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What program do you primarily use to launch apps and open documents?
1/1: What program do you primarily use to launch apps and open documents?
Other polls | 3,459 votes | 67 comments
Today's poll brought to you by...
Thanks to hmelman for the suggestion for today's poll -- it was one of many good ideas presented in the comments to my recent call for help. Look for more polls from that thread in the future -- looks like we'll have enough topics to keep the polls fresh for a while at least! Thanks to everyone who submitted ideas.
-rob.
Snard for me...
...and not just any Snard. I prefer the original "Docklet" version (remember Docklets?) that is no longer available.
http://www.gideonsoftworks.com/snard.html
Today's poll brought to you by...
From a long time ago I was a big fan of the old Now Utilities and the closest I have come to a replacement is the pretty good AliasMenu (http://www.widemann.net/aliasmenu/index.html). But I only use this on my main Mac with a nice wide screen as it tends to eat up menu bar real estate. I have tried the keyboard launchers and find my preference leans to menus rather than keyboard for launching. And on my iBook and other low use Macs I just make a folder in ~/Documents called "Apps" give it a custom icon and drag it to the dock. I place simple aliases in the menu and that works remarkably well. Either a click and hold for 2 seconds or a right/ctrl click for instant access works great. That method also seems to impact the system less by not running a lot of background stuff required for the alternative menu systems or keyboard launchers
Quick Access - contextual menu launcher
Simple/fast etc
Today's poll brought to you by...
Sapiens; a very intelligent learner of your apps using habits and TigerLaunch a free menu bar launcher that allows you to check OFF the apps you do not want in the menu!
Namely
I use Namely. Fast, simple, and reliable.
Namely
me, too
Namely
Namely too
Namely
Me too!
Namely
Likewise. I considered Quicksilver indispensable for a while, but now I prefer the simple efficiency of Namely.
Non-exclusive answers?
Hi!
Non-exclusive answers?
I think that the "OS X Finder" answer is the one for Dock users.
Non-exclusive answers?
This is a good point. I answered Namely, but I certainly do use the Finder (and the Dock), too. Even the Terminal (or Anyway, I'd interpret the question as "what is your primary method of launching apps," with a focus on which third-party utilities people find useful.
Non-exclusive answers?
I should have included primary, yes ... I'll edit the question now. I also changed "Finder" to "Finder / Toolbar / Dock" to be a bit more clear...
The Dock!
I answered "the Finder" as it was the closest to an Apple supplied alternative.
The Dock!
Me too.
QS :D
Quicksilver, Quicksilver, Quicksilver, Quicksilver, Quicksilver, Quicksilver!
Spotlight
Command - Space opens the Spotlight-Box for me, my primary launcher (for apps not in the Dock, though). No big deal.
QS :D
Amen to that.
QS :D
Your rant at the beginning reminds me of a monkey... that's it! Steve Balmer!
DragThing
I know I'm posting this early in the voting, but I'm surprised James Thomson's venerable and dependable DragThing isn't getting more votes. I do use Quicksilver on occasion, but I've been a loyal DragThing user for years. Its customizable tabs keep it out of the way when not in use, and I've got every app, doc, URL, and script I use on a regular basis tucked into its drawers (of course, I still yearn for OS 9's handy Pop-Up Windows). Works like a charm and always has.
---
DragThing
I used to use DragThing back in OS 9. With the Dock in OS X I think I installed DragThing, but found myself using it less and less. These days Quicksilver covers every use and more that I used DragThing for back in the day. QS takes up less space and keeps my hands on the keyboard.
DragThing
With regard to "keeping [one's] hands on the keyboard," I actually find DragThing to be quite good for this - I have keyboard shortcuts set up for almost all my apps, even the less-frequently-used ones. Easy to set up, and completely customizable. Just about any app is a control-option-[letter] away. Faster even than command-tab for switching between applications that are already running.
DragThing
I selected "Quicksilver" in the poll, since that's what I use most. But I also have DragThing. I was using DragThing well before I tried Quicksilver, and still use it for some things. But I have to admit that I use QS as a launcher much more than DT, although I really like DT's process dock to show me what's running, what's hidden, etc.
The Finder and the Dock
I assume "OS X's Finder" includes the Dock and other built-in methods, such as dragging a proxy icon to an app icon. It's rare that I go to a Finder window to launch an app, but I do usually use it to open documents. I tried Quicksilver briefly and got the idea, but for the variety of things I open (and, important: the way I organize my files) the System is just as efficient. I even turned off the System-wide Recent Items in the Apple menu, because I wasn't using it.
Quicksilver, every day
Having apps, docs, meetings, contacts phones, web urls, web searches, spotlight searches right under a shortcut is fantastic.
Terminal
I often use the terminal as a launcher. I have set up several aliases and scripts to open frequently used apps. For example, occasionally I run NetInfo Manager, but I do not use it often enough to take up room in the dock. I have the following entry in my .bashrc file.
I just enter the command -Mark
Terminal
I'll second open(1) as a great all purpose launcher. In terminal open <filename> generally does the right thing, even with directories. From shell scripts and (especially) emacs, it's really handy. Back in the Sun, AIX, then Linux days, it was necessary to supply a "helper application" for each mime-type. Now open suffices for all of them. Swanky.
Terminal
Yep, I do that for some applications. Finder/Dock and Spotlight for some others.
Poll
I like FruitMenu myself. I can open anything from the Apple Menu, put any folder(s) in there.
Poll
Fruitmenu is what the Apple menu should have been. I mean, come on, Steve Jobs, it's a global menu for a reason, you know.
Programs is plural; documents are everywhere
I don't use one single method or one program to open documents or applications. In the Finder I launch Applications from:
The one method I almost never use is aliases on my Desktop since it's usually hidden behind 35.6 windows at any given time. :-j As for documents... I open them from where I find them which is usually pretty much the same places I launch applications from. I guess that makes the Mac pretty wonderful. Right? Hmm.... On Windows I use:
Shorter list, isn't it? Again, I'm omitting aliases on the desktop because, true to the "Desktop Metaphor," I can rarely see mine. :-) An interesting difference between Mac and Windows is that it's easy to access Window's permanent and recently used application in the Start Menu but more difficult in the All Programs menu item. On Mac, the Dock is easier than either but recently used item are only slightly less so. Adding items to Window's Start Menu is much more difficult than it should be, even with drag and drop. Linux? I'm not going there. :-j ---
iKeys
I have iKeys set up to launch programs. I'm a keyboard jockey from way back, so macro launchers are easiest for me.
iKeys
I do, too, but I only use if for a handful of most-often-used apps. Otherwise, I've been using Spotlight for apps.
Drop Drawers!
From sigsoftware.com A great little utility that has tabbed 'drawers' that slide out from the side of your screen. They can hold any type of file/information that you use.
overflow
I've gotten attached to Overflow. I have a set of apps that are always on so I just keep them in the Dock but the rest are in overflow and it's work well for me.
Dock + folders
I have created folders for each type of app (Office, Design, Internet, etc.), and within each of these I placed aliases to my most commonly used apps. I then put these folders in the Dock. This allows me to have relatively rapid access to my applications (ctrl-click or right-click on a Dock icon, then select the correct entry), while conserving screen area on my 12" powerbook and having relatively large icons to click on. I customized the folders' icons for better readibility.
Himmelbar...
...at least for apps. The Finder for documents.
Himmelbar...
Same here: Himmelbar for apps and Finder for documents.
Also HimmelBar
Takes no real estate other than small menu bar icon, and gives me single click access to applications and utilities. Fantastic time saver for me.
LaunchBar, DragThing, and FruitMenu...
I use LaunchBar, DragThing, and FruitMenu, and also the Dock for the few things I use every day, like Safari and Entourage... but even them I launch with LaunchBar.
Primarily Butler, but
I use Finder and Edgies almost as much.
Himmel Bar
Himmel Bar
Another vote for iKey
Overflow
I've tried and rejected them all until I met Overflow. It really is a nice little launcher.
Combo Solution
I find that a combo solution works best for me. I keep all of my Apple apps (except iTunes) in TigerLaunch, accessible from the Menubar. I put my Office Suite and Adobe CS in the Dock, along with iTunes and Flock. And I use Overflow to set up groups, like IT apps, Web Apps, Social Networking Apps, etc. I never really like Quicksilver. I also have the Dock modified with Onyx to make hidden apps transparent that are in use, and set the drop shadow on the Dock. Oh, and I set the windows to Suck, since WIndows does suck. ;)
Alias Menu
I use Alias Menu for launching as you can build your own drop down menus. Although the setup is different, it works like the old NowMenus or ActionMenus and is very versatile.
HotApp and Keyboard Maestro
I find the list of options in this survey to be severely deficient, as it ignores a whole class of launcher/switchers. (OK, I haven't used _all_ of these programs, so some may have this functionality but probably not as their primary reason for being.)
Spark, Keyboard Maestro
I used Keyboard maestro for years, but switched to Spark for new machines. I'm still using Keyboard Maestro on one older desktop. In both cases, I have key sequences to bring particular apps to the front.
Spark
I use the Dock (on occasion Finder itself) to launch apps most of the time - and voted as such, but for one or two applications I use Spark since I don't want them sitting in the Dock all the time.
Quickeys
It's much more than a launcher, of course, but since I have it, I use it.
Make your Own Program Launcher
I don't download and install any applications that can be easily created with the tools that Apple provided with OS X. There is a wealth of capabilities included in OS X that go untapped by many. There is no need to depend on other 3rd party applications to perform system maintenance, clean out caches, or even to create your own program launcher.
Make your Own Program Launcher
If you are going create a one line script to run an application why not just drag an alias of the application into your scripts menu?
Make your Own Program Launcher
I am just stating _my_ preferences and providing an alternative to downloading and installing 3rd party applications to do something that can be done with the tools provided. If you don't like them, don't use them. The choice is yours.
Make your Own Program Launcher
Re-read previous entry. Dragging an "alias" into the folder will create an entry in the menu, however, the point here being that there is more than one way to do it.
Launchers
On the Mac I use Blacktree Quicksilver if I'm near my keyboard or just the dock if in mouse range. Its a clever mix of functionality with an extensible plugin system.
Dock AND Butler
One of the problems with this poll is that the dock has the most used programs and I use Butler for other items. In talking with friends, they also use the dock and something else. Maybe the poll should be adjusted to reflect that scenario.
qs+finder
Quicksilver for some things. Especially most apps.
qs+finder
Same thing here, never got rid of the habit to use the Finder to open documents. I do have five or six absolutely essential apps in the Dock, but I use QuickSilver most of the time to launch apps.
Emacs-launcher
I actually start most program runs from Emacs (Aquamacs that is); that's because I do all my writing (LaTeX) and programming (C++, python) in Emacs and start everything I need (latex, bibtex, preview, g++, python, gdb, ...) directly from there... Typically I even start Illustrator from emacs' dired mode.
Overflow
I've licensed most of the other apps in the primary list, but this is the one I find I use constantly. I keep Butler running as a docklet, but its removal would be no loss.
Drop Drawers
http://www.sigsoftware.com/
Have used this for a long time. Actually, I probably use the Dock the most, but I have most of my primary applications in one drawer, games in another, and media applications in another. I also use and love QuickSilver, but was only given one choice.
Himmelbar
Used Butler before, but it takes too long to load. Tried Quicksilver too, but I am a mouse user and not keyboard shortcut one.
Butler+Spotlight
I use Butler for launching applications and Spotlight for searching and opening files. If I know where the file is and it is quickly accessible I use Finder.
Very suprised that Spotlight doesn't rank higher
Thought it would.
DockLauncher
It takes up little space and I find it more intuitive to head to the dock than fly up to the menu bar.
F10 Launch Studio
http://www.chronosnet.com/Products/f10_product.html
Saw it at MacWorld a couple years ago, been with me ever since. |
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