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OSX doesn't have a lot of shortcuts for working with the GUI like Windows does. On the other hand, OSX has some fantastic and consistent shortcuts for actually

OSX doesn't have a lot of shortcuts for working with the GUI like Windows does. On the other hand, OSX has some fantastic and consistent shortcuts for actually working with data. (For example, Cmd-G, Cmd-Shift-G, Cmd-E, and Cmd-J for text search.) OSX is also incredibly powerful in that it allows you to assign shortcuts to Services, which in turn can be created using simple Automator workflows. This opens up so many possibilities system-wide. Finally, and most importantly, OSX adheres to the same sort of natural language philosophy that we're so used to with Google: if I want to find a specific menu action, why would I navigate the menu graphically when I can just type in the name? Cmd-Space and Cmd-? are the shortcuts I miss most of all whenever I switch back to Windows.

kristiandupont 13y ago
Thank you for pointing out cmd+?, I had no idea it would search through menu items. That will relieve the frustrations that I have with OSX menus a little. Could you provide an example of what you use services and Automator for? I've seen the services menu and I think I read somewhere that it works with the clipboard, but I have no idea what I can use it for.
- archagon 13y ago
  I think the one I use most of all is "New Terminal At Folder", since it means I don't have to type in my current Finder directory in cd. Here's another example. I recently wrote an Automator Service to copy selected file/folder paths to my clipboard. Super useful for programming and it only took me half an hour without knowing any AppleScript. http://cl.ly/1a3s3g1u2Q2w http://cl.ly/1a3s3g1u2Q2w By the way, the contents of the Services menu changes depending on the type of data you've selected. If you want to see a full list, go to System Preferences — Keyboard — Shortcuts — Services. Lots of stuff to choose from!
  - omikun 13y ago
    Just wanted to throw out a mouse alternative: you can drag any folder into the terminal and get the path and then you go back to the head of line and cd into it

kristiandupont 13y ago

Thank you for pointing out cmd+?, I had no idea it would search through menu items. That will relieve the frustrations that I have with OSX menus a little. Could you provide an example of what you use services and Automator for? I've seen the services menu and I think I read somewhere that it works with the clipboard, but I have no idea what I can use it for.

archagon 13y ago
I think the one I use most of all is "New Terminal At Folder", since it means I don't have to type in my current Finder directory in cd. Here's another example. I recently wrote an Automator Service to copy selected file/folder paths to my clipboard. Super useful for programming and it only took me half an hour without knowing any AppleScript. http://cl.ly/1a3s3g1u2Q2w http://cl.ly/1a3s3g1u2Q2w By the way, the contents of the Services menu changes depending on the type of data you've selected. If you want to see a full list, go to System Preferences — Keyboard — Shortcuts — Services. Lots of stuff to choose from!
- omikun 13y ago
  Just wanted to throw out a mouse alternative: you can drag any folder into the terminal and get the path and then you go back to the head of line and cd into it