App Pick: Growl★
Most Mac users have at least come across growl in one form or another, but if you haven't then you're in for some fun.Growl's simplest function is to alert a user in a non-interfering and discreet manner of what is happening on their system. Its most commonly used for IM apps like Skype or Adium, to alert a user that Person X has just sent them a message on Y account, eg:
Any app that has growl support built in, will automatically register with the growl service and update the user on things like transfer progress, to 'burning complete'.
Growl has an impressive range of customizable preferences, everything from the position, shape, size and design of the notifications, to the option to have a notification read out by the system speech synthesiser.
Changing appearance of notification, on this window you can see the option for speech.
The most annoying thing about Growl, is that it isn't bundled with OS X at all. No, users have to download it (for free) at http://www.growl.info/
What I find to be so, special with Growl is that it is understanding of a user's ability to process information. Growl doesn't shout things out at you, it doesn't wave things in front of your face till you finally throw in the towel and pay attention, it is discreet and quietly provides the user with updates, and then merely fades into the murky land that lives behind the desktop.
Happy Mac'ing!
★ 0 Comments. | By Skippy, Saturday, March 10, 2007 2:17 PM | Links to this post
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