Does anyone use Launchpad?

I use it, I can do the gesture now with both my Magic Trackpad and MBP (but often I just click on it) but I never used any launching apps prior to it so I may not be the best test subject. The good thing is you can continue to use Alfred and just ignore it.

I currently use Alfred also, so I haven't found much use for Launchpad. I do have it set up as a hot corner so it isn't too hard to access.

arstechnica has a nice overview of LaunchPad, but most interesting at the very end of the article there perspective

" I'm not sure there's any reason for an expert user to use Launchpad instead of their current favorite alternative. But unlike, say, the Dock, Launchpad is easily ignored. Turn off the gesture, deactivate the hot corner, and remove the icon from the Dock and you'll never have to see it.

For everyone else, however, Launchpad will provide a huge improvement in usability. Even expert users should be excited about its arrival because it should make telephone or e-mail-based family technical support a bit easier."

http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2011/07/mac-os-x-10-7.ars/6#application-man agement

I tried to. Wiped it clean of all the junk it puts in during the install, and then started dragging the apps back to the dock icon that i would want to organize into something useful, but then just tired of doing all that manually, just like I do on my iPhone. I guess it's for some other folks...I still like Quicksilver the best 🙂

I'm not sure there's any reason for an expert user to use Launchpad instead of their current favorite alternative. But unlike, say, the Dock, Launchpad is easily ignored. Turn off the gesture, deactivate the hot corner, and remove the icon from the Dock and you'll never have to see it.

My sentiments exactly.

I ignore it. Why use several clicks when I can launch whatever I need with one click from the dock..... aside from the fact that 5 pages of 2" high icons aren't all that attractive on a 27" screen.

"For everyone else, however, Launchpad will provide a huge improvement in usability. Even expert users should be excited about its arrival because it should make telephone or e-mail-based family technical support a bit easier."

I think that review is probably the best one out there to date, but John lost me there. My eyes glazed over trying to figure out how Launchpad would make tech support easier.

coocooforcocoapuffs wrote:

"For everyone else, however, Launchpad will provide a huge improvement in usability. Even expert users should be excited about its arrival because it should make telephone or e-mail-based family technical support a bit easier."

I think that review is probably the best one out there to date, but John lost me there. My eyes glazed over trying to figure out how Launchpad would make tech support easier.

Because this was the usual phone support:

OK Auntie, now click on the Finder icon, yes that's the blue happy face thing. OK, is there a window open? On the left hand pane you'll see an icon for Applications - no, Auntie you don't have to tell me everything you're seeing on the right… Now scroll down until you see iPhoto and click on it. Yes, that is just a picture of a camera and a sunset on the right now, what I need you to do is...

Atomic Al wrote:

Because this was the usual phone support:

OK Auntie, now click on the Finder icon, yes that's the blue happy face thing. OK, is there a window open? On the left hand pane you'll see an icon for Applications - no, Auntie you don't have to tell me everything you're seeing on the right… Now scroll down until you see iPhoto and click on it. Yes, that is just a picture of a camera and a sunset on the right now, what I need you to do is...

"Auntie" gets a Deep Freeze and a simple instruction to reboot the machine if there is anything wrong.

Every six months I add some new toy and update, then Freeze it again.

Never had a problem. Well the cat pulled a cable once...froze the cat. 😉

My eyes glazed over trying to figure out how Launchpad would make tech support easier.

LaunchPad isn't going to make tech support easier.

It's the eventual closing of our Mac OS X so it's closed like iOS where the user can't do anything to their machine except buy from the MacAppStore is what is going to make tech support easier.

I have to say, I don't use it. I much prefer LaunchBar, which I've been using for several years. I removed Launchpad from my Dock and I never launch it.

Nope, honestly having my Application folder in the right side of the dock is a better alternative for me.