How do I re. dashboard

Zimmerframe

Fairly new, to the mac world, was wondering when I select "dashboard" from the dock, how can I have just a white or any colour background, behind my dashboard stuff.
In other words, at the moment, when running safari, etc, and I select dashboard, then I can see all the text behind my widgets, which I wish I didn't.

ZENER

I think that's the whole point actually. When you hit F9 - F12 you get screens that include the background. The widgets are highlighted over a darkened background so you can use them then close 'em easily .

I seem to remember that as they're java applets they can be opened in an other way - I read this somewhere but I can't remember right now.

ZEN

Zimmerframe

I know, but I was wondering, if it was possible, so that when I press the "dashboard" button in the dock, it would load a text free "white" or whatever, background, behind my widgets.

iUseVi

Zimmerframe wrote:

I know, but I was wondering, if it was possible, so that when I press the "dashboard" button in the dock, it would load a text free "white" or whatever, background, behind my widgets.

I think thats a no go, Zimmerframe. At least not without access to the source code and a spare week or so...

Sad Professor

I don't know what widgets you're using but I can't imagine why you'd want to do this. The whole point of the dashboard is that it provides quick access to handy apps like the calculator or dictionary without having to stop what you're doing. Instead of clicking on the dock icon you should access it via middle mouse click or F8. Like a lot of switchers I think maybe you're too used to the Windows method of full-screening/expanding everything so that you only focus on one thing at a time. OSX is all about multi-tasking.

Illkillya

Sad Professor wrote:

I don't know what widgets you're using but I can't imagine why you'd want to do this. The whole point of the dashboard is that it provides quick access to handy apps like the calculator or dictionary without having to stop what you're doing. Instead of clicking on the dock icon you should access it via middle mouse click or F8. Like a lot of switchers I think maybe you're too used to the Windows method of full-screening/expanding everything so that you only focus on one thing at a time. OSX is all about multi-tasking.

You're probably right, but I have the same problem. I didn't switch to Mac from Windows but from Linux, but the need to full screen everything is the same. There are a couple of reasons -

1) I like to have a window as big as possible
2) I like my focus to be in the middle of the screen
3) I hate accidentally clicking outside of the window when I'm trying to scroll, and shifting focus to another app.

What do I gain from having windows sharing the screen? I'm all for improving productivity but alt-tabbing seems just as good to me, since I know in my head exactly what windows are open.

Zimmerframe

Some widgets, like BBC news, or premiership soccer widget, there are loadsa info on, and clickable links, which can see me just swapping between safari and the widget page, its just I can't see any logic in having a blurry safari page, hiding behind the widgets. You are probably right about the full screen business, its probably, a windows inflicted disease, but I've definitely got "full screen syndrome" and Os x might be all about multi tasking but seeing the lot on the one screen, don't do anything for me. I'm with " Illkillya " full screen swapping does me mighty fine.

Sad Professor

I guess it's whatever you're used to. I can understand that a lot of people find fullscreen/expanded windows to be cleaner looking than having loads of other apps floating in the background. I've always been a mac user though so I'm quite accustomed to it. From Apple's POV I think the idea is to make full use of your available screen space and to allow you to see the system's multi-tasking in progress. Obviously this works better on a large display, probably the reason Apple discontinued the 17 inch imac.

I love the Dashboard but I find some of the bigger 3rd part widgets to be kinda useless. In fact the only non-Apple widget I use is iStat pro. I've tried things like the BBC and Wikipedia widget but I don't see the point in turning the Dashboard into a bunch of miniature web browser windows.

Zimmerframe

Sad Professor wrote:

this works better on a large display

Maybe me having a 13.3" macbook screen doesn't help.

And agreed istat pro is a class widget.

Illkillya

15" MacBook Pro myself, so that explains it here too. Problem with the dashboard for me is that there's a 3 second freeze sometimes when I first run the dashboard.

iUseVi

Illkillya wrote:

15" MacBook Pro myself, so that explains it here too. Problem with the dashboard for me is that there's a 3 second freeze sometimes when I first run the dashboard.

You might this useful.

http://www.onedigitallife.com/2007/02/12/speed-up-dashboard-by-clearing-its-cache/