A question on multiple desktops

[Burrel]

I'm aware of this feature however at present I don't see what advantage it gives you, so I found the following description on the internet:

"When you have multiple desktop spaces, most apps that are launched in a desktop space are dedicated to that space. For example, if you’re working at a coffee shop on your MacBook Air, you can have one desktop dedicated to Mail so you email is accessible immediately, and you can have a second desktop with a presentation you are creating in Keynote. You can switch between the two spaces when you need to do work in a certain app. (But some apps, like Adobe Photoshop CS5, don't behave when it comes to multiple spaces.)".

I still don't understand the benefit of this so maybe someone could clarify, please? What's the difference between creating extra desktops to house each running application and just having applications open on one desktop? You're still switching between things either way aren't you? Or am I totally missing something!? Thanks.

 

[nitromac]

Well swiping left and right is a lot easier than having to minimize, move around, etc. Or even alt tab. It's just less cluttered.

obviously, you can still ignore the full-screen app feature and just use one screen for everything. That's what I do. The only things I use in full-screen are virtual machines.

 

[Burrel]

Well swiping left and right is a lot easier than having to minimize, move around, etc. Or even alt tab. It's just less cluttered.

obviously, you can still ignore the full-screen app feature and just use one screen for everything. That's what I do. The only things I use in full-screen are virtual machines.

Ah ok, so multiple desktops isn't necessarily creating a new one by pressing alt in mission control. I am a user of the left and right swipe and also alt tab, but to me that's just having multiple applications open and finding an easy way to switch between them instead of going to the dock at the bottom each time.

Thinking about it I never really get to see my desktop at all unlike how I would have done with a Windows laptop!

 

[chriscl]

By default there are four virtual desktops, plus whatever apps you have full screen.

I tend to leave Chrome open in one, Mail in another, iTunes open full screen, and then maybe Photoshop (again full screen) in another.

It's so much easier to simply swipe back and forth between desktops to switch applications. Once you've used a Mac set up like that, going back to Windows is a bit like stepping back in time...

 

[Krazy Bill]

It's just a way to organize your windows by spreading them out across multiple screens (desktops).

For example, if you’re working at a coffee shop on your MacBook Air, you can have one desktop dedicated to Mail so you email is accessible immediately, and you can have a second desktop with a presentation you are creating in Keynote.

I know you're just pulling the above from somewhere but the fact it begins with a coffee shop and a MacBook Air to explain desktops which have nothing to do with anything really cracks me up. No wonder you're confused.

 

[InuNacho]

I still don't understand the benefit of this so maybe someone could clarify, please? What's the difference between creating extra desktops to house each running application and just having applications open on one desktop? You're still switching between things either way aren't you? Or am I totally missing something!? Thanks.

It's an easier way of moving between things, particularly if you've got a bunch of windows open, to better illustrate what I mean here's a picture. Space 1 houses PS, Final Cut and that kind of stuff. Space 2 is dedicated entirely to Safari as those windows tend to breed like rabbits when I'm browsing. Space 3 contains all my messaging applications like Skype, iChat, Mail, and Steam.

 

[nitromac]

It's an easier way of moving between things, particularly if you've got a bunch of windows open, to better illustrate what I mean here's a picture. Space 1 houses PS, Final Cut and that kind of stuff. Space 2 is dedicated entirely to Safari as those windows tend to breed like rabbits when I'm browsing. Space 3 contains all my messaging applications like Skype, iChat, Mail, and Steam.

Are you on Mountain Lion? I would love to have multiple ACTUAL desktops (not just full screen apps) to switch to, as I also want to keep steam and other apps on a separate screen. Is there a way to enable the old "Spaces" feature in Mountain Lion?

 

[InuNacho]

Are you on Mountain Lion? I would love to have multiple ACTUAL desktops (not just full screen apps) to switch to, as I also want to keep steam and other apps on a separate screen. Is there a way to enable the old "Spaces" feature in Mountain Lion?

No, I'm still on SL I'd lose out too much on Lion and ML doesn't seem that special. It's kind of like the people that stayed on XP for an extra 3-4 years.

Theres an app called ReSpaceApp that brings back the old Spaces.

 

[dusk007]

I use Totalspaces on ML. It gives back some of the old features but it is not as good as SL. IE there is no exposé in spaces overview and it is a big seperate from MC.
It makes up for it with more options. Like you can decide how fast animations are or simple turn them off like me. Quite a bit more stuff.
I really needed it for the spaces overview for I think MC really sucks when you simple want to go into overview and move a few windows here some there and all on multiple displays. MC and multiple displays doesn't pair well as it act like the desktop isn't extended but separate and sort of sandboxed. It is just weird.

 

[Interstella5555]

I'm aware of this feature however at present I don't see what advantage it gives you, so I found the following description on the internet:

"When you have multiple desktop spaces, most apps that are launched in a desktop space are dedicated to that space. For example, if you’re working at a coffee shop on your MacBook Air, you can have one desktop dedicated to Mail so you email is accessible immediately, and you can have a second desktop with a presentation you are creating in Keynote. You can switch between the two spaces when you need to do work in a certain app. (But some apps, like Adobe Photoshop CS5, don't behave when it comes to multiple spaces.)".

I still don't understand the benefit of this so maybe someone could clarify, please? What's the difference between creating extra desktops to house each running application and just having applications open on one desktop? You're still switching between things either way aren't you? Or am I totally missing something!? Thanks.

I've never really liked the way Apple implimented virtual desktops, but, to give you an example of how I used to have mine set up:

Desktop 1 - iTunes (or rather, music/video/entertainment)
Desktop 2 - Browsing/downloading/connectivity apps
Desktop 3 - Maild (whjen I was using mail apps on my computer)
Desktop 4 - Open/random stuff

The real benefit is that you don't have to "dig" through windows and multiple apps to find what you want, imagine your desk at work. You don't have everything piled in one spot, you have different tools in different areas.

 

[dusk007]

I also use it a lot to disperse windows of one application like chrome or pdf preview over mulitple desktops (and two displays). It is just easier to know that you have those tabs open over there and everything laid out. Just switch and ready.
Constantly juggling Windows via MC, Exposé or Dock is annoying and much harder to wrap ones mind around.

On a desk you have also more overview if you lay stuff side by side on different stacks rather than put everything on the sames messy pile in front of you.