Why Use Application Launchers???
- Thread starter Amie
- Start date
Mobius Rex
Registered
I believe that you're looking for the Word Association department, sir. It's just a few floors down; you may use the elevator, or "lift" as you Brits refer to it.Lt Major Burns said:
(Another smart ass remark like that, young man, and I'll have a pair of porcupines inserted into your shorts.)
jbarley
One more, for the road!
Another idea I have'nt read in this thread, is using the Finder to launch apps,
Drag your most often used apps or documents or folders up into the top toolbar of the Finder for instant access.
I often have 15-20 App or Utilities ready to go from my Finder Toolbar.
jb.
Drag your most often used apps or documents or folders up into the top toolbar of the Finder for instant access.
I often have 15-20 App or Utilities ready to go from my Finder Toolbar.
jb.
texanpenguin
Registered Penguin
OK, I'm kind of an anomaly in this respect:
When I was on Panther, I *adored* LaunchBar. I couldn't use a different Panther machine efficiently without it. I was fine with Tiger, though, because it had spotlight (and Cmd+Enter to load the top hit).
That was fine, until I installed Tiger on my main machine and Spotlight had a crapload of files in its database. Applications never seem to be the top hit for me at all (unless I'm very, very specific).
I craved for LaunchBar, but instead gave the free QuickSilver a go. It was nice graphically, much quicker than Spotlight, and clever. But it wasn't LaunchBar.
I think I'm going to look into things (and Butler) to see if I can reproduce LaunchBar's functionality more closely with a free solution.
I use my Dock for very specific things: Stickies, Web Apps, Keynote, Web Design stuff, Programming stuff, Adobe stuff, and then informational apps like iCal and Address Book (though I could potentially use the Dashboard for that).
App Launchers are great because they are so quick, even to launch an obscure application I haven't used for about five years. Niiice.
I guess the main difference is that some people are keyboard people and some people are mouse people (which usually is determined by their proficiency with a keyboard). I know my dad couldn't use an application launcher like LaunchBar because it takes him so freaking long to find the right keys on the keyboard.
When I was on Panther, I *adored* LaunchBar. I couldn't use a different Panther machine efficiently without it. I was fine with Tiger, though, because it had spotlight (and Cmd+Enter to load the top hit).
That was fine, until I installed Tiger on my main machine and Spotlight had a crapload of files in its database. Applications never seem to be the top hit for me at all (unless I'm very, very specific).
I craved for LaunchBar, but instead gave the free QuickSilver a go. It was nice graphically, much quicker than Spotlight, and clever. But it wasn't LaunchBar.
I think I'm going to look into things (and Butler) to see if I can reproduce LaunchBar's functionality more closely with a free solution.
I use my Dock for very specific things: Stickies, Web Apps, Keynote, Web Design stuff, Programming stuff, Adobe stuff, and then informational apps like iCal and Address Book (though I could potentially use the Dashboard for that).
App Launchers are great because they are so quick, even to launch an obscure application I haven't used for about five years. Niiice.
I guess the main difference is that some people are keyboard people and some people are mouse people (which usually is determined by their proficiency with a keyboard). I know my dad couldn't use an application launcher like LaunchBar because it takes him so freaking long to find the right keys on the keyboard.
I have dock hiding on and only use the dock for drag and drop. If I put all my application in the dock they'd all be 3 pixels square. If you use about 5 application the dock is great - if you're a programmer and have to use dozens of apps then the dock is useless.
Besides, I have two 19 inch monitors and still find the dock takes up too much room, I like to have windows totally maximised and not lose that 10% of vertical space at the bottom.
Besides, I have two 19 inch monitors and still find the dock takes up too much room, I like to have windows totally maximised and not lose that 10% of vertical space at the bottom.
The "folders in Dock" solution really isn't a solution for people who adore stuff like LaunchBar or Butler. I guess the LBers of us really want a clean Dock, but instant access to any and all apps/utilities installed.
With the years, I've also come to the conclusion that writers like me, who probably spend much more time on the keyboard than those more "mouse-centric" people, tend to like _not_ having to lift the fingers from the keyboard only to launch an app.
With the years, I've also come to the conclusion that writers like me, who probably spend much more time on the keyboard than those more "mouse-centric" people, tend to like _not_ having to lift the fingers from the keyboard only to launch an app.
DeltaMac
Tech
I have seen systems that had numerous icons in the window toolbar, but couldn't seen to add new ones, or after cleaning those icons out, nothing could be added. Now I see that there is a time delay, and most things can be added again. Thanks for the tip, jbarley! Must be a recent change...
texanpenguin
Registered Penguin
I've had Calculator in my Finder toolbar since v10.3.2 at the very latest (through all revisions of Panther and Tiger since then)
Amie
Mac Convert for Life
Hmm. OK. Then, I guess I have no use for Butler. Since I don't use a zillion different apps like you guys do. Sounds like Butler is for the more ... uh ... advance multitasker. There are a total of about five apps and programs that I use regularly. Yup, all five of 'em. lol I usually have one of three browsers running, two chat programs, iTunes, AppleWorks, and maybe one or two others. That's it. Yeah, I like to live dangerously. 
I followed your advice and you are right. Love it already. Although only Menu Bar (natural) works. I have Mac OS X (10.4.7) and can't change the menubar.
Regards,
Gerrit
Mikuro
Crotchety UI Nitpicker
We've been through this!
To recap: Dock space is limited, and Dock menus are slow, inefficient, non-stationary, and require active maintenence. A good dedicated app launcher has none of those weaknesses.I'm just too much of a control freak to settle for anything that's not perfectly suited to the task I need.
Erh. Wow. That's a really big one. Read the thread you've created (i.e. this one) to learn more. And yeah, it's about limited Dock space. It's about people who want a tidy Dock - with only a couple of items - but a quick way to access _dozens_ of apps, not just one dozen.
If you have no need for a 3rd party launcher, then that's good. It means that what OS X provides is enough for you. But it certainly isn't for many of the geeks out here...