Launchpad

[SpiderDude]

Can anybody explain me what's the deal with launchpad?
How is it any better than a plain shortcut in the dock? (of the application folder of course)
Been on ML for 3 months now.
Exposé and Spaces, for organized folks, is way more proficient than Mission Control...
I do not like the direction Apple is taking...

 

[Krazy Bill]

Can anybody explain me what's the deal with launchpad? How is it any better than a plain shortcut in the dock?

It's part of the "Back to the Mac" initiative that began with OSX 10.7. Makes your mac mimic iOS. Apple's intent is to sell more macs to iOS users who don't have one.

It's merely an option. You don't have to use it.

Exposé and Spaces, for organized folks, is way more proficient than Mission Control...

You can rant all you want but MC is not going away. (And Expose/Spaces from earlier days is not coming back).

I do not like the direction Apple is taking...

Neither do I but let's see what the new Apple leadership does with 10.9. I wouldn't get my hopes up though as their bread and butter is still iOS.

 

[anzio]

I've grown to love Launchpad. It's become my alternative to Finder/Applications (even in the dock it was a cluttered mess). I keep a clean dock with only my most used apps. When I need to access an app, I just pinch with 3 fingers and my thumb– click and go. (opposed to the ugly mess that is the applications folder). The folders help keep it organized.

So some people do use it.

 

[cjmillsnun]

I keep a folder link to Applications in my dock. I prefer the grid stack view that gives me a way into finder should I want it. It also allows me to keep my dock clear.

 

[SpiderDude]

Thanks

It's part of the "Back to the Mac" initiative that began with OSX 10.7. Makes your mac mimic iOS. Apple's intent is to sell more macs to iOS users who don't have one.

It's merely an option. You don't have to use it.

You can rant all you want but MC is not going away. (And Expose/Spaces from earlier days is not coming back).

Neither do I but let's see what the new Apple leadership does with 10.9. I wouldn't get my hopes up though as their bread and butter is still iOS.

That's quite the response. Thanks

 

[NHProductions]

It's a tool you don't have to use but can come in very handy for some users that don't use spotlight (or alternatives) to open apps or files. I myself, never use it and would never do so. I simply have all my applications I use in my dock or use spotlight to open the apps I almost never use.

 

[numbersyx]

Thought it was one of the cheesiest things to bring to the Mac when they did this Back to the Mac thing with Lion. However, I have found it to be a very helpful launcher particularly with the gestures on the trackpad and with applications that are newly installed. The search function added in ML really improved it.

 

[Drew017]

I like it... It's a pretty efficient way to open apps and view all apps for me (especially with the gestures) but you definitely don't have to use it. For an alternative, you can put your applications folder in the dock and easily launch apps from the stack.

 

[benwiggy]

I never thought I would use it, but as I have two large monitors and my Dock on the far right-hand side, it can be a lot of "mouse miles" to go over there.

It's quite easy to make the gesture and start typing or swipe-and-click.

Yes, you can achieve similar with the Spotlight icon, and with folders in the Dock. It's just one more way.

It's not an insidious creeping evil. It's a full display, app version of an existing feature.

 

[fisherking]

i didn't like it at first, but now use it all the time. i made a single page with my most-used apps; i can use the search window for anything else.

i NEVER use the dock, have never liked it. so, on a macbook pro, opening apps from launchpad is easy & intuitive; switching between them with the app switcher is simple enough, and the dock remains hidden (i actually have it LOCKED away...)...

 

[Krazy Bill]

i NEVER use the dock, have never liked it. so, on a macbook pro, opening apps from launchpad is easy & intuitive;

You'll find that most novice users still live and die by the dock (which is mainly everyone). My wife for example uses the dock to basically "switch" to the app she wants.

Being lazy, I activate Launchpad with a hot corner to access a few games. Most everything else is spotlight for me. Bet even *I* get lost sometimes with 2 dozen windows open using the crap they call Mission Control so I go to the dock.

 

[fisherking]

You'll find that most novice users still live and die by the dock (which is mainly everyone). My wife for example uses the dock to basically "switch" to the app she wants.

Being lazy, I activate Launchpad with a hot corner to access a few games. Most everything else is spotlight for me. Bet even *I* get lost sometimes with 2 dozen windows open using the crap they call Mission Control so I go to the dock.

EVERYONE uses the dock (except for me); i just never liked it (especially as my mac experience has been on a 12" powerbook, and now a 13" mbp). i want that screen real estate!

i lock it away (a sys pref called 'dock gone'), and have for YEARS..
but that's just me..

 

[printz]

It's merely an option. You don't have to use it.

YES, unfortunately I do have to use it . You see, they replaced the handy Dashboard shortcut (F4) with the stupid tablet-like Launchpad. The solutions out there are all lousy (installing a third-party stuff that overrides your keyboard input, no thanks). Luckily I live in Europe and have an extra key on my laptop. I can type Command-§ to trigger the Dashboard, but it is not as convenient or cool as F4, which really looked like Mac's dedicated key for what is practically a toolbox.

 

[benwiggy]

YES, unfortunately I do have to use it . You see, they replaced the handy Dashboard shortcut (F4) with the stupid tablet-like Launchpad. The solutions out there are all lousy (installing a third-party stuff that overrides your keyboard input, no thanks). Luckily I live in Europe and have an extra key on my laptop. I can type Command-§ to trigger the Dashboard, but it is not as convenient or cool as F4, which really looked like Mac's dedicated key for what is practically a toolbox.

Err.... you can set F4 to trigger Dashboard in System Preferences > Mission Control.
No third-party software or inconvenience required.

 

[printz]

Err.... you can set F4 to trigger Dashboard in System Preferences > Mission Control.
No third-party software or inconvenience required.

Don't you actually mean this: Fn-F4? In this case Cmd-§ is still better.

 

[benwiggy]

Don't you actually mean this: Fn-F4? In this case Cmd-§ is still better.

Depends whether you have the Apple functions turned on or off. There is a natty little preference pane called Function Flip that allows you to have some Fkeys use the Apple functions and others be standard Fkeys. Or vice versa!

 

[Krazy Bill]

EVERYONE uses the dock (except for me); i just never liked it (especially as my mac experience has been on a 12" powerbook, and now a 13" mbp). i want that screen real estate!

i lock it away (a sys pref called 'dock gone'), and have for YEARS..
but that's just me..

Or... you can just set the dock to hide and pop-up only when needed :

 

[bobr1952]

I like it--I am not big on keyboard shortcuts so I have my most often used apps in the dock and all others get launched on launchpad--just less things to remember and my memory appreciates that. I don't like to keep a lot of apps in the dock so the launchpad gives me just the right flexibility I like.

 

[kmj2318]

I didn't think much of it at first, but I really enjoy using it. The pinch gesture is so easy to use, and I can use it from anywhere. I prefer it to the app folder method, simply because it's faster. It takes less time to just use the gesture than to move the arrow to the dock and open the apps folder, especially if you're in a full screen view.

I think it's just out of habit and resistance to change that people prefer point a point and click method to a gesture. Fitts Law would tell you that using the gesture would be a much quicker way to view all your apps; compare the small clickable area of the dock folder to the clickable area of using the pinch gesture (which is virtually infinite).

 

[fisherking]

Or... you can just set the dock to hide and pop-up only when needed :

View attachment 404635

really?
the point is, i can use the whole screen AND have the menubar, AND work in areas where the dock might pop up only...it never does (pop up).

don't like it, and don't miss it...

 

[Sgtarky]

what key is this?§

 

[printz]

what key is this?§

I have the §/± key replacing the ` key from the left of 1 on typical US keyboards. The `/~ key is very conveniently to the left of Z (easy to type Command-` to switch windows, or ~ on Terminal for home path). Mind you, the keyboard otherwise is still standard US (not UK or local).

 

[SpiderDude]

Well

I like it... It's a pretty efficient way to open apps and view all apps for me (especially with the gestures) but you definitely don't have to use it. For an alternative, you can put your applications folder in the dock and easily launch apps from the stack.

That's what I do, I use the Dock.
What I don't understand is, if they let you have both ways of organizing your apps, why not have both ways of organizing the virtual windows i.e. let Mission Controllers use Mission Control, and let other users Use Exposé and Spaces..
I mean, there could be a choice, not both working simultaneously, I get that could be complicated. But there COULD be a choice, in the System Preferences...
My iMac has ML, but the Aluminum Macbook is still rocking Snow Leopard..
Give us a choice... That's all I say...

 

[Krazy Bill]

That's what I do, I use the Dock.
What I don't understand is, if they let you have both ways of organizing your apps, why not have both ways of organizing the virtual windows i.e. let Mission Controllers use Mission Control, and let other users Use Exposé and Spaces..

Like I said, LaunchPad is designed to provide familiarity to those that own iOS devices but have never used a mac. There was "purpose" behind developing this app and it had nothing to do with "choice". Furthermore, I'll bet less than 1% of the Universe ever used the old Spaces app.

That said I agree with you 100%. I think the first developer release for OSX 10.9 is due out in a few weeks... it would blow my mind if Apple brought back Spaces/Expose' as separate apps.

 

[printz]

Furthermore, I'll bet less than 1% of the Universe ever used the old Spaces app.

I use Spaces in my Snow Leopard computer since, minimizing windows sucks on OS X, and I don't want to clutter my desktop with 30 windows that make Expose useless. I also like the surveillance camera look of the Snow Leopard Spaces interface.