Single click in Lion ... please !!

[SlugBlanket]

I was a Windows PC user for many (20+)years. I've since switched to Macs. The one and ONLY feature that I miss is the ability to use a single click to open a file or folder or run an application as a system wide preference.

Having the most often used items on the dock is marginal in this respect. It's not really a substitute since by the very nature of a PC, I have to access many more items than can be placed on a dock. To my mind a dock with 100 items defeats it's (the dock) purpose.

Whilst trying to find information on this single click feature in OS X I came across this thread with the last post being particularly condescending and blindly pompous. It reminded of the tone used when some people extol the virtues of Macs when compared to Windows PCs.

It may seem trivial to anyone not familiar with the feature in Windows but to people like myself who suffer from RSI / CTS it can be a right pain ... literally.

Imagine having to double tap everything, every time on your smart phone. Imagine having to double tap everything, every time on your ipad. Can you imagine having to double click to access items on the internet ? For those of us who have migrated from Windows and know of this single click feature, that's how antiquated this double click "feature" of OS X appears to be.

If it can be implemented in Windows and IOS, if it can be implemented in the wider internet, why not also in OS X ? Why the reluctance ? In reality, the declining part that Macs in general and OS X in particular play with regard to Apple's business model, this issue is unlikely to ever be addressed. I can hope though.

Please Apple, implement this as a preference pane choice so that I can increase my productivity and reduce, at least by a little, my frustration and my RSI / CTS pain.

 

[jackerin]

This isn't such a weird question as it seems, because I distinctly remember Mac OS 9 having a folder setting that turned the icons into buttons, that you only needed to click once. I can't find any info on such a setting in OS X, but if this is a really serious issue for you you could try looking into a third-party mouse with customizable keys. On my bamboo pad I can set a button to double-click, I would imagine there are mice with similar adjustable settings.

 

[SlugBlanket]

This isn't such a weird question as it seems, because I distinctly remember Mac OS 9 having a folder setting that turned the icons into buttons, that you only needed to click once. I can't find any info on such a setting in OS X, but if this is a really serious issue for you you could try looking into a third-party mouse with customizable keys. On my bamboo pad I can set a button to double-click, I would imagine there are mice with similar adjustable settings.

That's a very interesting and very workable solution ... tyvm I'll look into this asap as its not something that I had considered

 

[astrorider]

I was a Windows PC user for many (20+)years. I've since switched to Macs. The one and ONLY feature that I miss is the ability to use a single click to open a file or folder or run an application as a system wide preference.

Having the most often used items on the dock is marginal in this respect. It's not really a substitute since by the very nature of a PC, I have to access many more items than can be placed on a dock. To my mind a dock with 100 items defeats it's (the dock) purpose.

Whilst trying to find information on this single click feature in OS X I came across this thread with the last post being particularly condescending and blindly pompous. It reminded of the tone used when some people extol the virtues of Macs when compared to Windows PCs.

It may seem trivial to anyone not familiar with the feature in Windows but to people like myself who suffer from RSI / CTS it can be a right pain ... literally.

Imagine having to double tap everything, every time on your smart phone. Imagine having to double tap everything, every time on your ipad. Can you imagine having to double click to access items on the internet ? For those of us who have migrated from Windows and know of this single click feature, that's how antiquated this double click "feature" of OS X appears to be.

If it can be implemented in Windows and IOS, if it can be implemented in the wider internet, why not also in OS X ? Why the reluctance ? In reality, the declining part that Macs in general and OS X in particular play with regard to Apple's business model, this issue is unlikely to ever be addressed. I can hope though.

Please Apple, implement this as a preference pane choice so that I can increase my productivity and reduce, at least by a little, my frustration and my RSI / CTS pain.

I thought the logitech mice software has this option as well. Check out the logitech control software, it's a free download. If it has that option you can pick up a logitech mouse pretty cheap.

 

[sth]

If you use the integrated trackpad or the magic mouse, maybe BetterTouchTool can help: http://blog.boastr.net/

You can customize almost any gesture/action with it and it supports double clicks.

 

[SlugBlanket]

Thank you all for your suggestions.

I think I just have to decide between a Wacom tablet and the Apple trackpad as an alternative device to the mouse. I like the logitech software route but family considerations mean I'm considering either of these tablets as an addition to the logitech software idea.

I'll check out some of the threads on the tablets before deciding on which one.

 

[DoghouseMike]

Or check out quickslilver. It won't change ya click settings, but is capable of speeding up the whole "finding the file you want and clicking on it" game. To the point that you won't even need to click on it. Or something

 

[sth]

I think I just have to decide between a Wacom tablet and the Apple trackpad as an alternative device to the mouse.

A wacom has its uses but I don't think it's a replacement for a multitouch trackpad, especially when Lion is out.

Earlier this year I had signs of RSI, to the point where it was becoming painful to use the mouse. In a sudden rush of fear that things might become even worse, I bought a Magic Trackpad. Unlike the mouse, I was able to use it without pain (YMMV) and thankfully, the pain didn't get worse (in fact it's mostly gone now after ~3 months).

Again, YMMV, but I would give the Magic Trackpad a try.

About the software route: If you have the trackpad and a mouse attached, you can use BetterTouchTool to customize the trackpad actions while leaving the mouse as-is for others.

 

[redsteven]

If you use the integrated trackpad or the magic mouse, maybe BetterTouchTool can help: http://blog.boastr.net/

You can customize almost any gesture/action with it and it supports double clicks.

boo-yah.
Better touch tool is AWESOME.

What kind of mouse are you using, SlugBlanket?

Basically, your best bet is probably to customize either a button on your mouse (or a gesture, if using Magic Mouse) to perform a double-click for you

 

[thekb]

I don't need a single click option, but one thing I truly miss from Windows is the ability to click on an icon or scroll with the arrow keys and then hit "Enter" to launch.

Also, since we are on the subject of desired new features, is Apple finally going to boldly enter the 1990's and give us cut and paste in Finder? ;-)

 

[sth]

I don't need a single click option, but one thing I truly miss from Windows is the ability to click on an icon or scroll with the arrow keys and then hit "Enter" to launch.

Cmd+O will do the trick.

 

[SlugBlanket]

boo-yah.
Better touch tool is AWESOME.

What kind of mouse are you using, SlugBlanket?

Basically, your best bet is probably to customize either a button on your mouse (or a gesture, if using Magic Mouse) to perform a double-click for you

I've literally only just last week switched to a Mac (using a family members' old machine until Lion released, then I will buy Macs for myself and my wife ... been waiting 6 months for Sandy and Lion to take the buying plunge).

As such I'm still just using standard (generic) two button USB mouse. I've tried my brother's magic mouse and can't believe people find it useable. For my very large hands it is too low profile and doesn't rest in the hand easily. I used to use a Logitech MX700 which was ok but was too heavy for my (un-demanding) gaming sessions and general use. I probably need to find a multi-button mouse similar to the old MX700 but a little lighter. I also found the additional buttons on mice such as the MX700 a little difficult to use by touch. My fingers being large, I would often press the wrong button unless I looked at where I was pressing which wasn't very productive. Hopefully there are mice out there with better spacing between buttons for my larger fingers. That's really why I have stuck with the current mouse I have ... it works with no issues at all.

Lion and its use of gestures changes that. It seems that the OS's (Windows 8 included) are gearing more towards gestures and away from large click-able areas. An example would be the traffic lights on the top left of OS X windows are getting smaller in Lion, along with scroll bars becoming slimmer. On a 27" high resolution screen I would have to reduce the resolution to get a bigger target which defeats the purpose of having a high resolution screen. Tablets/trackpads to make use of gestures are here to stay.

I (after reading the post above) looked at the Wacom bamboo and I liked the idea of both using the pen and gestures. I thought the pen might give me a more accurate pointing device than my fingers on a trackpad. My only experience of trackpads is on a windows laptop and I find them very inaccurate even for simple point and click. Often I get to the area I want to click on (after 2 or 3 swipes to get the cursor to the right position from the other side of the screen) only to find that the action of tapping on the trackpad moves the cursor before it closes the window etc. ... very annoying. I thought a pen might therefor be the best thing but I also read that it can be a steep learning curve.

So thats where I am right now ... stick with a faithful simple mouse but add a trackpad to aid navigation and some yet to be discovered useful features I just don't know yet which trackpad, nor which mouse to possibly upgrade to.

I'm conscious that this has now gone into a hardware discussion so pls forgive if this post is now in the wrong forum.

Once again ty for all the input.

 

[jackerin]

Cmd+O will do the trick.

And Cmd-down, seeing as you already have a finger on the arrow key.

 

[Bernard SG]

Launchpad will work with single-click but it's restricted to Applications.

 

[torpy]

I (after reading the post above) looked at the Wacom bamboo and I liked the idea of both using the pen and gestures. I thought the pen might give me a more accurate pointing device than my fingers on a trackpad. My only experience of trackpads is on a windows laptop and I find them very inaccurate even for simple point and click. Often I get to the area I want to click on (after 2 or 3 swipes to get the cursor to the right position from the other side of the screen) only to find that the action of tapping on the trackpad moves the cursor before it closes the window etc. ... very annoying. I thought a pen might therefor be the best thing but I also read that it can be a steep learning curve.

Ah, but here's the thing, Mac trackpads are lightyears ahead of anything you'll find on the Windows side of things. They are absurdly accurate and I'd highly recommend trying one out if you get the chance!

 

[sth]

And Cmd-down, seeing as you already have a finger on the arrow key.

Nice, didn't know that one. Thanks!

 

[thekb]

Nice, didn't know that one. Thanks!

Cmd O and cmd down ... Very helpful tips. Thanks to both!

 

[QuarterSwede]

Ah, but here's the thing, Mac trackpads are lightyears ahead of anything you'll find on the Windows side of things. They are absurdly accurate and I'd highly recommend trying one out if you get the chance!

I totally agree. I've yet to use a trackpad that was any good on any other brand. Period. It's the software that does the magic and Apple has NAILED multi-touch.