How to use Spaces, and for what?

I've read the manuals, but I still don't quite get what Spaces does. What is the difference between it and using Expose and the "All Windows" command - and now four finger swipe down to show all windows?

What is the benefit? They sound basically like the same thing, to me. I want to know what I'm missing.

Thanks!

Would be easier for you to read Mac 101: Using Spaces to organize your windows and applications

I don't get it either. Tried it out a few years ago. Didn't see any difference between having to switch spaces or just clicking on an icon in the dock or using Expose.

Just different strokes.

Video demo. Think of it as having multiple desktops. If you want to know what it's like, give it a try. If you don't want to use it, feel free not to do so. I don't and like bobtomay, I've tried it and never got into it.

Thanks

Thanks Vansmith for the video. I came across the Mac 101 right before the person suggested, so thank you for that as well.

I'm trying it out. I guess you're right, just different strokes.

Thanks for the help!

I think it probably depends on what you use your Mac for and how you use it. I know a few computer engineers who swear by Spaces - in fact - I was watching one at work today switch from Space-to-Space. Actually, was the first time I've actually seen the feature - as I've never experimented with it - but I thought it looked pretty cool. I may play with it this weekend. If you're the kind of person that has several projects going simultaneously on your computer - I can definitely see the utility.

I just have it so that each application goes to a new "Space", so that it doesnt hide anything.

I use it when working with Final Cut Pro and encoding. Sometimes when something is rendering in FCP it can take awhile to hide it from view so I can see my other applications. Assigning FCP and Compressor to their own Space makes it easier for me to go back and forth between them and my other open applications. Other than that, I don't use it that much.

When I had one monitor, Spaces was awesome. I had nine of 'em. Email and IM on one, Illustrator with all its panels on another, InDesign on a third, Smultron for web editing on a fourth, various browsers on still more. Loved it, loved it, loved it.

And then I discovered that it doesn't work so well with multiple monitors. I'd love Apple to refine Spaces in one of the following two ways: Make it so that each monitor's spaces appear on that monitor only (instead of one spaces layout with both screens side-by-side), or make it so Spaces can affect only certain monitors while others remain static.

dumbmonkey said:

I've read the manuals, but I still don't quite get what Spaces does. What is the difference between it and using Expose and the "All Windows" command - - -

Click to expand...

I'm on the other side of the fence. I don't get Expose. I jumped from OS 9.2 to Leopard. I think Expose was an older feature, and Spaces was added to 10.5 so I never had one without the other. I "got" Spaces right away. I don't use Expose at all.

I use spaces and expose all of the time; depends on how heavily you use your Mac and if you have a lot of applications open at the same time.

I personally have used it from day one. Sometimes it isn't needed but I don't like minimalizing applications; having 6 spaces for me allows me to pick and choose where I want something and the state I want it to be in. At all times.

Because I don't have the multitouch trackpad, expose is set up when the mouse hits various corners of the screen. Keeps things efficient and moving when there are multiple windows up.

Spaces is good for working on multiple projects that require many applications for each project.
ie. Working on a movie production in one space with multiple apps and music production in another space with multiple apps without having to reconfigure the windows each time you go from one task to the other.
Sure, you could work on all of it in one window, but it can get very busy, even with the ability to use expose, especially if you have a laptop or a small monitor.
You still have the benefit of using expose within these windows.
Even though I have only given a scenario for movie and music production, you could add cover art to another space, research to another space, and so on.
I don't have a need for it, and love expose/hot corners (my favourite Mac features), but I can certainly see the benefit.

I use spaces all the time. It's awesome for specific workflow. I have apps that open on specific spaces, these are apps I generally have running. I then work from space to space, depending on what I am doing. It helps me compartmentalize what I'm working on.

I use spaces as part of my workflow. In space one, I have Safari, where I do my research; in Space 2, I have my writing tool; in space three, my image editing tools, and in space four, the FTP system I upload the finished products to.

I used to use multiple desktops all the time in unix land. When I came to the Mac I didn't use Spaces as much because of expose. Then my friend had a very good suggestion when using virtual machines - I now put my windows VM on space two, full screen, and my Ubuntu VM on space 3 fullscreen. 1 and 4 are for Mac apps. I got Hyperspaces in a bundle and it seems to add quite a few more features to spaces.

IvanLasston said:

I used to use multiple desktops all the time in unix land. When I came to the Mac I didn't use Spaces as much because of expose. Then my friend had a very good suggestion when using virtual machines - I now put my windows VM on space two, full screen, and my Ubuntu VM on space 3 fullscreen. 1 and 4 are for Mac apps. I got Hyperspaces in a bundle and it seems to add quite a few more features to spaces.

Click to expand...

I do the same thing somewhat. The VM (Parallels 6) always goes on the sixth space and I run that either as a window or in full screen.

Parallels really is an amazing application.

I think the need for Expose and especially Spaces is more evident when you are using a laptop where the display size is limited. I have the MBP 13'. Having multiple windows, especially with the same apps, like Mail, where I may be composing different mail for different accounts, it can get confusing visually to identify which windows belong to which account. Spaces provide me the ability to group those compose windows into separate spaces. Switching back and forth between them. I set 'active' on screen corners to quickly swipe to the corner to activate Spaces. I use Expose to show all available windows then swipe to the active corner of the screen, and suddenly I get to see all my windows, in all of my Spaces. With 2 swipe movements of my fingers. Very sweet. The combination of Expose and Spaces with the ability to swipe on the trackpad is fantastic. Quick, simple and efficient way to move among working windows. One of the best tools of the Mac. I can't wait to get Lion with the ability to see everything with one swipe.

IvanLasston said:

I used to use multiple desktops all the time in unix land. When I came to the Mac I didn't use Spaces as much because of expose. Then my friend had a very good suggestion when using virtual machines - I now put my windows VM on space two, full screen, and my Ubuntu VM on space 3 fullscreen. 1 and 4 are for Mac apps. I got Hyperspaces in a bundle and it seems to add quite a few more features to spaces.

Click to expand...

I hadn't thought of putting VMs full screen in different spaces - that's a great idea.

There's a quicker way to get to all windows and spaces. Set active corner on the upper left corner of the screen (Expose --show all windows). Set active corner on the lower right corner of the screen to show Spaces. Now you can, with one finger, swipe diagonally back and forth to show all windows in all spaces, and back to original 'working' spaces and windows. Set the trackpad speed closer to fast side so the pointer can go cross screen with one motion.

I love my Mac.

vansmith said:

I hadn't thought of putting VMs full screen in different spaces - that's a great idea.

Click to expand...

It is, however remember that when you set up the virtual machine whatever RAM you allocate to it will be taken from the RAM of the computer, at least that's what I think. I have 4 gigs in mine and whenever I accidentally open a second it tells me that I'm going to have some problems.

First time I did it my computer froze. That's when I had both machines taking 2 gigs; I only have 4 total :/

quin said:

There's a quicker way to get to all windows and spaces. Set active corner on the upper left corner of the screen (Expose --show all windows). Set active corner on the lower right corner of the screen to show Spaces. Now you can, with one finger, swipe diagonally back and forth to show all windows in all spaces, and back to original 'working' spaces and windows. Set the trackpad speed closer to fast side so the pointer can go cross screen with one motion.

I love my Mac.

Click to expand...

I do that as well. Before I would never use the spaces feature in expose and just switch between them. I have all windows, desktop, spaces, and screen off set as mine and I do this from time to time.

Great features.