How do you launch apps and files on your Mac? Do you use the Dock or scroll through the Applications and Documents folders? There is an easier way and it’s absolutely free. File launchers on the Mac are a must have for organization.

The Mac is loaded with applications, utilities, tools. Then there’s all those applications, utilities, and tools we buy and install on our Macs.

That’s what Mac360 is all about. Helping you to load up your Mac with software that makes you more productive, more efficient, better looking, a better dresser, and with improved posture.

Seriously, the Dock is nice but it gets crowded very, very fast. Even with Dock magnification set to on, many of us have more Mac software icons than we have space for said icons.

If you haven’t made it beyond clicking around in your Applications or Documents folders, a file launcher is a single utility that stores the location of Mac applications or documents or both. One click opens whatever you want. That’s handy.

If you’re like Kate or Bambi, you’ll buy the ultimate in Mac file launchers, DragThing. There’s probably not a better more elegant file launcher available, Mac or Windows.

If you’re like Jack or Jeffrey, you’ll probably prefer Quicksilver, though you’ll need to take classes at night school to learn how to use it.

Beyond those two launchers, the Mac software community has provided a dozen or so other ways to launch yours applications and documents. OverFlow is elegant and easy to configure. Trampoline is unique. Launcher is free.

If you’re like Alexis or me then you’ll probably prefer a free solution with little configuration (as in “none"), and with a high degree of flexibility.

Even better is what’s already on your Mac, assuming you’re using a version of Mac OS X, and don’t mind it if I help you unclutter your Dock.

Mac OS X has a feature called Aliases. It’s called Shortcut on Windows PCs. When you create an Aliases to an application or a document, double clicking on the alias opens the original file, application or document.

An Alias is a very powerful feature and you can use it to create your own Mac launcher in just a couple of minutes. Once you see how it works, you’ll be able to customize it to fit how you work.

First, in your Documents folder, create a new folder called Launcher. Inside the newly created Launcher folder, create two more folders, once called Applications, and one called Documents. Drag the Launcher folder to the right side of your Dock, near the Trash icon.

Open your Mac’s application folder and select any application you use regularly, such as TextEdit, or anything else. Right click, or control-click, and you’ll get a pop up menu. Select “Make Alias.” That will create an Alias file. Drag it to your Launcher’s Applications folder.

Next, open your Mac’s Documents folder, find a document that you use regularly; Word, Excel, Pages, whatever. Again, right click, create an Alias, and drag the Alias to your Launcher Documents folder (inside your Mac’s Documents folder).

Now, click and hold the Launcher folder icon in the Dock. You’ll see a pop up menu with two more folder icons, one for Documents, and one for Applications. Select either, and the Aliases you just created will appear.

You’ve just created a one click Launcher for any file, document or application on your Mac. Repeat that process for whatever files, Applications or Documents, you want to be in the Launcher’s menu.

Cool, huh? And totally free, fully customizable.

That’s all well and good and about as inexpensive as you can get, highly customizable, and so on.

It’s also a royal pain to maintain.

What I don’t like about the Alias In The Dock launcher system is making changes, retyping application names, and the constant need to remember to delete aliases and add aliases. There needs to be an automated way to handle that, but I don’t know what it is.

My favorite launcher is Overflow. It is reminiscent of the old OS 9 Launcher but is totally OS X in style and execution. Overflow is very easy to use and quite affordable ($14,95).

I have no trouble maintaining something like this for applications, but with files it can be a hassle. I would suggest a modification to this routine, using saved Spotlight searches and the Recently Used [...] folders. If it really is something you use frequently, setting your Recently Used Applications, for instance, to a manageable size that encompasses what you need will be a great solution. Since these are also Aliases, they will come and go as things change, eliminating the need for manual updates. Something that is important but rarely used can keep its place in the Dock.

Or, you could just buy Launchbar and be done with all these other launching work-arounds.

I appreciate Mac 360’s approach to choosing such utilities and methods. For example, the “alias” set up is an easy way to create a “poor man’s Launchbar”. It’s not DragThing, but it doesn’t have that complexity or associated cost.

For most Mac users, the Dock is probably fine for everything. For those of us who start adding more to our Macs, thanks to exposure of great tools on Mac 360, the Dock becomes crowded.

Of those launchers I’ve tried, and I quickly tired of maintaining the “alias” set up, Launchbar is good, Overflow is very clever and handy, Trampoline uses too much screen space, Quicksilver is too difficult to learn, and DragThing is the most useful, and pricey.

This is precisely what makes Mac360 so great. We all come here with different needs and budgets and, by throwing out various ideas and products, get the answers we need. The beauty is that success has not spoiled the site.

I did buy Launchbar 4 - liked it very much, and only decided to “try” Quicksilver as it was free - now I swear by it - Quicksilver I mean. Granted, and I’ll not argue the point that it comes with a learning curve. If one is willing to invest just a little time the return on the investment, in my opinion, is more than worthwhile! It is my “Mac File Launcher” of choice that’s not only free but with the built in plugins, very powerful. Also in my opinion, Blacktree is right, Quicksilver is

A unified, extensible interface for working with applications, contacts, music, and other data.

Andrew Purvis - 16 March 2007 08:24 PM

This is precisely what makes Mac360 so great. We all come here with different needs and budgets and, by throwing out various ideas and products, get the answers we need. The beauty is that success has not spoiled the site.

We could always argue what “success” is, but most of us here agree that we have a bit of a mission-- to carry forward Tera’s original concept for a site for Mac users, switchers, newbies, technophobes, and experienced users-- a site that reviews Mac software that’s worthy and seldom reviewed elsewhere, a site with a fresh approach to user and reader dialog; experienced users helping others.

To this day, we focus on Reviews and Commentary. Not just reviews of software from Apple, Microsoft, Adobe, and others as would be expected. But reviews of software from those Mac developers who create good products that are easy to use, affordable, and recommendable. We don’t review much that we don’t like. Of course, there’s commentary from the Mac360 folks about what goes on in the world of Apple and Mac. If you’ve noticed, we don’t always agree, but that’s the idea. Tera dearly wanted the site to have both a Comments section and a Forums section which would give Mac users and Mac360 readers a way to communicate-- tastes, perspectives, experiences, needs.

We don’t know if we’ve completely fulfilled Tera’s wishes, but we’ve worked hard to carry on her legacy and carry out her wishes for the Mac community. In the nearly seven months since Tera died, we’ve added more content each day, updated the look and feel, and struggled to fill her void while feeling her loss. This has all been especially difficult for Bambi, who considered Tera to be her best friend, big sister, and life mentor.

Average daily visitor traffic to Mac360 has nearly doubled in the past six months. Advertising revenue, though modest when compared to many Mac sites, has afforded a faster server with more bandwidth, and a few less system administration worries for Ron and Jeffrey.

We have little doubt that Mac360 will never become a major destination for tens of thousands of Mac users each day; we’re a boutique destination on the internet-- but we’ll keep working to fulfill Tera’s original objective to provide a fresh perspective for all Mac users.

Boutique site? Yes, I suppose. But a doctor in a small town may be a boutique medical professional. The baby boomers are still coming.

I see this thread is rather old, but I just wanted to add my two cents. My favorite launcher is still Spotlight. Works great for apps and files.

Robert - 24 October 2007 02:28 PM

I see this thread is rather old, but I just wanted to add my two cents. My favorite launcher is still Spotlight. Works great for apps and files.

I can’t imagine using Spotlight as a launcher. Too many keystrokes. I want something that’s one click, or click and hold. I’ve been using my little alias system for years and it’s truly click, hold, select to launch. The problem is maintenance. It takes work to keep it working.

I use spotlight to launch programs I don’t use very often.  Works great for that.  I just use the dock as my launcher…

BunsenHoneydew - 06 May 2008 04:20 PM

I use spotlight to launch programs I don’t use very often.  Works great for that.  I just use the dock as my launcher…

I wonder if anyone has done any time and motion and effort tests to show whether one launcher is better than another. I don’t like to click, click, click, whether mouse or keyboard, so Spotlight is a no go for me. The Dock is about as easy as it gets; point, click, but has limitations. Even the folders in the Documents section of the Dock require a point, click, navigate. And I can’t remember hot keys for 30 apps and utilities.

Anything better?

jonny_m - 09 May 2008 01:10 PM

I wonder if anyone has done any time and motion and effort tests to show whether one launcher is better than another. I don’t like to click, click, click, whether mouse or keyboard, so Spotlight is a no go for me. The Dock is about as easy as it gets; point, click, but has limitations. Even the folders in the Documents section of the Dock require a point, click, navigate. And I can’t remember hot keys for 30 apps and utilities.

Anything better?

Tiger Launch. You just click the Tiger in your Menu Bar, and all your apps show up in: gasp...alphabetical order. What a concept! You can mouse down to the application you want, or type in the name until it’s highlighted and hit return. Just like the old days of DOS, except you don’t have to remember some idiotic, unintuitive abbreviation and type all of it.

Gatesbasher - 10 May 2008 04:02 AM

Tiger Launch. You just click the Tiger in your Menu Bar, and all your apps show up in: gasp...alphabetical order. What a concept! You can mouse down to the application you want, or type in the name until it’s highlighted and hit return. Just like the old days of DOS, except you don’t have to remember some idiotic, unintuitive abbreviation and type all of it.

From what I can see of most of these so-called ‘launchers’ they have a few things in common. Lots of clicking and mousing and navigation to get to something.

The Dock, for all its faults, is very simple and quick. Point, click. Application opens. I’ve been using DragThing, which I like a lot, but which actually adds steps to launch. Either point or click to get to DragThing, then point and click to open an application or document. That’s more pointing and more clicking.

Hierarchical menu selection isn’t bad, unless you have lots of documents well organized in a number of sub-folders. Then it becomes point, click, navigate, navigate, navigate, select, finish click. See? More pointing and clicking.

Even something simple like dumping my Applications folder in the Dock and using the List view requires a point, a click a scrolling navigation, and a final click. And that scrolling navigation takes awhile.

Voice commands, anyone?