Command Articles on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Mac 101: Going Commando with Command-key shortcuts in Mac OS X

by Sang Tang (Mar 6th, 2010)

One of the adjustments those new to the Mac need to make is to familiarize themselves with the Command key. Although I switch hit and use Windows at work and a Mac when I'm not working, I've always preferred it over Control. Its proximity next to the space bar allows me to use my thumb, as opposed ...

Mac 101: Navigating OS X with your keyboard

by Michael Jones (Feb 26th, 2010)

Let's face it: unless you're just casually surfing the Internet or playing a game, chances are pretty good that your hands are on the keyboard most of the time when you're at the computer. Sure, the mouse is only a few inches away, but wouldn't it just be easier if you didn't have to keep going back ...

MaComfort brings a little Mac back to your PC

by Mike Schramm (Feb 4th, 2010)

Let's face it -- as much as we love our Macs, sometimes you've got to use a PC, whether that be for work or at a friend's house, or just for playing some games. But when you absolutely must use Windows, maComfort can make the transition easier. It's a free Windows application (with some premium ...

Mac 101: Enter directory paths when in open/save dialogs

by Cory Bohon (Dec 30th, 2008)

Last week I told you about easily switching directories (folders) while in an open/save dialog. This was great when you knew where a folder was located in a specific place, and you could drag + drop it on the dialog. But what if you want to type in a directory path (i.e. ~/Desktop)? While in an ...

Terminal Tips: Add recent applications as a Stack on Dock

by Cory Bohon (Sep 16th, 2008)

Do you find yourself constantly using the Apple menu to find your recently opened applications? This simple Terminal hack will create a custom Stack on the Dock that will show your recently opened applications. Just open Terminal.app (/Applications/Utilities/) and type in the following command: ...

Mac 101: Using your Windows keyboard

by Robert Palmer (Sep 11th, 2008)

If you switch frequently between a Mac and a PC, chances are you have to deal with a Windows keyboard from time to time. Thankfully, this can be easy with third-party utilities, or even features already built in to Mac OS X. For most switchers, the hardest part about learning to use a new Mac is ...

Save the Open Apple key (or should we?)

by Mike Schramm (Aug 16th, 2007)

Thomas from the German site Rettet die sent us this English version of his petition to save the Open Apple key-- that little Apple icon on the Command key that's missing from the new Apple Keyboards. Already, he's received 1600 German comments in favor of keeping the Apple key, and he asked us to ...

Open Apple no more

by Scott McNulty (Aug 7th, 2007)

When we first wrote about the then rumored new Apple keyboard old time Mac users discounted it as a fake because of one little detail: no Open Apple on the Command key. That's the Apple logo that which, until today, appeared on the Command key. Sadly, it is true that the Apple logo has been ...

An AppleScript to enable Windows keyboards to control a Mac

by David Chartier (Oct 13th, 2006)

Someone by the name of UNIXGEEK posted an AppleScript a while ago at Mac Geekery that changes Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger's keyboard layout to play nicely with a Windows keyboard. To be specific: the Command and Option keys are switched on a Windows keyboard (as the Windows key and Alt, respectively), so ...

Terminal Tip: Keep your Mac portable from waking when the lid is opened

by Laurie A. Duncan (Oct 9th, 2006)

Although I'm a Mac Geek by trade, I tend to avoid the terminal unless I'm out of other options. I'm a GUI kind of girl. It's the Mac OS that I love, not its Unix underpinnings. I appreciate the power of the command line - I just don't want to spend all day there. Still, once in a while I come across ...

TUAW Tip: easily open a file or folder location

by David Chartier (Feb 6th, 2006)

Here's an easy tip for quickly opening the Finder location of a file you currently have open in almost any app. Let say, for example, that you're working in Photoshop on an image that's buried a few folders deep within your Home folder. You'd like to get to that file's location, but unless you've ...

Flickr Find: Command Tattoo

by Scott McNulty (Feb 4th, 2006)

I've seen some Mac tattoos in my day, but this might be the best. Flickr user boogah has a few pictures posted of his new tattoo, so check it out. [via Tom Bridge] ...

Immediately delete messages from Mail.app with a hotkey

by David Chartier (Jan 7th, 2006)

Sure, you can simply hit the delete key in Mail.app to send a message to the Trash, then empty the trash or go in and manually delete the message again to remove it for good. Or, you could use a simple, handy little tip that MacOSXHints tracked down to immediately and permanently delete any message ...