How often do you use Launchpad?

As the title says. I'm curious how often people use this feature in OSX Lion to launch programs.

 

I don't really like 10.7, it's too slow.

I only use launchpad when I'm too lazy to go trough the dock or just for fun

 

haha thanks for reminding me to use it.

I think Lion is better optimized for an SSD, as I get very fast boot up times similar to Windows 7, though Lion is more susceptible to freezes than Win 7 (very stable).

 

I just use launch control, the gesture got into me pretty quickly and I never liked the dock, since it steals some of the few precious pixels that I have on the mbp 13.

 

You can always "hide" the dock when you are not using it !

 

And putting it on the side of the screen instead of the bottom helps maximize vertical pixels. In both OSX and Win 7, I put the dock/taskbar on the right side of the screen (personally, I use "no hide").

 

Call me old fashioned but I still primarily use the dock. Then, if I don't have a shortcut to the program I am looking for, I use a four finger pinch to pull up the Launchpad. After that I will normally add a shortcut for the program in the dock or I will forget about it if I run the program ~1 time a month. I like to have all my heavily accessed programs in the dock though.

I did the same thing when Win 7 came out. I deleted all of the program shortcuts on my desktop and added them to the task bar instead kind of simulating the OS X dock experience (though not nearly as flashy). There's just something convenient about having access to programs in a dock like that. It makes launching new programs really easy and I only have to move my mouse instead of doing a gesture (though that is really easy to pull off) or going through the Finder.

 

only dock... launchpad is useless IMO.

 

Launchpad is great. I keep my dock completely empty, it only shows what is currently running... and I have it on autohide so I don't see it that much.

 

My frequently used apps and folders are on the Dock.
Launchpad is too cluttered, and the gesture doesn't go well on me either. So I never use it.

Actually, for me the fastest way to open anything on a Mac is still CMD+Space

 

I used Launchpad more when I first got my MBP, but in the last 4-5 months I've maybe used 5 times. I keep frequently accessed items in the dock or use CMD+Space to launch programs.

 

The gesture to open launchpad is awkward. The other way to go trough is to launch it from the dock, but I haven't have had the need for opening that many programs to use the launchpad layout. Dock + desktop does it for me right now.

 

Mines not cluttered at all, I took about an hour to organize it. Main used apps are on the front page, and sub used are in folders on the front page... I don't use more than 1 page mainly because of using folders. Extra junk and things that are auto added until I organize them are thrown on the second page.

CMD+Space and typing is faster? really? I always found that extremely slow.

surprised to see so many people launch apps from Spotlight.

 

I once started organizing it but quickly gave up, I don't find it a very user-friendly experience using a mouse or trackpad (as opposed to a touchscreen, which is perfect for this). Also, every-time I install an app or create an alias, it shows up in Launchpad, which means extra organizing, and apps showing up double in the Launchpad.

I can type extremely fast, much faster than you I'm sure (jk )

Anyway, if i start typing about the first 2-3 letters of what I'm looking for, it's there in the results. I'd have to time it to be 100% scientifically correct, but it feels faster to open Spotlight with the keyboard shortcut and start typing some letters than to go through the Applications folder, which I have in the Dock.

I also use Spotlight all the time for opening documents, images, movies,... as it's faster then going through the Finder tree.

 

I also use this method, precisely.

CMD+space+(first few characters, often just one)+enter

For me, it's much faster than the launchpad or the dock or any other method that requires pointing with the trackpad, just because typing is extremely fast.

 

Exactly what I do, and I really dislike putting the dock and the windows bar to the sides. Even the windows bar is on auto hide, despite its smaller size.

 

Out of curiosity - having never used OS X prior to Lion - how does one open an app that isn't on the dock already without going through finder or spotlight?

I certainly use too many apps to have on the dock all the time so the only option I knew of prior to hearing about Spotlight just now was the LaunchPad (I don't consider Finder an alternative as it is a huge huge hassle).

 

There are basically 4 ways to launch applications and you just went through them. I suppose you could also put an application or an application shortcut on your desktop, but it will just clutter up your desktop. How many ways do you need?

 

this is why i keep junk on a second page.. new stuff always gets put on the second page and my first page stays nice and neat until I look at the second page and grab the new stuff I want. Launchpad isn't perfect (and its actually part of the Dock app) but for a feature i thought I'd hate and was stupid (I'm not an iPad user) I really do love it.

I have no problems typing, and this might not be an issue with a fast SSD, but when my machine is already partially busy and spotlight starts looking for something, it can take 3 to 10 seconds for the apps i'm looking for to even appear in the list... I don't want to wait for a list to show up. Being I just ordered a new Retina Mac that has an SSD, maybe this will get better.

I occasionally do, but the search is so slow. I already keep my stuff very organized so I can usually find it faster in Finder in a couple of clicks.

 

Exactly. OSX has every single method of launching an app that I know of except for a Windows XP/Linux Mint-style start menu. Every other option is already part of the OS.

 

and i almost forgot- you can also drag your application folder to the dock and use stacks to launch your applications if you want. that's sort of similar to a start menu style.

i suppose you could also use the terminal to do it manually.

i can't imagine anyone is dying for more ways to launch applications.

 

yeah, you can put any folder on your right side dock and it works kinda like a "start menu" if you put it in List form.

 

Well, I wasn't thinking that I needed more but rather that I don't understand why anyone would dislike Launchpad. Seems like a perfect fit if you have more apps than your dock can reasonably fit.

The way it feels to me is:
Launchpad = Start Menu, all your programs in folders (though only 1 layer of folders vs Windows' multiple layers)
Dock = Windows 7 style task bar where you can pin applications to it
Spotlight = Start menu and typing an app name (I always hit the start button on the keyboard and type out the program name)
Finder = Explorer

I think Launchpad is a great addition and fills a large void as I couldn't imagine not having a start menu style list of installed applications.

 

i guess the fact that the only method I use to launch applications in windows is extremely similar is relevant:

windows key + first few letters of application name + enter

I'm not really interested in clicking through the start menu or clicking around the launchpad. If I could get a grid-list of my applications and touch the one i wanted to run (iOS style) I might use that. But I don't think I can get any faster than the system I use now with a trackpad.

 

This is also my most used method. However on a computer I am unfamiliar with, click navigating the start menu is where I sometimes end up.

 

This comparison gets really, REALLY close with Windows 8 when the Start Menu is replaced by a full-screen, tablet-style, one-layer "Start Screen." (You can either look through it launchpad-wise, or open it and start typing spotlight-wise). Due to the evolution of both operating systems, Windows 8 is more similar interface-wise* to OSX than it ever has been before.

* (I mean in terms of function, not look; the switch from Aero styling to Metro styling actually takes Windows dramatically away from OSX in terms of aesthetics).

The Start Screen, Windows 8's functional equivalent of the Launchpad:

 

I use it fairly often. I can't fit all the programs I use on the dock (at least, I don't want to), so I launch the Launchpad every time I want to use something like iBooks Author, BitTorrent, All2Mp3, GarageBand, PhotoBooth, etc. Compared to other programs I use, I don't use those as much, but when I need them, the Launchpad is the way I access them.

 

Ditto. I can't deal with clutter and the Dock gets cluttered and I don't care to add the Applications folder to the Dock which again adds clutter. . I don't like going into the Finder to access my applications so Launchpad was the right answer for me. I also like how I can create subfolders like in iOS.

 

Launchers traditionally came in three basic flavors:
1. Quick launchers optimized for launching a small number of apps or files with minimum user input
2. Menus and organizers for handling larger sets of apps and files
3. Search tools

I don't think these are mutually exclusive and to work efficiently you need a combination. While it wasn't perfect, the old default in OS X (Dock with sticky Applications folder) provides a better combination of 1&2 than Launchpad. I still keep a small number of app icons in the Dock for quick access and also keep the Applications folder in the Dock. I particularly like viewing the Applications folder as a stack in List view because it fits more on the screen at once and has nicely cascading subfolders.

Launchpad fails at being a good quick launcher because it insists on presenting all your apps, forces you to declutter the mess, and it's too slow. Launchpad is also sub-optimal for dealing with large numbers of applications because the icon grid presentation is not space efficient and it's cumbersome to organize. Launchpad also has some strange quirks regarding app removal.

It's a good interface for touch screen input where you don't have a pointer and the lack of fine control dictates a minimum icon size and spacing. But user interfaces that are designed for touch screen input are sub-optimal when used with pointer-based input and vice-versa.

 

Although it's cumbersome to manually organize the launchpad, at least you can do it. With the applications folder, everything is sorted alphabetically, which mixes web browsers with games with productivity programs instead of grouping them. I don't have Lion, but I think I'd use the Launchpad in the way HL Dan describes (only the most-common programs in the dock; everything else accessed via Launchpad, grouped in a way that works for me).

 

To be fair, as much as I dislike how metro is being shoved down our throats - metro offers information at a glance - something launchpad does NOT do, and a major plus over launchpad.

Launchpad itself... ehhh... I have a snow leopard style applications folder on the dock, which I often use (sorted alphabetically etc), launchpad is useful, but I've found most of the apps I've installed are added chronologically, meaning they are on Page 2 of launchpad. So as I generally dislike gestures on a touchpad, I move my mouse to the bottom right hot corner, and then have to scroll right and THEN search for my app.

Launchpad would be better if you could easily arrange more recent apps on the first page, and make the damn icons bigger!

BTW somewhat related, I've recently (last month or so) really started using the full screen app mode in lion... I really missed the 2x2 spaces in SL and the vertical design of the spaces in lion I found quite unwieldy... but being able to quickly launch an application into its own space is quite useful, I think they should however add options to STILL be able to use your dock, launch finder etc from that apps own space. Anyway, how useful do you guys think the full screen apps are? Its nice that launchpad just pops over the top of the app, and if you dismiss it, you are right back where you were...

 

You can also use hot corners to trigger it, which is what I have it set to (even though I basically never use it).

 

Metro is downright stupid because it blocks the desktop which is what everyone is accustomed to having access to when they first turn on their computer. Launchpad does it the right way by keeping everything hidden until you need it. You have access to all your apps without opening a Finder window. Putting the Applications folder in the Dock doesn't solve the problem.

TBH, I'm really perturbed at the responses about Launchpad here. I have no problem if people don't particularly like it or choose not to use it but blatantly dismissing an "OPTION" that we have (which is something Apple generally falls short of) as a useless piece of crap or so to speak is kind of ridiculous. We need options in OS X people!
I don't particularly care much for Automator but it's there and it's an option for some so I'm not going to sit here and downgrade it as a useless feature just because "I" don't see any point in it.
Yeah, and I can find a zillion reasons why Spotlight would be better at launching apps but that doesn't mean I have to downgrade the Dock, the Finder or Launchpad in regards to launching apps. Those are all options for the person that is comfortable using them.

 

Totally agree with you on this. Although I never use launchpad, I don't mind having it there, plus is so easily accessed with the Apple touchpad. Metro on the other hand I actually mind having it since it's the default. I launch programs on Windows by using the search bar almost exclusively by pressing the Windows key, much like I do in OSX using Spotlight by pressing command-space. Admittedly I'd only tried Windows 8 very briefly and never bothered to look into changing the default behaviors, but it drove me nuts every time Metro came up when I pressed the Windows key. I'm pretty sure I'll be sitting out Win8 for a while, a first since Windows 3.1.

IMO Metro is totally pointless on a desktop, might be less so on a laptop with touchscreen. Still, I actually tried Windows 8 on a Dell XT3 convertible with touchscreen, and I still didn't enjoy using Metro.