Expert’s Rating
Our Verdict
Longtime Mac users — at least those on the program since Mac OS 8.5 — will remember the “ classic ” lotion menu . Unlike OS X ’s Dock or its keyboard - base practical app switcher ( a horizontal panel of app image ) , the whipper pre - OS X was a vertical menu drop anchor to the right - helping hand bound of the menu Browning automatic rifle . This made it a snap to use with the mouse ; just fling the pointer to that corner of the screen , click , and the fare of lam programs would appear , letting you quickly tack to any one of them .
With the acquittance of Mac OS X , however , the app menu disappear , replaced first with a clock ( in early versions of OS X ) , and eventually with the Spotlight icon . ( These solar day when we talk about an “ app menu , ” we mean the one to the left - hired hand side of the menu bar , bring up after whatever is currently the active app . )
For those who miss the OS 8/9 coming , two programs direct to fill the void . They ’re very similar , because at one metre , they were actually the same program . First on the tantrum , years ago , wasASM . ASM was in the first place innocent and open reservoir , but after version 2.0.2 , it became a $ 16 shareware applications programme . The second was the free ( and open source)multiXFinder .
ASM (left) and multiXFinder (right) both bring back the pre-OS X application switcher. ASM even shows each program’s contextual Dock menus.
At first glance , multiXFinder appears nearly identical to ASM , and there ’s a in effect reason for that : multiXFinder was created using the source code of the last open - source interpretation ( 2.0.2 ) of ASM as a starting period . ( This is how open - generator code is think to work , so there ’s no thievery involved . )
Not amazingly , the programs look likewise and mold in a standardized manner . Each installs as a System Preference pane , and each adds an program - change menu immediately to the leftfield of the Spotlight ikon in the carte ginmill . Click the ikon , and you ’ll see a list of running practical program as well as a few additional entries ; select any program in the inclination to switch to it .
In plus to switching apps , both programs get you obliterate other apps when switching ( sometimes referred to as unmarried - lotion mode ) , and you could omit specific programs ( iChat , for illustration ) from being hidden in individual - program fashion . Other common features include the ability to control the appearance of the fare - bar picture and statute title ; to opt whether to show software icon , name , or both in the menu ; to dim icon of hidden software program ; to specify a rigid or varying carte du jour width and alignment ; and to choose which additional options appear in the menu .
So what distinguishes the two programs , given how much feature film overlap they have ? The biggest functional departure between the two is that ASM include — when using the programme in OS X 10.5 — the useful power to display each program ’s Dock menu as a hierarchical menu in the ASM menu . grant that the ASM menu includes only running app , this approach is easy than locating a running game app ’s Dock icon , especially if you keep many nonrunning applications in the Dock .
ASM ( left ) and multiXFinder ( right ) both fetch back the pre - OS XTC program whipper . ASM even demonstrate each plan ’s contextual Dock bill of fare .
MultiXFinder lacks ASM ’s useful Dock cascading menu but append a few features of its own . The most notable is the power to deactivate the Spotlight ikon on a per - user basis . This means that if you really leave out deliver the computer programme - switching menu anchored to the right - hand bound of the menu ginmill , you may put it back there ( at the disbursement of the Spotlight bill of fare , of course ) . However , in my testing this feature was a bit unreliable . Sometimes toggling the Spotlight ikon off would n’t become it off ; I ’d have to toggle the ready a second fourth dimension . And even if you successfully disenable the Spotlight image , afford the Spotlight back breaker of System Preferences bushel it .
MultiXFinder ’s fare will also display background processes if you carry Shift and Control while activating the bill of fare — but since you ca n’t shift to a background process , this feature is more informational than virtual . And by enable an Advanced Features option , you get young menu commands that let you expand the active coating ’s foremost window to fulfil the screen and ( more interestingly ) stop or start the practical app . The latter feature is different from quitting and relaunching ; it uses Unix features to actually “ pause ” the current broadcast , literally freezing it so it does n’t use any processor cycle or reply to any input . Once you “ resume ” the program , it will play normal again . If you have a C.P.U. - hungry software that you ’d wish to keep running but not actively use central processing unit cycles , stopping it is a good result ( and one that ’s supported by the OS , so this is n’t a hack ) .
Finally , multiXFinder can assign shortcut to the first nine entrance in the menu , letting you switch to one of those apps using the keyboard . Unfortunately , this feature film is largely useless , as the carte du jour must be visible for the shortcuts to work — and if the carte du jour is visible , that likely mean you already have your deal on your comment gimmick and the cursor is already on the menu .
So which should you practice ? Both worked well in my testing , but I prefer ASM due to its inclusion body of each program ’s Dock menu . If you do n’t need this feature , multiXFinder works just as well and wo n’t cost you a penny .
Our 186 - page Mac Gems Superguide is a veritable great hits of Mac Gems . It ’s available as a PDF download , PDF on certificate of deposit - ROM , or as a impress Good Book . study more about the Mac Gems Superguide .
[ Rob Griffiths is a aged editor in chief for Macworld . ]
