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Yesterday I posted a mini-review of MultiDockX, a Dock location and configuration utility. Another Dock utility is DockFun a tool that can run an infinite number of OS X Dock configurations. You can for example, set up a Dock for Internet applications and a Dock for graphics that you can switch between with a mouse click. You can also have multiple docks (dubbed Donelleschi Dock) opened in vertical or horizontal mode. A floating palette allows you to switch between Docks and configurations. 
DockFun version 4.x has been almost completely rewritten. it's now a cocoa app, multi-threaded so works faster on dual-processor PowerMacs and optimized for G4. The main new features: The Dockpit "a Cockpit for the Dock Pilot" This window is the new key feature of DockFun. It works for your Applications and Documents similarly to the way as iTunes does for your mp3s 
You can use the DockPit to compile Dock configurations by simply dragging files from the Finder to The Dockpit.
The Dockpit allows you to:
A Cocoa drawer on the DockPit window provides quick and easy access to the DockFun preferences. 
DockFun is a more complex and multifeatured program than MultiDock X, and that is reflected in its significantly higher shareware fee -- $19.95 vs. $3.00. DockFun will appeal to folks who like a lot of bells & whistles, palette floaters, the more extensive Dock positioning options, and the DockPit configuration interface. MultiDock X will be preferred by those who like a more minimalist interface motif. They're both shareware and small downloads, so its no hardship to check them both out.
System requirements:
For more information, visit:
From Ken Cavaliere-Klick "What about browsers? I find OS X browsers to be faster and cooler than Classic versions." It's hard to compare 9 and X browsers since there are so few that are current in both OS's. "Faster" is hard to qualify. Some sites work better with one browser than another. In general I use Safari on my iBook and iCab on my old iMac. From a completely philosophical standpoint I don't use Internet Explorer. I go way back with Netscape but have moved on. The Mozilla variants are very good but seem a step sideways from the fledgling Safari. Opera has potential should they ever release version 7 for Mac. Much like you, I'm on dialup. My enthusiasm for downloading huge browsers is gone. I'm strictly in a "less is more" phase. In that respect, it's hard not to appreciate the tiny iCab.
Hi Ken;
iCab provides a direct comparison. The OS X version is faster and slicker. Netscape and Mozilla until recently were another cross-OS comparison. And of course, as you note, there is a much broader selection of OS X browsers.
Charles From G Fisher
Jonathan Tyzack said:
In this case, the problem cited--WindowShade X causing a "dreadful hit on performance" (one I don't recall encountering when I upgraded)--appeared, as Mr. Tyzack notes, *when Jaguar was first released*--that is, when the OS was upgraded. Shortly after, Unsanity came out with a fix, free to registered owners. Problem solved. If another problem appears when Panther comes out--and it's a safe bet that Panther *will* break things--it's simple enough to turn off the affected hack until a fix is released, then resume using it. To abandon the entire category of "APE-based hacks" because *one* of them broke after a particularly major OS upgrade is foolish. You might as reasonably conclude that air travel is inherently unsafe because of one airplane crash, or stop using all appliances because you burnt your hand on a hot stove once.
Charles Moore commented:
< You wouldn't see a performance problem unless you have the pre-Jaguar version installed. The current version and Jaguar get along quite happily.
Glen Fisher From: Jenny Morgan I was using some of Unsanities haxies and it caused a major issue with LiveType... The upper case M,K.I,U and J did not function. All was well in any other application, but in LiveType, no go. I too have reformed and will only use haxies on a must have basis. -Jenny Morgan
Hi Jenny;
As I said, your mileage may vary. I haven't encountered the problem you report, but I don't use LiveType.
Charles APE and slowdowns--Dock replacements From Michael W Snider Charles,
You wrote:
Have you tried LiteSwitch (http://www.proteron.com/liteswitchx/)? Between it and LaunchBar (http://www.obdev.at/products/launchbar/), I'm able to have no apps permanently in the dock and to keep the dock minimized to its smallest possible size (hiding uses processor cycles and unexpectedly hides app features when the dock reappears). Screenshots of LiteSwitch are here: http://www.proteron.com/liteswitchx/ screenshots.php It can be confgured to bring all of an app's windows forward, or to hide all other apps, or to bring only the mnost recently active window forward
Hi Michael.
I'll try to get around to checking out LightSwitch.
Charles
From Jonathan Tyzack Hi Charles, The reason you didn't suffer any slowdown with WindowShade X is because by the time you eventually installed Jaguar, Unsanity had released an update which fixed the problem. I'm including the series of e-mails I sent you which were published in Odyssey 161 (see below). FWIW, it seems that Unsanity themselves are fairly good at providing relatively rapid bugfixes when something like this happens, but the problem is that APE can be used by *anyone* and will these other developers be as conscientious at preventing this kind of thing from happening? It is also incredibly hard to troubleshoot this type of problem as an individual when it arises unless several others notice the same effect and/or it is immediately noticeable after installing a hack for the first time. Remember that this particular bug affected the entire system and not just apps which happened to be using windowshading so it wasn't immediately apparent that WS X was the cause. The answer of course, would be for Apple to code it into the system itself just to satisfy the Windowshade diehards like yourself, so that these third party hacks wouldn't be necessary. Personally, I still think it seriously blows chunks as a method of window management and I fully understand why Apple is loathe to reintroduce it into OS X... but I've trodden that road with you a fair few times before ;-) Cheers, Jonathan.
From Jonathan Tyzack
Hi Charles,
I thought you might like to know that there may be an issue with Unsanity's haxies causing 10.2 to slowdown (check the MacNN OS X Software board for a thread* on this). In my last e-mail to you, I commented that I hadn't really noticed a huge speedup with 10.2 on my 400MHz iMac. In actual fact, since then, things seemed to be getting slower and slower which was tremendously disappointing given the hype - applications like Address Book and Mail in particular were terrible... to cut a long story short, having seen the thread at MacNN, I uninstalled both Silk and WindowShadeX and the difference has proved phenomenal. I am belatedly experiencing what many others were raving about... 10.2 is now definitely faster than 10.1.5. Applications are launching quickly, scrolling and minimising are both much smoother, Address Book and Mail are now responsive, etc.
I am unsure if the problem lies with all haxies (perhaps it is just those affecting text and windowing like Silk/WindowShadeX), but it is apparent that there was a large impact from the two that I used. A great shame and hopefully something that Unsanity can work out as I used the transparency effect of WindowShadeX constantly. :-(
Cheers,
Jonathan
Note: If you want to provide a direct link, the address is
Re: OS X Odyssey - Unsanity Haxies cause 10.2 to slowdown?
From Jonathan Tyzack
A follow up - it appears that the issue is with WindowShade X and that it is known about at Unsanity. There may be an update soon.
Cheers,
Jonathan
___
From Jonathan Tyzack
A further follow up - an update is out already(!) and it appears to fix the issue. :-)
Cheers,
Jonathan
You're probably right about the chronology. Odyssey 162 was posted 9/5/02, and I installed Jaguar in October or November. I uninstalled the haxies I had been using as an experiment in December; reinstalled just WindowShade X and APE in the New Year. Whatever, I noticed no discernible difference in performance after reinstalling WSX,
With due deference and appreciation to Unsanity Software for making WindowShade X available, I do with Apple would license it from them and include it as part of OS X. IMHO nothing else -- not collapsing windows to the Dock (which I absolutely detest ; all those miserable little lookalike icons) or minimize in place solutions (including the one in WSX) come even close in usability, efficiency, or convenience.
Charles
The OS X Odyssey archives may be accessed here: Note: Letters to Moore's Mailbag may or may not be published at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context. Opinions expressed in postings to Moore's MailBag are those of the respective correspondents and not necessarily shared or endorsed by the Editor and/or Applelinks management. If you would prefer that your message not appear in Moore's Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published. CM
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