One of the features of my Apple computer that seriously beats the ass out of my older Windows based machines is this little option called ‘spaces’. Spaces is multiple desktops. You can have as few as 1 or 2, all the way up to 16 desktops. Now, why the hell would you need/want 16 desktops? Well, I wouldn’t.. but I do find use in having 4.

I have my first one as normal OS-X, the second one is dedicated to HD movie editing. The third one is set up using Parallels 5 running Windows 7 Ultimate and the 4th one is in limbo… so I guess I actually use 3.. heh

You click control plus an arrow key to flip left or right, up or down or you can assign a hot key so you click a number, an F key or whatever key and boom, you’re on that desktop… full screen of course. I run two 30” screens, each with 2560 x 1600 screen resolution so at the click of a key I am in windows and you’d never know it was on a Mac, it’s faster than a dedicated windows machine too which is strange as fuck.

This screen grab I took above is when you click whatever shortcut you’ve assigned to show you all of your spaces. This shows 4 desktops because that’s what I have set, it has to be in multiples of 2, thus why I don’t have 3, but instead 4.

So how could this help you? Have you ever needed to hide a screen quickly? This will do it. You’ve got one screen with your spreadsheets or work on it, and click, you’re on a new desktop with your personal stuff, your twitter, your forums, your site subscriptions, whatever. Click and boom, back into work mode… click, back into chill mode.. etc.

It’s a time saver because it’s like having several computers all in one. I’m running Windows 7, OS-X and if I wanted to, I could have (and have done this in the past) have Linux set up on another screen so the system is in full on apache mode for trouble shooting server specs or testing scripts before pushing them live.

If you are looking for a new computer, you might want to consider Apple, this spaces feature is on everything they have (computer wise that is), from the entry level Mac Mini to the higher end Mac Pro’s and everything in between. It’s sweeeeeet

Hell, when i am modding a cam show, I have it full screen on one ‘desktop’ and then I am working somewhere else. I can listen in and jump back and forth if I am needed.