Quicksilver vs. Launchbar

I've always preferred Quicksilver, there's just something about it.

Well, I've never tried launchbar, but I'm a heavy quicksilver-user. What I like about it is that I can run any kind of application or script in it, tie that to a keyboard-shortcurt—essentially eliminating the mouse and dock—and browse for files without touching that last-gen Finder.

Of course, it makes a difference that it's free, but generally I see free software as often being more innovative, quicker to update and fix bugs, and customer-centric. This however—as some people might flame me for having such an opinion—is an entirely different discussion.

Quicksilver is a lot more powerful than Launchbar from what I've seen of Launchbar. It has a seemingly infinite array of plugins for various tasks -- it's way, way more than a launcher. File manipulation, between-app interfacing, FTP uploading, system-wide triggers for any action, emailing files without opening an email app, clipboard control with neat features like the shelf, and on and on and on...I've been using it for months and I still feel like I only know 5% of what it can do. I did try Launchbar awhile back, and it's a nice app but I certainly didn't get the impression it's anywhere near as powerful as Quicksilver. A little easier to use in some respects though.

Quicksilver is much better I reckon. Launchbar seems to take up way to much un-needed space.

quicksilver is pretty much the best program for the mac! couldn't live without it.

I am a Quicksilver lover! Like "mrogers" pointed out though is I too have only scratched the surface of what this program can do. But I have found the "CTRL-Space" to be a quick way to get to where I ned to go without all the mouse movents and serching down thru the folders. A definit Must for your Mac!

Bill.....

I love Quicksilver as well. I can't compare the two since I've never used Launchbar, but it would have to be really amazing to top Quicksilver.

quicksilver can't index the new apps u installed,

but again

I don't even know what is launchbar, can OP give a link so I can try out?

clevin said:

quicksilver can't index the new apps u installed,

but again

I don't even know what is launchbar, can OP give a link so I can try out?

Click to expand...

What are you talking about? Quicksilver most certainly does index your new apps. You can set the time interval for how often it does it, or you can invoke the indexing manually by pressing Command-R when the Quicksilver bezel is open. It takes a split second and the app I just installed is part of the Quicksilver index.

As for Launchbar, take 3 seconds and do a Google search. That's how I found it.

backache said:

here is the link to launchbar's homepage: http://www.obdev.at/products/launchbar/ what I like about launchbar is I can do a Google Phrase search without opening my browser, there are loads of scripts for iTunes, Automator, etc.. It's really fast, and I can move files, apps, directories from directly in it.. I also like the low-key GUI a lot more than QS... I've spent a week w/ QS and launchbar just feels a lot more powerful and easier to use. but, as the other posters have mentioned w/ QS, i've used launchbar for 6 months and still learn something new everyday...

Click to expand...

I guarantee you that everything you mention here can be done with Quicksilver. The Google search through QS feels so natural that I forget that it isn't part of the Mac OS. You can install multiple interfaces for QS as well so you can have it be as simple or robust as you like. Launcher sounds great and all, but I love QS just way too much to bother trying anything else.

mrogers said:

What are you talking about?

Click to expand...

i am talking about
1. i installed minefiled
2. i opened quicksilver, type minefield, nothing came up

Is that clear?

here is the link to launchbar's homepage: http://www.obdev.at/products/launchbar/

Click to expand...

Thanks for the link, It looks nice, but for this type of function, I really don't think I will want to spend $$$......

clevin said:

i am talking about
1. i installed minefiled
2. i opened quicksilver, type minefield, nothing came up

Is that clear?

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's clear, why don't you reread what I wrote above...Quicksilver indexes on intervals that YOU specify in the preferences. So if it doesn't pick up the app you just installed in 5 seconds (oh the horror! It's not indexing every 5 seconds!!!), then just press command-R when you're at the Quicksilver input and it will grab all the new stuff. Takes less than 1 second.

Another quicksilver lover here. When I first downloaded it, I thought it seemed like just another program that I wouldn't use- i mean I can just click on icons...right?
Now I can't live without it. I feel handicapped on a mac without it, and hate pc's.

I wouldn't be able to live without Quicksilver. Just too damn useful. Never tried launchbar, but from what i've heard there's nothing there that Quicksilver doesn't already have and then some.

Cheers

i love quicksilver
i don't think i can live without it on my mac, haven't used launchbar , tried overflow and dragthing... just isn't as useful, i don't even use the dock as much anymore now, its mosty there for trash! hehe

neyoung said:

I love Quicksilver as well. I can't compare the two since I've never used Launchbar, but it would have to be really amazing to top Quicksilver.

Click to expand...

captures my thoughts exactly.

You need to install the plugins to get the most out of Quicksilver - for instance the Google search plugin. Also try the Flashlight interface which mimics the Spotlight interface but in the top left corner. There's also another one where QS works from within the menubar - you can't get much more low key than that.

Virtually anything you can do on your mac you can do through Quicksilver, including accessing menu bar options for applications, resizing pictures, mass selection and manipulation of files etc. You can browse your iTunes library, control iTunes and rate songs etc without opening an itunes window. You can look up words in the dictionary or Wikipedia, send emails, upload pictures to Flickr or even run Spotlight searches letting you search within the text of documents.

By default you can launch apps with a single keypress (e.g. holding down 'S' will load Safari for instance) or if that's not enough you can set up hot keys or hot corners for complex tasks (e.g. drag file to bottom left corner to attach to and send an email).

Quicksilver's functions aren't immediately apparent. It isn't just a launcher, more a new interface for your computer. To be honest QS is so good it's made me think that the traditional 20 year old mouse and icons interface seems incredibly slow and outdated.

Sorry, I'm a new convert - hence my evangelistic zeal.

Quicksilvers featureset is insane. To me, it is a quantum leap forward in the way I use a computer. I feel naked on my windows machine at work.

I am exploring more and more plugins each day and never cease to be astounded by just how extensible the app is. For instance, something as trivial as the del.icio.us plugin is an absolute godsend. I have indexed access to all of my delicious bookmarks and tags from the desktop.

The Google Calendar plugin lets me add events to my calendar from any app on the Mac by invoking the QS menu. Ditto for iCal. I can change my Twitter status. Send an email via Gmail (completely bypassing Mail.app if need be). Run terminal commands. Search Facebook. Upload files to Flickr. Call Skype numbers. Search Flickr/YouTube tags. Add tracks to my iTunes party shuffle on the fly. Browse Last.FM artists. Send the current track to my friends via email without having to find the track in Finder, or even see what track it is.

Simply amazing program.

Project said:

Quicksilvers featureset is insane. To me, it is a quantum leap forward in the way I use a computer. I feel naked on my windows machine at work.

Click to expand...

sorry u feel naked, get this thing for your windows, u might feel have some cloth on. lol
http://www.launchy.net/
Its still skinnable, and opensource.

clevin said:

sorry u feel naked, get this thing for your windows, u might feel have some cloth on. lol
http://www.launchy.net/
Its still skinnable, and opensource.

Click to expand...

Problem is it has about 0.005% of the Quicksilver featureset

Project said:

Problem is it has about 0.005% of the Quicksilver featureset

Click to expand...

huh, u might be asking too much for a launcher, I consider a type and launching function is 99% importance of a launcher... (of course, which is what I use QS for)

anyway, other features, list them, and do some google searches