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June 02, 2005
Getting the best out of a PowerBook
We know that you, dear reader, will understand why Bleeding Edge had to buy a 15-inch Mac PowerBook, even if the local Institution of Marriage required a technology transfer - she got the Portege - before applying the "Grudging Approval" stamp.
It wasn't gross extravagance, really. It was the call of duty. How could we justify the very name of this column if we didn't have a device that was capable of running Tiger at a decent clip? We'd cease to be an ubergeek and be relegated, instead, to the category of mere user. Perish the thought. So we had to cast all caution and several thousand dollars to the wind, and invest.
Have you noticed, by any chance, how much work is involved in breaking in a new operating system? In addition to being flat broke, we are physicallly exhausted. Emotionally drained. In need of a holiday.
It wasn't just the effort of setting up email accounts, transferring contacts and calendar details, documents and databases, etc, plus the iTunes library of course.
We had to reconsider our modus operandi. Although we're still using Windows XP too, the fact that we're spending increasing amounts of time on the Mac required a whole new way of looking at things.
And some things we didn’t want to leave behind. One thing about the Windows interface that we prefer is the quick Alt-Tab task switching key combination. OS X has a similar function, but it switches you between applications, rather than cycling through your open windows. [And we've subsequently discovered that Command-~ cycles you through windows in an open application.]
But we wanted a more consistent replacement, and eventually came up with something called Witch.
We also started experimenting with Quicksilver which is a fascinating launcher cum keyboard navigation system. In fact it’s hard to describe precisely what Quicksilver is, completely. Initially it creates a catalog of applications and some frequently used folders and documents, which you can search. Once you locate what you’re looking for, you can perform various operations on it, including, of course, launching it.
We think we’re going to like Quicksilver, but it takes quite a bit of getting used to, however, so have a look at the tutorial.
With most of Bleeding Edge's work on Windows PCs, we'd grown used to using InfoSelect, our favourite flatfile database to record interviews and contacts and practically everything else that we need to remember.
We weren’t interested in running it under emulation with Virtual PC. That would be far too much messing about. We had to find a replacement for that, and Spotlight, one of the elements of the new Tiger version of OS X, provided an answer. It meant exporting the contents of the database as individual files, which Spotlight could index and quickly search.
As for keeping track of things, we decided that VoodooPad looked pretty interesting.
But that wasn't the end of it. We were in the mood to examine everything we did. We wanted to see if the Mac could improve our productivity.
Some of the things we investigated work equally well on a PC , as it happens. Backpack, for instance, is a Web-based intelligent planner and organiser – half wiki, half blog - that allows you to manage to do lists, dated text notes, images and files, with features like checkboxes, links and email reminders.
In the US and Canada you can get it to send SMS reminders, but we haven’t been able to get that working in Australia.
You start with a blank page, then use Backpack’s simple but effective interface to build the elements as you need them. We’ve been using it as a personal planning tool, but there’s a more serious version for business called Basecamp.
There’s some quite brilliant features in this program. Everything you create has an email address, for instance so you can post something by sending an email to the page.
What makes it a perfect family planning tool is the fact that you can share your projects.
It will email you reminders and RSS you if anyone makes any changes to your collaborative projects. If you’re using an iCalendar application, it will synchronise with the iCal calendar. And someone has already come up with an AppleScript that uses Growl to prompt you with a pop-up when you receive an email reminder from Backpack.
Posted by cw at June 2, 2005 08:13 AM
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Comments
Re: Ctrl-tab not being able to switch between open windows - why would you look for anything else but the native Expose??? Move your mouse to a corner (set it up in system preference) and watch all the open windows shown at once - and choose whichever open window you want. Windows can't do this in a million years.
Posted by: Chris Ho at June 2, 2005 11:40 AM
Charles,
Your alt-tab switching blues will soon be gone when you discover expose. Activate it with a hot corner (mine is top left) and tada, all you could ever ask for and more.
(NB. it will take some time to get used to it, but you will ultimately grow to love it and realise how you ever lived without it!)
Cheers,
Alister
Posted by: Alister at June 2, 2005 12:01 PM
Your enthusiasm for Backpack as a 'family planning tool' startled me with thoughts of software bondage -- or worse. But it seems the Vatican will bless this family-friendly program.
Posted by: DaveH at June 2, 2005 02:36 PM
:-)
Posted by: cw at June 2, 2005 02:44 PM
I'll third the assertions that Expose is supreme for application switching. F9, F10 and F11 are soon to become your best friends.
Posted by: Watermelon Boy at June 2, 2005 05:01 PM
I have been trying TopDesk by Otaku Software on my windows machine at work.
(http://www.otakusoftware.com)
It has a ***lot*** more quirks, and isn't as nice, isn't as smooth, but still does roughly the same thing for windows as expose does for mac osx.
It costs money though, whereas expose is built into OSX (just like all the other good features mac users get but windows users have to buy!)
Posted by: Alister at June 2, 2005 05:04 PM
Charles,
I agree with prev. comments - expose is a great tool.
Expose can also be activated by the F9 key (default). F10 will give you thumbnails of all the open windows in the current application only. Shift + F9 will give you the slow motion effect -no real use but's it's fun to watch!
Also, as you've alluded to, holding, or repeatedly pressing Cmd+tab will cycle through applications, but if you press once quickly, you will be toggled between the active windows of the 2 most recently used apps - and this is often all you really need to do.
Look forward to hearing more of your discoveries and comments.
Posted by: David Durance at June 2, 2005 05:10 PM
Chris
What do you use to record your interviews: min cassette, MP3 player, ipod with recorder attachment, minidisk?
RC
Posted by: Richard Castle at June 2, 2005 05:19 PM
Charles,
Re your search for a Mac replacement for InfoSelect:
while VoodooPad looks interesting, so to does
- DevonThink from Devon Technologies (www.devon-technologies.com/index.php)
- Circus Ponies Notebook (www.circusponies.com/safari.aspx)
DevonThink (& its stablemates Devon Agent and Devon Notes) looks especially interesting and powerful. And much cheaper than InfoSelect!
I'd be interested in hearing your comments c.f. InfoSelect after you've had a look...
Posted by: Bruce Board at June 2, 2005 05:52 PM
I don't know about Chris, but Charles uses a Sony DATMan when he's travelling, largely because it's so fast at searching, and very good quality.
I've also used a MiniDisc, but it's harder to search.
At the desk, I've got a THAT2 which gives high quality audio from a variety of inputs that I can divert to either the DAT recorder or to hard drive. I've got a piece of software called Transcription Buddy, which is a version of Total Recorder of I need to transcribe anything, and that hooks up to a pedal control from Vpedal, which was designed in Melbourne.
Posted by: cw at June 2, 2005 06:18 PM
Charles,
You're absolutely right about Alt-Tab.
Cmd-Tab is different, and Expose is very useful in its own right, but neither do what Alt-tab does.
When you're working on, e.g., two spreadsheets in different workbooks and need to swap back & forwards between the two, Alt-Tab is what you want. Expose is a slowww way of doing this.
So thanks for the tip about Witch. Already using it!
Posted by: Bruce Board at June 3, 2005 07:52 AM
was the switch to mac powerbook worth the expense & effort. am considering powerbook 15', while retaining pc desktop. I guess these days, its all compatible, networkable, etc, etc.
Posted by: Claire at June 3, 2005 09:14 AM
command-` switches between windows of the current application. not quite alt-tab, but still...
Posted by: Q at June 5, 2005 05:43 PM
Yes... I too love exposé. This works superbly with my MX900 mouse too (or any multi-button mouse for that matter.)
The best part of exposé is that you can make it so that it reveals all the windows, or just the windows in the application currently at the "front." Or, you can make windows of every application minimise so you can see them all at once, or thirdly you move every window out of the way to access the desktop un-hindered.
System Preferences -> exposé is what you want. :)
Also, if you are yet to discover Appletalk, I suggest you check it out. It is the foremost Apple discussion and support site in Australia: http://www.appletalk.com.au
Cheers!
~Ozi
PS as a powerbook owner, you will love it.
Posted by: Ozi at June 5, 2005 07:36 PM
I'm another on the verge of making the 'switch' so very interested in your experience Charles. Also an Infoselect user (thanks to you).
One question for the Apple people: how long will it be before powerbooks ship with Tiger? I'm not in a huge hurry and seems silly to get an out of date OS from the start.
Posted by: David Brewster at June 7, 2005 06:32 PM
They ship with Tiger now. Mine came with it, fortunately. If you're an Info Select user, you might be interested in Sticky Brain.
Posted by: cw at June 7, 2005 07:09 PM
I want to purchase a laptop compatible with the PC network desktop. Would the 'addition' of the powerbook 15' be worth the quantim shift required, given Charles' article? Purpose: remote access, gradual move over to the mac, its creative software capabilities & internet capabilities...or do I buy a PC laptop?
Posted by: Claire at June 10, 2005 09:16 AM