This article from Lifehacker is the first in a series looking at Quicksilver (OS 10.3 and up only), how to configure it and utilize it. This might prove interesting reading for mouser with respect to FARR development (actually, I'm making the assumption that you don't have access to a Mac, mouser - I probably shouldn't do that!). Anyway, most people that have used Quicksilver seem to agree that it is the gold standard in its category and I, sadly, have never seen it action. I'll be reading this series with interest (and lust in my heart?! - bring on the Windows clones!)...
PS I note that "ninetailedfox" in the comments section gives a nod to FARR when discussing analogues to this on the windows platform. Note though, that he concludes that both FARR and SlickRun
fall far short of what can be done with Quicksilver.