AppMenuBoy for Mac

AppMenuBoy is a small Cocoa application developed by David Phillip Oster. It is a great tool for Mac users who miss the Windows Start Menu or those who simply want a quick alphabetical reference of the applications installed on their system.

When Apple changed the way folders are represented in the Dock with OS XLeopard), users lost the convenient hierarchical start menu that could be created by dragging the Applications folder to the end of the dock. AppMenuBoy aims to restore this option to Leopard by creating a hierarchical menu in the dock. By Ctrl-clicking or right-clicking on the AppMenuBoy icon, users can access a menu that displays all of their applications in alphabetical order.

One of the pros of using AppMenuBoy is that it eliminates the need for a separate dock, making it a great tool for those who prefer a clutter-free desktop. It also provides a quick and easy way to find applications, especially for users who have recently switched from Windows. However, a downside of AppMenuBoy is that it does not allow users to edit the names of the entries, which can be frustrating when certain apps are displayed with version numbers instead of their actual names.

Overall, AppMenuBoy is a useful application for Mac users who miss the Windows Start Menu, prefer a clean desktop, or simply want a quick alphabetical reference of their installed applications. It automatically tracks changes in directories and uses localized names of apps and folders. Additionally, it now has a preference to skip folders with parenthesized names.