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Quick tip for developers who use OS X

news.ycombinator.com

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Re: Quick tip for developers who use OS X

#371

Post by matthewmacleod »

jlarocco wrote: post #231
egypturnash wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you want to change command key-centric menu shortcuts for a program, you can do that in the keyboard pane of system prefs.

No. In Linux I have global keyboard shortcuts to launch specific applications and do some other stuff. I hit a key combo and a new terminal pops up, or a new tab pops up in my browser, or a new email, or the Python shell, or whatever else I want. It launches regardless of what other application I'm currently using. In OSX, last time I looked (maybe a version or two ago), there was really no builtin way to achieve the…

This have been available for many versions.

It's not quite as straightforward, but you can define custom services using Automator, and subsequently bind them to any key combo using System Preferences.

Since Automator workflows can do pretty much anything (like running AppleScripts, shell scripts, manipulating other apps etc...) you're pretty much free to do what you want.

Re: Quick tip for developers who use OS X

#372

Post by kalleboo »

ancarda wrote: post #101
verandaguy wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Am I wrong to have long dismissed this as little more than an easter egg, or, at best, a toy server to test basic webpage functionality?

I use it quite a lot to move files between my computers, stream content to my phone, test out web designs. I suppose it's like net cat, it's useful for some. I think "toy server" is fairly accurate, I can't see anyone using this in production but I can't see people installing nginx on their laptops either.

> I can't see people installing nginx on their laptops either.

OS X comes with apache preinstalled though

Re: Quick tip for developers who use OS X

#374

Post by 72deluxe »

natural219 wrote: post #168
guelo wrote: post #118

After making the switch to OS X in the last couple years after living in Linux and Windows before that, I think it's objective to say that keyboard shortcuts in OS X are much worse in both ease of use and consistency across applications.

Sorry, but this is laughable. Keyboard shortcuts are far more useful and consistent across applications in OS X. I'm failing to understand how you could form this opinion...which shortcuts / programs don't meet your expectations? I guess I can sum this up by saying OS X has an additional modifier key than Windows, so you basically have 33% more power right out of the gate. The "Windows Key" is nearly useless.

However, the way to access the menu is dumb. Ctrl-F2? Why not Alt- like Windows?

And such dumb commands within the menus! eg. Xcode show debug area: cmd-shift-y, continue: ctrl-cmd-y; these seem stupid to me, but probably because they have repurposed the Fn keys (F1-F19) to show expose etc. instead of having real function key behaviour, and probably because some function keys are missing from the tiny wireless keyboards...

To be fair, I am perfectly used to both of them but moving from OS to OS was a horrible learning curve to begin with!

I would say that keyboard shortcuts are consistently bad across OSX but I am perfectly used to them :-)

Re: Quick tip for developers who use OS X

#375

Post by 72deluxe »

pacaro wrote: post #249
drewblay wrote: post #232

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I couldn't agree with you more! I used to be (a long time ago) a avid Windows user, and scoffed at Mac's. I then got into the publishing world where everything is Mac. The keyboard shortcuts are by far much more consistent and easier on OS X. I am scratching my head wondering how anyone could ever come up with a different conclusion, the difference is night and day.

It all depends on what you are doing. The WindowsKey is often overlooked, for example, there are great key combinations for manipulating application windows. WindowsKey+Arrow moves the current window around in a logical way (up maximizes, left docks to left edge of screen, etc), WindowsKey+Shift+Arrow moves the current window to another monitor in a sensible fashion. Out of the box OS X doesn't seem to have equivalen…

You are right. This behaviour only appeared in Windows 7 +, and didn't exist on older OSes, unless you used a utility such as WinSplit Revolution.

On OSX, you can install something like ShiftIt, but if ANYONE discovers such a utility for Linux that is DE agnostic, I would cry with joy because I am using tile -m at the moment...

Re: Quick tip for developers who use OS X

#376

Post by 72deluxe »

jlarocco wrote: post #231
egypturnash wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you want to change command key-centric menu shortcuts for a program, you can do that in the keyboard pane of system prefs.

No. In Linux I have global keyboard shortcuts to launch specific applications and do some other stuff. I hit a key combo and a new terminal pops up, or a new tab pops up in my browser, or a new email, or the Python shell, or whatever else I want. It launches regardless of what other application I'm currently using. In OSX, last time I looked (maybe a version or two ago), there was really no builtin way to achieve the…

I think I used Automator in OSX to open a terminal window after missing such a shortcut that I used on Linux. For your reference:

http://www.macosxautomation.com/services/learn/tut01/index.h...

Re: Quick tip for developers who use OS X

#377

Post by 72deluxe »

scelerat wrote: post #121

The first thing I do when setting up a new Mac is make the Caps Lock key into another Control key. System Preferences > Keyboard > Modifier Keys Saves lots of awkward pinky-bending.

Is it me or do Mac Caps Lock keys require you to hold them down for close to a second for them to activate? There appears to be some kind of hardware timer in them to work...?

I noticed this coming from Windows and Linux on other keyboards where tapping Caps Lock works but on Mac OSX with an Apple keyboard or on a Macbook you have to make a real deliberate effort to keep the key down longer than a nanosecond for it to register.

Is it just me who has noticed this?

Re: Quick tip for developers who use OS X

#378

Post by 72deluxe »

ggreer wrote: post #187
panzi wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because crappy Macs have no Home/End keys (or they don't work as such).

On most macs, Fn + left/right arrow are home/end. Fn + up/down are pageup/pagedown.

Not sure if I have it set up differently but mine is Cmd-Left or Cmd-Right to move to the beginning of a line...? Easier to reach than fn (I'm using a real wired BIG Apple keyboard, the RSI inducing one...)
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