[bhh1988]

I recently received a Macbook, I have them set on "Snap to Grid" for my desktop, folders, etc. But if I want to move one folder between two other folders, it won't allow me. On Windows for example, if you move your "My Music" folder between "My Computer" and "My Documents", then everything below "My Documents" shifts down one grid to make room for "My Music." On my Mac, I gotta tediously move every icon individually down one level to open a grid up for the folder I want to rearrange. Is there any freeware out there that allows Macs to shift icons around as easily as Windows does? Thanks.

[red rocket]

If you ask me, icon view wasn't designed for operations like that.

The desktop is intended as a temporary shelf.

The sidebar provides the easy links to your main folders.

List views in the Finder give you ordered lists if you need them.

Column view allows for efficient file management.

Icon view is for previewing lots of images.

In ten years of using Macs, I've never felt the need to move folders around like that.

[C.A.T.S. CEO]

You could also use the dock, it the Windows equivalent of shortcuts on the desktop. It will look a lot prettier in Leopard too with stacks.

[EndlessMac]

Originally Posted by C.A.T.S. CEO 

You could also use the dock, it the Windows equivalent of shortcuts on the desktop.

Yes that's that way I do it too. I have only three shortcuts on the desktop on my Mac compared to the screen filled amount when I was using a PC. I actually only have those shortcuts on the desktop because it was habit from my PC days because I really don't need them there.

Bhh1988 it comes down to two different philosophies about how to organize your shortcuts. Windows requires you to place shortcuts on the desktop if you don't want to always go through your startup menu. Macs on the other hand allows you to place shortcuts on the dock which is different than the toolbar in Windows. Windows has a very small section to place programs on the toolbar for quick launches but relies mostly on users placing shortcuts on the desktop. On Windows the toolbar is more to show you what programs are open and for easy selection between them.

Mac's dock is the same but it is also the place you should put your shortcuts. You can put as many as you want down there. You can even drag folder shortcuts to the right side of the dock and right click them to see all the contents inside. I like putting my applications folder there so that I can get quick access to programs I don't use as often so I don't place them in the dock. It's basically a quicker version of Window's start menu because you can drag the exact folder you want down there so that you don't have to go through many sub-menus/folders like Window's start menu.

Macs allows you to also place shortcuts on the desktop but it seems to be more to appease PC users because that's what they are familiar with. As you can tell Apple didn't put as much thought into it as their dock. I prefer Macs way better because I hated all the clutter I had on my PC desktop. I can actually see my background image now! I can also easily rearrange items in the dock too just by dragging them. You drag items to the dock to make shortcuts. Try it out for awhile and see which way you prefer.

[Big Mac]

Originally Posted by bhh1988 

I recently received a Macbook, I have them set on "Snap to Grid" for my desktop, folders, etc. But if I want to move one folder between two other folders, it won't allow me. On Windows for example, if you move your "My Music" folder between "My Computer" and "My Documents", then everything below "My Documents" shifts down one grid to make room for "My Music." On my Mac, I gotta tediously move every icon individually down one level to open a grid up for the folder I want to rearrange. Is there any freeware out there that allows Macs to shift icons around as easily as Windows does? Thanks.

That's not really the way Mac icon view works, but have you tried selecting "Keep arranged by" in the View Options window?

[bhh1988]

@Big Mac: I have tried "keep arranged by" but that doesn't seem to fix the problem.

@Endless Mac: Thanks for the great advice. I was not fully aware of the extent of difference in the way Mac users arrange their icons vs. Windows users. I guess that really was just the Windows in me being flustered. I will try to use the dock more instead of the desktop and see how it goes. I see what you mean now, and especially with being able to see the desktop background! Thanks again!

[Brass]

Originally Posted by bhh1988 

I see what you mean now, and especially with being able to see the desktop background! Thanks again!

For me the main advantage of not using the desktop for shortcut icons is that they don't get obscured by other windows... ever! If you keep such things on the desktop (either Mac or Windows) then there will be times when they get obscured by a window or two, and you've got no direct access to them without either moving, hiding, minimising the window, or using expose, or "show desktop" or some other intermediate step.

[P]

I tend to keep documents and folders on the desktop and applications in the Dock. That way I can drag a file from the desktop onto an application icon to force it to open in the right app. I have way too much on the desktop for it all to fit in the Dock.

I have Exposé set to hide all windows with the mouse pointer in the lower left corner. I point there, pick up my file, drag it back to that corner to undo the Exposé action and I can drop it on any open window - or just doubleclick. Might sound like it's hard, but it works well in practice. It can also be combined with any other Exposé action to drop onto any other open window.

OP: The automatic "poltergeist" feature that you describe is indeed not available. Icon view is intended to work with muscle memory - everything should be where you dropped it - and that feature would run contrary to all that. In practice, you don't spend all that much time rearranging your desktop, do you?