[iwriter]

Maybe it's just me, but I've downloaded and tried Quicksilver after hearing everyone rave about it - and I just don't get what's so great about it.

I'm either missing something very big and very obvious, or I'm immune to whatever the Quicksilver guys are putting into the water supply.

Can anyone enlighten me?

[Chuckit]

Personally, I like being able to launch any app in a second without hugely bloating my Dock. Everything else is just gravy.

[iwriter]

I'm not knocking the app, I just don't see how it will help me. Can anyone point me to a good tutorial? With everyone raving about it, I feel like I'm missing out!

[Sherman Homan]

I can't help with this one. I downloaded it, ran it a couple of times and haven't used it since. In fact, I might just delete it in honor of this thread.

[Kevin]

Never did anything for me either.

[Atheist]

Same here... I just don't "get it".

[Atheist]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

Personally, I like being able to launch any app in a second without hugely bloating my Dock. Everything else is just gravy.

Have you checked out Overflow?

[Horsepoo!!!]

If you have Tiger, Quicksilver is useless...you can cmd-spacebar and start typing your app name and hit enter after just a couple letters to launch your apps.

I've never used Quicksilver but I also never had to. <3 Spotlight.

[sieb]

I use Overflow, I like it alot. The only icons in my Dock are Finder, Trash, and any running app.
I never got used to QS either, though I can see how, once its configured for all your apps, it can be powerfully efficient. I've never been much of a keyboard/hotkey kinda user so its lost on me since all I would use it for is an app launcher, which Spotlight will do.

Previously, I would put a copy of my Applications folder in the Dock, so when I right-clicked on it, I would get a quasi start menu (i.e. Stacks in Leopard).

[cybergoober]

I use Quicksilver mainly to launch apps. For my most used apps I have created custom hotkey triggers, so that with one key combination my app is launched. I occasionally use it to grab the selected file in Finder and email it quickly. I also use Quicksilver to control iTunes.

Horsepoo!!! - If all you think Quicksilver is useful for is launching apps, then maybe you're right. But it does soooo much more. The lead developer explains what it does fairly well in this video:
Quicksilver: Universal Access and Action
BTW - If multiple matches are found, Spotlight in Tiger doesn't select applications by default. Unless this has changed recently.

[Scarpa]

I just watched that video and it reminded me of the computer in star trek. I've always liked the idea of just asking a computer to do something for you. The grammatic structure of Quicksilver follows that same basic idea.

I haven't tried the software though and currently don't own a Mac.. but will soon.

There was an old Apple initiative that had the concept of generic documents that had objects embedded. The idea was that the application was contextual to the type of object. Sort of how Office does it today I guess.. Anyone remember what that was called? I can't remember and it's bugging me.

[TETENAL]

OpenDoc - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Scarpa]

Thanks! I could only remember OLE.

Reading that page was somewhat painful. The dark days...

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by cybergoober 

I use Quicksilver mainly to launch apps. For my most used apps I have created custom hotkey triggers, so that with one key combination my app is launched. I occasionally use it to grab the selected file in Finder and email it quickly. I also use Quicksilver to control iTunes.

Horsepoo!!! - If all you think Quicksilver is useful for is launching apps, then maybe you're right. But it does soooo much more. The lead developer explains what it does fairly well in this video:
Quicksilver: Universal Access and Action
BTW - If multiple matches are found, Spotlight in Tiger doesn't select applications by default. Unless this has changed recently.

It sure has in Leopard. Speedy as all hell too.

[cybergoober]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

It sure has in Leopard. Speedy as all hell too.

Indeed, but I stuck to Tiger since Horsepoo!!! made a point of specifying Tiger.

[Shades of Gray]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

It sure has in Leopard. Speedy as all hell too.

So, beta tester for Leopard? Must be nice.

[Tim Collier]

I also agree with you. I have tried it and I also simply forgot about it and never used it. I have always used Spotlight. Quick, simple and gets the job done.

[underwood]

For me, I use it to...

• cmd+up - increase volume
• cmd+down - decrease volume
• cmd+left - previous song (itunes)
• cmd+right - next song (itunes)
• cmd+enter - pause / play song (itunes)
• organize / move multiple files around, from desktop / download folder into their respective folder ie, pic / movies / docs etc
• trash files, i'm lazy, i dont like to drag the file to the bottom of the screen to unhide the dock and trash it
• browse INSIDE apps without having to look for an app> right click > show package contents > click thru lotsa folders. would be soo great if i can browse INSIDE zip / sit / dmg... omg...
• sometimes replaces finder, i can just browse everything thru QS with the keyboard instead of searching thru spotlight or browse finder with the mouse
• relaunch apps (so i dont have to switch to that app, hit cmd+Q, launch it from the dock).
• user account switching / shutdown / log off thru QS. if you want to switch to another user, you just need to type the username and QS should have "Switch to username" hit enter, cube effect, type in password if needed and voila
• calculate (instead of using calculator or the dashboard one, hell i dont even use dashboard)
• search word in dictionary, QS access dict.org and displays the meaning in a bezel i think.

OMG i'm rambling. Possibilities are endless to be honest. Lotsa more stuff you can do, if you want. I dont do these regularly, but its good to know that i can do these things thru QS.

• Search contacts without having to access address book.
• Select a buncha files on the desktop, invoke QS, choose email files to... hell you can even type your mail in QS and after you're done. QS will launch mail with your email message + files attached and you just have to click send.
• FTP files - select multiple files on desktop, invoke QS, type upload to site.. pick a fav site and Transmit will launch and upload.

[philm]

Personally, I'm a Launchbar man, but these sorts of apps alllow you to open deeply-stored files in say four keystrokes. Think about opening your CV which is five folders deep in the Finder. How would you do that? For me, with Launchbar, I go: cmd-space, C, V, enter. It's opened in four keystrokes and I haven't had to touch the mouse.

So whilst it can be used to launch apps, it's main use (for me) is to get straight to files. It works across networks too. I can get to deep files on remote servers in a flash.

That's my story anyway!

[Mike Pither]

I haven't used Quicksilver but I do use Launchbar and it is much faster than spotlight. I use to launch apps, web sites (typing macnn and I am in macnn) and finding files I use a lot. Spotlight is great for finding things you use rarely of that you have miss placed but for all the rest Launchbar is much better. Whether it is better than Quicksilver I can't say.

[jbleisure]

One of the things I use QS for is adding to a text file, say If I've got a shopping list or todo list on my desk top: cmd>spacebar then '.' which allows me to type what ever text I want, tab to choose append to return and there you are I don't have to open the text file even.
QS is a smart app in my opinion but I installed it twice ( then uninstalled) before I could 'get it'...

quicksilver:tutorials [docs]

and

quicksilver:what_is_quicksilver [docs]

These 2 links REALLY helped with that.

[nickclarson]

Fruit Menu is another good way to launch apps. Kinda mimics Windows with the whole start bar thing if that's what you are into.

[cgc]

I had FruitMenu but anytime an app got updated I had to edit the prefs which was annoying. That and the fact that with 10.4.10 FruitMenu has to do something (fix permissions?) at every reboot (e.g. makes MacPro unusable for a minute or more) made me move to LaunchBar which I love.

[Horsepoo!!!]

Ok...now I understand that Quicksilver is some kind of jack-of-all-trades. It does a whole lot of things. If this is so...I don't particularly like apps without a focus.

I've always said that apps should do a single thing and do it well. Quicksilver does not fit that bill.

[Chuckit]

By the same token, Mac OS X does not fit the bill.

Quicksilver is a quick launcher that serves as a platform where people can write extensions that allow it to control other things as well. As far as launching applications goes, if hitting fn-P and getting Photoshop isn't "doing it well," I don't know what is.

[Kenneth]

Ditto that. I have no idea how QS will improve my daily workflow.

[akulavolk]

Scarpa...OLE isn't the same as OpenDoc. It's short for Microsoft's "Object Linking and Embedding," a similar technology to Apple's old "Publish & Subscribe" technology. It was mainly used to publish charts from Excel to Word so that they're updated in Word when numbers change (and other stuff like that).

OpenDoc was really a really cool and more flexible technology that let you create your own customized document type. It was almost like being able to make your own app vs. a glorified, self-updating, copy/paste.

Not a big deal, but FYI... Object Linking and Embedding - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Cybersparrow]

I can imagine that Quicksilver and LaunchBar would be useful if you frequently work with a few documents at a time, although I use DragThing for the same effect. For example, I generally work on two or three Finale documents at a time plus my current assignments for my other classes. So I made a drawer in DragThing and added those four or five documents to it. Now I can quickly access those files without the Finder. Later, when I finish each document, I give it a different name and move it to another folder.

[philm]

Originally Posted by Horsepoo!!! 

Ok...now I understand that Quicksilver is some kind of jack-of-all-trades. It does a whole lot of things. If this is so...I don't particularly like apps without a focus.

I've always said that apps should do a single thing and do it well. Quicksilver does not fit that bill.

Not really. These programs do one thing very well - find files extremely quickly using a minimal number of keystrokes. Then, they do a sensible thing with the file which has been found. Usually, this is launching them, but it could be to set up an e-mail with the file as an attachment; if it's a contact, to present their phone number on the screen; etc etc.

Also, these apps mean you don't have to use your mouse. If you are fast around the keyboard, then this is likely to be a quick way of 'doing' things with your files.

All this stuff is difficult to describe. For those who are curious, I strongly recommend downloading a trial and giving it a go. You can always trash the app if you are not convinced.

[cybergoober]

Originally Posted by Horsepoo!!! 

Ok...now I understand that Quicksilver is some kind of jack-of-all-trades. It does a whole lot of things. If this is so...I don't particularly like apps without a focus.

I've always said that apps should do a single thing and do it well. Quicksilver does not fit that bill.

Well, what I like about Quicksilver being a "jack-of-all-trades" in this regard is that I can use a single app to do all the things I use it for. I don't need to run an app to launch apps, another to control iTunes, another to create hotkey triggers for launching apps/performing different functions, etc.

[nickclarson]

Originally Posted by cgc 

I had FruitMenu but anytime an app got updated I had to edit the prefs which was annoying. That and the fact that with 10.4.10 FruitMenu has to do something (fix permissions?) at every reboot (e.g. makes MacPro unusable for a minute or more) made me move to LaunchBar which I love.

Oh yea I didn't notice those problems. I'll def. have to check out LaunchBar though. Thanks!

[Hal Itosis]

Originally Posted by underwood 

For me, I use it to...

• trash files, i'm lazy, i dont like to drag the file to the bottom of the screen to unhide the dock and trash it

Perhaps I'm missing something, but -- given Apple's own
command-delete shortcut (been around since System 8?)
that item doesn't quite seem "list-worthy", and calls into
question the experience of the poster. (Who drags to trash?)



Are you saying we can access the file without going into Finder?
That could be useful under *certain* conditions, I imagine... but
hardly unique [vis-a-vis: Default Folder, File Buddy, etc.].

[underwood]

Originally Posted by Hal Itosis 

Are you saying we can access the file without going into Finder?
That could be useful under *certain* conditions, I imagine... but
hardly unique [vis-a-vis: Default Folder, File Buddy, etc.].

Um that's exactly it...

Say you're coding in Textmate or BBedit and you want to access your ebook reference or what have you. You can do that all without leaving your keyboard and go fiddle with your mouse.

Invoke QS, type in the name of that file, e.g. 'PHP'. The first file that matches 'PHP' will appear, hit enter to launch. If its not that file you're looking for a file browser will popout under the main QS interface. The browser will list the other matches so just down key till you find the right one and hit enter. QS also remembers that file if you use it often.

[OpenMyPorts]

I don't get it either. I put everything I use frequently in the dock, then have my applications folder on the right hand side of my dock. If I need something I don't use often, I just right click the apps folder. Woooo.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by OpenMyPorts 

I don't get it either. I put everything I use frequently in the dock, then have my applications folder on the right hand side of my dock. If I need something I don't use often, I just right click the apps folder. Woooo.

Congrats, in the time it takes you to mouse down to the dock and click (to say nothing of opening the Applications folder), I will already be doing whatever I want to do.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

Congrats, in the time it takes you to mouse down to the dock and click (to say nothing of opening the Applications folder), I will already be doing whatever I want to do.

OMG that is like a microsecond!!1

I am switching.

[philm]

Originally Posted by OpenMyPorts 

I don't get it either. I put everything I use frequently in the dock, then have my applications folder on the right hand side of my dock. If I need something I don't use often, I just right click the apps folder. Woooo.

But using the mouse is incredibly slow compared with the keyboard, given that most of the time your fingers are on the keyboard anyway. In your example, we might only be talking a few seconds slower, but it all counts. A better example is how you would open a document deep within your directory structure, say six folders down.

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by philm 

But using the mouse is incredibly slow compared with the keyboard, given that most of the time your fingers are on the keyboard anyway.

Not true. It just feels faster because your brain is "entertained" by recalling the shortcut.

http://www.asktog.com/TOI/toi06KeyboardVMouse1.html
http://www.asktog.com/TOI/toi22KeyboardVMouse2.html
http://www.asktog.com/SunWorldColumn...rdVMouse3.html

[OpenMyPorts]

Originally Posted by philm 

But using the mouse is incredibly slow compared with the keyboard, given that most of the time your fingers are on the keyboard anyway. In your example, we might only be talking a few seconds slower, but it all counts. A better example is how you would open a document deep within your directory structure, say six folders down.

I'd type the name of the file in the finder window's search box. Poof.

[Horsepoo!!!]

Ok...so now I understand Quicksilver is the best (fastest) launcher and does nothing else particularly well.

However, I'm guessing you'd need to assign key combos for every app you use most. You'd have to remember those key combos. And, the cherry on top, you'll be saving 1 second of time over the time it takes to type 'Photosh' in spotlight and hitting 'return' or clicking on a folder in the Dock (or stack) with your favorite apps in it. Photoshop takes several seconds to load. You saved 1 second at most. Cool. It's a nice launcher. Is it worth replacing Spotlight? Only if you really feel faster launching apps rapidly (they're launched once at the beginning of the day usually and left open all day or for weeks if you leave you computer on or put it to sleep). You've saved 10 seconds in your day. Congrats.

Spotlight is a less powerful app launcher...but not by much (especially Spotlight in Leopard). It's, however, a more powerful document finder, a more powerful calculator, dictionary, etc.

[cybergoober]

Quicksilver isn't supposed to be a replacement for Spotlight (especially since Quicksilver preceded Spotlight).
I see Spotlight more as a search tool.
Quicksilver is more about doing *something* with an item after you have found it.

You don't need to assign key combos for anything. Just start typing what you're looking for, we'll use Safari as an example. Invoke QS and type "sa". More than likely Safari will be the default item. Hit enter. The more you launch Safari with the "sa" abbreviation, Quicksilver learns from that. You could even do so with just "s." I just prefer key combos for my most often used apps.

As for keeping everything in the Dock… I'm not particularly fond of the Dock. I don't dislike it, I'd just rather not deal with it. I keep nothing in it. My Dock represents only the apps that are running. That's just my preference.

[underwood]

QS is actually quite extensible. And I guess its more of a power-user thing I guess. Those people who are used to using the keyboard for most things.

More power user thing is a sense you can do complex things all within QS. Here is an examples...

You have files in multiple folders across your HD that you need to upload onto your ftp server or email it to someone. QS will enable you to select all of them and upload, without you even needing to touch your mouse, finder, your ftp program, mail etc. You can even select multiple pics and upload to flickr without opening your browser / logging into flickr.

Its kinda like Textmate once you learn how, its like second nature.

[ginoledesma]

I use QuickSilver only for its app launching feature as it is, by far, the fastest app launcher available. One nice thing to note is that it "learns" your frequently used app, so if you frequently run Photoshop, after a few tries you don't even have to type "photo...", typing "p" or "ps" will quickly pick Photoshop (same goes for other apps).

I only have a staple of apps I run on a daily basis. I have my Dock set to hidden, and on multiple screens, switching to the mouse is cumbersome. Granted, I'm not the "typical" user, but even on a laptop screen, I find using QuickSilver much faster than using the trackpad.

[IronPen]

Originally Posted by Horsepoo!!! 

If you have Tiger, Quicksilver is useless...you can cmd-spacebar and start typing your app name and hit enter after just a couple letters to launch your apps.

I've never used Quicksilver but I also never had to. <3 Spotlight.

Then you have not been made aware of its many features. I'll say it again for those who may have missed it the first hundred times: Quicksilver is NOT just an application launcher.

There are so many things it does that it's hard to cover them all. With all that it does I doubt that I have discovered all of its features. But some things I just can't live without...

- It launches apps and documents.
- Navigate your Mac's folders.
- Open URLs (from your bookmarks or type a dot (.) then URL.com, .net, etc.)
- SafariStand plug-in for quick searching (I activate QS then type g to search Google)
- Reveal apps in finder.
- Move files, rename them, copy items to the clipboard, etc. all quicker than other emeans.
- Address Book plug-ins
- Send to Mail (like the Services menu function)

And it has some really fun-to-use interfaces. It's the first app I install on my Mac. If you're a laptop user or prefer a keyboard to a mouse, you'll love Quicksilver. But if you're not, then stick with the click, click, click.

[Hal Itosis]

Originally Posted by philm 

But using the mouse is incredibly slow compared with the keyboard, given that most of the time your fingers are on the keyboard anyway.

But... some of us don't use "mice" at all.

iBook/PowerBook/MacBook users have their
hand hovering over the trackpad constantly.
For them, clicking is just as fast as typing.

[Kevin]

I put all my most used apps in the dock. I just click on them. BOOM done. It's launched time.

[IronPen]

Originally Posted by Kevin 

I put all my most used apps in the dock. I just click on them. BOOM done. It's launched time.

For those who are interested in why Quicksilver or other "launchers" will make your more productive, just take this as an example. I have several applications open all day at work. Let's say I am looking at a web page, but I want to quickly jump to Mail.app. I activate Quicksilver (cmd+space) and type 'm + enter' BOOM, there's Mail.app. Wait, I got an IM in Adium, again, activate Quicksilver type 'a + enter' BOOM, I'm in Adium. Now I want to search eBay for an item, let's say HALO 3, activate Quicksilver and type 'e TAB twice and enter my search string 'halo 3' (using my Safari Stand Quick Search plug-in) and up come my search results in eBay. But hey, I need to check on that document I created yesterday and I know it's in my home directory, activate Quicksilver and type 'h' (for home) and there I am. I can hit enter to open my home directory in the finder, or tab and QS will let me navigate through my files. I can even type a letter to jump to the first match, like 's' for the first file that begins with an 's'. Time to call it a day. I'll shutdown. Activate QS and type 'shu' BOOM, I can shutdown if I press enter.

I can assign shortcuts to whatever I want, or I can let QS learn my habits. It's up to you, but the mouse and trackpad are never as fast as the keyboard unless your cursor is right on top of what you want to click on. To each his own. but if you're a multi-tasker with multiple apps open, you'll find an app like QS increases your productivity by saving you tons of time. For me, launching URLS is a HUGE timesaver. I don't even have to switch to the browser first. Just type the shortcut and QS brings my browser to the front with the URL loading. Very quick and easy. I think this answers the original question and helps out others who are curious about QS's functionality rather than listen to a bunch of Mac users who haven't even tried the damn thing say, "you don't need it...blah blah blah". Yes, you can use spotlight search for some of these things, but it's not going to be as efficient. And neither is cmd+tab for application switching. I will say QS is probably a power-user feature and not as beneficial to someone who only does one or two things at a time on their machine, which is maybe why some people are saying they don't need it.

[Horsepoo!!!]

Originally Posted by IronPen 

For those who are interested in why Quicksilver or other "launchers" will make your more productive, just take this as an example. I have several applications open all day at work. Let's say I am looking at a web page, but I want to quickly jump to Mail.app. I activate Quicksilver (cmd+space) and type 'm + enter' BOOM, there's Mail.app. Wait, I got an IM in Adium, again, activate Quicksilver type 'a + enter' BOOM, I'm in Adium. Now I want to search eBay for an item, let's say HALO 3, activate Quicksilver and type 'e TAB twice and enter my search string 'halo 3' (using my Safari Stand Quick Search plug-in) and up come my search results in eBay. But hey, I need to check on that document I created yesterday and I know it's in my home directory, activate Quicksilver and type 'h' (for home) and there I am. I can hit enter to open my home directory in the finder, or tab and QS will let me navigate through my files. I can even type a letter to jump to the first match, like 's' for the first file that begins with an 's'. Time to call it a day. I'll shutdown. Activate QS and type 'shu' BOOM, I can shutdown if I press enter.

I can assign shortcuts to whatever I want, or I can let QS learn my habits. It's up to you, but the mouse and trackpad are never as fast as the keyboard unless your cursor is right on top of what you want to click on. To each his own. but if you're a multi-tasker with multiple apps open, you'll find an app like QS increases your productivity by saving you tons of time. For me, launching URLS is a HUGE timesaver. I don't even have to switch to the browser first. Just type the shortcut and QS brings my browser to the front with the URL loading. Very quick and easy. I think this answers the original question and helps out others who are curious about QS's functionality rather than listen to a bunch of Mac users who haven't even tried the damn thing say, "you don't need it...blah blah blah". Yes, you can use spotlight search for some of these things, but it's not going to be as efficient. And neither is cmd+tab for application switching. I will say QS is probably a power-user feature and not as beneficial to someone who only does one or two things at a time on their machine, which is maybe why some people are saying they don't need it.

Yeah...the big problem is devoting all that time and all that memory to creating and remembering the shortcuts.

Your examples seem clear for someone that uses a handful of apps: a for adium, m for mail...but what if you have Adium and Address Book. One could be 'a' and the other could be 'ab' but are you telling us that you or anyone else could instantly remember dozens of these little shortcuts? Sure, you're the one that created the shortcuts so it should be easier but human memory is human memory, and the shortcut to an app you haven't accessed recently will probably be a tad difficult to remember.

I don't doubt that for someone that doesn't use a mouse, this app is a huge timesaver but don't tell people that use a mouse that the keyboard is faster. It's probably as fast to click a folder in the Dock (or, in Leopard, a Stack of apps) and choose the app you want to launch if your hands are always on the mouse than to hit cmd-spacebar, remembering the shortcut, and then typing the shortcut. I mean, if you've rehearsed the keyboard shortcuts enough time and if you've rehearsed the mouse movements...there's no reason why one would be faster than the other since they both require the same number of steps: cmd-spacebar is equivalent to clicking the folder/stack, remembering the shortcut is equivalent to looking for the app in the folder, keyboard shortcut for app is equivalent to clicking the app. Fast typist and fast 'mousists' should pretty much be equal...slight edge maybe to the typist since he doesn't have cursor displacement times to deal with. But is the second saved launching an app worth it? Perhaps to you...but I suspect that to everyone else it's not worth it.

Typing URLs into QS is nifty but if it's a webpage you access often, shouldn't it just be in a bookmark in your browser? I regularly bookmark tabs of related webpages and open them all in a single click. How many times do you type a URL just out of the blue without actually accessing it through a URL link or a bookmark? I personally can't think of a recent instance where I suddenly decided to type in a URL that wasn't in my bookmarks.

QS is a power-user's dream...I agree. It seems very customizable and looks like a nice productivity package. It's nice to see an app that optimizes a user's productivity so much. I still find Spotlight + folders in the Dock to be almost as efficient to launch and find apps and files.

[MrForgetable]

Originally Posted by cybergoober 

As for keeping everything in the Dock… I'm not particularly fond of the Dock. I don't dislike it, I'd just rather not deal with it. I keep nothing in it. My Dock represents only the apps that are running. That's just my preference.

Same here. I only keep iTunes and Quicksilver in the dock and launch with Quicksilver. I find I accidentally clicked Photoshop or Garageband too many times and it'd bring my old Powerbook to a crawl. I still do it on my MBP.

[MrForgetable]

Originally Posted by Horsepoo!!! 

Yeah...the big problem is devoting all that time and all that memory to creating and remembering the shortcuts.

Your examples seem clear for someone that uses a handful of apps: a for adium, m for mail...but what if you have Adium and Address Book. One could be 'a' and the other could be 'ab' but are you telling us that you or anyone else could instantly remember dozens of these little shortcuts? Sure, you're the one that created the shortcuts so it should be easier but human memory is human memory, and the shortcut to an app you haven't accessed recently will probably be a tad difficult to remember.

You don't really have to learn. The program learns for you.