6 ms·

The problem this app is working on is a real pain point for me. My current solution is to use multi user accounts on my mac (roughly one for each use context I

The problem this app is working on is a real pain point for me. My current solution is to use multi user accounts on my mac (roughly one for each use context I have), leave everything open, and fast user switch between the accounts. This works well enough and has the advantage of lots of isolation between contexts, but the overhead of creating and setting up a new user account is too much to have more than a couple of these (I'd love to have one per project). One advantage of the example of this level of isolation -- I setup my mail program in each account to only be setup for the mail accounts relevant to that context so I only get mail notifications for the context I'm focused on. I'm strongly in favor of some innovation in this space, but this app's solution (and other, window management type solutions) I don't think has enough isolation between contexts for me.

mikecsh 9y ago
I've often pondered this myself. Windows has traditionally been a Window/document-centric OS where the primary object of interaction is a window (e.g. alt-tab would swap between individual Windows). macOS has traditionally been an application-centric OS, one tabs between Applications. What I would love to see is a project-centric system, where I can tab between projects and have all the relevant applications and documents appear and disappear with it.
- sooheon 9y ago
  Interesting way to see it. I have a way to tab between projects in emacs (where only buffers pertaining to a project are shown), but having this system-wide would be good.
  - wcummings 9y ago
    Can you share your elisp?
    - sooheon 9y ago
      It is entirely someone else's elisp: https://github.com/nex3/perspective-el https://github.com/nex3/perspective-el If you don't need workspace specific buffers, eyebrowse[1] is a good (seemingly less buggy) alternative. [1] https://github.com/wasamasa/eyebrowse https://github.com/wasamasa/eyebrowse
      - deleted 9y ago
        [deleted]
      - wcummings 9y ago
        Eyebrowse looks good, I'll be happy if I can get it to select layouts w/ ido completing read. perspective supports that out of the box so worst case i can just that. Thanks!
    - avdempsey 9y ago
      You might also check out spacemacs, it has perspectives pre-configured. Or...steal their elisp :)
      - wcummings 9y ago
        I have way too much configuration accumulated to be bothered with shoehorning it into spacemacs.
- plaguuuuuu 9y ago
  >What I would love to see is a project-centric system, where I can tab between projects and have all the relevant applications and documents appear and disappear with it. Linux! I'm a Windows dev now and miss Linux so much. What I used to do back in the day was simplistic, but still very useful - I'd have multiple desktops open, & have each project on its own desktop. SSH connections, code editors, network drives, VMs whatever. It keeps visual separation between environments, even if not total logical separation. If you need better separation, you can have multiple sessions open at once with separate window managers, user accounts, file system roots, whatever you need - at the same time. I'm hazy on the implementation details but I've seen it done. Altho, this might be a bit old school today, with VMs taking less resources and stuff like docker existing.
  - a_t48 9y ago
    Windows also has multiple desktops now, since at least 10.
    - pmh 9y ago
      Virtual desktops on Windows have been around since at least XP, albeit as a powertoy. I know at least AMD, and I presume Nvidia, also offer(ed) their own virtual desktop solutions as part of their GPU driver suites.
    - Someone 9y ago
      So has Mac OS, since 2007 (the implementation wasn't perfect, though, and possibly still isn't perfect)
- egypturnash 9y ago
  Turn on multiple desktops. One project per desktop. Command-arrow between desktops.
  - andy_ppp 9y ago
    An app can only be on one desktop - instead it should be on multiple spaces but filtered by project, right files open etc.
    - stephenr 9y ago
      Are you sure about that? I'm pretty sure I've had safari windows on multiple desktops.
      - andy_ppp 9y ago
        Okay if you want to split hairs sure Safari can do it but will it keep all the windows about your project on the correct screen? What about Word or Photoshop or Mail or Skype or Sketch or Numbers or Whatever. Will any of these programs filter by project on the correct screen like I want them to? Nope.
        stephenr 9y ago
        They should leave the Windows where you put them, nothing more nothing less.
        Yaggo 9y ago
        I have used project-per-virtual-desktop approach for years. I assign "shared apps" (Mail, Slack, etc) to all desktops (option-click via dock icon). My "project apps" are mostly terminal, text editor, and browser windows. There are couple of issues¹, but this is still by far the best approach I can think of. Actually, I don't understand how other people can manage their stuff without per-project virtual desktops. ¹ cannot rename virtual desktops on macOS, not all apps can restore their windows on correct desktop after reboot, not all apps support multi-window workflow (e.g. Slack), "minimized windows" area in dock should be per-desktop instead of global
- mnm1 9y ago
  Have you looked at KDE activities? It's been around since 2011 or so (assuming it's still around in the latest version--seemed to be there a couple months ago).
  - stoolpigeon 9y ago
    It is what I thought of right away and yes it is still a part of KDE.
- Angostura 9y ago
  Does multiple Desktops on Mac not do the trick?
- dotancohen 9y ago
  KDE has had the wonderful Activities feature for years. I believe that it even filters email messages in Kmail per Activity, though I still use Thunderbird.
- NoGravitas 9y ago
  OS/2 used to have that feature. You could flag a folder as a project in the desktop environment. Anything you opened from that folder was part of that project. Close the project folder, everything opened from it closes. Open the project folder, everything you had open from it last time opens. And I'm pretty sure (it's been ~20 years since I used it) that it would also hide all everything if you hid the project folder.
udkl 9y ago
If I'm on my Ubuntu machine I just use the different workspaces it provides and move between them. On OSX you can achieve something similar with multi-desktops.
- blackoil 9y ago
  MacOS desktops aren't isolated, they pollute task switcher and notifications. They are useful if you use trackpad for primary navigation and not keyboard.
  - lloyd-christmas 9y ago
    I agree with your first sentence, but I don't follow the second. I use `ctrl + ->` and `ctrl + <-` to switch desktops.
- ReverseCold 9y ago
  Windows also has multi desktop, but almost no one uses them for some reason.
wruza 9y ago
Curious if copying homedir except Documents, Downloads, etc. and chown'ing could be sufficient. Maybe it should be more selective than that, but still possible? Btw your idea is very cool. I have at least three contexts too: personal, job-related and somewhat job-related (trial periods that I always miss without touching, etc). I tired of relogging into different accounts and being careful with my From field, thanks for the hack. Cannot believe I didn't figure it out myself.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
AlexKaul 9y ago
Check Freeter. https://freeter.io https://freeter.io
- cridenour 9y ago
  I've been trying Freeter since it was posted here. It's definitely not bad, but I don't think it solves the isolation problem mentioned - but it does help me get my workspace back up after a restart.
Joeri 9y ago
Depending on how the time travel feature of windows 10's fall 2017 update will work it might cover my issue: getting back to a past set of open documents, apps and webpages. Fingers crossed they make it powerful. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/upcoming-features https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/upcoming-features
eivarv 9y ago
I've been toying with project-management features in various contexts for years, and I'm actually working on something that would solve this problem, as it also manages application state within a context. I have a functional prototype I'm planning to share as soon as I've polished up the UI.
JimDabell 9y ago
I do it the same way as you and it's a hell of a lot better than this. Everything is set up specifically for the client/project you're working on at the time – SSH keys, Git config, documents, mail accounts, passwords, you name it. All focused on the specific project and all isolated. As far as the initial setup is concerned, this is fairly easily scriptable. Pretty much everything in System Preferences can be set using `defaults write`, there's loads of dotfile management tools, and most other things can be generated with templates using something like Cookiecutter. You can get a completely customised user account in a few seconds just by running a script and answering a few questions.

mikecsh 9y ago

I've often pondered this myself. Windows has traditionally been a Window/document-centric OS where the primary object of interaction is a window (e.g. alt-tab would swap between individual Windows). macOS has traditionally been an application-centric OS, one tabs between Applications. What I would love to see is a project-centric system, where I can tab between projects and have all the relevant applications and documents appear and disappear with it.

sooheon 9y ago
Interesting way to see it. I have a way to tab between projects in emacs (where only buffers pertaining to a project are shown), but having this system-wide would be good.
- wcummings 9y ago
  Can you share your elisp?
  - sooheon 9y ago
    It is entirely someone else's elisp: https://github.com/nex3/perspective-el https://github.com/nex3/perspective-el If you don't need workspace specific buffers, eyebrowse[1] is a good (seemingly less buggy) alternative. [1] https://github.com/wasamasa/eyebrowse https://github.com/wasamasa/eyebrowse
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
    - wcummings 9y ago
      Eyebrowse looks good, I'll be happy if I can get it to select layouts w/ ido completing read. perspective supports that out of the box so worst case i can just that. Thanks!
  - avdempsey 9y ago
    You might also check out spacemacs, it has perspectives pre-configured. Or...steal their elisp :)
    - wcummings 9y ago
      I have way too much configuration accumulated to be bothered with shoehorning it into spacemacs.
plaguuuuuu 9y ago
>What I would love to see is a project-centric system, where I can tab between projects and have all the relevant applications and documents appear and disappear with it. Linux! I'm a Windows dev now and miss Linux so much. What I used to do back in the day was simplistic, but still very useful - I'd have multiple desktops open, & have each project on its own desktop. SSH connections, code editors, network drives, VMs whatever. It keeps visual separation between environments, even if not total logical separation. If you need better separation, you can have multiple sessions open at once with separate window managers, user accounts, file system roots, whatever you need - at the same time. I'm hazy on the implementation details but I've seen it done. Altho, this might be a bit old school today, with VMs taking less resources and stuff like docker existing.
- a_t48 9y ago
  Windows also has multiple desktops now, since at least 10.
  - pmh 9y ago
    Virtual desktops on Windows have been around since at least XP, albeit as a powertoy. I know at least AMD, and I presume Nvidia, also offer(ed) their own virtual desktop solutions as part of their GPU driver suites.
  - Someone 9y ago
    So has Mac OS, since 2007 (the implementation wasn't perfect, though, and possibly still isn't perfect)
egypturnash 9y ago
Turn on multiple desktops. One project per desktop. Command-arrow between desktops.
- andy_ppp 9y ago
  An app can only be on one desktop - instead it should be on multiple spaces but filtered by project, right files open etc.
  - stephenr 9y ago
    Are you sure about that? I'm pretty sure I've had safari windows on multiple desktops.
    - andy_ppp 9y ago
      Okay if you want to split hairs sure Safari can do it but will it keep all the windows about your project on the correct screen? What about Word or Photoshop or Mail or Skype or Sketch or Numbers or Whatever. Will any of these programs filter by project on the correct screen like I want them to? Nope.
      - stephenr 9y ago
        They should leave the Windows where you put them, nothing more nothing less.
      - Yaggo 9y ago
        I have used project-per-virtual-desktop approach for years. I assign "shared apps" (Mail, Slack, etc) to all desktops (option-click via dock icon). My "project apps" are mostly terminal, text editor, and browser windows. There are couple of issues¹, but this is still by far the best approach I can think of. Actually, I don't understand how other people can manage their stuff without per-project virtual desktops. ¹ cannot rename virtual desktops on macOS, not all apps can restore their windows on correct desktop after reboot, not all apps support multi-window workflow (e.g. Slack), "minimized windows" area in dock should be per-desktop instead of global
mnm1 9y ago
Have you looked at KDE activities? It's been around since 2011 or so (assuming it's still around in the latest version--seemed to be there a couple months ago).
- stoolpigeon 9y ago
  It is what I thought of right away and yes it is still a part of KDE.
Angostura 9y ago
Does multiple Desktops on Mac not do the trick?
dotancohen 9y ago
KDE has had the wonderful Activities feature for years. I believe that it even filters email messages in Kmail per Activity, though I still use Thunderbird.
NoGravitas 9y ago
OS/2 used to have that feature. You could flag a folder as a project in the desktop environment. Anything you opened from that folder was part of that project. Close the project folder, everything opened from it closes. Open the project folder, everything you had open from it last time opens. And I'm pretty sure (it's been ~20 years since I used it) that it would also hide all everything if you hid the project folder.

udkl 9y ago

If I'm on my Ubuntu machine I just use the different workspaces it provides and move between them. On OSX you can achieve something similar with multi-desktops.

blackoil 9y ago
MacOS desktops aren't isolated, they pollute task switcher and notifications. They are useful if you use trackpad for primary navigation and not keyboard.
- lloyd-christmas 9y ago
  I agree with your first sentence, but I don't follow the second. I use `ctrl + ->` and `ctrl + <-` to switch desktops.
ReverseCold 9y ago
Windows also has multi desktop, but almost no one uses them for some reason.

wruza 9y ago

Curious if copying homedir except Documents, Downloads, etc. and chown'ing could be sufficient. Maybe it should be more selective than that, but still possible? Btw your idea is very cool. I have at least three contexts too: personal, job-related and somewhat job-related (trial periods that I always miss without touching, etc). I tired of relogging into different accounts and being careful with my From field, thanks for the hack. Cannot believe I didn't figure it out myself.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

AlexKaul 9y ago

Check Freeter. https://freeter.io https://freeter.io

cridenour 9y ago
I've been trying Freeter since it was posted here. It's definitely not bad, but I don't think it solves the isolation problem mentioned - but it does help me get my workspace back up after a restart.

Joeri 9y ago

Depending on how the time travel feature of windows 10's fall 2017 update will work it might cover my issue: getting back to a past set of open documents, apps and webpages. Fingers crossed they make it powerful. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/upcoming-features https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/upcoming-features

eivarv 9y ago

I've been toying with project-management features in various contexts for years, and I'm actually working on something that would solve this problem, as it also manages application state within a context. I have a functional prototype I'm planning to share as soon as I've polished up the UI.

JimDabell 9y ago

I do it the same way as you and it's a hell of a lot better than this. Everything is set up specifically for the client/project you're working on at the time – SSH keys, Git config, documents, mail accounts, passwords, you name it. All focused on the specific project and all isolated. As far as the initial setup is concerned, this is fairly easily scriptable. Pretty much everything in System Preferences can be set using `defaults write`, there's loads of dotfile management tools, and most other things can be generated with templates using something like Cookiecutter. You can get a completely customised user account in a few seconds just by running a script and answering a few questions.