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The search engine Apple uses for the Mac is called Spotlight. It is a good search engine, but it is on the slow side and does not include any power user features. If you are looking for something more, look no further than LaunchBar by Objective Development. Once installed, it is accessible by using the spotlight or user definable shortcut.

LaunchBar is significantly faster at bringing up search results than Spotlight. It also has an extensive list of options to customize the search index. This allows users to specify which folders or file types to be included or excluded from LaunchBar's search. Customizing the search index is another way to speed up and improve the search results.

LaunchBar is not just a search engine, but a productivity tool as well. It allows users to perform common operations with just a few keyboard strokes. Some of the more useful tasks include:

• Users can perform simple to complex numeric calculations right from the entry field. No need to run the calculator program.
• It works great as a keyboard launcher for applications or sending selected files to applications. LaunchBar remembers the search history and puts the most common search terms on the top. This is similar to Spotlight, but LaunchBar gives you more control by setting abbreviations for common items. For example, when launching Adobe Photoshop, the user could type "p-s-d" to launch the application. This works for any file in the search index.
• LaunchBar allows users to navigate through folders on the hard drive without have to open a window. For example, if one is trying to find an application to launch, but can't remember the name, one just needs to search for the application folder and look through the list of items. All of this can be done without touching the mouse or trackpad.
• Clipboard history is another great feature. It stores the previous 10-40 clipboard entries and allows the user to paste them at any time. This eliminates the need to recopy items when pasting multiple items at a time.
• All of Finder's file manipulation tools like move, rename, compress, and quick look are available within LaunchBar without the need for the mouse. It has a number of different operations that can be on any file that is searched for. More operations can be added with Automator workflows and with Applescript.
• Using Mac OS X Services, Automator Workflows, and AppleScripts in conjunction with LaunchBar creates a very powerful automation workflow. Files can be sent to scripts or droplets to perform repetitive tasks. Applescripts or Automator Workflows can be executed directly from LaunchBar. Files can be selected in the finder and LaunchBar can be used to send those to automated scripts.
• LaunchBar can also perform tasks inside other Applescript enabled applications like iCal, Address Book, or iTunes. With LaunchBar, users can create events in iCal, switch playlists in iTines, or add contacts in Address Book.

While LaunchBar has a steep learning curve due to the lack of discoverability, it makes up for it in powerful features. This may make some users afraid to try it, but this should not deter them from learning something new. For those who like to use keyboard shortcuts, LaunchBar would be a great program to learn. The best way to learn how to use it is to learn one new operation at a time. With time, anyone can learn to master LaunchBar and improve their productivity. LaunchBar is available from the developers website for $35.

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