<commit_before>---
title: Task Launcher
layout: component
---
<p class="lead">The task launcher is an integral part of the modern operating system. It accelerates and aids in the launching of applications and the opening of files. Task launchers improve the overall efficiency of the user, most modern operating systems come with a native task launcher, while there are also third party task launchers.</p>
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-6">
    <h3>Typical Appearance</h3>
      <p>Task Launchers frequently appear as a dock at one of the edges of the screen (in accordance with Fitts' Law), often in the form of unlabeled images. Task Launchers also frequently include a text field, or search box.</p>
    <h3>Typical Behavior</h3>
        <p>Generally Implemented as a graphical menu of sorts, the task launcher's primary goal is to allow the user to initiate tasks, most frequently by launching applications. The secondary goal is to improve the speed in which the user is able to perform such tasks. Task launchers are made to increase efficiency and boost the user's satisfaction. Another goal of task launchers is to improve the learnability of a given operating system. The task launcher, depending on the type  may have built in search capabilities that enhance and improve the learnability of the entire system.</p>
      <h4>Events</h4>
      <p>During the use of a task launcher the user is required to click on the image of a desired file or application. Once the text input is received the task launcher takes one of three actions:<br>
        1. opens desired file <br>
        2. launches application <br>
        3. responds with a "file/application not found" message</p>
      <h4>Component in Action</h4>
      <h5>Ubuntu 12.04</h5>
        <p>The following video demonstrates the use of the Ubuntu task launcher at 00:19.</p>
        <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LzcJxpt9-Ic?t=19s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

</div>
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-6">
    <h3>Variants</h3>
     <p>Some task launchers are a search box which takes text input and gives either a text response or a task response (i.e. the launch of an application). Others have their own windows and act as applications themselves. Generally third-party task launchers are more likely to open separate windows than native launchers. A task launcher's capabilities are susceptible to change as well. Some third-party launchers support workflows as well as web searches and password storage.</p>
    <h3>Priority Metrics</h3>
      <h4>Satisfaction</h4>
      <p>The Satisfaction of the user is critical to the task launcher's success. An operating system with a slow task launcher will not be very successful. The user is the most important part of the OS and if the user is unhappy they are completely able to switch operating systems.</p>
      <h4>Efficiency & Learnability</h4>
       <p>The efficiency and learnability of a task launcher are the most relevant metrics to the satisfaction of the user. The efficiency ensures that the users needs are met. The learnability ensures that the user can have </p>
      <h4>Memorability & Errors</h4>
        <p>Memorability and errors are not very relevant to the overall usability of a task launcher. The opportunity for errors is minimal, while the necessity for memorability is almost nonexistent given that task launchers are used almost every time a computer is used.</p>

    <h3>Key Characteristics</h3>
     <p>Good task launchers are fast and easy to use. The best task launchers are intuitive. You tell it what you want to do and it initiates the tasks. The overall usability of a task launcher should be one of the best across all applications in an operating system. The task launcher is an integral part of portraying the mental model of the computer architecture to the user.</p>   

</div>
<!-- ---------------------------- MACOSX SPECIFIC DATA ------------------------------ -->
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-xs-12">
    <h3>Platform-Specific Instances</h3>
      <div class="panel panel-default">
        <div class="panel-heading">
          <h4 class="panel-title text-center"> Mac OS X </h4>
        </div>
        <div class="panel-body">
          <p> The Mac OS X task launcher has two components, the dock and spotlight. Spotlight has been a built-in feature in addition to the dock since Mac OS X 10.4. The efficiency and fluidity of the dock and spotlight are key features to its success as a task launcher. </p>
          <div class="row">
            <div class="col-sm-6">
              <h3>Appearance</h3>
                <p>The dock is a collection of graphical representations of files and applications. Spotlight is a simple search box, it takes a text input and gives either a text response or a task response (i.e. the launch of an application). </p>
              <div class = "row">
                   <div class = "col-xs-12">
                    <div id="spotlight_screenshot_carousel" class="carousel slide" data-ride="carousel">
                <!-- Indicators -->
                      <ol class="carousel-indicators">
                        <li data-target="#spotlight_screenshot_carousel" data-slide-to="0" class="active"></li>
                        <li data-target="#spotlight_screenshot_carousel" data-slide-to="1"></li>
                      </ol>

                      <!-- Wrapper for slides -->
                      <div class="carousel-inner" role="listbox">
                      <div class="item active"> <img src="OSX_dock_launcher.png" alt="Mac os X task launcher">
                        <div class="carousel-caption">
                          Mac OS X 10.10.2 task launcher, dock
                        </div>
                      </div>
                      <div class="item"> 
                       <img src="spotlight_in_action.png" alt="Mac os X task launcher, Spotlight">
                        <div class="carousel-caption">
                          Mac OS X 10.10.2 task launcher, Spotlight
                        </div>
                      </div>
                      </div>

                      <!-- Controls -->
                      <a class="left carousel-control" href="#spotlight_screenshot_carousel" role="button" data-slide="prev">
                      <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-left" aria-hidden="true"></span>
                      <span class="sr-only">Previous</span>
                      </a>
                      <a class="right carousel-control" href="#spotlight_screenshot_carousel" role="button" data-slide="next">
                      <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-right" aria-hidden="true"></span>
                      <span class="sr-only">Next</span>
                      </a>
                    </div>
                  </div>
                </div>
              <h3>Behavior</h3>
                  <p>The dock allows for the immediate launch of any application or folder stored on it with a simple click. Spotlight requires keyboard input instead.</p>
                <h4>Events</h4>
                <p>During the use of a task launcher the user is required to type in the name of a desired file or application. Once the text input is received the task launcher takes one of three actions:<br>
                  1. opens desired file <br>
                  2. launches application <br>
                  3. responds with a "file/application not found" message <br>
                  when an application is in use, a dot appears underneath its icon on the dock.</p>
                <h4>Component in Action</h4>
                <p>Below is a tutorial on how to change the position of the dock. Initially it uses the dock to launch the system preferences application.</p>
                <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TlmhqEV34Eo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
              </div>

          <div class="row">
            <div class="col-sm-6">
              <h3>Variants</h3>
               <p>There are third-party task launchers that have been developed specifically for Mac OS X, namely "Alfred." Alfred includes many different features not included in spotlight or the dock; it can save your passwords, create workflows and even search the web.</p>
              <h3>Priority Metrics</h3>
                <h4>Efficiency & Learnability</h4>
                <p>Mac OS X task launchers have a help application built in which increases their learnability by teaching the the user how to use the interface. Additionally the efficiency of the dock and spotlight is increased by built in shortcuts that can be accessed in any application.</p>
                <h4>Satisfaction</h4>
                 <p>The satisfaction of the Mac task launchers is based on the speed and ease of use, or more specifically the efficiency and learnability. The user can always look to third-party applications in the case of Mac OS X.  </p>

              <h3>Key Characteristics</h3>
               <p>Spotlight and dock allow for two different communications between the user and the operating system. The dock's immediacy and simplicity makes it a great option for the launching of everyday tasks. Spotlight's access to all applications and files stored on the system allows for the fast launch of applications and the opening of files that are note regularly accessed. It drastically decreases the overall time of launching applications not stored in the dock and creates a convenient shortcut to any location in the operating system.</p>   
              </div>
        </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  <h3>Credits and References</h3>
  <p>Ubuntu Task Launcher Screen Shot: http://media.apcmag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2011/07/apcnews2011Workspace-Switcher238_mainImage.png.png</p>
  <p>Alfred Information: https://www.alfredapp.com</p><commit_msg>there was a typo...<commit_after>---
title: Task Launcher
layout: component
---
<p class="lead">The task launcher is an integral part of the modern operating system. It accelerates and aids in the launching of applications and the opening of files. Task launchers improve the overall efficiency of the user, most modern operating systems come with a native task launcher, while there are also third party task launchers.</p>
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-6">
    <h3>Typical Appearance</h3>
      <p>Task Launchers frequently appear as a dock at one of the edges of the screen (in accordance with Fitts' Law), often in the form of unlabeled images. Task Launchers also frequently include a text field, or search box.</p>
    <h3>Typical Behavior</h3>
        <p>Generally Implemented as a graphical menu of sorts, the task launcher's primary goal is to allow the user to initiate tasks, most frequently by launching applications. The secondary goal is to improve the speed in which the user is able to perform such tasks. Task launchers are made to increase efficiency and boost the user's satisfaction. Another goal of task launchers is to improve the learnability of a given operating system. The task launcher, depending on the type  may have built in search capabilities that enhance and improve the learnability of the entire system.</p>
      <h4>Events</h4>
      <p>During the use of a task launcher the user is required to click on the image of a desired file or application. Once the text input is received the task launcher takes one of three actions:<br>
        1. opens desired file <br>
        2. launches application <br>
        3. responds with a "file/application not found" message</p>
      <h4>Component in Action</h4>
      <h5>Ubuntu 12.04</h5>
        <p>The following video demonstrates the use of the Ubuntu task launcher at 00:19.</p>
        <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LzcJxpt9-Ic?t=19s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

</div>
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-sm-6">
    <h3>Variants</h3>
     <p>Some task launchers are a search box which takes text input and gives either a text response or a task response (i.e. the launch of an application). Others have their own windows and act as applications themselves. Generally third-party task launchers are more likely to open separate windows than native launchers. A task launcher's capabilities are susceptible to change as well. Some third-party launchers support workflows as well as web searches and password storage.</p>
    <h3>Priority Metrics</h3>
      <h4>Satisfaction</h4>
      <p>The Satisfaction of the user is critical to the task launcher's success. An operating system with a slow task launcher will not be very successful. The user is the most important part of the OS and if the user is unhappy they are completely able to switch operating systems.</p>
      <h4>Efficiency & Learnability</h4>
       <p>The efficiency and learnability of a task launcher are the most relevant metrics to the satisfaction of the user. The efficiency ensures that the users needs are met. The learnability ensures that the user can have </p>
      <h4>Memorability & Errors</h4>
        <p>Memorability and errors are not very relevant to the overall usability of a task launcher. The opportunity for errors is minimal, while the necessity for memorability is almost nonexistent given that task launchers are used almost every time a computer is used.</p>

    <h3>Key Characteristics</h3>
     <p>Good task launchers are fast and easy to use. The best task launchers are intuitive. You tell it what you want to do and it initiates the tasks. The overall usability of a task launcher should be one of the best across all applications in an operating system. The task launcher is an integral part of portraying the mental model of the computer architecture to the user.</p>   

</div>
<!-- ---------------------------- MACOSX SPECIFIC DATA ------------------------------ -->
<div class="row">
  <div class="col-xs-12">
    <h3>Platform-Specific Instances</h3>
      <div class="panel panel-default">
        <div class="panel-heading">
          <h4 class="panel-title text-center"> Mac OS X </h4>
        </div>
        <div class="panel-body">
          <p> The Mac OS X task launcher has two components, the dock and spotlight. Spotlight has been a built-in feature in addition to the dock since Mac OS X 10.4. The efficiency and fluidity of the dock and spotlight are key features to its success as a task launcher. </p>
          <div class="row">
            <div class="col-sm-6">
              <h3>Appearance</h3>
                <p>The dock is a collection of graphical representations of files and applications. Spotlight is a simple search box, it takes a text input and gives either a text response or a task response (i.e. the launch of an application). </p>
              <div class = "row">
                   <div class = "col-xs-12">
                    <div id="spotlight_screenshot_carousel" class="carousel slide" data-ride="carousel">
                <!-- Indicators -->
                      <ol class="carousel-indicators">
                        <li data-target="#spotlight_screenshot_carousel" data-slide-to="0" class="active"></li>
                        <li data-target="#spotlight_screenshot_carousel" data-slide-to="1"></li>
                      </ol>

                      <!-- Wrapper for slides -->
                      <div class="carousel-inner" role="listbox">
                      <div class="item active"> <img src="OSX_dock_launcher.png" alt="Mac os X task launcher">
                        <div class="carousel-caption">
                          Mac OS X 10.10.2 task launcher, dock
                        </div>
                      </div>
                      <div class="item"> 
                       <img src="spotlight_in_action.png" alt="Mac os X task launcher, Spotlight">
                        <div class="carousel-caption">
                          Mac OS X 10.10.2 task launcher, Spotlight
                        </div>
                      </div>
                      </div>

                      <!-- Controls -->
                      <a class="left carousel-control" href="#spotlight_screenshot_carousel" role="button" data-slide="prev">
                      <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-left" aria-hidden="true"></span>
                      <span class="sr-only">Previous</span>
                      </a>
                      <a class="right carousel-control" href="#spotlight_screenshot_carousel" role="button" data-slide="next">
                      <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-right" aria-hidden="true"></span>
                      <span class="sr-only">Next</span>
                      </a>
                    </div>
                  </div>
                </div>
              <h3>Behavior</h3>
                  <p>The dock allows for the immediate launch of any application or folder stored on it with a simple click. Spotlight requires keyboard input instead.</p>
                <h4>Events</h4>
                <p>During the use of a task launcher the user is required to type in the name of a desired file or application. Once the text input is received the task launcher takes one of three actions:<br>
                  1. opens desired file <br>
                  2. launches application <br>
                  3. responds with a "file/application not found" message <br>
                  when an application is in use, a dot appears underneath its icon on the dock.</p>
                <h4>Component in Action</h4>
                <p>Below is a tutorial on how to change the position of the dock. Initially it uses the dock to launch the system preferences application.</p>
                <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TlmhqEV34Eo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
              </div>

          <div class="row">
            <div class="col-sm-6">
              <h3>Variants</h3>
               <p>There are third-party task launchers that have been developed specifically for Mac OS X, namely "Alfred." Alfred includes many different features not included in spotlight or the dock; it can save your passwords, create workflows and even search the web.</p>
              <h3>Priority Metrics</h3>
                <h4>Efficiency & Learnability</h4>
                <p>Mac OS X task launchers have a help application built in which increases their learnability by teaching the the user how to use the interface. Additionally the efficiency of the dock and spotlight is increased by built in shortcuts that can be accessed in any application.</p>
                <h4>Satisfaction</h4>
                 <p>The satisfaction of the Mac task launchers is based on the speed and ease of use, or more specifically the efficiency and learnability. The user can always look to third-party applications in the case of Mac OS X.  </p>

              <h3>Key Characteristics</h3>
               <p>Spotlight and dock allow for two different communications between the user and the operating system. The dock's immediacy and simplicity makes it a great option for the launching of everyday tasks. Spotlight's access to all applications and files stored on the system allows for the fast launch of applications and the opening of files that are note regularly accessed. It drastically decreases the overall time of launching applications not stored in the dock and creates a convenient shortcut to any location in the operating system.</p>   
              </div>
        </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  <h3>Credits and References</h3>
  <p>Alfred Information: https://www.alfredapp.com</p>
{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.08620514899655382, 'fraction_numerical': 0.011098722886681532, 'mean_word_length': 2.448016774419011, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 323, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 323, 'https://': 6, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 6, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
{'dir': 'git-commits-cleaned', 'id': '6706715', 'n_tokens_mistral': 5165, 'n_tokens_neox': 4871, 'n_words': 2298}