Virgin Install: Quicksilver

"Spotlight doesn't suck. Its not an app launcher. " Yeah man, you are right. The point is that it's neither a app launcher, nor a search tool! It NEVER finds my documents, even if I type the full exact name. PLEASE Apple, give us back Panther's search tool!

"When I first installed it I had no idea what to do with it, and I thought the hype was unearned." I felt exactly this way until I visisted the links mentioned by Kesey. Thanks for the info!

I blogged about this a while ago and put together a collection of links and How-To's to help you get through the learning curve: http://www.nodrm.com/?p=120

The beauty of Quicksilver is the ability it gives you to access folders deep in your file system in seconds and open the exact application you want regardless of its location. Example: I use my Podcast download application once a week to get a few podcasts that I listen to. Since I only use it once a week, I don't keep it in my Dock. Using Quicksilver, I hit control-space, type three letters of the app's name and hit enter. Poof, the app opens. I didn't have to go into Macintosh HD > Applications and scroll down to the correct icon and double click. It works the same way with documents in your documents folder and other locations you select to include in the search. I know it may seem like a small gripe to have to double-click on a few folders to do the same thing. I felt the same way before I used it. But it is just so fast and you can get to things so quickly and easily, it becomes truly indispensible after only a few uses. Especially if you use a lot of programs or open a number of documents over the course of a day. It has an elegant look and just sits in the background until you need it. I don't like to have a cluttered dock, so I have my most frequently used apps in the dock and the rest I can get to easily with Quicksilver.

Spotlight doesn't suck. Its not an app launcher. I've played around with both and I defintely prefer Butler to Quicksilver, but I have a feeling that its whichever one you were using first.

Am I so blind I can't find the damn link? On none of these Virgin Install posts do I anywhere find a link to the actual article, why?!

I've been a consistant mac user for 2 months now and I'm still learning a few things. The appeal of quickstilver is one thing that I haven't learned. What about a post that is a quick guide to using it effectively.

Finally! This should have been the FIRST thing you installed. Spotlight sucks.