How Efficient Are You?

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
Well, after googling and finding a bunch of tips on how to be more effecient on OS X, such as good use of Smartfolders, Spotlight comments, and general metadata, I decided to see what real people actually do in their own user experiences. I'm always interested in finding better ways to do common tasks. And adjusting my usage style to match.



So what are some ways you have made better use of the OS? Have you found a good way to sort and organize your photos in iPhoto? made your own scripts in Automator? Or just found a better overall way of doing things? Let's hear your stories!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    I'm efficient at kicking ass with Captain Falcon, Link, and Zeld.....err nevermind. I find Spring Loaded Folders to be VERY efficient. SO glad they re-added them. Now they just need to implement them in the Dock.
  • Reply 2 of 15
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    Expose is one of my favourite tools of all. I wish they'd make a tabbed finder though.



    I use labels quite a lot now even though I never did under OS 9.



    I also use the finder icon preview for sorting out my images. I like the idea of something I saw in Windows though where it shows a bigger view of the image in a space above the icon previews. I don't really like having to open the images all the time - it wastes my mouse.



    Most of the time, I just keep my directories in a logical structure. I actually use spotlight less than the old search.
  • Reply 3 of 15
    archstudentarchstudent Posts: 262member
    -add saft to safari. (shiia is also quite nice)



    -iphotobrowser automator script kicks ass (see www.macosxhints.com)



    -use the provided folder structure.. this mainly means actually using the documents folder.



    -use metadata!
  • Reply 4 of 15
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    I never use expose. A long time ago I got into the habit of hiding apps I wasn't using at the moment. Hiding+Dock is pretty effective.
  • Reply 5 of 15
    archstudentarchstudent Posts: 262member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Splinemodel

    I never use expose. A long time ago I got into the habit of hiding apps I wasn't using at the moment. Hiding+Dock is pretty effective.



    yep I use this too.. option+cmd click on a dock icon is nice.



    one thing I forgot to mention is that the floating itunes controller is great as it requires no app switching to use, ditto for vlc player with the floating window option turned on.



    cmd clicking through applications is handy as well
  • Reply 6 of 15
    ipodandimacipodandimac Posts: 3,273member
    lots of keyboard shortcuts and exposé keep me fast. i don't feel fast until someone is looking over my shoulder while i do something and they can't follow. i'm looking to get a second 20" display. supposedly adding another disply to your system (i do video editing) makes you about 50% more productive.
  • Reply 7 of 15
    tednditedndi Posts: 1,921member
    After finding this site.



    Not at all!



  • Reply 8 of 15
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Archstudent

    yep I use this too.. option+cmd click on a dock icon is nice.



    one thing I forgot to mention is that the floating itunes controller is great as it requires no app switching to use, ditto for vlc player with the floating window option turned on.



    cmd clicking through applications is handy as well




    Bless you Arch! I did the option+cmd thing once and I was like, "Hmm, this is usefull...but what did I do?" Cmd+option, I'll never forget it now.



    While I do use Expose alot, I normally just stick to the cmd+tab menu, and pressing q or h to quit and hide the selected app respectively.



    Also, what is spring loaded folders, and how do I use it?
  • Reply 9 of 15
    blue2kdaveblue2kdave Posts: 652member
    I do the hide thing too when switching apps. I know I am probably in the minority here, but I wouldn't mind all apps being full screen (capable) apps. Why do I want to see my desktop when I am working in Word or Photoshop, it is distracting and can screw with your sense of colors in design. I love the full screen editing in iPhoto, and that is the kind of experience I am talking about.



    One caveat though, I would like to see the dock still accessible some how.
  • Reply 10 of 15
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by blue2kdave

    I do the hide thing too when switching apps. I know I am probably in the minority here, but I wouldn't mind all apps being full screen (capable) apps.



    Yep, minority.



    The behavior of windows apps to take over the entire screen is one of the things that almost makes me go cuckoo.
  • Reply 11 of 15
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    I Looooove Expose. It is a perfect companion to spring loaded folders. I also love how Spotlight is fast enough to be an app launcher.



    john outwater, Spring Loaded Folders is great. You may have to turn it on. Go to Preferences...in Finder (in the Finder menu on the left.) Then adjust the timing. What this concept is, is that you can drag a folder on to another folder, and if you hold the mouse, it opens. You can burrow down subdirectories infinitely. It's AWESOME, try it!
  • Reply 12 of 15
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Aquatic

    I Looooove Expose. It is a perfect companion to spring loaded folders. I also love how Spotlight is fast enough to be an app launcher.



    john outwater, Spring Loaded Folders is great. You may have to turn it on. Go to Preferences...in Finder (in the Finder menu on the left.) Then adjust the timing. What this concept is, is that you can drag a folder on to another folder, and if you hold the mouse, it opens. You can burrow down subdirectories infinitely. It's AWESOME, try it!




    Oh, that's what is. I had been using it for a while, but now I know how to adjust the speed. It's alot better when the delay is shorter.



    And about Spotlight, I used to use it launch apps. I like the you just hold the cmd key and it goes to the first choice, but I prefer the speed of Quicksilver.
  • Reply 13 of 15
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    Ooh I didn't know that trick about command key. That's what I freakin LOVE about this place!! You learn such powerful tricks, especially keyboard shortcuts. Great thread let's keep it up! It's like the Finder Hints in the Help menu back in System 7...back in the day...
  • Reply 14 of 15
    Expose+Quicksilver=uber.
  • Reply 15 of 15
    debenmdebenm Posts: 99member
    Spotlight is awesome... I find that I use it a ton more now that I stumbled upon apple+space to bring up a quick search and option+apple+space to bring up the full spotlight window.



    love apple+q, apple+w, apple+shift+h, apple+shift+a, apple+shift+u in finder... use them everyday.



    apple+option+8 and then apple+ - and + for zooming in and out, use that a lot too.



    once upon a time I thought windows was cool... I cannot stand using windows now.
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