Enso Gives Keyboard Commands to Windows Users 234
illuminatedwax writes "The Wall Street Journal's Walter S. Mossberg's latest column is a writeup on a new software system called Enso. Enso is from a small software startup called Humanized, led by Aza Raskin. The software allows Windows users to do common tasks, like launching programs, spellchecking, or Googling for search terms, but what's interesting is that it allows you to do these tasks from within any program in Windows by use of the keyboard. From the article: 'There are two initial Enso products, which can be downloaded at humanized.com. One, called Enso Launcher, allows you to launch programs and switch among windows via typed commands. The other, called Enso Words, allows you to do spell-checking, even when the program you're using doesn't include that capability, and to look up the meaning of words. Both products also include a simple calculator and the ability to launch Google searches.' Humanized says that users will be able to program their own commands for Enso in future versions."
Ah, the Humane Interface (Score:3, Interesting)
Google Desktop Search is free, it pops up with a double-tap of ctrl (and doesn't require you to hold down keys), it autocompletes, with executables first, and it's taking about 5 megs.
Already Built-in solution for running programs (Score:5, Interesting)
2.) Add that directory to your "Path" Environment Variable under System Properties > Advanced.
3.) Rename the shortcuts you created to simple words, ie Firefox = fire, Thunderbird = mail, Winamp = amp.
That's it. To start these programs, [WIN] + r, then type the program you want.
I use it all the time and works great.
You can run more advanced commands by editing shortcut properties adding parameters to the commands and such.
Re:Beta tester thoughts. (Score:3, Interesting)
Basically you can set whatever "modal" key you want (I tend to use % or *) and then have a string after that (such as %sqx) and it immediately begins to perform the macro. Works great for what I need.
The only thing that I would love to see (and I'm sure I could ask the developer but I don't know what he'd say) is CTRL-TAB support to move backwards through forms and to allow it to read data from a text file line by line and use them as part of the macro sequence.
If anyone has any idea of any other software that does what I have asked, please reply below.
Same functionality for free! (Score:1, Interesting)
Colibri (Score:2, Interesting)
FREE: AutoHotKey and AutoIt. AHKey is FOSS. (Score:5, Interesting)
Use the free, open source AutoHotkey [autohotkey.com] to make keyboard shortcuts to run programs and enter text. AutoHotkey is actively developed. Often the AutoHotKey developer, Chris Mallett, releases 3 versions a month to incorporate user's suggestions. (Windows only)
Use AutoIt to simulate keyboard entries and mouse clicks and when you need complicated decision-making. Download AutoIt with the SciTE auto-completion IDE [autoitscript.com]. The SciTE editor makes writing and testing AutoIt programs and compiling the finished results very easy.
Both of these programs are very sophisticated, apparently the best available, come with compilers, and are FREE. Both are completely programmable.
For example, I've written an AutoHotKey program that uses a shortcut to toggle between Windows shortcut keys and WordStar/Brief control-key editing commands. I like to avoid taking the time to touch the mouse.
AutoIt is great for automating installations of software. You can compile all the installation files into the AutoIt file, and have AutoIt set permissions and copy files during the installation.
Both AutoHotKey and AutoIt allow programming your own GUIs.
Both AutoHotKey and AutoIt need an addition: A GUI method of defining keyboard shortcuts, for unskilled users.
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U.S. government violence in Iraq encourages other violence.
Re:Already Built-in solution for running programs (Score:3, Interesting)
- Andrew
Re:Beta tester thoughts. (Score:3, Interesting)
Well then don't friggin' use it! Good grief- I don't know what else to say to you... other than: "hey! there doesn't only have to be *one* form of every piece of software in the world!"
You originally wrote, "I think the other aspect is tight integration and a fluid user experience." in regard to how it compared to OS X's ability to do the same. I think what, I and a lot of other users are trying to figure out is if this will let us replicate some of the functionality we have on OS X on Windows or if it is an inferior or superior version of the same. Unfortunately, you're about the only person here who has had a chance to use the software, and you apparently have never used OS X making both halves of the conversation difficult.
Your going off an comparing Apple's solution to the Zune by comparison to the solution you're testing was bound to raise more than a few eyebrows since the OS X solution is very elegant and has long been considered the best solution these tasks.
For the third or fourth time (to you alone) Enso isn't a spellchecker. It takes common things like app launching, spellchecking, thesaurus
You've only responded to two of my posts so far. I never said Enso was a spellchecker, but you were using that function of it for your examples, so I used the same function. OS X's services are not just a spellchecker either. They are a way to add arbitrary functionality all applications can use either by adding a stand alone service or allowing an application to share a function it already performs. A spellchecking service, dictionary/thesaurus service, etc. ships with OS X. A grammar checker is available from third parties and one will be shipping in Leopard. You can assign a key combo to any of the service functions and they work across applications. Tab completion for App launching and file opening is covered by OS X's spotlight, or via quicksilver.
What a lot of us are curious about, is Enso actually a poor man's version of this we can use on Windows? Is it a workable version of this? Is it better than the OS X implementation and in what way? You compared it to the iPod interface to OS X's Zune, so can you describe in what way Enso's ability to bring functions to me is novel and superior?
The point is to abstract out having to learn commands and shortcuts for every application and only have to learn them once.
Almost any function that is common across applications on OS X already has a standard key combo defined in the HIG and application developers all use the same ones. I guess the question I have is, isn't this true of most Windows applications as well? Certainly the common functions like save, copy, paste, etc. seem standard enough to me.
I'm very happy that you are statisfied with your spellchecker...
I am fairly satisfied with OS X services in general and spellchecker in particular, while using OS X, but myself, like a lot of people here I imagine, run multiple OS's. When I'm using Windows XP (I tried Vista but am waiting for it to stabilize) I feel like I've stepped into the past because I no longer have all these functions. If I'm using Windows, will Enso provide me with a way to add arbitrary functions, like a dictionary/thesaurus lookup and bibliography formatter, without breaking my workflow and forcing me to copy and paste things into other programs?
Missing the point... (Score:2, Interesting)
I see a lot of people missing the point of the Enso launcher program.
Just because you have a bunch of hotkeys setup doesn't matter, because the point is that they only work on your own machine. You have to remember what they are, and god forbid a program already has that key combination in use. The point of the holding the Caps Lock key down while entering your command (other than just getting rid of that damn key) is that you have no new windows to deal with, you can't think you are typing in your command when you didn't focus the keyboard on the "ENTER YOUR COMMAND HERE" window.
On top of the individual uses for the universal spell check and launcher is the whole Enso system. The system is based in such a way that it can provide system-wide commands, instead of application specific, without getting in the way. Everyone has their own solution for opening their common programs, but the Enso system goes beyond that and lets you open any program available without having to look up a key combo or directory.
I'm looking forward to seeing Enso grow even more.