Says a lot about what’s happened this decade.
(Photo: Brett Jordan)
Handy keyboard shortcuts for the Mac
A client of mine recently made the big switch from PC to Mac and asked me if I had any handy tips vis-a-vis keyboard commands. So without further ado…
There are plenty of them, but for starters here are the ones I use a lot.
command + n = new page
command+ s = save
command + h = hide (very useful but commonly assumed by Windows users that this quits an application, when in fact it leaves the app running in the dock so it can be used again in a hurry)
command + q = quit application
command + i = get info
command + w = close window
command + option + h = hide all other windows
command + shift + a = show the “Applications” folder
command + option + eject = put the Mac to sleep
Exposé
F11= slide all windows to reveal desktop
F12 = launch widgets
Spotlight (search your computer)
command + spacebar = launch spotlight
Handy Mac applications for small businesses
Nisus Writer: If you write for a living, you’ll likely need to have Word in your arsenal. But Word has many bugs shortcomings including a delightful habit of corrupting its files when changes are made to the normal.dot file. Enter Nisus Writer. Not only does it keep feature bloat under control, it also has a built-in file converter that lets you save and open files in Word, WordPerfect, AbiWord, RTF, among others.
1001: If you’re using flickr to manage and store your image library, this little freeware tool is indispensable for helping you upload images and passively browse the flickrstream.
Newsfire: The über simple layout makes it a snap to get a quick hit of updates from favourite sites.
Camino: Safari might be prettier, but this browser is still the fastest out there.
iScrobbler (plugin for Audioscrobbler): Tracks and updates to your Last.FM account, showing what you listen to on iTunes. It’s geeky, yes, but once your playlist grown a few thousand tracks deep, it becomes increasingly fascinating to see what your real listening habits are.
Transmit: If you need to maintain a website, then you’ll likely need an FTP application. Transmit is without compare in the Mac world. Not just feature-rich, but intelligently designed.
MenuCalendarClock: Handy to have in your taskbar, so you can check at a glance today’s date as well as your upcoming iCal appointments.
Billings: A must-have for busy professionals who need to keep track of invoicing plus time spent on multiple projects.
