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Spaces - do you actually use it and why?

sk3pt1c said:
i really can't find a use for it, still.
i mean, the way our os works, you don't really maximize windows, so you don't really care if you've got lots of them on your desktop, you just do an "all windows" and pick the one you want, much faster than Spaces.
and when you want to drag something from one to another it's faster the normal way than with Spaces.
and if you wanna hide something you can always Command-H it, no need to have it somewhere else...
i don't know, it looks cool but i'm having a hard time finding an actual use for it and not just start using it for the sake of showing leopard off or just cause it's a cool new feature...
Click to expand...

it is because you are getting the wrong impression of spaces. Many people using spaces seem to be switchers or newcomers, because the end up running 1-2 apps in one space. This is not the "mac" way to do things, because by doing that, you are essentially making expose useless. In fact, as you may know, mac osx is supposed to be used like a real desk..with papers, folders, etc, all on the working field, and with the great ability of expose, its like having magic hands that quickly file through all the papers lets say on your desk, and you pick what you want.

now where does this leave spaces?

think of spaces as having multiples desks, one at work, one at school, one at your house for browsing, and adjust spaces to do.. so one space would be used primarily as your work environment, another as your browsing environment, etc. This is the most efficent way to use spaces, now ofcourse if your job/school etc doesn't require computer work, spaces may not be the greatest of use. But expand it a little to think of photo editing, or maybe a pdf reader type space, or something along those lines. :)
 
sk3pt1c said:
i'm having a hard time finding a way to make Spaces useful.
i know it is but i just can't decide what apps to put in which space.
i kind of like having all my windows on the screen and just do an "all windows"
and pick the one i want when it gets too crowded...
how do you use Spaces?
how have you divided your apps?
maybe with a few examples from you guys i can find a way to use it...
Click to expand...

I assigned certain apps to one of four spaces and it works great... especially VMware... try that... YMMV... :apple:
 
This works best for me.

Picture%201.png
 
i just don't see the point... i just have "all windows" expose set for my bottom right corner. i just swipe the mouse into the corner and select the window i want. it's less than a second. just as fast as using spaces...
 
I'm a Spaces user as well. On Tiger, I was constantly hiding (command-h) windows and command-tabbing to navigate between applications. Now it's just four spaces, Safari & iChat, Mail & iCal, iTunes, and finally last one for homework. Works great.
 
we agree to disagree then, is that it? :)
i'm starting to think it's one of those features that grow on you
and you start to use it more and more as you get used to it...
only time will tell, right? :)
i still don't like the fact that it's more difficult to drag things from
one app to the other if they're in different spaces though...
 
sk3pt1c said:
we agree to disagree then, is that it? :)
i'm starting to think it's one of those features that grow on you
and you start to use it more and more as you get used to it...
only time will tell, right? :)
i still don't like the fact that it's more difficult to drag things from
one app to the other if they're in different spaces though...
Click to expand...

Virtual Desktops has been out for years. Some people used it, some people didn't. I'd say it's down to personal preference really. Some people like it, others don't. Just as some people like organised desks and others prefer working with disorganised desks.
 
Spaces is the reason I upgraded to leopard right away - And Im glad I did.

I uses 4 spaces; which is more than enough.

Space 1: Internet Stuff (Safari, Adium, Mail, iTunes)
Space 2: iCal Full Screen
Space 3: VMWare Fusion Full Screen running Windows XP
Space 4: Empty Space - For when I need to run something else at random (iPhoto, Photoshop, Pages, etc...)

Everything is more orginized, everything can be open at once, and as big as id like it. Spaces is deffinatly great.
 
I use 2 spaces.

One for safari, adium and everything else pretty much, and the other solely for photoshop.

I'm using an external screen as well as my macbook screen.
 
I don't use it much. I actually find it to be a pain when I want to drag and drop something from an browser window into another app that is is another space. But, I am trying to get better with it. The most immediate benefit is I have set up f5 to launch Spaces and by making sure one Space is blank, I can quickly get to my desktop.
 
I have 6 spaces, currently - separating all of my primary app's. Mail, Firefox, iTunes, Photoshop, Quicken and Word. I still catch myself reaching for Cmd-H only to quickly remember that I can leave my applications open. I'm a slow learner :eek:
 
I sure use it, and love it. I have a 2 display set-up(MBP 17" directly in front of me and a 22" display to the right) and I have 2 spaces set-up.

Space 1: Safari on Laptop screen, iTunes on other display so I can see upcoming songs and navigate easily with my keyboard controls.
Space 2: IM conversations on laptop screen, MSN, iChat and YIM contact lists on other display.

It's so simple to see everything I want to see, making me a huge fan of Spaces.
 
i didn't use spaces for a while until i started using parallels. now i can have windows full-screen on one space, and mac on the other. i have to do this because of a couple programs for school that don't run on mac.
 
kevindosi said:
i didn't use spaces for a while until i started using parallels. now i can have windows full-screen on one space, and mac on the other. i have to do this because of a couple programs for school that don't run on mac.
Click to expand...
As much as I despise the fact that I still have to run Windows periodically, I think it's pretty damn cool that I can run 'em full screen in a space.
 
theman said:
i just don't see the point... i just have "all windows" expose set for my bottom right corner. i just swipe the mouse into the corner and select the window i want. it's less than a second. just as fast as using spaces...
Click to expand...

If you had spaces set to the bottom right corner, you can still select what you wanted but you could have each program (or programs) running in its respective space and the order things would appear would be more predicatable than the randomness of expose.
 
here's an odd one:
would enabling and using Spaces consume more power from your notebook's battery?
given that it must be a bit more intensive for your processor, that is...
 
I used it for a while, but I have found it very buggy. It's much better in 10.5.1 than it was in 10.5 but I've had a problem of windows disappearing lately.
 
I run Remote Desktop Client for the Mac in its own Space. I'm still getting used to it all though. Because I have dual monitors, it makes it a little more complicated, as even if I'm using Remote Desktop in a separate space, switch to it causes NOTHING to be in the main window in front of me (as I run it in the second monitor). So, if I'm doing web development, I'll toggle my main app, like Textmate... between showing up in ALL spaces (so that its still in front of me when I toggle to RDC) or in Space 1... if my RDC usage has nothing to do with my web dev work.

~ CB
 
i4k20c said:
.... think of spaces as having multiples desks, one at work, one at school, one at your house for browsing, and adjust spaces to do.. so one space would be used primarily as your work environment, another as your browsing environment, etc. This is the most efficent way to use spaces, now ofcourse if your job/school etc doesn't require computer work, spaces may not be the greatest of use. But expand it a little to think of photo editing, or maybe a pdf reader type space, or something along those lines. :)
Click to expand...

That's gotta be the best explanation of Spaces I've read so far :apple:
 
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