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Windows style applications menu?

Spanky Deluxe

Spanky Deluxe

macrumors 603
Original poster
Mar 17, 2005
5,293
1,839
London, UK
Is there any way to get the same kind of functionality as the programs list in Windows. I love the whole dock affair but I don't want to have all of my programs in there. Having to clear the screen with Expose, then double click OS X on my desktop, then click Applications, then find what I want, double click, then task switch back to the Applications window to clean up and close it is rather long winded. Ideally I'd have an extra option in the Apple menu that lists all of the Applications in alphabetical order. Like the Recent Items menu. Either that or a similar kind of menu that would appear after clicking on a special icon in the dock.
 
buy a mac and ask for it to be more like windows. best idea ever.

Just being a pain. But the best way to do this would be to simply put the Applications folder in your dock.

However, just so you know - when Finder is on top-layer, cmd+shift+a opens your applications folder.. very handy shortcut.
 
There's a great program called Butler which sits in your menubar and allows you to set up various folders, set up kind of like the Windows start menu. It will also allow you to control iTunes, etc.
 
calebjohnston said:
buy a mac and ask for it to be more like windows. best idea ever.
Click to expand...

Lol!! I'm sorry but there are some things (few) that I think Windows does better. OS X is better for nearly everything but sometimes I actually miss some Windows functionality. Emphasis on sometimes. :)

I'll look into those programs guys, thank you! :)
 
Spanky Deluxe said:
Lol!! I'm sorry but there are some things (few) that I think Windows does better. OS X is better for nearly everything but sometimes I actually miss some Windows functionality. Emphasis on sometimes. :)

I'll look into those programs guys, thank you! :)
Click to expand...
Don't apologize. You are entitled to your preferances.
 
I just added my Applications folder to the right side of the dock. Then you just have to right-click or click and hold on it and it will give you a scrollable list of your apps arranged in alphabetical order.
 
FruitMenu

You want FruitMenu. It gives you full control over what goes into your Apple menu. Put your most-used apps at the top level, and put your Apps Folder in there to have it work like the Programs feature in Windows. I couldn't live without it!

Edit - you don't actually want to put those items into the FruitMenu folder - you'll put aliases of the items into it - just like we used to do in OS9 and before. :)
 
another vote for quicksilver here. with it, you just set a key combo (such as ctrl+space) to open the quicksilver box, type in the first few letters of the program you want to run, and hit enter. it makes things so much easier.

but to each their own; i personally NEVER used the start menu before i switched, i would always find some other way. idk, for some reason i just found it to be little more the a clumsy and annoying interface and i just couldn't stand it.
 
No need to apologize, I wasn't insulting you. Put take what I said to mind.

Applications folder in dock makes it faster.
And... cmd+shift+a opens applications when finder is top layer.
 
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