New Apple Switcher! Question about OS X...
Hey,
I just switched over to the Mac platform with my new iBook. I have a question about OSX, and it's something that's really been bugging me. Is there anything that's like the equivalent of a Start Menu in Windows? Any menu that lists shortcuts to all of the applications installed on my computer?
I have a dock, with my most used programs, fine. I have an "Applications" shortcut, which opens up a window containing icons to all of the programs on my computer, fine. But where is my simple categorized, traversable menu that lets me browse through my installed programs? Does MacOS not have anything equivalent to this? What am I supposed to use instead?
Thanks.
I just switched over to the Mac platform with my new iBook. I have a question about OSX, and it's something that's really been bugging me. Is there anything that's like the equivalent of a Start Menu in Windows? Any menu that lists shortcuts to all of the applications installed on my computer?
I have a dock, with my most used programs, fine. I have an "Applications" shortcut, which opens up a window containing icons to all of the programs on my computer, fine. But where is my simple categorized, traversable menu that lets me browse through my installed programs? Does MacOS not have anything equivalent to this? What am I supposed to use instead?
Thanks.
Comments
... you can also make a folder and throw in whatever alias of programs in and put it in the dock like I mentioned. You're really meant to open the applications folder (cmd+shift+a) though.
Originally posted by ahbo
I have an "Applications" shortcut, which opens up a window containing icons to all of the programs on my computer, fine. But where is my simple categorized, traversable menu that lets me browse through my installed programs? Does MacOS not have anything equivalent to this? What am I supposed to use instead?
There is nothing quite exactly like it. But as close as you can get: instead of clicking on the applications icon in the dock to open the window, just hold it down (or use the left mouse button if you've got it or control-click) and a nice menu of the contents of the apps directory will show up.
I don't mean to come off as blatantly praising Windows. But a Start button is just easy, and categorised, hides listings which aren't accessed often. It's very intuitive. Linux has it too... I figured MacOS would have something similar as well.
What's a Launch Bar?
P.S. Sorry to come off as a complete newbie, I'm trying to learn. Thanks for the help.
BRussell -- Oh, I can just hold down the mouse to do it... okay, that's much better than holding CTRL. Thanks.
You can add new apps to the folders by OPT-CMD dragging them into the folder of your choice.
Works better than the Start bar for me because I can organize my apps, but they aren't multiple menu layers away.
Originally posted by ahbo
I don't mean to come off as blatantly praising Windows. But a Start button is just easy, and categorised, hides listings which aren't accessed often. It's very intuitive. Linux has it too... I figured MacOS would have something similar as well.
I know exactly what you mean! I use a mac every day at home, but whenever I go to Uni, I have to use WindowsXP. XP isn't as bad as Windows used to be, but I still find it awkward to use. And its basically only the small things.
There isn't anything that can be used as a Start menu in OS X. In earlier versions, OS 9 and below, you used the apple menu to put applications and folders to have easy access. The apple menu became the dock in OS X. Is it better or worse ? That depends on the user. I think its better, being a Mac user since the early nineties.
You can also use LaunchItems X, which gives you a "start-menu" inside the contectual menu (Right click, or control click, or press and hold right click in Finder). Look at http://www.naratt.com/LaunchItems.html to see what I mean. Launch Items also comes with the ability to put the menu on the far right of your menubar:
LaunchItems is shareware and USD15 I believe.
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In Finder you can always open the Applications folder by clicking command (The button marked with an apple logo) + shift + a. This will either open up a new window with the Applications menu, or load the Applications menu in the front-most Finder window.
.:BoeManE:.
Well now it's certainly better that I know "Applications" can open as a menu.
When you've been using the same operating system for 10 years it's hard not make generalizations or think that's it's better simply because you're trying to adjust to something new and things may not seem as intuitive at first because you're almost innately trained to do tasks with Windows. But I'm keeping an open mind. Besides, OSX is pretty.
I'm just finishing up a Comp Sci degree at university and never have I once been exposed to MacOS before. That's what I get when my university signs a deal with Sun and it's nothing but Solaris workstations all over campus. We have these ungodly old Apple machines sitting in a lab somewhere for email checking... but I can safely say they're from the early 90's and I haven't so much as touched them.
i am really not understanding the problem. What is different about the start bar and the folder in the dock. Either place you click and a list comes up. If its the autohide of unused items then maybe I can see your point, but even then i always like to see everything. What am I missing/
Read a bit more into it, He didnt know you could put a folder in the dock instead of an "alias"...
Secondly he didn`t know you could just click and hold..
My 2¢ I have always loved the start bar, but once you master the dock and have a handy double button mouse I like it a lot more than a start bar
Even better, it actually corresponds exactly to what's on your hard drive, instead of being an artificial system used to hide inherent complexity. Of course, that's a philosophical issue, not a usability one.
Hopefully the dock menu is good enough for you
I got my downloads folder, Apps folder and documents folder in my dock.. My apps folder is set in categories. I don`t see the method behind the madness of having my HD in the dock
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/2409
I think it is really cool to use and a lot faster than mousing... just hit command+space, type in the name of the app you want to use, press enter, it opens.
Originally posted by Algol
Hey ahbo do you like your Mac? Are you enjoying it? Let us know what you like and what you don't, and whether based on your experiences so far you would buy another. It would really be cool to hear more from a switcher.
Well, I can give you some (very) initial impressions right now, but It'll take a lot more time with OSX to come up with an informed opinion. On first take, anything that's initially different and daunting will seem not as good as what you are used to, so I won't comment on whether I prefer Windows to OSX or vice versa because I know that I need to become more familiar with it to judge. Both appear stable (I use Win2k).
An obvious downside is that many of the PC programs I have come to know and love are unavailable or are available but in an inferior form on the Mac platform (i.e. ICQ, MSN Messenger, Winamp, Internet Explorer, etc.). Of course, I know that this is attributed to the developers of said software and not to the Mac platform itself, but nevertheless it is an issue in switching. Some programs have superior equivalents on the Mac. For example, I'm sure that Safari will surpass IE on the PC at some point, and once I get used to iTunes, it is obviously superior to Winamp (although I like the ability in Winamp to just click and drag files into the playlist from the HD whereas in iTunes you manage a library etc... a bit more complex if you just want to get underway quickly).
OSX looks #$%# cool! I mean, it's almost like having a videogame for a GUI by comparison to Windows. Doing the most menial of tasks is suddenly made fun with all sorts of bouncing icons and transparencies and animations. I'm not being sarcastic, it's great. Makes using the computer a tonne more exciting.
Being in Computer Science at university, I'm sort of expected to have a UNIX derivative and all that, so it's very cool that I can just open up a terminal in OSX, install X11 if I want to, all of that. Very nice. No need to dual boot with Linux if I don't want to.
I don't really understand the Finder. I don't understand why it's built so that I can only see the menu of the program that is currently in the foreground. And why if I want to see the base level Finder menu I have to close all my applications to see it. I'm sure all of this can be done via keyboard shortcuts and that sort of thing, but just using the OS as a new user it's a little confusing compared to Windows where each menu is in its respective window and I can see all of my open programs (and document names) on the taskbar. Differences like that. I'm not sure if I agree with some of those design decisions in the Mac interface but like I said, I need more experience with it before I pass judgement.
Hardware. Let's face it, MHz myth or no, if I went out and bought an equaly priced Centrino PC notebook, I'd be getting a faster cpu, DDR RAM, etc... G3s are outdated compared the P4-M, or P-M processors. However, offsetting that I get a combo drive standard, better construction, a good video card, and a good size/weight/battery life.
Would I buy a Mac again? I don't know! There are so many factors. A year ago I would have never considered a PC notebook. Now, with Centrino, it took a long time to decide if I wanted a PC or Mac. Who knows, maybe in a year Centrino notebooks will have completely surpassed Apple notebooks in my mind. If I were to buy a desktop right now, no, I would stick with a PC. I think once Apple moves on from Motorola and gets some updated technology onto the field then a year or two from now I might change my mind.
So those are the pros and cons at this point. If I were to have to choose a notebook to buy all over again, I still would have chosen the iBook.
It's definitely true that some Mac versions of popular Windows applications are sub-par. There's almost always a native Mac version that's equal, though -- often better. Safari or Camino beat the pants off Internet Explorer for the Mac, for example. Proteus is a popular multiple-protocol IM client (including ICQ) that's much better than ICQ. And so on. So Versiontracker.com and Macupdate.com are worth checking out.
I'm sure you're going to get a slew of keyboard shortcurts now from everyone
Oh, and to hide all apps and see the Finder, you can just command-option click the desktop.
Look forward to hearing how the experience goes as you decide familiarity or preference.
Originally posted by ahbo
And why if I want to see the base level Finder menu I have to close all my applications to see it.
i'm not sure i understand this point. you don't actually have to CLOSE all your apps to access the finder menu. you can click the finder icon in the dock and the focus will switch to the finder app and the menu appears. i don't know if that's helpful to you since i'm not exactly sure that i understood what you were originally saying. but thought i'd just chime in on that.
Your problem is that you are trying to use the Mac OS like you used windows. With a Mac each program takes a position in the dock to let you know its open. However, the program its-self is not a window; closing a window to an apple program will not close the program. Like wise, sometimes when you click on a mac program all that will happen is the menu at the top will change. You then have to go to that programs menu and select what you want it to do; although, most new apps now open a window when the dock icon is clicked. Instead of having each program in a window and switching between these windows, you have one menu for each program, and the menu switches for each program.
The Mac OS Finder is a program as well. Use it like you would any other mac program. Click it's icon in the dock or click the desktop to bring it up front. You need to think about it all differently, then it will make a lot more sense. Maybe someone else that understands what I'm trying to say will help me out. I don't use PCs very much, and don't really know how to explain the differences that well.
Originally posted by ahbo
and once I get used to iTunes, it is obviously superior to Winamp (although I like the ability in Winamp to just click and drag files into the playlist from the HD whereas in iTunes you manage a library etc... a bit more complex if you just want to get underway quickly).
I just have to point out one thing here.
You can indeed put an MP3 from anywhere on your hard drive into iTunes' playlist. I do that nearly every day. You don't *have* to keep all of your music in your home Music folder. Just be sure to look in iTunes' preferences under the Advanced tab and uncheck the box for "Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library". To be honest, that feature has always annoyed me and I always recommend to users that aren't complete computing newbies to turn it off
I don't really understand the Finder. I don't understand why it's built so that I can only see the menu of the program that is currently in the foreground. And why if I want to see the base level Finder menu I have to close all my applications to see it. I'm sure all of this can be done via keyboard shortcuts and that sort of thing, but just using the OS as a new user it's a little confusing compared to Windows where each menu is in its respective window and I can see all of my open programs (and document names) on the taskbar. Differences like that. I'm not sure if I agree with some of those design decisions in the Mac interface but like I said, I need more experience with it before I pass judgement.
Algol's post above is quite right. The menu bar design is not specific to the Finder; it's the way the whole OS works. The Finder is just another app like TextEdit or iTunes. The only difference is that it starts automatically for you and is the primary tool for file management. Treat the Finder like a regular app and you'll find things much easier to understand.
If you need to do something in the Finder, just click its Dock icon like you would any other app. That will bring the Finder to the front along with any of its windows and its menubar, no need to close any applications. There are oodles of little shortcuts that can help hide other apps too. Once the Finder is in front, you can choose "Hide Others" from the Finder menu so you only see the desktop. All other apps will be hidden but still running. Alternatively, hold apple-option when you click the Finder icon in the Dock and that will automatically hide all other aps when it switches to the Finder. You can tell an app is unning by the little black triangle under the app's icon in the Dock. Just click that icon to bring the app back to the front with all its windows and menubar.
You may want to read this page about menus:
Menus and shortcuts. Also, be sure to read the How they work, Who does what, and Targeting links on that page (and possibly Hysteresis). This should help familiarize you with why things work the way you do.
Note: the pages on that site are very old and refer to a much older version of Mac OS (pre-OS X). The pages regarding menus, though, are still valid and apply to Mac OS X. Also, the site is a little biased towards Mac OS. It still has some very good information, though.
The Finder / Menu system is starting to look much clearer now. Thanks for the iTunes tip as well.