PopChar X 3.0

This seems to be the latest in a series of posts on different sites broadly implying that it is so difficult to type “special” characters that you need a separate application to do it. I’ve been touch-typing such characters for 20 years. Really, it’s rather simple.

I use pickChar.
It's practically the same and a lot cheaper.
http://www.shawnware.de/pickchara.html

Have some of you even tried PopChar?

Yes, the built-in Input Menu menubar item gives similar functionality. However, it takes up space in the coveted menubar item real estate. PopChar does not; it uses the unused space left of the Apple Menu.

Also, PopChar is infinitely more customizable and offers far more features than the built-in Input Menu menulet.

And I don't think $30 is so much money--not for something that dramatically increases my productivity during a project.

this is built into OSX:

1) go to Preferences>International
2) go to "Input Menu" tab
3) turn on "Character Palette" (checkbox at top of scrolling list of options)
4) check of "Show Input Menu in menu bar" (Checkbox on bottom of page)

NOTE: you now have a butt ugly US flag in the upper right of your menu-bar

5) go to ugly flag and select "Show Character Palette"

RESULT: you can now select any character you want easily.

ALSO NOTE: if you also turn on the "Keyboard Viewer" from International Preferences, then you get the old-school, preOSX keyboard that shows you what each key is when you press option, command, etc. So you can actually LEARN that the degree symbol ° is shift-option-8 while copyright © is option-g for some reason.

Or, if you would like to save $30, you can simply enable "Character Palette" under the input menu section of your International system prefs. This places a little flag in the menu bar, top right. Anytime you need a character map, you can click on the flag and select "Show Character Palette."

I'm not sure why anyone would pay $30 for something that is free in the OS. PopChar may be a bit prettier to look at, but not $30 prettier.

I just press option+u to make an umlaut and option+g to make a copyright symbol. If I ever need an option+key shortcut, I just use the OS X keyboard map viewer or look here: http://applepedia.com/Apple_keyboard

I remember this utility from the days of OS 9. I'm glad to see it's still around, but the price seems WAY too high, even for such a useful utility.

i tried quicksilver but to be honest im not really much more productive with it, so i reverted back to a combination of i-mote and spotlight (and knowledge of keyboard shortcuts) - i-mote is much quicker for itunes use.