Instant workspace switching in Linux
A common feature in Linux window managers is the ability to have multiple “workspaces” or “virtual desktops” or whatever you want to call them. From the i3 docs:
Workspaces are an easy way to group a set of windows. By default, you are on the first workspace, as the bar on the bottom left indicates. To switch to another workspace, press
$mod+numwherenumis the number of the workspace you want to use. If the workspace does not exist yet, it will be created.
The beautiful thing about these window managers, or at least the ones I’ve tried, is that they switch workspaces instantly. In i3, if you blink, you’ll miss the change. It’s such a great reminder of how rippin’ fast a UI can feel when the designers so intend.
The macOS equivalent of workspaces is called Spaces.
I’ve measured how long it takes to change Spaces with the Control-<left/right arrow> shortcut,
and it’s exactly the amount of time necessary to piss me off.1
So instead of Spaces, I use a bunch of Alfred hotkeys to switch between maximized apps. It works well enough. Every seven months or so, I try Spaces again but quickly get annoyed and bail.
Come on, Apple. It’s been 15 years2 of dozens of us whining about this. Give us a setting, will ya?
-
Yes I know I’m overreacting. Usually I’m a pretty chill guy, but for some reason this one pushes my nerd-buttons. Also yes, I know about the reduce-motion setting. But that impacts motion beyond just this animation. And finally, I know the
Control-<number>shortcuts are speedier, but the don’t work to access full-screened apps. ↩︎ -
Gemini told me that the modern Spaces transition animations were added in 2011 with Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. Craig Federighi, if you’re reading this, I’ll forgive you for $65M and a public apology. ↩︎