HOWTO: Use Google Desktop as a Quick Application Launcher (like QuickSilver)

As a Mac user, one of my most frequenty used application is a useful program called Quicksilver. Using QuickSilver, I can launch applications simply by typing the first few characters of the program I wish to run. This is what I sorely miss when I started using the Eee PC as my "light" alternative to my MacBook. I have searched the web for a Linux alternative but the ones I saw were a bit too clunky for my taste. One alternative (Katapult) updates a lot of base Linux files that it rendered some poor soul's Eee PC inoperable.



Then I sort of discovered Google Desktop for Linux. I installed Google Desktop as an exercise of my Linux command line skills but I uncovered a feature in it that sort of mimics some of the functions of QuickSilver.



By configuring Google Desktop to respond to the key combination Ctrl-Shift, Google Desktop will open a "Quick Search Box" and by typing the program I want to run on that search box I can scroll down to my desired application and run it without having to go through Eee's "start" menu!

Using this, Google Desktop filled my need to quickly launch applications a-la QuickSilver and it should suffice for my needs now.

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