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Reader Dave Clark writes:
Have you written any articles about services? I notice in your Osyssey 414, you say that is one of your favorite things about OS X. I really have no idea what it's all about. Shameful, I suppose.
Thanks,
The built-in OS X spell checker is also a Services-type function, although it is accessed from the Edit Menu. For example, I can highlight a block of text or an image on a Web page in Safari, and transfer it to Tex Edit Plus or DEVONThink using a selection from the Services submenu in the Safari application menu, rather than copying the text to the Clipboard, switching to the other program, pasting it there, and returning to Safari. You can also transfer highlighted text or images to the OS X Mail app. where it will appear as a new message. Commands from OS X's built in Text Edit program are available in most any Services-supporting application. Other applications, when installed, can add items to the Services menu, and there are dedicated services function add-ons available as well, such as an excellent suite of freeware Services from Devon Technology, including WordService, which allows you to open Microsoft Word documents without Word, and CalcService, which provides a suite of quickly accessable calculator functions. If an application or add-on provides more than one service, they will appear in a sub-submenu of the Services submenu. Services are basically a time-saver, and take a lot less time to use than to explain, making it possible to accomplish tasks in, say, two steps rather than five. Many applications install their services by default when you install or first run them. Dedicated third-party Services (search under "service" at www.versiontracker.com or macupdate.com) are installed in the/library/services folder --either in the main library or your Home Folder library. You have to log out and log in again in order to activate a newly-installed Service. Da Dock... From Michael W (Sabre) Snider Charles, Mutliple user accounts are a Good Thing even if you're the only user. I have a second, completely vanilla, administrator account on my machine. When something seems peculiar or Just Doesn't Work, I log in to that account and determine whether it's a system wide anomaly or is confined to my regular account. It can also be useful to have a test user account, and install software first in that account only to contain potential damage. If it seems good, you can move it to the regular apps directory. Finally, many people set up a non-administrator account for their everyday work so that they can't muck with the system inadvertantly--and such a setup makes the system less vulnerable to attack.
Best,
Hi Michael;
Me too. A tech support person at IBM turned me on to the concept of having a "clean" user account when I was having difficulty installing ViaVoice X a couple of years back. Actually, my main user account was pretty "clean" back then too, but anyway, it worked. Go figure.
However, I just blithely (or foolishly) install all the software and utilities I check out in my main account, often alpha level stuff, and I've hads amazingly few problems -- a testament to OS X's basic rock-solid stability.
Charles From Jon Smith Charles, I am glad all is well with you and your family after Juan. My prayers are with those not so fortunate. The dock has become a non-issue with me as I use LaunchBar 99% of the time. For me LB is a killer app. Anyway, my Dock is parked at the bottom, hidden, magnification off and dock size slightly port of center. The dock is my application menu of old I use just to see what is open if I need to and launch a program occasionally. I find it convenient to "bottom out" the mouse to activate the dock and see what is open. Otherwise it is out of sight out of mind. I do have some folders docked that for easy access when my Desktop is not available. (covered by windows) There is one thing I have found the Dock rather excellent for and that is accessing items from the Classic Apple Menu. I put an alias in the Dock and it is instantly available. It is down to just one item I still use in Classic, EasyEnvelopes. What a great little application. I wish the author would update it for X.
Thanks,
Hi Jon;
Thanks for the report on LaunchBar and the well wishes. Putting a Classic Apple Menu alias in the Dock is something I'd never thought of before.
I'm down to two Classic applications in my production suite -- WannaBe and Color It! For more on that topic, see Moore's Views & Reviews today.
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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