Comments on: Keeping Dock Clutter Down http://www.noodlesoft.com/blog/2007/04/23/keeping-dock-clutter-down/ On Mac OS X programming Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:38:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Uli Kusterer http://www.noodlesoft.com/blog/2007/04/23/keeping-dock-clutter-down/#comment-2585 Uli Kusterer Sun, 20 May 2007 13:21:48 +0000 http://www.noodlesoft.com/blog/2007/04/23/keeping-dock-clutter-down/#comment-2585 I leave Dashboard in the dock if there's a newbie using the computer. They usually don't remember which FKey does what (heck, I always mix up which Expose key does what). If someone came and took an item outta my dock, I'd kick them. That said, I usually put only the most significant apps in my dock, and put aliases to all others I commonly use in a folder that I put into the right side of the dock. Click and hold and you get a popup menu with all the files in that folder. Only apps on which I need to drop files stay in the dock, because sadly spring-loaded folders don't work with folders in the dock (filed a bug ages ago). Similarly, smart folders don't show the popup, which makes them pretty useless. I leave Dashboard in the dock if there’s a newbie using the computer. They usually don’t remember which FKey does what (heck, I always mix up which Expose key does what). If someone came and took an item outta my dock, I’d kick them.

That said, I usually put only the most significant apps in my dock, and put aliases to all others I commonly use in a folder that I put into the right side of the dock. Click and hold and you get a popup menu with all the files in that folder. Only apps on which I need to drop files stay in the dock, because sadly spring-loaded folders don’t work with folders in the dock (filed a bug ages ago). Similarly, smart folders don’t show the popup, which makes them pretty useless.

]]> By: Mr eel http://www.noodlesoft.com/blog/2007/04/23/keeping-dock-clutter-down/#comment-1757 Mr eel Fri, 27 Apr 2007 08:26:58 +0000 http://www.noodlesoft.com/blog/2007/04/23/keeping-dock-clutter-down/#comment-1757 I use exactly the same metric for judging if I should leave something in the dock. The only exception is anything that might be distracting, say Mail or Netnewswire. I only open them if I need to check them and I leave them out of the dock to reduce the temptation. Probably the best thing I've ever done with the dock is hiding it though. Once you get used to it. The extra screen space is nice. I use exactly the same metric for judging if I should leave something in the dock.

The only exception is anything that might be distracting, say Mail or Netnewswire. I only open them if I need to check them and I leave them out of the dock to reduce the temptation.

Probably the best thing I’ve ever done with the dock is hiding it though. Once you get used to it. The extra screen space is nice.

]]> By: Mac J http://www.noodlesoft.com/blog/2007/04/23/keeping-dock-clutter-down/#comment-1628 Mac J Tue, 24 Apr 2007 05:22:05 +0000 http://www.noodlesoft.com/blog/2007/04/23/keeping-dock-clutter-down/#comment-1628 I'm always stunned by people who keep the dashboard icon in their dock. I always ditch it immediately, and, in a horrible breach of using-other-people's-computers ethics, tend to eliminate it whenever I encounter it, with or without permission, insisting they'll be happier that way. I'm a little bit of a personal interface preference fascist. I’m always stunned by people who keep the dashboard icon in their dock. I always ditch it immediately, and, in a horrible breach of using-other-people’s-computers ethics, tend to eliminate it whenever I encounter it, with or without permission, insisting they’ll be happier that way. I’m a little bit of a personal interface preference fascist.

]]> By: Jon H http://www.noodlesoft.com/blog/2007/04/23/keeping-dock-clutter-down/#comment-1623 Jon H Tue, 24 Apr 2007 03:58:07 +0000 http://www.noodlesoft.com/blog/2007/04/23/keeping-dock-clutter-down/#comment-1623 I get annoyed by the uselessness of the System Preferences icon, compared to the equivalent in NeXTSTEP. In NeXTSTEP, the running app's Dock icon showed the time and date. That's some prime realestate that could be used for reporting information, rather than sticking everything up on the easily-crowded menubar. I get annoyed by the uselessness of the System Preferences icon, compared to the equivalent in NeXTSTEP. In NeXTSTEP, the running app’s Dock icon showed the time and date.

That’s some prime realestate that could be used for reporting information, rather than sticking everything up on the easily-crowded menubar.

]]>