Is there a "start" button

I have heard QuickSilver get mentioned many times in the past couple weeks now, but other than knowing it is a launcher utility? that almost everyone seems to love and say is a "must have", I don't know much about it.

Can someone explain it to me a bit, and at least tell me if it is a more simple utility (easy to use and not many features), an average one (easy to use or a easy and advanced mode option with a fair amount of features), or more complex (still possibly easy to use and understand but with a slew of features to use)? Though I don't know how complex you could get with a launcher program, especially if all it ends up doing is auto-starting certain programs/applications for you at certain times or after the boot up start of the OS....

Thanks in advance. Feel free to name off some of the other "must have" Freeware applications for OSX as well, I would love it. I have several websites bookmarked for OS X Freeware, but Individual Application Names are so much more helpful.

well im a teen and i dont use spotlight as it takes longer to search the whole system. i set it to a hot key combo(cmd and /) and it activiates it, i type what i want and it pulls it up until i press enter..
I use it becuase my screen is cracked and awaiting repair and spotlight is in the corner where its cracked...

Just so you know, you need not make aliases of application icons and put them in a separate folder before dragging it to the dock. You can simply drag your Applications folder into the right side of the dock. When you click-and-hold or right-click on it, you'll get a listing of all your programs just like you have in the Windows Start menu.

That's what I do. I also have my Home folder in the dock as well. I can get to any application or any document on my computer just by right-clicking on either of those folders in the dock.

Give it a try it a try for a couple of days. It recreates much of the Start menu functionality. It takes two seconds to set up and less the than a second to remove if you don't like it (just drag 'em out and watch 'em go poof).

If you are interesting in what Quicksilver is, I would suggest taking a look at this video.

http://www.twit.tv/mb12

Cool, thanks... Will send myself an email (I am at a different computer right now).

...and there is also Expose. F9 to see all open apps

I created a folder on my dock to hold apps that a frequently use together. Create the folder on your desktop and drag it to the dock next to the trash. Then, browse your HD for the apps, create an alias of the apps you want to add to the folder, and drag those aliases to the folder.

Now, when I need that app I can point my mouse at the folder on the dock and hold the button down. A menu will pop up and I can choose any app that is in that folder and launch it quickly.

Thanks for the replies, both of you...

Thanks, I had heard of that but (again) never knew what it was or what it did...

and you have to go into the recent applications

list

to go back to another program window that is still
open to access it (if you are using Full Screen

sized

program windows).

Well I suppose that is one way to do it but my goodness, a bit the long way around. Just press Apple-Tab then repeatedly hit Tab to cycle through your open apps. Or select from the dock if you don't want ot use the keyboard. Set your Dock to hide itself when you don't want to have it on the display.