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While I haven’t done any software reviews on this site, I try to point out when I think an application can help you with your task. I most often mention free applications, mostly because people can start using them today and do so guilt-free. In my opinion, Mac OS X is blessed with dedicated and creative software free- and shareware developers, so there is often more than one application that can do any job.
In some cases, however, you need not look further than a single application, and in the case of system notification, your search should start and end with Growl. If you’ve never heard of Growl, here is a short description from the Growl web site:
Growl is a notification system for Mac OS X: it allows pplications that support Growl to send you notifications. Notifications are a way for your applications to provide you with new information, without you having to switch from the application you’re already in.
In short, Growl provides pop-up messages from applications that want to tell you something useful. There are many applications that support Growl, and it is popular enough that commercial developers are including support with newer releases.
In some ways, it’s hard to explain what Growl does without installing it. You can customize which applications provide feedback, what types of notifications will be displayed, and how those notifications will look (including how long they stay on screen).
Installing Growl
First, either go to the Growl website or click here to download version 1.1.4. Growl is a system preference, so after the disk image finishes downloading you’ll need to double-click Growl to add it to your System Preferences. Growl will give you the option of installing it in only your account or making it available to all users.
If you open the Growl system preference, you should be presented with this screen:
I clicked the one button on the screen to start Growl, then checked the box below it to cause it to open at startup. Feel free to change other settings, including adding a Growl icon to your menu bar.
Growl will scan your computer for compatible applications and display them in the Applications tab. Here’s a partial list of the ones it found for me:
Note: I have found that the first time I install Growl, it may take several minutes before any applications are listed. You may also need to quit Growl and reopen it one time before those applications are listed.
You can check or uncheck whichever applications you want to provide notifications. Clicking the Configure button will allow you to specify which notifications each application will provide (each application may also provide Growl preferences within the application, so may be able to customize the notifications through each of them, as well).
Once you’ve configured the applications to your liking (or left them all as is), you can adjust the Display Options. Growl has a ton of display options, with different themes, sizing, how long each notification lasts, etc. Here’s what those options look like:
I like the Smoke theme with a 75% opacity, and I have each notification last 4 seconds. Here’s what the Smoke theme looks like:
Once you’ve configured your display options, you’re good to go. When you open applications that support Growl from now on, they will provide you with useful notifications!
Did you find this hint helpful? Do you find Growl useful? Annoying? How else do you monitor what’s happening with your applications? Let others know in the comments.
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