Do you use Launchpad?

[bill-p]

Now that I have had a good feel for Lion and its features, something has been bothering me to death.

People are calling Lion the merging of OSX and iOS, but... I don't think so at all. Aside from Launchpad, there is nothing else iOS-like about Lion. It's still OSX, just with more features and improvements. But again, that's except for Launchpad.

Since I can quickly access the Applications folder from the Dock, which practically pops up everywhere now (in Mission Control, from the side of the screen it's situated at, and so on), and not to mention I can stick any application to the Dock itself for even faster access, I have to wonder... "What's Launchpad for?"

Launchpad doesn't seem particularly useful for anything for me, but that might just be me.

So do you use Launchpad at all?

 

[mountains]

Launchpad is directed towards new Mac users, casual users, and people switching over from iOS to OS X. If you're posting on this site, Launchpad probably isn't intended for you.

 

[(marc)]

Launchpad is directed towards new Mac users, casual users, and people switching over from iOS to OS X. If you're posting on this site, Launchpad probably isn't intended for you.

No, Launchpad simply sucks.

 

[dlimes13]

Hate it. Doesn't detect all apps, puts useless stuff like uninstallers and such in it, can't customize it, etc. Which there was a way to disable it.

 

[AlteMac]

Launchpad is a beta test by Apple. We'll what it looks like after a few more iterations. Right now, I see no point trying to find apps in Launcpad.

 

[tahoeroscoe]

i like it, easier to navigate than my apps folder and i can get to it from any screen, even when my dock isn't visible

 

[appleguy123]

Sometimes, for an application I rarely use.

 

[danpass]

yes.


I like a minimal dock

 

[WeegieMac]

I'd like to use it, but the animation frame rate when launching drops so much after the machine has been on a while that it's unusable.

 

[QuarterSwede]

yes.


I like a minimal dock

Same here. My dock is now reserved for running applications and folder shortcuts. Once you clean up and organize LaunchPad it's quite useful.

 

[iVikD]

I use it to access my games and some other apps from time to time, since I don't like keeping an Applications folder on my dock. I tend to use spotlight (command + space) to open quick-use apps like TextEdit and the likes, however.

 

[mrsir2009]

From time to time... It is handy to have all your applications right there, especially the ones you don't use everyday.

 

[mountains]

I like a minimal dock too, but it's so much faster to just use Quicksilver or Spotlight to launch apps that Launchpad feels useless to me.

Why people want to disable it, though, I can't fathom. I use OS X pretty much every day, and I haven't even seen my Launchpad in the last week. There's no reason to look at it unless you want to use it.

 

[fingleburt]

I use Launchpad all the time but I'm coming over from Windows and IPhone, I honestly dont see what all the fuss is about using it. Works for me.

 

[quickmac]

Launchpad seems to be useful if one had a touchscreen interface. Like an iMac with a touchscreen.

Since no Macbook, Macbook Pro, iMac, Mac Pro, or external displays have touch screens Launchpad is currently a waste.

I could see it working well with touch screen based computers. Apple needs to do one like that because HP already has them (even if they are ditching the PC business) and Windows 8 is heavily based on touch screen interface designs.

 

[RolandNights]

I just like doing the multi-touch gesture to bring it up.

But seriously, I use Alfred or Spotlight to open up all of my applications anyway, so I almost never actually use Launchpad.

Sometimes someone is on my computer, though, that isn't familiar with OS X, so I'll just tell them to hit the button I assigned to Launchpad and select the program from there. For that purpose, I did clean up Launchpad using Launchpad Cleaner, but that thing is so erratic. It will randomly reset and re-add all the icons I removed from it.

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I'll also add that it'll seem more like iOS once iOS 5 comes out. IIRC, switching between apps in iOS 5 will be like switching between fullscreen apps in Lion. Likewise, opening up Launchpad will be the same gesture as going back to the homescreen in iOS. THAT will make Launchpad seem very iOS-ish.

 

[Jagardn]

Sometimes, for an application I rarely use.

Same here.

 

[maflynn]

Its easier to just go to the Application folder, especially if you have that saved in your dock

 

[Dale Sorel]

I've been thinking of using it lately, especially since there are cool freeware apps like Launchpad-Control to help you organize things.

 

[aziatiklover]

I do and love it, but sometimes forget it's there so I go to finder then application SMH! haha

 

[alexbates]

I don't see why people dislike it. It's a great replacement for having your Applications folder in your dock, and because of its easy access, lets me have less applications in the dock. My main problem with it is the lag- scrolling between pages and opening/closing folders does not feel nearly as smooth as even my 1st gen iPod Touch (which has terrible graphics in comparison to my Mac). That hopefully will be fixed in time. And I just don't see the point in blurring the desktop wallpaper when all of the icons have shadows like iOS.

Have it set to open with a three finger slide up on Magic Mouse using BetterTouchTool

Edit- Fail. iPod Touch 1G cannot open/close folders, only scroll between pages.

 

[DandsM]

SPOTLIGHT always, for anything.

 

[appleguy123]

I don't see why people dislike it. It's a great replacement for having your Applications folder in your dock, and because of its easy access, lets me have less applications in the dock. My main problem with it is the lag- scrolling between pages and opening/closing folders does not feel nearly as smooth as even my 1st gen iPod Touch (which has terrible graphics in comparison to my Mac). That hopefully will be fixed in time. And I just don't see the point in blurring the desktop wallpaper when all of the icons have shadows like iOS.

Have it set to open with a three finger slide up on Magic Mouse using BetterTouchTool

How do you have folders on your first gen touch?

 

[neko girl]

I lose Launchpad. It's wonderful.

I like virtual folder idea that lets me organize apps how I like. What doesn't make sense to me though is how the dock in Mac OS is different from dock in iOS:

• App in Launchpad doesn't disappear from dock, and vice versa
• Dock is also the multi-tasking tray - it's separate on iOS

The Mac OS paradigm of the dock is much better, because I'm used to it more, but the two OSes are inconsistent in how the dock interacts (or is related to) Launchpad.

 

[appleguy123]

I lose Launchpad. It's wonderful.

I like virtual folder idea that lets me organize apps how I like. What doesn't make sense to me though is how the dock in Mac OS is different from dock in iOS:

• App in Launchpad doesn't disappear from dock, and vice versa
• Dock is also the multi-tasking tray - it's separate on iOS

The Mac OS paradigm of the dock is much better, because I'm used to it more, but the two OSes are inconsistent in how the dock interacts (or is related to) Launchpad.

If the iPhone had the real estate of a Mac, I'm sure that the docks would be consistent. I am okay with them being pretty inconsistent now.