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Optimizing your Mac's work space

macrecon.com — "Yes, I have seen people using all the screen space in their 17-inch MacBook Pro just for browsing or worse: just for Word. There ’s no way these apps require that kind of space for using them."

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  • scotsman, on 10/12/2007, -3/+18Assigning a mouse button (scroll wheel) to expose is a brilliant tip - blatantly easy to do and common sense - and one I have overlooked. Thanks.
    • picturesnstuff, on 10/12/2007, -15/+10All good advice.

      As a Windows/Mac user, I'd also suggest assigning Win-D to one of your extra mouse buttons. It's not as good as an F11 expose, but being able to quickly minimize everything is handy.
    • kafitz22, on 10/12/2007, -9/+4"but being able to quickly minimize everything is handy"...I won't even ask...
    • rbvmusic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I don't like to use the middle click to trigger expose. Assigning it to mouse button 3 is almost essential if you are on opera, as that is the open tab in background button.

      Besides thee most effective way to use expose is to set a corner of the screen as a trigger for expose. I set my bottom left corner to trigger expose and its instinctive for me now. Just a flick of the wrist and boom, you're up, its just like flipping a deck or a wiggle of a joystick.
  • JacNet, on 10/12/2007, -64/+19The last 3 stories on the frontpage have been about Macs/Apple.

    >:(
    • TomP, on 10/12/2007, -14/+50Because we own.
    • jodokast, on 10/12/2007, -6/+24Actually, all the stories currently on the front page are about Apple.
    • JacNet, on 10/12/2007, -9/+31@jodokast

      Sure your not on the Apple page?
    • h2d2, on 10/12/2007, -27/+6Amazing how 2.3% of the world's PC users have nothing to talk about besides they PCs... And I'm not saying it in a bad way at all. Come on Mac users, lets talk about something else... Windows BS of Death, the heavyweight Zune or the long-delayed Vista...
  • heinousjay, on 10/12/2007, -21/+26How the heck is this front page material? What's next? An article about what people should have on the dock?
    • 8177, on 10/12/2007, -7/+56What a great idea. Gimme a sec.
    • k1v1n, on 10/12/2007, -14/+3If there is anything on your dock besides your Finder you could use some help. How's that for getting this started...
    • Crid, on 10/12/2007, -17/+9> There ’s no way these apps
      > require that kind of space

      Apple is Scientology, you know. Steve tells us what the perfect way to do things is, and it's our job to go forward and tell the world.

      Every notice how almost every Apple you see has the default screen backgrounds? You almost *never* see an Apple with anything but the default fonts. I don't think you could adjust the width of the scroll bars if you wanted to...

      Because Apple is perfect just the way it is! And Steve will tell us when it's time for something new, or what we need for window space, and how the dock should work!
    • migurski, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12"Every notice how almost every Apple you see has the default screen backgrounds? You almost *never* see an Apple with anything but the default fonts."

      So weird ... an operating system whose defaults are tolerable. I change my background to solid slate grey, but the fonts and scrollbars are just fine.
    • MikeZila, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10The width of the scroll bars?
    • mastercheif, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Actually, I hate the default config of the System. Brushed metal kills me, so I use UNO. I also hate the stupid little silver thing behind the dock, so I use Clear Dock. Also, I hate that you cant position the Dock where you wan't to, so I have ONYX. Also, I have Butler running about 4 things in my menu bar right now.

      Sure, the default Mac configuration is the best, but one of the things that is great about the System is that it is very open to custombility.
    • soopafly, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5"Also, I hate that you cant position the Dock where you wan't to, so I have ONYX."

      You really don't need Onyx to change the location of your Dock. It's under your System Prefs.
    • Drealoth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I'd have to say that the background thing is because Apple includes wallpapers that are at least the screen resolution of the computer, unlike a certain company that thinks 800x600 (lossy compression, no less) is good enough for anybody. And that's just it - if Microsoft packaged Windows with decent wallpapers, you'd see those left on people's computers too.
  • sclozza, on 10/12/2007, -4/+30I don't want to have a cluttered desktop when working on a word document. I don't want yappy IM programs trying to get my attention or a web browser in the background doing things distracting me further.
    • streak, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3I find myself being so distracted by everything that can fit on my 30-inch display that I have to use Word full-screen in order to get anything done. But at least I have my other 30-inch display for EarthDesk.

      I tried that supposed third button-Expose trick, but when I click on it, nothing really happens.
    • vudicarus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2you may like this little app called Doodim. It helps you concentrate on just the app you're using while dimming or even blacking out anything in the background.

      http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/22334
    • appleswitch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5"But at least I have my other 30-inch display for..."

      Restsist... urge... not to dugg down... so jelous...
    • streak, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Actually, the 3D goggles help enormously to stay focused. Being strapped to my head, I can't avoid looking at the display. Highly recommended!
  • neiltc13, on 10/12/2007, -5/+23I don't think it is any web editor's place to tell me or anyone else how they should use their applications.
    • repruhsent, on 10/12/2007, -6/+14I was just about to say this. I hope this guy enjoys his spaghetti; he's very egotistical.
    • greatcaffeine, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6He does offer up some valid points though; Exposé is a GREAT feature, and I dunno how I lived without it for so long in Windows. Most switchers don't seem to use features like that, so it's worth pointing out that they exist.
    • clempka, on 10/12/2007, -5/+4These are suggestions, it's not like he's calling you an idiot for not following them.
    • Drealoth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9It's called advice.

      If you saw someone driving their car everywhere in first gear, would it be bad to tell them that they can change gears?
  • AnthonyBaker, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5Yeah, this doesn't seem like front-page stuff.

    That being said, I use YouControlDesktops. It costs around $45 as I recall, but allows you to create as many desktops as you'd like, easily allowing you to toggle between them. Had moved to this from Virtue Desktops, as for the longest time that app didn't run on 10.4.x.

    I now have one desktop for IM/ITunes, one for Camino/Newsfire, one for my Adobe apps (Photoshop, Illustrator), one for TextMate/FTP, and another for whatever else. Easy to modify all of these in any number of ways. I basically found it more flexible than Virtue.

    Additionally, when you Command-Tab to an app, it brings you to the desktop where that app resides, which is a big plus. (I do believe Virtue used to do this, as well.)

    And I'm on a 15" PowerBook. Definitely the way to go if you don't have external monitors set up.
  • felchdonkey, on 10/12/2007, -4/+36As a Mac user myself, I have to agree this is the most moronic front page story I've seen in a while.

    I'll use my work space the way I want, thanks. There are dozens of interesting stories in the queue right now. I'm about to turn off the Apple section altogether. Which sucks, since I actually like the computers themselves.

    "Don’t bother with full-screen apps."
    What?
    ***** you. I like using apps full screen, it reduces distractions. Find something useful to talk about.

    This guy is spamming his own blog.
    • Throlkim, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8I second the notion of other applications being distracting. I use the option in Photoshop to view "Full Screen mode with menu bar" so that I can concentrate on working. And I browse full screen as I just prefer it that way - not like I can multi-task anyway :P
    • KSUdesigner, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I agree with both of you. This is just how he optimizes things for HIS personal taste on how to work. Figure out what's best for you and optimize it to your own working style. I think especially for those who have switched from windows, they will prefer working full screen as that is what they have been accustomed to for so many years. And while I love dashboard, let's not forget that it does eat up valuable resources pretty quickly so I really don't like to use it all that often.
    • gertikus, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1how come writing tips some people could use is called spamming? if you don't need these tips, move along. you don't need to digg mac articles, just like i don't need to digg windows articles.

      bury me if you must for speaking the truth.
    • b3mus3d, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"bury me if you must for speaking the truth."
      I love how people say that as if it makes them right and all the people digging them down wrong...
  • JavertHolmes, on 10/12/2007, -4/+13Optimizing your Mac's work space
    10 Very Useful Mac OS X Utilities
    Hands On: Apple iPod Shuffle
    New Mac "virus" is proof of concept that hysteria sells anti-virus software
    Man ordered to wear "sex offender" T-shirt

    Lots of stories geared towards Mac users on the front page today.
  • mercurysquad, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1hehe... last night was Wii-fest on digg frontpage, this morning seems like Mac-fest. ;) Soon we'll have an Ubuntu-fest and a diggfest as well.
  • krazygluon, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I find hotcorners (an OLD mac feature from classic) are my preferred method of dealing with Expose. I've got one corner for screen-locking, one for exposing the desktop, another for showing all windows and a final one for showing all windows of a particular application...no programming buttons, no need for 4 more buttons on my mouse, just a simple mouse gesture and I've got access to whatever window I need...Awesome.
    • Sabin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I am set up the same way on my mac at home and at work and it is by far the best way I have ever found to actually WORK with any OS i have ever used. Expose + hotcorners = productivity++
    • aftk2, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Yup - absolutely. Especially combined with drag and drop.
  • yogiincork, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3anyone got a working link to download VirtueDesktops?
    http://www.virtuedesktops.info/ seems to be down since a while...
    no success googling for a mirror so far :(
  • SirZRX, on 10/12/2007, -11/+3Enough whit the Apple||Mac|OSX|Ipod|Iphone Storys please.
    • eddieroger, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6Learn to spell "stories" and your complaint will be handled in the order in which it was received.
    • repruhsent, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2I like Apple hardware/software as much as the next guy and I even want to stab you in the eyes. I think it's because of your lack of ability to spell/capitalize things correctly.
  • thespace, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2yawn, digg = ehow for Apple
  • Pooley, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Firstly, I am a Mac (work and home) and Win (work) user who supports both platforms but will use my Mac through choice.
    The Mac OS is heavily designed around the keyboard, so I find the suggestion of mapping a THIRD mouse button to this command to be rather against the Mac philosophy.
    I think the article is written by a recent convert to Mac. In the Windows world, most people run everything at full screen and use the taskbar to switch between running apps.
    There's not much denying (IMO) that the taskbar works well for this kind of Win use. This is why there are so many arguments between Mac and Win users - it's because they both compare the OSes too directly when actually they are specifically *designed* differently.
    The first thing I hear so many people who are new to Mac OS say is "Where's the full screen button". It's simply an entirely different philosophy.
    The reason that Mac ultimately wins is that, given time and experience, it's definitely easier to navigate around OS X with the keyboard than it is to be constantly finding your mouse in Windows (yes, I know you can navigate without the mouse in Win but it's not instinctively designed that way and so is less intuitive). Just as it's easier to touch-type this with the keyboard that it would be to write it with an on-screen virtual keyboard that required mouse clicking.
    • mehip, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Funny, I am the same boat that I use and love both windows and os x.

      But, I find it much easier to use the keyboard in windows than the mac. I think it's a question of repetition. Since I use windows more for work than the mac I find the mac's keyboard shortcuts far less intuitive.
    • Sabin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Actually I find that windows is more keyboard friendly than and Apple OS has ever been. And considering I have been using Mac for about 20 years now versus only about 15 year with windows I would not consider myself a recent convert. OSX is much easier to navigate with a keyboard than OS6 through 9 were but still trails far behind windows.
  • bdit1200, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1not good. I joined up just to bury this article...
    • bdit1200, on 10/12/2007, -7/+1my bad. read about what 'burying' is after joining. Looks like I over-reacted! I just don't digg this. good to be here.
  • ibnabouna, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2You know, the author shared some great tips. I feel his advice is relevant to any Mac user. No need to spam and be so angry that this made the front page of Digg.
  • Jsmakr, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Why can't I figure out how to assign a mouse button to Expose? I am using a Logitech mouse and in the Dashboard and Expose settings, I get a list Mouse Button 3-32 and Secondary Mouse Button. Which one will get a scroll button click to bring up Expose?
  • alefox, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2USE SPACES!!!
  • PhilM, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Surely you use your workspace the way you want. Why is this article telling to to try and keep my browser at 1024 x 768? I use the full screen for Word because I'm comfortable with it.
    • gotamd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1No, it's telling you to use 1024x640 for your browser... I don't know about this guy, but I like being able to see webpages instead of scrolling around all the time.
  • drudometkin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Another way to quickly use expose if you don't have a mouse button available is to use "active screen corners" under the expose preferences section, and assign expose to one of the corners. Just flick the mouse to the corner and expose activates.
  • traviswalters, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I use my 20 inch iMac to browse the web with Firefox maximized. Does that make you angry?
  • whiteguysamurai, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1What is this?
    The 5th mac story in a row?

    Enough!
    • Sabin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Then submit something relevant and interesting that isn't mac related. Otherwise sit down and shut up.
  • icepick101, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1KDE multiple desktops -- has never done me wrong
  • linuxrebel, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2It's not just Mac users who do things like this. I see Windows users with 21" desktop monitors (or larger) opening IE and Wurd in the same manor. 10 maximized (or more) windows and only 2 applications is quite common from what I see. With no way to tell one window from another the users is left "guessing" what is what. searching through the buttons on their taskbar trying to find what's what. In many of them they have double or triple height task bars hoping to have enough letters on the buttons to be able to tell what is what.

    To my feeble mind this comes from 2 UI shortcomings. 1. The lack of nameable tabs in applications. 2. The lack of multiple desktops. but mostly it seems to come from a lack of willingness on the part of users to try something new. They are still using 1600x1280 monitors as if they were 640x480
  • khyberkitsune, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Some of us buy our Macs not for work, but for general entertainment. While optimizing space is nice, some of us just simply prefer full-screen browsers, especially if we're playing a video in full-screen.

    Saying there's no need to have your browser window maximized is simply an opinion, and a matter of pure personal preference. Some people work faster having things maximized and then use a shortcut to switch windows, some people work faster having dual screens for various tasks.

    This article still has good ideas I'll keep in mind once I get my MacBook.
  • eatbeefjerky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Interesting article, but not front page material. It would be nicer if the author worded it in such a way that it was clear that these were SUGGESTIONS and not "if you do not do things MY way, you are an ignorant, computer illiterate retard". I don't own a Mac, but I do own a 17" laptop and I do browse "full screen"... because a lot of webpages give you a horizontal scroll bar if you don't. I don't know about you folks, but I like to view the entire width of a webpage at once, and therefore I do indeed browse using every pixel of real estate I have available.
  • bedouin, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Thank you. People who maximize all of their windows obviously never learned how to multitask correctly. Every time I see someone open up a browser window and maximize it on a 1680x1050 display I want to puke.

    However, some apps do benefit dramatically from being used at full-screen on a large display, specifically Final Cut. As for Word, I let it take up a considerable portion of my 20" widescreen, but not all; I like the feeling of having a real blank page in front of me, as if I were sitting down with a pen and a pad.

    8 windows open on my dual display desktop -- nothing maximized as of now.
    • mehip, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Multitasking is seriously overrated. Why do I need a silly IM window or whatever open in the background when I want to write a report or cut some code.

      For me getting a task accomplished quickly is far more important than multitasking. It is all about removing distractions and getting work done.
  • Twango, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1artlcle: "having the middle button bring up all the windows using Exposé"

    Tried command-tab yet?
  • johnkoetsier, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Sorry, this is an example of why Digg is lame. 854 diggs for an article that says:

    - don't do full-screen apps
    - use dashboard
    - use more than one desktop
    - user virtual desktops

    Lame. Unexpressably lame.
  • Fantomfreq, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is all pretty much common sense. There's a reason why there's no 'maximize' button in OS X.
  • diggn_it, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1What is so wrong with using a full screen for word? Or anything for that matter? This guy makes it sound like some taboo, but there is nothing wrong with running an app full screen. Its personal preference. Everyone knows how to make a window smaller, they just dont want to some times.
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