If you just want to make the desktop black, there’s a simpler way than using Backdrop - just copy a solid black .png image to the folder “/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/”, then choose it in System Preferences. See http://tinyurl.com/w6mqe for details and to download the .png file.

@Mark Kraemer - thanks for tip. I’ve already been using the “Hide” feature along with ‘WindowShade X’ to turn the minimize button into a ‘hide’ button instead. I love that, but sometimes it is also nice to hide a window and still be able to bring it back with cmd-tab. Looks like Merlin’s response about LiteSwitch X might be what I was looking for.

Generally speaking, I think Apple should do a bit more to help people switch from Windows. A few more options in System Prefs would probably do the trick. I’ve tried to get lots of people to switch and by far, the biggest obstacle is fear. And that comes after most of them say something, “I’d love to switch to a Mac, but…”. Apple seems more intent on trying to say the Mac is better and doesn’t do much to eliminate people’s fear of switching.

A little off topic, but… does anyone have any tips for switching from Outlook on PC to Mail.app on mac? I’ve been using 2 laptops for a few months (PC and MacBook) and I’m finally ready to drop the PC but I haven’t been able to find anything to help with moving my thousands of email messages from Outlook into something else on the mac. My only idea is to use the Thnuderbird Outlook migration tool to move the mail from Outlook to Thunderbird on the PC and then maybe move it to the Mac. Not sure if it would work…

One trick for making Witch (or LiteSwitch X) easier to adapt to and be more usable is to cancel OSX’s built in Command-Tab by using Pulltab http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/pulltab/index.html And then making Witch (what I use) or LiteSwitch X making Command-Tab.

Is there something like Spirited Away for the PC? I’d love the auto-hiding of applications. The rest of the stuff I can do with either Microsoft’s PowerToys or just settings in Windows.

I’ve come across a ‘clutter fixer’ app that one-ups MenuShade —- menufela.

Last time I played with MenuShade it (quite annoyingly imho) still reserved that space at the top of the screen. If you were to ‘turn off’ the menu you would simply make it black which, while limiting distraction now had the top pixels of my screen occupied by a black strip. If you’re screen is black is doesn’t look too goofy… but moving windows around the screen still has this strange ‘hands-off’ area at the top of the page..

Enter menufela from Ninja Kitten software. Like MenuShade of clears your desktop of the menu bar at the top but, unlike Menushade, this space becomes available desktop — so drag those windows to the tippy top of your screen until you hearts desire is filled.

Need to see the manu? Just mouse to the top of the screen and the menu bar neatly slides down a la an autohide.

Check it out — http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/30322

• Chris

I actually preferr DooDim, which basically does the same as coloring your background black, and hiding all other apps — only it doesn’t hide any apps…

What it does is, it dims (and you decide how much) the area around the app you’re using, so it directs the focus to what you are doing, though still allowing you to see other apps…

Merlin (Or anyone):

Looking for an app that gets rid of… what’s it called, the title bar (?) at the top and bottom of an app. I work in Final Draft all day, and there’s no Full Screen mode (like in WriteRoom — which, writers out there — rules.) I’d love to write in an environment that looks just like a piece of paper on my screen.

Mariner’s Montage has this feature, but in a professional environment, it’s not really ready for prime time quite yet.

Megazoomer has gotta go on this list! http://www.ianhenderson.org/megazoomer.html

[…] Merlin’s got some great tips on how to keep your Mac from becoming distracting. A must-see for Mac productivity buffs. Filed under: Productivity on Dec 21,06   |   Tags: focus, mac. […]

@Jeff:

Have you checked out Outlook2Mac at http://www.littlemachines.com/