LaunchBar 4
Over the past month or so, I've been hearing a lot about this app called QuickSilver, and how it's much better than LaunchBar.
For those unfamiliar with the two, LaunchBar is possibly the best $20 I've ever spent on computer stuff. Most of the software I use these days is either built-in to Mac OS X or free, so except for a couple of games and a few must-haves (eg. Quicken, PhotoShop), I don't buy a lot of software. I do, however, buy small utilities that add a lot of value for a good price. NetNewsWire, for example, is a cool app, but it's not $40 cool. At $20, it'd be a no-brainer. At $40, never mind. LaunchBar is beyond no-brainer; I have to have it. At $20, it would be simply criminal for me not to have it.
I should tell you why. It's actually hard to describe, and, in fact, my friend Max tried to sell me on it three times before I reallized how insanely cool it is. The basic idea is that you enter a hot key (default is command-space) to activate it, then you enter a few characters, and a list of files, applications, contacts, bookmarks, etc. on your system with those letter in it shows up. You select the one you want and it launches that app, or create an email to that contact, or opens that document, etc. No hunting around in Finder. Not having to remember where it is. No leaving the keyboard for the mouse. I even use it to switch between open documents; not figuring out where that window went.
Payam offers his own explanation.
Anyway, there's a new kid on the block, QuickSilver, which does a lot of what LaunchBar does, plus a bunch of extras. And so I've been hearing about how everyone is jumping ship from LaunchBar to QuickSilver. I, however, kept the faith, because I'm too hooked on LaunchBar to toss it just like that. And now I've been vindicated.
Launchbar 4 Beta 1 is out, and it's pretty damned sweet. I can search web sites from within the bar. I can run Unix commands and specify arguments from within the bar. The configuration panel is simpler, though you lose the LaunchBar 3 config. QuickSilver has no configuration, which is in some ways a win for simplicity, but it sucks when you want control over what gets indexed. And I want control. LaunchBar rocks.
Comments
Still trying out both Quicksilver and Launchbar, but yes, both make a huge difference. As for NetNewsWire; the Lite version is free. And now there's Shrook, which has some cool features.
Posted by: Tony T. | March 31, 2004 03:25 PM
Quicksilver does have control over indexing. It calls its config the "Catalog", and you can view/edit it by typing cmd-;
That said, the new launchbar does look cool.
Posted by: Michael McCracken | March 31, 2004 04:39 PM
i'm a huge registered user of launchbar from the early beginning but i've got to admit that QuickSilver is much much better...
QS indexing is smarter and faster, there's a lot of power users features...and much more to come...
i'm sad but i switched to QS
Posted by: hangon | April 9, 2004 03:41 AM
Just a stranger looking for weird program names like ShoveIt, but I have to add something... LaunchBar hates double processor Macs. My husband has had trouble with it on his G4 MP 450 ever since version 2, and later version completely effed up his system authentication. He couldn't do anything as root, couldn't enter his password, nada. He tossed it after having paid for two licenses and switched to Quicksilver - no problems since. I did the same and I like Quicksilver better both graphically and functionally, so I've kept it. LaunchBar was first and I've found its kind completely indispensible, but LB is unlikely to stick around for much longer unless it gets as cool as its competition, annoying MP bugs aside.
Posted by: Jessica Hanmeier | May 27, 2004 11:12 AM