Author Topic: How do you launch stuff? (Read 149,202 times)

Darwin · « **Reply #100 on:** October 04, 2007, 02:00 PM »

What I love about Dash is how resource light it is. Having said that, DirectAccess and FARR are much better at playing nice with other keyboard-centric programmes (Dash mangles a few features of SpellCatcher Plus. Fortunately, these are features that I don't use so I've simply disabled them). I actually have found that I am so conflicted now WRT which of the three* I like best that I'm not using anything at the moment!

*Being a software junkie sucks...

tinjaw · « **Reply #101 on:** October 04, 2007, 02:13 PM »

Quote from: Darwin on October 04, 2007, 02:00 PM

*Being a software junkie sucks...

We should start Crackware. The first hit is always free. You can run the software once, for free, then you must pay.

Darwin · « **Reply #102 on:** November 01, 2008, 03:11 PM »

Now that I have a new notebook running Vista Sp-1, I've gone nuts with my XP Pro machine. I'm indulging my software addiction on it and have LOTS of stuff installed (whereas the Vista machine stays lean so I can work with it). Thus, I have numerous file managers installed, numerous office suites, numerous... you get the picture. So... in addition, I have FARR, DirectAccess 2 beta, Dash Command, ActiveWords, and Humanised Enso installed and alternate between them. I also have QuickSilver installed on a Mac running Tiger and am very impressed by it, as well...

At the moment I am playing with Humanised Enso and am pretty impressed by it. Holding down the CAPS key isn't nearly as "bad" as I thought it would be, now that I've given it a chance and read the rationale behind it. Discovering that you can just select text, hold down the caps key and type "upp" and have Enso covert it to upper case removes my objection about occasionally needing the CAPS function.

nite_monkey · « **Reply #103 on:** November 02, 2008, 12:46 AM »

The way I launch apps is I have a folder on my d drive that I put a shortcut to my programs that I want to launch, and I name the shortcut ~appname. I then have that shortcut folder added to the path environment variables so that I can just hit win + r and type ~appname into the run dialog and my program opens

nontroppo · « **Reply #104 on:** November 02, 2008, 02:04 PM »

Darwin: agreed that the pseudo-modal mode of Enso is more useable than many people criticize it for. But I still find Enso frustratingly limited to use. I want to like it, and love the principles, but it is so broken in so many ways. They have an alpha next-generation build which is much nicer, but its really just an ugly hack, and now they're working for Mozilla, Enso has basically died...

Darwin · « **Reply #105 on:** November 02, 2008, 02:59 PM »

Quote from: nontroppo on November 02, 2008, 02:04 PM

now they're working for Mozilla, Enso has basically died...

That's too bad! I haven't really played with it much as under XP I've been re-acquainting myself with FARR - it's a happy reunion! I'll give it some time over the coming days.

nontroppo · « **Reply #106 on:** November 02, 2008, 08:19 PM »

Yes, the plugin system and plugins of the latest FARR are utterly fantastic, I'm really amazed and impressed

You should try ubiquity too seeing you are overdosing on launchers at the moment

Darwin · « **Reply #107 on:** November 02, 2008, 10:19 PM »

ubiquity... haven't heard of that one - will have to take a look. Thanks for the pointer (I think

)

Darwin · « **Reply #108 on:** November 02, 2008, 10:30 PM »

Ah... hadn't realised that Enso is being replaced by Ubiquity... Downloading as I write this. Gotta love lazy Sunday afternoons

sri · « **Reply #109 on:** November 17, 2009, 07:01 PM »

I am currently using the combination of following:

FARR - Alt+Space is set to show pre-defined folders and URLs. I also use this to launch infrequently accessed items like volume control, control panel etc.

[attachthumb=#1]

LaunchOnFly [using the last free version] - for launching pre-defined folders and URLs (via mouse)

[attachthumb=#3]

The above menu is set to pop up when the mouse is taken to left bottom corner.

PowerPro - for launching programs and files.

[attachthumb=#2]

The above bar is set to auto hide and pops up when I mouse over at the top edge.

rgdot · « **Reply #110 on:** November 17, 2009, 07:12 PM »

I am a big fan of powerpro along with skwire's Icon Menu Launcher

app103 · « **Reply #111 on:** November 17, 2009, 07:24 PM »

At startup I use my own Lacuna Launcher instead of a bunch of stuff in my startup folder.

Then for everything else I use a combination of the biggest and scariest taskbar on the planet and mouser's LaunchBar Commander...but mostly the taskbar.

(I hate the start menu!)

I would probably use farr if it were smack in my face where I wouldn't forget I have it...like a deskbar. But mouser says he won't do that.

Zero3K · « **Reply #112 on:** November 17, 2009, 07:26 PM »

I use Tray Launcher (http://sites.google.com/site/chaosplaceorg/tools/traylauncher).

Tuxman · « **Reply #113 on:** November 18, 2009, 03:20 PM »

All these launchers ...

I have different ways to start applications. A few basic ones are in my Autoruns anyway, Thunderbird and Firefox are launched via the Quickstart bar (another reason why 7 sucks, it doesn't even have one), Vim, SFK and FAR are launched from Console² (which resides on Ctrl-Alt-Space), eMule and Gamers.IRC are usually started from Win+R and the left ones are somewhere in my start menu as I rarely need them...

No, I don't have an actual concept for this. I just got used to work this way.

Innuendo · « **Reply #114 on:** November 18, 2009, 03:31 PM »

Quote from: Tuxman on November 18, 2009, 03:20 PM

Thunderbird and Firefox are launched via the Quickstart bar (another reason why 7 sucks, it doesn't even have one),

Doesn't pinning items to the taskbar replicate the Quick Launch bar? If that doesn't do it for you, however, True Launch Bar will give you a Quick Launch bar on steroids.

Tuxman · « **Reply #115 on:** November 18, 2009, 03:33 PM »

Maybe you can replicate it, but what is the deeper sense of all that new stuff if you just want to emulate the old stuff with it?
(No, I'll stick with XP and Vista for now ...)

True Launch Bar ... yay, payware. But thanks.

Darwin · « **Reply #116 on:** November 18, 2009, 05:17 PM »

The Search bar in Windows 7 Start Menu is a great app and file launcher - it's all I use now...

Tuxman · « **Reply #117 on:** November 18, 2009, 05:28 PM »

I prefer the classic start menu.

Darwin · « **Reply #118 on:** November 18, 2009, 05:42 PM »

The Vista/Win7 Start Menus take some getting used to, but I persevered and can't stand the Classic Menu now... and I spent my first year or so with XP in your shoes - running the Classic Menu because I didn't like the changes wrought in XP. Can't go back now.

However, to each his or her own! If your way "works" for you, great

Tuxman · « **Reply #119 on:** November 18, 2009, 06:32 PM »

I've been using that since Win '95. And I'm starting to become an old guy.

Innuendo · « **Reply #120 on:** November 18, 2009, 08:27 PM »

Quote from: Tuxman on November 18, 2009, 03:33 PM

True Launch Bar ... yay, payware. But thanks.

I don't think it's been updated yet for Windows 7 compatibility, but the same guy has a free version called Free Launch Bar that even with the missing features will still do what you are wanting.

Tuxman · « **Reply #121 on:** November 18, 2009, 08:32 PM »

URL?

Darwin · « **Reply #122 on:** November 18, 2009, 09:14 PM »

A version of True Launch Bar that is compatible with Windows 7 is in beta here: http://www.truelaunchbar.com/beta/

Free Launch Bar is here: http://www.freelaunchbar.com/

Also, I found that the latest full release (4.4) worked just fine under Windows 7 as well

Tuxman · « **Reply #123 on:** November 18, 2009, 09:29 PM »

OK, I will see if it does anything I might find useful ...

sajman99 · « **Reply #124 on:** November 18, 2009, 09:58 PM »

I've been using RUNit 2.1b for as long as I can remember to launch programs and frequently used folders. RUNit was apparently discovered recently at freewaregenius, but it's been around for many years. I like that it's simple, portable, and uses very little memory. BTW RUNit looks considerably better than that cruddy pic on the main page would suggest--it must be an old pic from Win9x days.

http://www.magister-lex.at/RUNit
http://www.freewaregenius.com/2009/11/12/runit-a-nice-quick-access-launcher-that-you-will-like/