Switching to the finder...any easier way to do this?

Hit Command-Tab and tab to the Finder, then hit Command-N.

 

Speaking of shortcuts... (sorry for hijacking your thread) is there a way to minimize all the windows down into the dock? In windows it's window's key + d to show the desktop, but it's more than just desktop, it's minimizing all the windows to the task bar. I know in OS X you can show the desktop, but can you minimize all at once too?

 

IMO, hiding the windows is much better than minimizing. When I'm not using a program, I just hide it until I need it again. In Windows, you minimize everything and it gets REALLY crowded fast. That's just another one of the major annoyances in Windows.

 

Just to add...

Under Finder Preferences there is an option to select what folder is opened by default when you open a new finder window. I have mine set to Applications.

 

Wow, I had no idea that option existed! I doubt I'll change the default on mine, but it's still a cool option to have. Thanks for the tip!

 

Sure. And don't forget Finder, View, Customize Toolbar. Gotta have those new folder, delete, get info, and path buttons. Here's where I put mine, BYMMV:

 

Quicksilver.

Press Ctrl+Space then start typing the name of the folder you want to open. After the first few letters you can hit enter. Magic.

 

Yeah, I already knew about that one, but I hadn't customized my toolbar on my Mac mini yet, so I went ahead and customized it.

 

Here is an AppleScript application that you can drop in the /Applications folder and then, in the Dock. Click once on the icon in the Dock and you have a new Finder window. You can probably make a keyboard shortcut to call it but I didn't have any success with that.

 

Am I the only one who keeps multiple finder windows open at all times? It's not like they're in the way being behind whatever other ten things you have open. I don't see the point of closing a non-spatial browser. It'd be like closing itunes every time you switch to another app. I just leave them there all the time so I can apple+tab to them instantly.

 

I keep one window open, pointed to /Applications and several folders in my sidebar.

Generally the only extra window I need is a removable drive such as photos from my camera.

 

10 things open?!! Are you kidding? If I had 10 things open on my computer (windows, me no less! talk about ancient!) I crash my computer. Tax time can not get here fast enough for me!!!!!!

 

I second the motion for quicksilver. I have my internet browser(Camino) set to command-option 1 and finder set to command-option 2. It's great if I don't want to use command-tab to sift through the 6 or 7 programs I always have running.

 

I just mean that I see little point in hiding things, closing things, etc. If I've got ten apps open, I'd much rather leave them all up and just apple+tab to bring the one I want to use to the front. Putting things down to the dock and having to bring them back up again, or hiding and having to unhide them, is just extra work. And so, with the finder, the quickest way to use it is to always keep it open, or even multiple instances of it open.

 

To minimise all the windows in the frontmost application, it's Option(Alt)+Command+M

 

Hey decksnap, I knew it was an exaceration??(wrong spelling). I just couldn't help myself. But honestly, tax time can not get here fast enough. I want a mac so bad it is just eating at me. Haha, sound like a sicko huh? truthfully, I am not. I just know what I want, but can not get it as of yet.