MacBreak: Minimize distractions on your Mac

MacBreak 33: The Distracted Mac (Direct MOV Download)

Although it covers a lot of the same ground as a previous MacBreak we did on the subject, I think Leo and my segment on un-distract-ifying your Mac turned out pretty good (my atrocious hairstyle at shoot time notwithstanding). Download 10:28 MOV file now…

Here’s the apps and tricks that we covered, with links:

• Hide Others - In the front app, select “[Application name menu] > Hide Others”
• Turn [Dock] Hiding On - In the Dock, CTRL-Click the Dock’s vertical separator bar, and select “Turn Hiding On”
• Backdrop - Create a black background that still lets you easily interact with Desktop contents
• MenuShade - Alter the brightness of your Menu – or totally black it out, like I do
• Spirited Away – Hides non-active applications after the interval of your choice (thanks for the legacy download link, Don)
• Path Finder - Totally tricked out Finder on steroids that I love love love; where I made the Desktop black and hid all mounted drives, folders, etc. (doable in the regular Finder, too)
• Hazel - Automagically clean up the contents of folders and the Desktop (e.g., “move old MP3s here” or “archive files older than a week” etc.)
• Textmate - My favorite text editor. Which I apparently love to plug for no particular reason.

Edit 2006-12-21 16:51:22: Check after the cut for reader suggestions from comments for this post…

Recommended by 43f readers in comments

• Witch - “Witch lets you access all of your windows by pressing a shortcut and choosing from a clearly arranged list of window titles…”
• Desktopple - “With Desktopple, you can quickly and easily hide all of your Desktop clutter.”
• LiteSwitch X - Merlin’s fave app switcher; handy also for quitting, hiding, or restarting apps without changing focus
• [unsanity] WindowShade X - Hack control of your Finder Windows
• Menufela - “Menufela is a haxie that lets you hide away the menubar and/or get rid of the spotlight menu item.”
• Doodim - “Doodim permits one to dim the background of the foremost application thereby enhancing its visibility.”
• ianhenderson.org - megazoomer - “Megazoomer makes windows full-screen. ”
• WriteRoom | Hog Bay Software - “WriteRoom is a full screen, distraction free, writing environment.”