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Cool windows switching in OS X

silvermac.com — I bet you didn ’t know about this one! Expose has a built-in keyboard window switcher. Try this; open a few windows, activate Expose and then ...

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Stelex 2 years 28 days ago, made popular 2 years 28 days ago

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Who Dugg It?

koregaonpark, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14Wow... I've been using a Mac for almost a year and I didn't know about Exposé's window-switcher. Very cool! Much better than CMD + TAB.
- IQ70, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Alternate genie effects
  Sat, Mar 24 '01 at 9:13AM PST
  http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20010324091350279
  
  It is unknown cause Apple did not implement those effects. They were too unstable and generally found unusable.
- monkeybutler, on 10/12/2007, -24/+6What the heck is wrong with these people? It was an interesting article about cool mac tricks and suddenly the author has to throw in a jab at Vista for absolutely no reason?
  
  If people are so happy with OS X then why are they thinking about Vista so much?
- DeezKnots, on 10/12/2007, -11/+9"If people are so happy with OS X then why are they thinking about Vista so much?"
  
  1. It's Funny.
  2. It's True.
  3. Get over it.
- burningjonny, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@ IQ70
  
  OnyX gives you a GUI to activate the suck effect.
- defectDS, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Here's another one: hold down CMD + ALT + SHIFT with the weather widget open and click on the weather illustration to cycle through all of them. The animated fog one gets me everytime. I discoved this during a keynot when Steve was like "if I remember correctly the porgrammers put a keystroke that would allow me to cycle through all of the illustrations... ah here it is! *oooh and ahhhs from the audience, laughter and clapping durring the fog animation*"
- bSimms, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Another "show off" idea - if you are playing a movie, and minimize the window, the movie will continue to play while it is minimizing slowly.
- vbsurfer, on 10/12/2007, -9/+1Other tips:
  
  1. Cmd + C is copy
  
  2. Cmd + P is paste
  
  3. You can access different dock preferences by holding control or right clicking on an open space in the dock. It is very handy indeed.
  
  If you'd like more info about these tips, please email me so I can happily make a blog and go more in depth about OS X or Windows HOT tips.
- ronaldpoi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@defectDS: Great tip, thanks!
  @vbsurfer: Command + P is print dude...
- Jimzip, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The shift trick to slow down page minimising is actually system-wide.
  You'll find a huge number of interface aspects that (for no apparent reason other than aesthetics) also include a slow effect when Shift is held down.
  One example is the weather widget. Shift-click the icon to see it expand/contract slowly. (System preferences even used to have slow effects for changing panes, but that's gone now)
  
  Mac OS X is a very interesting operating system for the simple fact that there has been an immense amount of effort put into each and every minor aspect.
  I'm still finding things out and I use it all day everyday.
  Booyah.
  
  Jimzip :D
Brajeshwar, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7This is awesome. I like that expose TAB thingy and of course the slow mot genie.
ahdustin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Been using a Mac for 3 years and never knew about this method to switch between windows. Always just been using F9 alone or cmd-tab.

Cool find!
- ImTheDarkcyde, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6me either, although for switching windows i always just do the "move the cursor to the top right corner of the screen thing" that tiles all the active windows across the screen for selection
vudicarus, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4I press F9 then tab, but nothing happens. what am i doing wrong?
- koregaonpark, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2You're doing nothing wrong. Make sure you've changed your keyboard settings if you're using a portable, because by default F9 activates a hardware function. And you need to be running Mac OS X Tiger (or Panther. I'm not sure when Exposé was introduced).
- vudicarus, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2yes. i'm on tiger, and i use an imac. my function keys are set to exposé
- ross., on 10/12/2007, -5/+1You're not doing anything wrong, whatever its does, its doing it right now.
- candyungirlish, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Make sure you have more than one app opened.
r2d7, on 10/12/2007, -8/+2http://cachebin.com/?http://www.silvermac.com/2006/minimising-windows-osx/
DanielNielsen, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3been using mac for 5 months now, and i found this out in the 2nd week. But its still cool to do the first few times, but then it gets real boring real fast, cause why would you want to slow the minimize down?
- StarManta, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Keep reading -- the actual focus of the article is buried in the last paragraph.
redrighthand, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5I was gonna say something rude but then I realized I had never used this added feature before... good find
IQ70, on 10/12/2007, -38/+1"For those finding a similar thing in Windows Vista, I hate to say - this has been part of OS X since 10.3 (Panther) release in October 2003, when Vista was still called Longshot Longhorn."

Longhorn pics from August 2003 @WinHec03
http://www.winsupersite.com/images/showcase/longhorn_winhec_06.png
http://www.winsupersite.com/images/showcase/longhorn_winhec_04.png
http://www.winsupersite.com/images/showcase/longhorn_winhec_10.png
http://www.winsupersite.com/images/showcase/longhorn_winhec_12.png

Vista did NOT copy OS X.
- StarManta, on 10/12/2007, -2/+18Show me the application switcher in 2003.
  
  Those screenshots were from the Aero demo which, while pretty, had zero functional value and only served to illustrate that the windowing system now used the video card.
  
  Which OS X had in *working, retail form* in 2003, with a useful function along for the ride.
- thebiscuit, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11They don't look like screenshots of a functional exposé like feature. Just a Flying Windows-style screensaver.
  
  http://www.objective-cocoa.org/fenetresvolantes/en/download.html
- rogersmj, on 10/12/2007, -2/+15@IQ70: Are you a little slow? (Haha..."IQ 70"...slow...I crack myself up.) All those shots are showing is how the window manager in Longhorn was tied into the 3D graphics card -- something OS X already had for quite awhile. They had zero to do with cool window switching methods, and now it's taken until 2006 -- an extra 3 years -- before Microsoft turned that technology into something useful in Vista. "Useful" being a subjective term though -- when I'm on Vista, the 3D flip is cool except that I can't see most of the window contents (except for the one in the front of the stack). What good is that? I am so much faster in Expose where I can see every window's contents at once. This is definitely a case where Vista directly went after a feature in OS X, and in their efforts to be different -- instead of doing an exact copy -- they made something less useful.
- diggimator, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5The special minimising effects existed since the beginning of OS X, around the year 2000. Exposé came out in 2003. I have no idea what those pics correspond to as you didn't link to the text of the article.
- ashwin100, on 10/12/2007, -19/+2Vista might be slow to the board with this particular feature, but I bet I could name a thousand features that Windows had (or has) before any Mac.
- vudicarus, on 10/12/2007, -16/+3like a gui perhaps?
- rogersmj, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10@ashwin100: Uh, sure...but we're talking about window switching methods here. That comment has about as much relevance as me telling you what I had for dinner last night and expecting everyone to be impressed.
  
  @vudicarus: I hope you're not serious...Apple had a GUI before Microsoft did.
- IQ70, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2@ Starmatra: It was called the Alt-Tab replacement and was released in 2002. It would show the Application window instead of Application icons.
  And OMG this kind of a suction animation is considered lame for post businesses which XP runs on.
  
  @diggimator: OSX was released in March 2001
- okeemike, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10
  "Vista might be slow to the board with this particular feature, but I bet I could name a thousand features that Windows had (or has) before any Mac."
  
  Are you counting the hundreds of spyware apps, and viruses?
Kypt, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11Old stuff, why do you guys even have exposeé at f9? I have mine to simply move to a corner and it activates it. That way its a simple flick of a wrist *see all* flick of wrist *choose one*. I guess now that you found out about tab, the f9 makes sense, otherwise..corners ftw
- StarManta, on 10/12/2007, -1/+20Why do you even have Exposé at the mouse corner? I have mine simply on my 4th mouse button and it activates it....
  
  ;-)
- Kypt, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5touché :P but I don't always use a mouse, when at school i simply use the touchpad so it works :)
- vudicarus, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5uh, yeah, cos those corners are areas i often roll to in apps i use
- calvinosaurus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I have Expose set to the "fn" button on my Powerbook. It's perfect because my hand is already sitting there 99% of the time and also, I've never actually needed to use that button for anything else. I find it is much more of a pain in the ass navigating OS X on a desktop when that button isn't there, the F9 button is on the right side of the keyboard (I control the mouse with my right hand), and I absolutely hate having Expose activate with a hot corner (because I end up activating it accidently).
- blankwarez, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@calvinosaurus: If you hit an expose hot corner accidentally, just hit that corner again
- DeezKnots, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5"Why do you even have Exposé at the mouse corner? I have mine simply on my 4th mouse button and it activates it....
  
  ;-)"
  
  Why do you have Exposé on your 4th mouse button? I have mine simply activated using speech recognition!
  
  ;-D
- manitoba98xp, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Oh, I can picture what that would be like!
  
  Exposé, all windows.
  (beep)
  Exposé, all windows.
  (beep)
  EXPOSÉ, ALL WINDOWS! (expletive!)
  You have not saved your movies. Are you sure you want to quit Final Cut Pro?
  
  (I should qualify this: I'm a Mac fan, but speech recognition needs some work on _all_ platforms.)
StarManta, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8It's a rare day when I learn something new about OS X's interface, and this makes me happy.

koregaonpark, Expose was introduced in Panther - I don't know whether this feature was included in it then though.
- iigloo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2It was
zetsurin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Aha, I had done this accidentally once or twice and noticed the sloooooow effect. Now here is the logical explanation of it: I had shift held down. I prefer the fast version though, don't really see the point in this but cool nonetheless.

I am assuming you guys aren't all talking about Expose itself? Surely this isn't the first time??
- DeezKnots, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Yes, they are. The story was below the tip on slowing the animation genie effect. Misleading. Dugg Anyway.
avatarpalin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7TIP! - The Shift thing also works all across OS X, try using it in Dashboard by dragging the widget into the screen... its a bit of fun...
- carlnewton, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Nice thanks! Also, if you use Apple + Esc to open front row, quickly hold shift before it has time to load.
Johnny2085, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10This comment from the original article is spot on and its hilarious!

"Try this one: While slowly minimizing a Safari window, enter “killall Dock” in Terminal. The window will freeze in its distorted state, but still maintain most of its functionality!" - Lucas Cantor

I'm browsing digg in my distorted window right now. Gotta love an interface that really uses the video card. :)
- StarManta, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7It's unfortunate that mouse clicks aren't transformed to match the deformation. I agree though, that's a fun trick.
Patamon90, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Instead of logging out and logging in. Simply just open the Terminal and write "killall Dock" without "". Then you will not loose any programs you might not want to turn off :)
bangmalley, on 08/30/2008, -1/+2screenshots?
- rogersmj, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Of what, the sucking effect? It's similar to Genie, except it's a little faster and the windows sort of look like they're getting grabbed at a certain spot along their bottom border and, well, sucked through that point down into the dock like there's a black hole there or something.
- l0k1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4screen cap of "suck" minimise (just in case someone hasn't seen it yet):
  
  http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/42487986/
Pyroteq, on 10/12/2007, -41/+5OMGOMGOMG

Guess what everyone, I bet you didn't know about this one!

In Windows press Alt+Tab to switch between programs.

Now I should write a ***** "blog" about it and make the front page of Digg.

/sarcasm
- rogersmj, on 10/12/2007, -3/+29Wow, you're so funny. Really.
  
  Everyone knows about Alt+Tab in both Windows and OS X. Everyone knows about Expose in OS X. The extra tricks -- tab during Expose and changing the window effect -- are things that even many veteran OS X users didn't know about, which is why it is interesting to so many people. Hence the nature of Digg.
  
  If you don't like it, then don't waste your time reading or commenting on the article. Just go stuff your head back up your ass.
jouissance, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Sweet article....much appreciated
Pyroteq, on 10/12/2007, -20/+4"Hence the nature of Digg."

- The nature of Digg is that any ***** blog written by a nobody that has the word Mac in it somehow reaches the front page.
- DeezKnots, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3And look what windows fag stopped by for a visit. You mock yourself dumbass.
flyinglikeakite, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2For windows users
http://www.digg.com/software/Emulate_windows_switching_effect_of_OS_X_in_Windows
- NerveBand, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I appreaciate it. Thanks.
- DeezKnots, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Just make the switch, or at least try OSx86.
- ZekeSulastin, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Yes, spend a metric assload of money to get a new computer AND new software to replace all the stuff you have that doesn't run on Mac OS. Sounds like a GREAT idea!
  
  Seriously people, switching is NOT the universal answer.
alefox, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3well, I just use spaces, oh crap FORGET WHAT I JUST SAID.
RickySan65, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1I wonder if microsoft will sue apple because they used the word windows in their OS, you know, like apple sues people who use the word pod somewhere?
- DeezKnots, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Mac was using the word windows before microsoft was. Try the 1980s jack off.
- DeezKnots, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ12vNZ5yMY
- ggko, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Window" was not a term coined by Microsoft (or even Apple I'm sure.) One of the early manuals for the Apple // (around 1979/1980?) has the term listed in its glossary.
  
  In addition to the conventional computing definition, they also humorously defined it as what you jump out of when you lose your program after a long coding session without saving, (or something to that effect.)
xboxmods, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0i found this out accidental the first week i got mine... I'm surprised how few people knew.
markfleser, on 10/12/2007, -8/+0That's really old news, I knew about that for probably almost a year now.
- NerveBand, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4No one gives a ***** if you knew. There are others that DIDN'T. Stop being so ***** self-centered.
Majdaa, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I have multiple windows open, i'm on osx 10.4.8 everything is right...i press f9..then tab...nothing
- ryanschmidt, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Is your expose setup?
- m1ss1ontomars, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2You need to have multiple applications open. It switches between apps, not windows.
- Stelex, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Firstly, you need to check that your Expose is configured. It's usually F9, but you may have changed it to something else, if you did - use that instead. You can configure this in the system preferences under expose.
  
  If you are on the notebook computers (formerly known as laptop, before they started burning people's legs) you may need to use the Function key (down left on your keyboard) as the F-keys in the top row can be configured in two ways. So try 'fn-F9'
teacher40yrs, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Nice article. I did not know about the tab feature in expose, and this after having my mac for almost 1 1/2 years. It is always fun to amaze my windows loving friends with features they would love to have.
ryanschmidt, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Yea, I worked at the Apple Store for about a year and have owned a mac for about 3... I thought I knew most of the key commands. Never knew this, thank you very much.
michaelbrown, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Why does this have so many diggs? The tab is supposed to be used with f10; it's not a special hidden feature. You press f10, then tab to go through your programs. The technical expose name is "Application Windows."
adsoftheworld, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1We knew this one long time back! :)
http://creativebits.org/mac_os_x/combine_expose_with_application_switcher
DeezKnots, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3If you humps knew about this feature, why did you click on the link. Get lost already, nobody wants to hear you piss and moan. Unbelievable.
manifest020, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1If you click shift+F9, and then try to do the tab thing, the tab stuff is slow too. Not sure if they meant to do that.
websyndicate, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2So old lame know your os
- wowbagger, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6Please try to use English here.
johnalan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I knew if you pressed ctrl and minimised it went quite a bit slower than normal, but the shift minimize is really slow, check out how slow it minimizes if you hold ctrl and shift and then press the yellow button, its even slower again!
- SeoulBrother, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1it doesn't slow things down for me but it minimizes all open windows for the app. That, I did not know.
  Cool
epheterson, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Can anyone upload a video?
m1ss1ontomars, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2This stuff is really old. Also, that's not a window-switcher--that's a application switcher. This was on Apple's own website (the startpage from safari) not long ago (not the suck one, the switching thing).

As for the sucky effect, that's been implemented in apps like Onyx or Tinkertool since forever.
choopie911, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0How do mac users not use this stuff? wow....
billflu, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Beryl ftw.

http://www.beryl-project.org/
kiantech, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Dumbest story on digg EVER!
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Cool windows switching in OS X

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