Does it belong in Applications or Utilites?

[leerkeller]

There are two programs that I find difficult to categorize. Those programs are Adobe Reader and Dictionary. Adobe Reader seems to be the more likely of the two to belong in Utilities, due to its simple and singular purpose. I am somewhat more unclear about the designation of Dictionary, primarily due to its inclusion as a widget in the OS X dashboard. The grouping of Quicktime with the utilities is another factor that leads me to think that Dictionary belongs in that folder with it.

I would greatly appreciate any answer that delineates the designation of these two ambiguous (in my muddled mind) pieces of software.

Thanks in Advance,
Lee Roy Keller

 

[GGJstudios]

There are two programs that I find difficult to categorize. Those programs are Adobe Reader and Dictionary. Adobe Reader seems to be the more likely of the two to belong in Utilities, due to its simple and singular purpose.

Both belong in the /Applications folder.

 

[leerkeller]

Could you give me a brief explanation of how to decide what programs go where, and why?

 

[GGJstudios]

Could you give me a brief explanation of how to decide what programs go where, and why?

Most apps go in the /Applications folder, and some have problems operating or updating if you move them out of that folder. Some apps that are preinstalled with Mac OS X are located in the /Applications/Utilities folder and probably should remain there. You can try moving some apps from the /Applications folder to the /Applications/Utilities folder, but there is no assurance they won't have problems as a result.

 

[Gregg2]

I know that Get Info will tell you that Dictionary is an application, but, aren't some small apps referred to as accessories? What is the technical distinction?

 

[GGJstudios]

I know that Get Info will tell you that Dictionary is an application, but, aren't some small apps referred to as accessories? What is the technical distinction?

I don't recall hearing an app referred to as an accessory. I think of accessories as sleeves, cases, mice, adapters, etc.

 

[mrgraff]

Use Launchpad to create folders; name them as you think they should be, then arrange the shortcut icons in a way that makes sense to you. Changing the installation folders as set by the apps themselves isn't worth the possible headaches.

 

[Gregg2]

I don't recall hearing an app referred to as an accessory. I think of accessories as sleeves, cases, mice, adapters, etc.

Yeah, I'm quite sure that back in the OS8 and/or OS9 days, some things were called Accessories or Desktop Accessories, but I can't remember an example to cite.

 

[mrgraff]

I can't recall an OS 8/9 example, but how about:

 

[Mal]

I can't recall an OS 8/9 example, but how about:

That's a relatively meaningless categorization of the applications. It doesn't mean that they are somehow different, just that they've been sorted there to provide some sort of organization (which I find ridiculous).

What was being referred to was Desk Accessories for the original MacOS. They began to disappear in System 7, although some persisted until OS 9. With multitasking, they weren't necessary, as a simple application could do the same tasks.

jW

 

[mobilehaathi]

You can put your applications pretty much wherever you want. I wouldn't move the applications that apple already installed, but anything else can go where ever you want.

An executable is an executable; any other categorization is arbitrary.

Mmmmmm, Windows XP...that's borderline trolling.

 

[Drew017]

If I were you, I'd leave the default Applications in the Apps folder (Dictionary is a default app) and Adobe Reader in the same folder.

Also, there is no difference between an app in the utilities folder and an app in the apps folder- they are both going to be full applications (this article explains the difference between the two)

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I know that Get Info will tell you that Dictionary is an application, but, aren't some small apps referred to as accessories? What is the technical distinction?

Any application bundle in Mac OS X is referred to an "application". Maybe you are referring to a dashboard widget?

 

[GGJstudios]

You can put your applications pretty much wherever you want. I wouldn't move the applications that apple already installed, but anything else can go where ever you want.

That's not always true. Many apps have problems operating or updating if they're moved out of the /Applications folder.

 

[Gregg2]

What was being referred to was Desk Accessories for the original MacOS. They began to disappear in System 7, although some persisted until OS 9. With multitasking, they weren't necessary, as a simple application could do the same tasks.

There you go! Thanks for the link, which explains why those are obsolete.