Uncomplicating the complicated, making life easier
No matter how popular the mouse become, using a keyboard shortcut is still the fastest method to get your way around. The default installation of Mac comes with a set of hotkeys that you can use right away, like F12 to bring up the dashboard, F9 to show expose etc. But if you want to create (or customize) your own shortcut keys for a third party app, things started to become more complicated.
Luckily, there is Spark, a free software that transforms you into a keyboard ninja.
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Mac users are a group that enjoys a certain degree of pleasure when they use their computers. Many of the reasons I like the Macs I have owned are the simplicity of their operation. Even though Apple gives you fantastic quick methods of finding and opening apps and documents, there is always room for improvement.
One of these areas is a fast way to launch apps. There are several popular app launchers out there, the most popular is Quicksilver. It is a great product, but is no longer being actively updated. This means it is not going to work well versions of OSX much later than 10.5. If you are using 10.5 or newer, you will want to look at aLaunch.
The way aLaunch works is a little different from some of the other app launchers out there. aLaunch lets you put your most used applications, documents, folders or anything else you need into one spot for quick access.
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A few months ago when I bought a netbook with Windows XP on it, I was reminded of how bland a user experience most Windows users have. I used a Mac for 90% of my computing for 5 years and grew accustomed to some how productive I got.
Apps like Launchy, Gimp, Chrome and Open Office were some of the first programs I downloaded. This still did not simulate one of the Mac app I really miss, Expose. It’s not quite the same, but MooO Multi Desktop helps ease the withdrawals.
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Gone are those days when you would have a sleek PC in your cabin and think you know it all. Today, more and more people are experimenting with different operating systems like Linux, Mac OS X and Chrome OS. But let’s face it – buying a brand new Mac isn’t everyone’s cup of tea as it is not that cheap. In Linux, you can actually transform your Ubuntu into Mac OS X. For Windows users, you can also use a nice little application call MaComfort to brings Mac-like features to Windows. The software can translate the Windows key to match with Mac commands, map the similar hotkeys and you can enjoy using virtual desktops as much as you do in your Macintosh.
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