QuickSilver | Mac Launch Utility
I was trying to decide which application I would cover next and decided I would take a look at one called QuickSilver. QuickSilver is an a keyboard short cut launcher for anything from applications, folders, even bookmarks. I’ve heard great things about this app and how people cant live without it. I looked into it a while back and wasnt really interested, but I decided I’d give it a shot and see what the big fuss was about.
After having Quicksilver installed on my Mac for the past 3 - 4 days, I have to stick with my original sentiments of “big deal”. I think I used it maybe 3 or 4 times, but I just didn’t like it for some reason. The way it works is you assign a keyboard combination which initiates QuickSilver. Once you bring it up, you can then begin typing the name of the file you wish to open/launch. I will admit that it is super fast at finding anything you can throw at it and its very simple to use. The one thing I did really like about it was the ability to function with my FTP client so that I could quickly choose which account I would like to login to since I have quite a few different sites. I didn’t think posting a Quicksilver Screenshot would do the application justice, so here is a quick video of it in action (no this isn’t me in the video).
All in all, this is a pretty good application for launching various items in OS X, but I just assume stick with a combination of TigerLaunch and the Dock; its definetly worth checking out though to see if you like it as many others do.
Download QuickSilver Launcher
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Thanks for a great post! I’ve been wondering what I was missing wiht Quicksilver. I checked it out briefly about a month ago, but couldn’t get excited about it either. But everytime I hear someone mention it and how much they love it, I wonder what I’m missing.
It’s refreshing to finally see someone write about something they don’t find cool. I can now rest comfortably knowing that I’m not missing out.
Oban,
Im glad you agree. I hear how great Quicksilver is all the time, and it’s just not for me. I do encourage people to at least try it out though; it looks great and is simple to use. You never know you might really like it.
To over simplify Quicksilver by labeling it an application launcher is, in my mind, comparable to labeling your favorite automobile an “mp3 player.” Howard Melman has compiled an excellent Quicksilver User’s Guide in PDF format for the latest version of Quicksilver, β51. It can be downloaded here: http://mysite.verizon.net/hmelman/Quicksilver.pdf
I agree, if all one uses Quicksilver for is an application launcher, then ho-hum would be correct. If one, on the other hand, were willing to dig just a bit deeper - Whoa, I didn’t know I could do this with Quicksilver, would be the expected and appropriate reaction, in my opinion of course - your mileage may vary. So dig, grasshopper, dig :).