If you use Firefox, you’ll be frustrated to learn that it doesn’t honor this setting; making Firefox allow tabbing to all form elements is less than intuitive — but it can be done! The short version is that you have to set “accessibility.tabindex” to “7”; the long version can be found at http://sidesh0w.com/weblog/2004/09/01/tabindexosxfirefox/.

By the way — setting this setting to 7 will allow tabbing to every form item and every link. if you just want to tab to form items (and not links), set the value to 3.

But don’t fall for the trap of thinking that just because you’re doing something with a keyboard rather than a mouse, it’s more efficient. Very often, a keyboard /feels/ faster, but the satisfying click of a bunch of keys is not necessarily faster than just mousing, especially given that you usually have to move your hand from the mouse to the keyboard. For some things, like copying and pasting, the keyboard commands are certainly faster; but this in most instances. I direct you to

http://www.asktog.com/TOI/toi06KeyboardVMouse1.html

If you really want to get fast, I suggest you install and start using Cocoa Gestures (http://www.bitart.com/CocoaGestures.html). When I used a Mac with a discrete mouse (I have a Powerbook now, and just use the trackpad) I was able to save huge time with sensible gesture actions.

I don’t conceptually disagree at all, John, but, in my experience, new to average users aren’t even aware most keyboard commannds exist. In my observations, they tend to learn one way of accomplishing a task, then stick with it for life unless deterred or educated (see also: the 3 years my sainted mother thought you had to enter URLs in the Yahoo! search box).

I think, as you say, that the true ninja learns when to use each appropriately, but as long as people are using their mouse as the only way they know how to bold text, go back one page, or switch applications, I’m staying “pedal to the metal” on keyboard evangelism. :)

if you’re really into keyboard access on the mac, i would highly recommend the Launch Bar application:

http://www.obdev.at/products/launchbar/

it lets you quickly open applications, folders, files, and more with a simple keyboard shortcut and file name abbreviations. i’ll admit it doesn’t sound particularly great, but once you try it, you’ll be hooked.

-e.

We’re a Quicksilver family here, Elias, but Launchbar is a terrific app that I had used from the beginning (pre-QS.)

You’d already given up all hope, hadn’t you?

Yep. I prefer Firefox on my windows boxes to anything on the mac when it comes to filling out web forms. But perhaps this setting will make Safari more usable for me. Great tip!

Hmm… why would I want to access the Keyboard & Mouse preference pane when I can launch it with Quicksilver?

RE: The Dock shortcuts — there’s also one that makes the dock appear and disappear. On command! Like when you have a window stuck behind it that you can’t resize! Cmd-Opt-D, my new best friend. Thanks very much for leading me into this obscure corner of the Mac OS — it’s so useful.