Allow me to reference my earlier comment about it being a utility to access Internet resources. :-)
Go! was created because one of the few features of Windows that I rather like is its ability (when coupled with MS Internet Explorer 4.0) to put a ╥type address here╙ field on the Windows task bar, into which you can type a local pathname or Internet URL, and go there quickly. While local pathnames aren╒t very interesting on the Macintosh, I liked the idea of a small, unobtrusive means for specifying an URL.
How does Go! work?
Go! works in conjunction with Internet Config, which is a standard part of Mac OS 8.5, and is widely available for older versions of the Mac OS. However, it tries to be smarter about parsing what you type than Internet Config does on its own. Specifically, you should be able to type any of the following forms and get where you want:
Ñ Any fully qualified URL (e.g. ╥http://www.aol.com╙) should work as expected, loading the appropriate helper application for that type of URL.
Ñ Typing an URL that specifies a full server name but lacks a protocol designation (e.g. ╥www.aol.com╙) will try to deduce the appropriate protocol for that server (e.g. ╥www.aol.com╙ --> http, ╥ftp.aol.com╙ --> ftp, etc).
Ñ Any single word will be interpreted as a Web URL in www.___.com format (e.g. ╥aol╙ --> ╥http://www.aol.com╙).
Ñ Typing a newsgroup name from one of the major newsgroup hierarchies (alt, comp, rec, etc.) will be interpreted as a news URL.
Ñ Typing an E-mail address (e.g. ╥afljoeys@aol.com╙) will be interpreted as a mailto URL.
For example, typing...
aol goes to ╥http://www.aol.com╙; this is your easiest choice
aol.com goes to ╥http://aol.com╙ (works for most sites)
www.aol tries going to ╥http://www.aol╙, fails
www.aol.com goes to ╥http://www.aol.com╙
ftp.aol.com goes to ╥ftp://ftp.aol.com╙
http:www.aol.com usually fails because of the missing slashes
http://www.aol.com works, but why type so much?
rec.games.pinball brings up this newsgroup in your default news reader
afljoeys@aol.com launches your default mailer and addresses new mail to me
How do I set up Go! on my machine?
Choose the flavor of Go! (PPC or 68K) that╒s right for your machine; a FAT version has deliberately not been produced, to minimize the footprint of the application (it╒s big enough as it is). You may keep the Go! application anywhere you like, though it was created with the intention of having it live in your System ╥Startup Items╙ folder.
When Go! first launches, it will place a small window in the bottom right part of your screen. Resize and position this window wherever you like; its placement will be remembered in the future. When you wish to do something on the Internet, simply click in Go!╒s window and type the desired full or partial URL, as described above. You may press RETURN or click the ╥Go╙ button to actually invoke that URL.
If you don╒t like how Go! handles something you type, either:
1) Your Internet Config settings aren╒t right. Check them using the Internet Config application, or the Internet Control Panel under Mac OS 8.5 and higher.
2) Go! had insufficient information to determine the correct meaning of a partially specified URL. Try typing a bit more -- or perhaps a bit less! -- and see if it helps.
Go! FAQ╒s
What does Go! do for me that I can╒t do by hand?
Ñ Nothing, really. But I usually keep the bottom half-inch or so of my screen reserved for utilitarian stuff like the Control Strip, Trash, and popup folder tabs. The Go! window fits conveniently down there at the bottom of the screen where it╒s easily accessible. It also tends to save a few mouse clicks/keyboard commands vs. manually opening your desired application and performing whatever sequence is required to go to your URL. If you go to many URL╒s each day, that savings adds up!
Hey, bozo, you forgot the standard command keys for Close and Quit!
Ñ This is an intentional omission; since Go! is designed as a be-there-always utility, I wanted to make it difficult to inadvertently close. You can make it Go! away by clicking the window╒s close box, or choosing ╥Quit╙ from the File menu. But, why would you want to? :-)
Future Enhancements
Some things I╒m considering adding to a future version:
Ñ Ability to make the Go! window float over all other application windows (via a preference).
Ñ A popup menu of bookmarks from your default Web browser.
Ñ A popup menu of URLs you╒ve recently accessed from Go! [Steve Jonke]
Ñ Drag ╘n╒ Drop text support.
Ñ Some method for specifying a search query to pass to Mac OS 8.5╒s Sherlock utility.
Ñ Preference to force Web URLs to open in a new window. [Brendan Hoar]
Ñ Some way to make the window take even less desktop space (but still look decent and adhere to Apple HIG!). [Scott Sidley]
Ñ User interface to manipulate the ╥custom shortcuts╙ tables. (The mapping code itself is available in the current version of Go!; adventurous users can edit STR# resources 3400 and 3401.)
I welcome any and all feedback: feature requests, bug reports, etc. Feel free to contact me, Joe Schober, via E-mail at afljoeys@aol.com.
Go! Distribution
Go! is ╥WhateverWare╙ ... if you like it, feel free to send me whatever you like: money, a registered copy of a program you╒ve written, or simply a note of thanks. Or nothing at all, if that╒s what you think it╒s worth. Whatever. :)
The exception is if you want to include this utility in a commercial compilation of software (e.g. a shareware CD-ROM), in which case I╒d really appreciate a copy of the compilation disc. You can write me at the E-mail address listed above to get my contact information. Thanks!
Go! Revisions
The latest revision of Go! can be found at http://members.aol.com/afljoeys/go.
v1.0, 14-Dec-98:
Ñ First public release.
v1.0b4, 8-Dec-98:
Ñ Made the TAB key act like ╥Select All╙. [Stephen Bennett]
Ñ Tweaked scheme handling for older versions of Internet Config when you just type a single word (e.g. ╥aol╙).
v1.0b3, 5-Dec-98:
Ñ Contents of the input field are now selected on initial launch and after each ╥Go!╙. [Everyone :) ]
Ñ Made the ╥Clear╙ key work. (It will only clear a selection.) [Scott Sidley, Steve Jonke]
Ñ On systems where Internet Config is unavailable, now put up an appropriate error dialog and prevent Go! from launching.
v1.0b2, 29-Nov-98:
Ñ Made memory allocations (partition, stack) less aggressive to prevent errors/crashes on launch. (PowerPlant is nice, but frameworks in general are just too BIG!) [Steve Jonke]
Ñ Added a couple entries to the resource tables to improve interpretation of URL╒s.
