T11M

I’m always trying to find ways to customize my Mac so it and I can work efficiently together.  I use Exposé and Spaces to spread tasks out across three desktops, but one application I try to avoid at all costs is the Finder.  It adds windows to my workspace that I then must either work around or close.  I usually opt to close them and less than a minute later have to open another one to pull out another file.  Don’t get me wrong, I much prefer Finder of Windows Explorer, but my goal is to get away from launching new windows when accessing my most used files and folders.  Stacks has helped greatly in making those files and folders readily accessible by placing them in my Dock, however I still feel that there must be a better solution available.

The latest piece of software that I have been testing to see if it will integrate well and solve this issue is called MaxMenus.  This handy little piece of software creates colored activation points in each of the four corners of the screen.  When clicked, these colored corners display a menu that contains the content you specify in the MaxMenus preferences (located in System Preferences).  At first I was a little hesitant because the corners of the screen are Exposé’s activation point.  Exposé allows me to view and select from all my open windows or my desktop by simply pushing the mouse to the corner of the screen (Exposé offers more customization, those are simply the two functions I use all the time).  I can then access anything on my desktop or select the open window that I want to work in next.  So, as I said I was hesitant of using a program that might encroach on Exposé.  But after some use and much customization, I’ve found that MaxMenus allows me to have quick access to the files and folders I use most with minimal interaction with Exposé.  I now have the upper and lower right corners of my screen dedicated to Exposé and the upper and lower left corners of my screen dedicated to MaxMenus (the activation points still show in all four corners, but that I simply ignore them).  The one downside to MaxMenus is the inability to move files and folders around within the views – that functionality is still relegated to the Finder.  Ah well, can’t have everything I suppose.

Take a look at a few screenshots which show MaxMenus in action.  If you like the looks of MaxMenus there is a free download on Version Tracker.

MaxMenus Preferences Pane

MaxMenus Activation Point

Recent Documents in upper left corner

You can set folders to be in expanded view (like “JS” above)