[Big Mac]

Thesis: A standard, global application launcher should be available to every user of OS X (built-in solution, not third party).

Argument: I imagine many desire a global launcher, especially switchers who miss the idiotic Start menu. Now, many of us place our Applications folders in the dock and click and hold to get a menu, providing a global launcher, but most people don't know they can do this. They resort to opening the Applications folder in the Finder or loading the Dock with far too many icons. Even for those who use the Dock folder solution, it is not necessarily an optimal launcher. The Applications folder is not placed in the dock by default. It is also comparatively slow to draw the menu unless you're on a faster Mac and control clicking (right clicking) the folder as opposed to clicking and holding. It also does not offer anything in the way of customizability of appearance. Should not there be a better solution?

Possible Implementations: 1) New submenu of Apple menu. (The new Apple likely wouldn't be up for that.) 2) Expose widget.

Discuss?

[Judge_Fire]

The Start menu has the benefit of most programs actually being reflected in it. On the Mac, apps can get left on the Desktop after downloading, or in any other folder.

The Mac obviously is far more flexible, but I agree, it doesn't offer an adequate starting point as default.

Imho, a pre-installed shortcut to Applications in the Dock by default would suffice, as the Dock is _the_ attention grabber for new users. (Not the sidebar, or the 'Go' menu etc.)

Being present in the same view with items on the Desktop, it might even invite items to be moved into it.

However, the ease of accidental erasure of Dock items is really bad design and is a factor to consider. There should be some safety net there.

J

[BuonRotto]

uh, Dock? If there's one thing it's really good at, it's application launching. If you want access to all your rarely used apps, just drop your apps folder on the right side of the Dock. I wouldn't mind if Apple did this by default on OS X installs.

[Judge_Fire]

Originally posted by BuonRotto:
uh, Dock? If there's one thing it's really good at, it's application launching.

That's true, but it fails in communicating that there is a place where there are other apps, too.

J

[TETENAL]

Originally posted by Judge_Fire:
That's true, but it fails in communicating that there is a place where there are other apps, too.

The user manual communicates that.

[Millennium]

Originally posted by Judge_Fire:
The Start menu has the benefit of most programs actually being reflected in it. On the Mac, apps can get left on the Desktop after downloading, or in any other folder.

The same is actually true on Windows. The Start Menu can't magically find all the apps on your hard drive; they have to be explicitly added. Usually this is done by installers.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by TETENAL:
The user manual communicates that.

That is true but not relevant for 95% of users. The user manual also communicates that you can stick any folder onto the Dock.

[Anubis IV]

The fact that the Applications folder is in the Sidebar by default and Apple's standard apps are already in the Dock seems like enough to me. The Start menu can get way too complicated way too quickly. I much prefer the simplicity of only seeing the applications that you actually want to see while still having one or two click access to the rest of them via the sidebar.

[Chuckit]

Originally posted by Anubis IV:
The fact that the Applications folder is in the Sidebar by default and Apple's standard apps are already in the Dock seems like enough to me.

What I don't get is why TextEdit isn't in the Dock by default.