If you use a lot of web-apps like I do (Gmail, GoogleDocs, Facebook, GoogleReader, etc.), it’s nice to have those websites function more like a stand-alone application that dwells in your dock rather than inside your browser. Those using Leopard can run a fun little app called Fluid to create stand-alone applications that connect to your favorite web-apps and treat them like local apps. Here’s why I like handling web apps like local apps:

• you can use the command+tab fast switching technique to quickly get to the app when it’s running
• you can hide the app using command+h
• you can assign the app to a space in spaces (which I don’t use, but I know lots of folks enjoy it)
• you can launch the app from the dock
• you can quit the app with a keyboard shortcut (command-q)
• you can have the app automatically launch at startup

I’ve always messed around with web-apps prior to Fluid, but always shied away from using them as local app replacements because of typical web browser clutter. Now I no longer use a local email client, I simply use a Fluid version of Gmail – same goes for GoogleDocs, Facebook, GoogleReader, and Twitter.

Posted in Mac Bells and Whistles
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