don't understand what all the fuss is about. If you liked the Apple menu then the dock should be even better, because you can make as many apple menus as you like. Who cares if the menus are near the trash?
 
Originally posted by Aqualung

I don't understand what all the fuss is about. If you liked the Apple menu then the dock should be even better, because you can make as many apple menus as you like. Who cares if the menus are near the trash? [/B]
Click to expand...

I don't really mind where they are :) I really enjoy OSX's GUI. And I certainly didn't mean to sound like I was slagging it off.

I like using folder aliases in the dock as my app launcher (and Launchbar too).. But since it isn't a feature that Apple is actively marketing I'm not sure how Apple expected us to do it?

Perhaps Apple has given us several different ways to open apps so we could use the way that suits us best???

I don't know perhaps I am expecting a QuickTime on Apple's site or something saying "OSX makes opening apps easier!", and then a mov detailing how "you can create your OWN! apple menus now".... etc

Other OS's (OS9 included) have a tool that is very clearly meant as an application alias tool, and a lot of the OS marketing has focused around promoting that tool.

I am unsure how my father [actually my mother is a computer wiz :)] would do it. He's used to OS9 and it was all there for him... I don't think he would think to create a folder full of aliases...

Oh well... my guess is that Apple has left it open so they could see what people come up with - better (and braver) than doing what Gnome and KDE have done and just copying the windows taskbar... erkk... (hmmm asking for frames with that comment)
 
You could use the Applescript menu bar thingy...

Um, someone know what I mean who knows its proper name? :)

I expect you could write an applescript that wrote some applescript to launch an app...

Jim
 
How the heck do you get the AppleScript menu thingy to appear? I've look all over System Preferences and cannot find it for the life of me...
 
In MacOS 9 I used finderpop. I really liked it because I could click on the empty part of the menu bar and get a menu of apps. You could also control-click on a file and hold modifier keys to move, copy or alias the file/folder into a folder within the popup menu (no need to open the finderpop items folder). You could also bring up the contextual menu and pull out or delete aliases from the finderpop menu items without having to open the folder. Basically all alias management tasks (except for creating new alias folders) could be handled within the opened contextual menu.

In MacOS X I am using FruitMenu. I like it because there is a contextual menu item that allows you to open the fruitmenu items folder. Hopefully, they will get more like finderpop in the future and let you do all adding/moving/deleting of files and folders within the contextual menu.
 
And it's free.

Sorry, can't remember where I got it, but a net search will get you there I'm sure.

It's an app/file launcher among many other things. I launch every single one of my apps simply by hitting two keys, usually Control and something else.

You can do all kinds of stuff with this app that I haven't even tried yet, like launching specific files (that big project you're working on? launch it with a keyboard shortcut). Launching scripts for Macro-automation, etc. easy.

I tell you, once you go to keyboard shortcuts, you won't go back (unless your hand's already on the mouse and you're like ten pixels from the dock or something).

I also tried using voice control, but it's still too damn flaky. Also the headset mic solution just doesn't work for me (Viavoice) for computer control. Dictation is fine, but I don't want to have a headset on all day. The distant mics just don't work as well as they pick up too much stuff. It's just not quite there yet.
 
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