How do you organise your applications folder?

I assume that there is no problem to put applications in to sub-folders within the applications folder and since as you install more and more stuff the list to scroll in the applications folder is getting a bit long....

What are you all doing? Do you just keep all in the applications folder? If not, how do you organise them in sub-folders, alphabetically, after function, after how often you use them or anything else?

I keep mine alphabetically, no sub folders and have all my fave apps on my dock so it is very rare that I have to actually open up the apps folders.

I am not sure whether sub folders would creats a problem - I cant see why it would but not having done it, cannot say for sure.

I don't think putting apps in sub-folders or moving them to other folders altogether will create problems... though I wouldn't move Microsoft Office and Adobe's apps. (I'd rather not take chances when it comes to those two.)

[[Edit: Ah yes, the default Apple apps as well.]]

As for the organization, I just leave it as a big list, no sub-folders.

My Applications folder has 155 items. =P

You might run into problems with sub folders when a system update is installed (10.4.9 or similar), as the installer will look for, say 'Mail' in the applications folder and will create a second copy of mail there if it isn't found.

Not really a big deal, but it might create a bit of a additional clutter .

For that reason, I leave all the default apps in the top level folder and only create sub folders for the smaller "tools" that I use.

I have:

Drawing & Writing
Games
Media Apps
Webdesign Apps

You could just put all your main apps in your dock, and use spotlight to find any rarely used app... spotlight FTW!

chrisf707 said:

You could just put all your main apps in your dock, and use spotlight to find any rarely used app... spotlight FTW!

Click to expand...

Or Quicksilver!

Aptmunich said:

Or Quicksilver!

Click to expand...

Quicksilver is very nice. I use it very often, and not just to open files and programs. I move, copy, paste, and organize files without even having to open a finder window!.

Quicksilver rocks!!!

Aptmunich said:

Or Quicksilver!

Click to expand...

Quicksilver, I am afraid, is what Spotlight should have been. By far.

that's it for me! All apps in my application folder, favourites in the dock, quicksilver to open the others.

I put my applications folder on my Dock, so a right (or control) click brings them all up in a menu listed alphabetically.

As for subfolders, it depends on the app. Some apps actually put themselves in subfolders in the Applications folder.

Software update will not be able to find the system apps if you move them.
Please be careful.
Apple usually has a good reason for putting things where they are.

Mine is a mess, just the way Steve Jobs likes it. torchy is right, if you organize your apps in sub-folders many software updates won't be able to find them. Some apps sit nekkid, others install in their own folders. I can't see much rhyme or reason, but then my Application folder matches my real live paper filing "system".

Think I have the solution for this now. I will make aliases of all applications and structure them in sub-folders and stick the top folder in the dock.

My computer is always a horrible mess.

Just about everything ends up on the desktop. I have a folder called 'junk', and when it gets so bad that I don't have space for any more Icons on my DUAL monitors, I drop a load of rubbish into that.

BTW, a quick count tells me that's 160 items on the desktop before I have to clean up

Oh, then we've got the 4 hard disks (+ 1 partition for bootcamp) which have data liberally spread about on them. When one gets full, I'll move some of the stuff to one of the others. And so on.

If you're a neat freak, my world would give you nightmares. :lol:

chrisf707 said:

You could just put all your main apps in your dock, and use spotlight to find any rarely used app... spotlight FTW!

Click to expand...

Aptmunich said:

Or Quicksilver!

Click to expand...

Or you could just use Todos.... FTW!!!

D3v1L80Y said:

Or you could just use Todos.... FTW!!!

Click to expand...

That's excellent.

[edit] It found a load of stuff I didn't even know I had