Wow! Trying not to laugh here... I do have to agree and disagree with some comments here;
I agree that QuickSilver is complex - but surely with complexity comes power (in software terms anyway). I agree that Apple only provide a very short printed manual - but there is a massive integrated help system, never mind the internet. I agree that a basic knowledge of Mac OS X is required to understand the basics of Quicksilver - but then isn't a basic knowledge always required to be able to carry out more advanced actions (by the definition of basic and advanced, me thinks). I disagree that a current Mac can be compared to a 20 year old Mac, never mind an Altair 1975 - you dont get into an automatic car and drive exactly the same way as a manual (or maybe you do) I disagree that QS can be compared in its functionality and usability to any other application - QS is unique, and thats its charm. I strongly disagree that a version of every manual should be written to cover every possible combination of user, hardware and intelligence - jeesh, can you imagine that... and finally, I also disagree that the current manual and application have been written incorrectly - I opened QS as one of my first apps, never had a problem, and am still using it now. PS: I dont have any 'ears' of Latin, have a basic idea of hyphenation, don't get paid for my neat tidy writing, have only been using Macs for 18 months, but I do know a very good, easy and free spell checker - although, it doesn't have a manual... On Feb 4, 12:04 pm, diskifer <[email protected]> wrote: > Howard- > Really there's been enough & I don't like it at all when it gets ad > hominem. All lmy hyphens in the way I write. I'm going to leave it > that I get paid a lot for money for my writing. i happen to be > dyslexic, have ADD, & can't spell. Sorry. > Your pentagon joke sucks. You are technically correct of course- > pentagons does have 5 sides-usually five congruent angles. There's > that hyphen again. And how did you like the congruent part-pretty > good for someone who took geometry +45 years ago. I have some > knowledge about Macs-thank you very much. Remember the Altair 1975? > And lastly-I really get to the truth-any "non obvious"- read non > intuitive-that has three panes & needs 127 pages of explanation > sucks. And that's 120 pages more than Apple provides hard copy for a > over priced-over rated computer. Macs are a machine-Quicksilver is a > program; neither are a religion. > > On Feb 3, 8:16 pm, Howard Melman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > ⌫ is the symbol for the delete key (aka backspace key). It's the > > standard symbol on the mac used for this key, on some (not all) of > > their keyboards, in all the documentation, in the keyboard shortcuts > > listed in the menus. In the Finder menu you'll see it listed for Empty > > Trash and in the Finder's File menu you'll see it used for Move to > > Trash (with the ⌘ symbol for the command key). > > > I had to assume some mac knowledge, as I had no intention of writing a > > "how to use a mac" book. > > > If you keep reading my manual you'll see the difference between search > > and text mode in Quicksilver. > > > I appreciate you saying you're not trying to be an a**hole and > > describing your experience so that things can be improved, but I > > suggest you put some of your energy to reading some more documentation > > about the new computer you have rather than ranting about your first > > difficultly. You will have more. I have many books on computers and > > programming too. I recommend David Pogue's Missing Manual series for > > learning the mac. > > > Your point about taking things literally from having six years of > > Latin surprises me when you call a pentagon a rectangle. I did not > > say I violated my conventions in the Quick Reference Sheet on those > > two items, you assumed that. Your messages are filled with typos, odd > > formatting and far too many hyphens. I still tried to read through > > them to understand your point and address your problem. > > > Howard > > > On Feb 3, 2009, at 7:42 PM, diskifer wrote: > > > > Howard- > > > I first want to tell you that I really do appreciate taking the time > > > to answer me inquiry. Now I hope we are talking the same language > > > here. > > > > I will deal with one problem quickly On quick reference keyboard > > > shortcut-not your manual- you have for search again command > > > ⌫ Resets search on current level . First off- I have no idea what > > > the rectangle around the X means. Hitting X by itself does > > > nothing on my computer. If I hit the clover key(the onebetween the > > > option & spacebar labeled command) along with the "X" key-it does > > > remove the text. I see you're saying that is the "cut" key which is > > > why it looks like replace the present text and search again mode. > > > > You say & now I get it-that box with the triangle side on the left is > > > indeed the delete or backspace symbol butlet me point out why I went > > > astray & I think people can get confused. There is very good reason > > > for it. > > > 1. That symbol is NOT present on my mac keyboard. I have to presume > > > if you use a symbol it's on the keyboard > > > 2. I have seen it in programming books > > > yes I understand you need space but you broke your convention on > > > those last 2 commands as you say you did. Whats the result? > > > illogical representation andforme consequent confusion-confusion I say > > > perfectly warranted. > > > A logical person would look for that back space command on the Mac > > > keyboard-wouldn't they?! Those are the keys one is supposd to push > > > in useing this APP. > > > > I do want you to understand that I am not tryng to be an a--hole > > > here; just what goes through the user's mind. And again these are > > > little things BUT they prevented me from understanding how this APP > > > worked and that to me is a big deal. Again-not in your case-you're > > > trying to be clear. For me-the bigger lesson isthat what are the > > > consequences when it's not perfectly clear & the reason I am taking > > > thetime with this post. > > > > I have 6 ears of Latin. So what-who cares? This the point-i read > > > thinhgs literally-word by word in the form their in. Because > > > computers are stupid-it is exactly why it is so important in general > > > for computer book writers to be meticulous with their instruction-and > > > you would think that somebody such as myself who owns about 40 books > > > on programming would know by now that most writers of such books > > > almost never right lucidly from the point of view of the READER! And > > > they never are. You'd think I'd learn! > > > > Of all things-if you want to read a book about programming beautifully > > > explained and written-best I have ever seen-Jon Ericsson-Hackers > > > Manual 2. > > > > As for your statement about the delete key -you say:BTW, the delete > > > key does delete the last letter typed when Quicksilver > > > is in text mode. I'm not sure why in search mode, delete resets the > > > search; I suspect it's because to select something you usually just > > > type a few keys > > > > I'll show you what I don't know-what ll is the difference between the > > > "text" & the different search mode?!!!!! I thought one put text > > > into the first box so that it can do a search. No text-no search?? > > > What am I missing? DELETE does NOT delete the text in the search box > > > on this computer. What does command-X(actually cut) or typing again > > > a new search in the same box. > > > > Thanks for time. Again I do really appreciate what you have done. I > > > ave to eat-my feeble brain demands it. regards, cappy > > > anderson york, maine > > > > On Feb 3, 6:27 pm, Howard Melman <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> Quicksilver is very powerful, but it is not obvious. It's one of the > > >> reasons I wrote the manual. A lot of people on the forums had similar > > >> questions when they came to the app and at the time QS wasn't open > > >> source, so writing documentation was something I could contribute (I > > >> also wanted an excuse to use iWork Pages). Also, Quicksilver is in > > >> fact easy to use (it why so many people do like it), but note that is > > >> not synonymous with obvious (which is why it's not for everyone). > > > >> I see you're new to OS X and haven't used a mac in 20 years. Assuming > > >> you've been using Windows, yes some things are different. Not > > >> necessarily better (though I think many things are) but just > > >> different. I know people that still can't get use to there being one > > >> menu at the top of the screen instead of a menu at the top of each > > >> window. It's very normal for "switchers" to complain that something > > >> is > > >> harder when in fact it's just different and unfamiliar. > > > >> I very curious when you said "The Quick guide erroneously says the > > >> keyboard short cut- search again short cut- is X. It is -command key > > >> X." I tried to follow what you said and tried to find what you're > > >> referring to since you didn't quote the manual directly. I think it > > >> in > > >> the User Manual (version 0.15) you're referring to the first full > > >> paragraph at the top of page 14 (hardly a parenthetical): > > > >> "If you mistype something, you can type the delete key or ⌘X to > > >> clear > > >> the pane and start over. If you navigate to something via → or / > > >> then these keys will still keep you in the current position but clear > > >> the search. To reset entirely so that you’re using the top-level > > >> global catalog use the esc key. There’s no way to delete just the > > >> last letter typed. " > > > >> Note that clover-like symbol before the X (which I hope came through > > >> in the email) means holding down the command key (aka the apple key) > > >> while hitting X. It's standard mac convention to write it this way. > > >> In > > >> the Quick Reference at the end under Keyboard Shortcuts, the last two > > >> items are "resets search on current level" and "resets search to top > > >> level", I use the symbols for delete (aka backspace) and escape, > > >> mostly because I have to conserve space. I think those are correct. > > > >> If I'm misunderstanding something please let me know, I'd like to > > >> correct it. > > > >> Quicksilver provides a LOT of functionality, and often many different > > >> ways to do the same thing. It's use model is not similar to other > > >> applications which is why it is so uniquely useful. I've written 15 > > >> versions of this guide and have struggled trying to find the most > > >> useful way to present information without having lots of duplication. > > >> The answer to your question was on the ninth page of text which I > > >> think is pretty good. I first had to explain what the application > > >> does > > >> and its basic use, activation and installation. That seems > > >> appropriate > > >> to me. > > > >> BTW, the delete key does delete the last letter typed when > > >> Quicksilver > > >> is in text mode. I'm not sure why in search mode, delete resets the > > >> search; I suspect it's because to select something you usually just > > >> type a few keys. If you've made a mistake it's probably more > > >> efficient > > >> to start over rather than figure out which key you went wrong on and > > >> backspacing to it. Escape is also a common "reset" key on many > > >> systems > > >> since the 70s. > > ... > > read more »
