Using Activewords with the new Google Desktop

I'm pretty excited about this combination.

I've been a devoted fan of Activewords for several years, ever since I got that famous email from Buzz Bruggeman offering me a coaching lesson. I've just signed him up to do one for my wife as well, as she's just got her first laptop and can't wait to install Activewords on it.

Anyway, this new version of Google Desktop has a very cool feature where you can hit the Control key twice (CTRL-CTRL) and it brings up a search bar in the middle of your screen from which you can search your hard drive or the web.

Now this is very cool but CTRL-CTRL has been the command I've used for several years to bring up my Activewords bar (from which I can activate any of my programmed activewords).

But fear not! I worked out a simple solution that gives me the best of all worlds.

1. Go into Activewords settings and turn off the CTRL-CTRL setting.

2. Use the Google Desktop search bar.

3. When I hit CTRL-CTRL out of habit but really want an Activeword to run, not a Google search, I simple hit the other Activeword commant (SPACE-SPACE) instead of hitting ENTER, which activates the Google search instead.

Oh and I've got the default Google search set to be my desktop. If I want it to search the web instead, I hit CTRL-W when I have the Google search bar open. This automatically takes me to a web search.

Comments

[Trevor Cook]

I wish I could understand ActiveWords helps - It always just seemed to take up too much time mucking around like this and I was always forgot the commands anyway. What's the big deal about clicking icons anyway

[Cameron Reilly]

Trev, I know the feeling and I think that's one of the big challenges Buzz and Pete have with Activewords - getting people used to the change in behaviour. But I tell ya, those of us that have integrated it into our way of working never want to go back.
I'm no user experience expert, but I believe that there are different parts of your brain that are in play when you are typing versus using a mouse. And when you have to switch modes several times an hour, it is taxing. We don't notice it, because we are used to it. But when you have integrated Activewords into your toolset, and then you try to go back to using a mouse, you really notice it. I can be typing away and think "hmm I need this site, or this document, or this block of text, whatever" and most of the times those things are a few keystrokes away. You brain does it without conscious involvement. Here's an analogy - it's like changing keyboards. You know what it's like to move from a keyboard you are used to typing on to one what you aren't used to with a different layout? How your brain all of a sudden needs to get involved? It's something like that.
If I want your details, I don't have to open up Outlook or Gmail and go searching for them. I just CTRL-CTRL trevor cook and BAM - your details are in front of me. When I create a new activeword task, I usually create two or three "keywords" for the task I want, the things which seem most naturally associated with the task/document/website, and then I'll usually correctly remember one of them. That's one of Buzz's secret. So for example, if I create a spreadsheet for a 2007 budget, I might called the activewords associated with it "budget07", "budget2007" and "2007 budget".

Anyway, Buzz is much better at articulating the benefits than I, all I know is that the product makes working on my PC much simpler and I believe it makes me a hell of a lot more productive.

[Phillip Molly Malone]

You have a budget? Wow! But seriously I got a copy of Active words and I am sure that I use about 1% of the value of Active Words but even that is great. Get more use of Active Words is definitely on the list of things to do when I have more time avialable.

Molly

[Tony]

Before I made the most excellent choice to switch to a iMac Cam had convinced me to try Activewords and it is a great program. I have a similar program I use on my iMac and like Activewords I wouldn't be without it.

Learn to use it and it will change how you use your PC and make it more efficient.

[Buzz Bruggeman]

I am ready to show you guys more stuff whenever you are ready! Also, Trev, remember that you can call the same thing in as many different ways that you want with ActiveWords. For example, I use w,wd,word,and write to summon Microsoft Word. But we are always looking to find ways to make ActiveWords better, so all suggestions welcome!