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SwitchCenter: an OSX Mission Control alternative (invite-only)

news.ycombinator.com

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SwitchCenter: an OSX Mission Control alternative (invite-only)

#1

Post by offbeatport »

Hello HN.

I’m working on a tool that aims to replace OSX's Mission Control: https://www.switchcenter.app.

It will display the windows in a more orderly fashion and will also give you some control over them (i.e. you can close the windows or go full-screen). When released, it will be a paid-for tool with a trial version available to try it out.

I would very much appreciate if anyone would be willing and curious enough to try the alpha-preview version and provide some feedback.

If you want to participate please go to https://www.switchcenter.app to subscribe, or send me an email.

Thank you in advance.

Re: SwitchCenter: an OSX Mission Control alternative (invite-only)

#3

Post by offbeatport »

gus_massa wrote: post #2

Fake questions are not well received here. Can you change the title to something like " Switchcenter: a OSX Mission Control alternative " or " Switchcenter: Revised osx windows management " ?

Thank you for the feedback. Very good advice. I just didn't want to mislead people into thinking that this is ready for general use.

Re: SwitchCenter: an OSX Mission Control alternative (invite-only)

#4

Post by twright »

A video demo would be helpful, does it improve window management between spaces at all? I really liked spaces/mission control in OSX 10.6 before they changed it to what it is now. You could have a grid of desktops and move windows between them without having to go to the desktop first.

Re: SwitchCenter: an OSX Mission Control alternative (invite-only)

#5

Post by user3939382 »

My biggest problem in this area is the extremely annoying delay/animation when switching desktops/spaces in macOS or switching between full screen apps. The only way I’ve been able to solve this is buying TotalSpaces but it also has problems.

Re: SwitchCenter: an OSX Mission Control alternative (invite-only)

#6

Post by offbeatport »

twright wrote: post #4

A video demo would be helpful, does it improve window management between spaces at all? I really liked spaces/mission control in OSX 10.6 before they changed it to what it is now. You could have a grid of desktops and move windows between them without having to go to the desktop first.

Good idea. I'll make a video and upload it to the page.

Unfortunately, the first version will not support spaces. I tried to add that functionality as part of the MVP but as it turns out, working with OSX's private functions for spaces is not straightforward. However, I do appreciate that you (and probably other people too) use spaces, so I'll add it in at some point in the near future.

Re: SwitchCenter: an OSX Mission Control alternative (invite-only)

#7

Post by offbeatport »

user3939382 wrote: post #5

My biggest problem in this area is the extremely annoying delay/animation when switching desktops/spaces in macOS or switching between full screen apps. The only way I’ve been able to solve this is buying TotalSpaces but it also has problems.

I agree. For me, I tried to use reduce motion and turn off most of the animations in OSX (this is how I did it https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/142734). It didn't completely remove the animations but it went from "slide in/out" animation to "fade in/out". It felt like a better experience.
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