4 Apps Should Help You Improve Your Writing [Linux]

Are you a Linux user with a passion for writing? If so, check out these essential tools for the job.
Writing is a key skill in the modern world, whether it’s directly how you make your living or not. Whether it’s writing memos or emailing clients, most jobs include at least some use of the written word.

Even outside of work, more and more communication is moving to the written word. Don’t rush through these things – take your time and get them right. Develop writing as a skill, because it will reward you. But it’s a lot easier to do if you have the proper tools.

FocusWriter

Word processors are cool, and Linux users can use Open Office/Libre Office or AbiWord if a word processor is necessary.
These free writing tools aren’t primarily for writing, though. They are for laying content out on a page to be printed. If you’re writing for a website or an email, or just aren’t yet concerned about layout, they do way more than you need. That’s why I like FocusWriter, which offers a minimal interface without sacrificing on features.

Artha: Thesaurus

Repeating the same word while writing is problematic. Add some variety by using a Thesaurus. A plethora of online options exist, but if you want something hosted locally on your computer check out Artha. This simple program runs quickly so you can get back to your writing after finding the word you need.

You can almost certainly find Artha in your distro’s repositories right now, so go ahead and install it. Ubuntu users can simply click here to install Artha. Users of other distros can find Artha installation instructions here.

TomBoy or Zim

It’s important as a writer to keep you thoughts organized. A personal wiki can help a lot, giving you a place to collect ideas and organize them with cross-links. TomBoy, a Linux note-taking app, is installed by default on Ubuntu and is an excellent application for storing ideas.

If you don’t like the way TomBoy works, check out Zim, a desktop wiki. It’s a desktop wiki, but different from TomBoy in many ways. If you like using wikis on the web you’ll love this tool.

Plus: it’s named after the single greatest cartoon alien of all time.

Dropbox

We mention Dropbox more than enough here at MakeUseOf, but there’s a reason for that – it’s awesome. If you’re a writer primarily using Linux, it or something like it is almost essential.
Dropbox can automatically sync your writing between your computers, making it essential if you own more than one device. Even if you possess only a single computer you’ll want to use Dropbox, because it automatically backs up your work to the cloud every time you save it. Even better is that you can revert to a previous version of the file, within the past 30 days, anytime. This is great if you accidentally delete a large chunk of text and click “save.”

Conclusion

I do most of my writing for this and other blogs on Linux, and find these tools indispensable. Together they make my workflow what it is, and I’m extremely grateful to the developers of all of them.
While researching this article I stumbled upon Writing On Linux, a blog dedicated to outlining Linux tools for writers. Be sure to check that blog out for more cool ideas, but be aware that updates are sparse.
Do you have any other cool free writing tools for Linux? Let us know about them in the comments below, because we love learning from our readers.

How To Install Java On Fedora [Linux]

Under Linux, there are two different implementations of Java that are available for use. The open source variety that most distributions include by default is known, as a whole, as OpenJDK.

The other solution, not included by default in most distributions because of its proprietary nature, is Oracle Java (formerly Sun Java). Both work very well, except that Oracle Java might have a few more fixes. In terms of codebase, they are 98-99% identical.
Ubuntu and Arch let you easily install either implementation, while Fedora users will have a slightly tougher time (at least when it comes to installing Oracle Java). This article should clear up any of the confusion on how to get it working, including some tips and tricks I discovered for 64-bit users.

Installing OpenJDK (Easy)

Installing the OpenJDK implementation is actually fairly simple. In order to get all Java functionality, you should run this command to install needed packages if they’re not installed already: sudo yum install icedtea-web java-1.6.0-openjdk. This installs the Java Runtime Environment and the needed browser plugins to get a complete working Java system. You can also install those two packages via the package manager.

Installing Oracle Java (Harder)

Simple, right? Well, sadly some Java programs seem to require Oracle Java in order to work correctly, though not everyone has this problem. I’m going to split this into two sections, one for 32-bit users and one for 64-bit users. You can then skip the section that doesn’t apply to your system.

Downloading Files

Before we split off into the separate paths, all users can at least download the required files. 32-bit users can either download the JRE from here or the 32-bit JDK from here, while 64-bit users should only choose the 64-bit JDK (I’ll explain why later). Make sure that when you download your file, you choose the one that specifically mentions RPM, which is what Fedora uses. For the sake of simplicity, save the downloaded file in your Downloads folder. Additionally, for the time being, I recommend you still use the Java 6 packages, such as 6u27 at the time of this article, rather than Java 7 because it is still too new.

Installation

In order to get the setup to run, you’ll need to open a terminal and run chmod +x /home/<user>/Downloads/<filename> to add executable permissions to the file, and then run it by simply run it by typing /home/<user>/Downloads/<filename>. Don’t forget to substitute <user> with your actual username and <filename> with the name of the file that you downloaded. Go through the setup until it completes.

Configuration

Congratulations! Oracle Java is already installed on your system! However, you’re still a couple steps away from actually being able to use it. We need to create a lot of symbolic links in multiple places for the system to be able to use it correctly. Note that these commands mention folders such as “jre1.6.0_27″ or “jdk1.6.0_27″, which refers to the version 6u27. If you downloaded a different version, say 6u29, you’ll need to edit the path appropriately.

32-bit JRE

If you chose the 32-bit JRE, you’ll need to enter in these commands in order:

1. sudo alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /usr/java/jre1.6.0_27/bin/java 20000
2. sudo alternatives --install /usr/bin/javaws javaws /usr/java/jre1.6.0_27/bin/javaws 20000
3. sudo alternatives --install /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so libjavaplugin.so /usr/java/jre1.6.0_27/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so 20000

32-bit JDK

If you chose the 32-bit JDK, you’ll need to enter in these commands in order:

1. sudo alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_27/jre/bin/java 20000
2. sudo alternatives --install /usr/bin/javaws javaws /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_27/jre/bin/javaws 20000
3. sudo alternatives --install /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so libjavaplugin.so /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_27/jre/lib/i386/libnpjp2.so 20000
4. sudo alternatives --install /usr/bin/javac javac /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_27/bin/javac 20000
5. sudo alternatives --install /usr/bin/jar jar /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_27/bin/jar 20000

64-bit JDK

Through personal experience, I’ve found that 64-bit users will have to do a few things differently. I asked that you download the 64-bit JDK instead of the 64-bit JRE because the JDK includes a working Java Web Start application while the JRE does not. Additionally, you’ll have to use a few tricks in order to get that to work. Therefore, please use these commands in order:

1. sudo alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_27/jre/bin/java 20000
2. sudo alternatives --install /usr/lib64/mozilla/plugins/libjavaplugin.so libjavaplugin.so.x86_64 /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_27/jre/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so 20000
3. sudo alternatives --install /usr/bin/javac javac /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_27/bin/javac 20000
4. sudo alternatives --install /usr/bin/jar jar /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_27/bin/jar 20000
5. sudo ln -s /usr/java/jdk1.6.0_27/jre/javaws/javaws /etc/alternatives/javaws
6. sudo ln -s /etc/alternatives/javaws /usr/bin/javaws

What those commands do differently is install the 64-bit browser plugin rather than the 32-bit plugin as well as use a different way of creating the necessary links for javaws, as the other way did not work for me.

Final Steps

Last but not least, you’ll need to edit a file and add in a line of text. To do that, you can open your favorite text editor to change the /home/<user>/.bash_profile file. If you installed the JDK (32-bit or 64-bit), add:

## export JAVA_HOME JDK ##
export JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/jdk1.6.0_27"

If you installed the JRE, please add:

## export JAVA_HOME JRE ##
export JAVA_HOME="/usr/java/jre1.6.0_27"

Conclusion

Java has finally been installed and configured correctly! You should now be able to use Java wherever you may need it, including Firefox. If you use a different browser, you can create a link from the Firefox location to your browser’s plugin folder. Although it’s quite a bit of work, it’ll pay off in the long run.
What do you prefer, OpenJDK or Oracle Java? Would you like to see Oracle completely open-source Java and maintain one single implementation? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments!

Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot Is Out Now With New Default Programs [Linux]

It’s here! With a multitude of user interface improvements and a few new default programs, Ubuntu 11.10 keeps the premiere Linux distro moving forward. Whether you’re a long time Ubuntu user or a Windows/Mac user interested in trying something new, Ubuntu 11.10 is worth downloading now.

Ubuntu comes twice a year. The latest version of Ubuntu is numbered 11.10 (as of October 2011) and codenamed Oneiric Ocelot (as in a dreaming South American wildcat). This release builds on the momentum built by Ubuntu 11.04 earlier this year. Some may dislike it simply because they dislike Unity, the desktop interface used since 11.04. Even people who found 11.04 unusable however, may find 11.10 a pleasure to use.

New Software

So what’s new? A few of the default programs, to start.
Ubuntu ousted the much-maligned Evolution email and calendar application in favor of Thunderbird. This means you don’t have to uninstall Evolution every time you set up Ubuntu, something I’ve been doing for about five years.
Deja Dup, the perfect Linux backup software, is now part of Ubuntu by default. This gives Ubuntu a world class backup program, on par with Time Machine for Mac and superior to the clunky default Windows backup system.

You’ll find DejaDup in the new settings menu; it’s very easy to setup.
Gwibber, Ubuntu’s microblogging tool for Twitter and Facebook, sucks less then before. By this I mean Gwibber lost some serious weight, and gained some stability. Whether or not you’ll use it is another question entirely, but the improvements are real.

A couple of great programs disappeared from the default setup – Synaptic, the advanced package manager, is no longer a default program. Video editor Pitivi vanished as well. Both programs can be quickly installed from the Ubuntu Software Center or, for command line ninjas, via apt-get.

Interface Improvements

Unity keeps evolving, much to the annoyance of some. If you’re like me though, you’ll enjoy the changes.
The menu button moved from the top bar to the dock. Click the button and you’ll see a similar starting point as before, but the application menu is a huge improvement:

As you can see, it’s possible to browse applications in a menu-like structure.
The “lenses” that previously took up space on the dock moved to the bottom of the main menu. Click them and you can browse just as before.
Another big improvement is the settings window:

This single interface controls all settings, meaning you no longer need to jump from program to program in order to find the setting you’re looking for. You can find a link to this window in the new top-right panel menu:

The Ubuntu Software Center continues to evolve; it looks and runs better than before:

You will, no doubt, find many other changes over Ubuntu 11.04 in 11.10; too many to count. Read Ubuntu’s release notes for more information.

Unity 2D

Don’t have a 3D graphics card? You won’t miss out on Unity. A new, 2D version of Unity works on pretty much any computer on earth, and will open by default on systems that can’t run Unity.
Of course, this means that Gnome classic isn’t available by default. Don’t worry, you can install Gnome classic easily, at least for now.

Get Ubuntu 11.10

Ready to start? Head over to Ubuntu.com to start downloading. You will find easy instructions regardless of your setup.
What do you think of the new Ubuntu? Please leave your comments below, even if they just consist of Unity hatred. We love hearing from all of you.

How To Make Skype Use libnotify [Linux]

If you use Skype or certain other applications on Linux, you may be annoyed by how those programs use their own notification system rather than using the system default, known as libnotify. libnotify is responsible for creating those nice little bubbles or windows that aren’t intrusive on the screen. GNOME 2.x users usually have a black bubble in the top right corner, while GNOME 3.0 users get a notification across the entire bottom of their screen and KDE users get a transparent little window in the bottom right corner, as seen in the screenshot.

Thankfully though, Skype lets you change this behavior.

Installation

Skype can be downloaded from their website if you use a more popular distribution, such as Ubuntu, Fedora, openSUSE, or from your package repositories if you use a less popular distribution. If you use a 64-bit system, make sure that you have the correct dependencies installed. Ubuntu users shouldn’t have a problem, but there is only a 32-bit package for Fedora which requires some extra steps in order to get it to work in a 64-bit environment.

Changing The Settings

In order to change Skype’s notification behavior, you’ll need to go into the Settings. From there, you need to choose the Notifications tab on the left side. You’ll now see a fairly long list of different events that can occur in Skype, anywhere from logging in to phone calls. In order to change the correct options, you’ll need to click on the Advanced View button which is found on the right side of the window.

Now, for each selected event, you can change the exact notification settings. In order to achieve rerouted notifications, you’ll first need to turn off the Display pop-up notification option so that you don’t get two notifications (one of each) at the same time. Keeping the Play sound file option enabled or not is up to your personal preference.

The Command

Next, we’re going to use the Contact Signed In event as an example. You’ll need to copy this line into the Execute the following script box:
notify-send "Contact Signed In" "%name is now online." -i skype

What this command does is invoke the notify-send command, which is used by libnotify to generate a notification. “Contact Signed In” is the first parameter, which is used for the title of the notification. “%name is now online.” is the second parameter, which is used for the main text of the notification. The %name portion is a variable in which the name of the involved contact will be substituted for %name. Finally, -i skype simply tells libnotify that you’d like to use an icon (the skype icon) with your notification. libnotify can only use icons that are installed, so not any parameter will work with -i.
The final result will look something like this:

This procedure isn’t exactly perfect, as you’ll need to copy, paste, and adjust this command for every other event in Skype. Additionally, you’ll want to avoid using this on special notification types such as calls where the Skype-default includes some buttons to accept or decline a call, whereas the libnotify way won’t present those buttons to you.

Conclusion

libnotify is a great way to keep the notification styles of all supported applications uniform and simply “pretty”. While Skype doesn’t take advantage of this piece of software by default, it’s good to know that there are still ways where it’s possible, and who knows how many other programs support these types of modifications?
What other kinds of Linux fixes would you like to see? Is there a problem you just can’t seem to solve? Let us know in the comments!

How To Upgrade Fedora Linux Easily

While one of our MakeUseOf authors wrote a great guide on upgrading Ubuntu to the latest version (which can be found here), we haven’t offered one that helped users upgrade their Fedora installation to the latest and greatest. Considering some of the features that have been coming out in recent Fedora releases (such as GNOME 3 for Fedora 15, GRUB 2 for Fedora 16, and possibly Btrfs for Fedora 17), upgrading will give you plenty of benefits.
So, how exactly do we do this?

Helpful Information

Before I begin, please note that within the Linux community, it’s generally advised to simply do a clean install rather than upgrade Fedora Linux. This is recommended because a clean install will give you a clean operating system, without any obsolete packages, configuration files, and other “junk” that may be generated from an upgrade. Additionally, some distributions handle upgrading to newer versions better than others do, so it is said as a more general rule.
However, there may be times when doing a clean install isn’t really needed because you’d like to keep everything that’s been installed and you’re happy with the “cleanliness” of your hard drive. I’ve found Fedora to be one of the best at upgrading to newer versions (despite even the Fedora community not explicitly recommending to use the upgrade path).
In my experience Ubuntu has a more complicated way to upgrade to releases more than a 6-month cycle away, and even direct upgrades tend to have some problems when complete. Fedora hasn’t ever had these problems, so I’d recommend it more than anything else.

Upgrading

There are two different ways that you can upgrade your Fedora Linux installation. In reality, there are more than two different methods, but the two that I will mention are the only sure-fire ways of having an easy, successful upgrade.
You can either upgrade using a utility called “preupgrade”, or upgrade using the DVD version of the desired Fedora release.

Using preupgrade

The preupgrade utility has a couple of advantages and “disadvantages” over the DVD. With preupgrade, you will only have to download the installer and the packages on your system that need updating. When downloading the DVD, you’re also downloading a lot of packages (such as different server packages) that you don’t even have and that just sit there on the DVD, untouched.
preupgrade also automatically changes all your repositories (even the custom ones) to start using the newer repositories, although I believe the DVD does this as well. As for any claimed downsides, it apparently doesn’t run the upgrade quite as well as the DVD does, but I haven’t had any problems with it yet so I only consider that to be a rumor.

To use the preupgrade utility, you’ll need to install it via the package manager or run sudo yum install preupgrade. Then to start it, you’ll need to open up a terminal if you haven’t already and run sudo preupgrade.

A window will appear welcoming you to the utility, and will then ask you which release you would like to upgrade to. You can also choose to include alpha/beta/”rawhide” versions by clicking on the appropriate checkbox, but do this at your own risk as they are not stable, final releases.

Clicking next one more time will already start the identification and download process. Once it completes, you’ll be asked to restart your computer, where it will boot into the downloaded installer and run through the upgrade process. After another restart, you should be booted into your updated system, with all programs, files, and settings intact.

Using the DVD

To use the DVD, you’ll need to download the DVD ISO and burn it to a DVD disk (or write it to a large enough USB stick). Once that finishes, put the DVD into your optical drive, boot from it, and go through the first steps of the installer. At one point it’ll detect what it is currently on your hard drive and identify any instances of Fedora already installed. It should find your current instance and ask if you want to upgrade it. Choose that option and continue with the rest of the installer until the upgrade completes. Then you can restart and you should be inside your updated system.

Other Experimental Choices

Other methods of upgrading are possible but won’t be described in this article. If you’re really interested in what they are, you can go here to find all upgrade options.

Conclusion

Fedora’s upgrade path is fairly seamless compared to other distributions and works exceptionally well. It offers flexibility and ease of use, which is basically all you could ask for from an upgrade. I especially like Fedora’s ability to upgrade directly to any release (such as from F13 to F15 without having to upgrade to F14 first). The closest Ubuntu comes to that is updating between LTS releases, but for any others you’ll need to upgrade from one release to the next, all the way until you are done.
What do you think about the options to upgrade Fedora Linux? How do you compare them to other distributions? Any other thoughts? Let us know in the comments!

Windows 8 Branded PCs Could Prevent Other Operating Systems From Being Installed

“Secure Boot” is a new Windows 8 technology that’s required of OEM computers if they are to feature the Windows 8 Compatibility Logo. It’s designed to protect against malware at the boot level by preventing ‘unauthorised’ code from launching during system boot. However it’s been revealed that it may also prevent non Windows 8 operating systems – such as Linux – from being able to install or run.

How Does It Work?

Newer PCs are increasingly using a replacement for the old BIOS called UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). It’s a technology that’s been built into Apple Macs for years now, but basically it allows for faster boot and more efficient hardware access by the operating system. It’s also the main reason OSX is difficult to install on PCs, so if you have any hackintosh experience you’ll know about having to run an EFI emulation.
The UEFI specification contains a firmware validation method, which works by defining certificate keys for which boot code is ‘secure’ and therefore allowed to run during boot. Microsoft supplies these keys to manufacturers, who include it on their machines, and only boot code which has a corresponding secure key is allowed to boot.


Basically this prevents malware from launching at a boot level, so it’s potentially mitigated a large number of security threats. The problem with malware that runs at the boot level is that it’s very difficult for regular anti-malware to protect against or remove, as by the time the anti-malware app has loaded (after windows boot), it’s already there.

Unfortunately, with Secure Boot enabled, you’ll also be prevented from launching any boot code for which for the machine doesn’t have the appropriate certificate keys. Now, it is entirely possible for other organisations to provide secure keys to manufacturers – like a set of keys for Ubuntu for example – but manufacturers are under absolutely no obligation to incorporate these; and without them, the other OS just won’t install or boot.
So is it time to say goodbye to installing another OS?

Microsoft’s Response

In response to the concerns that this might prevent other operating systems from being installed, Microsoft has stated that secure boot is optional, and can be turned off from within the pre-boot setup screen. Here’s a screenshot from the MSDN Windows 8 blog post on the topic, clearly showing it’s optional on the Windows-8 based Samsung tablet that was offered to //BUILD/ participants where Windows 8 was first demoed.

So, End Of Story?

Not entirely it would seem. As Matthew Garret notes:

Windows 8 certification does not require that the user be able to disable UEFI secure boot, and we’ve already been informed by hardware vendors that some hardware will not have this option.

That’s right – although some manufacturers may choose to make the Secure Boot setting optional and therefore able to be disabled by the user – gaining certifications for Windows 8 compatibility does not require it, and some have explicitly stated it will not be optional on their machines (though there are no details on precisely which manufacturers have stated this yet).
Microsoft has thrown the ball to the manufacturers court, and it could go either way. The PC business is incredibly competitive, so getting that Windows logo is all important, that’s a given. On the one hand, manufacturers will be keen to offer the best computing experience to the majority of their customers and if that means mitigating yet another security threat (and the inevitable support calls they need to deal with boot-level malware), then they’ll go for it. Other operating systems can still be run, if they provide certificate keys and if the manufacturers agree to include them. On the other hand, I suspect a real PR backlash will be forthcoming against any PC makers that do decide to force Secure Boot onto the user, so it may be a non-issue in the end.

What Can You Do About It?

The Free Software Foundation is running a petition encouraging computer makers to support Secure Boot in a way which ensures the user has control – specifically, the option to turn it off entirely. Be sure to head over and sign now if you’re at all interested in consumer freedoms and the right to run alternative operating systems on your own PC.

CommandLineFu: Amazing Collection Of Command Line Gems [Linux & Mac]

Browse an assortment of amazingly useful commands. Whether you’re an veteran system admin or a command-line neophyte striving to discover more, CommandLineFu is a vote-driven collection of commands that serves up thousands of ideas you should have thought of but didn’t.
Some see the command line as Linux’s weak point, the ultimate symbol of a system lacking ease of use. Others know the command line as one of Linux’s best features, giving learned users quick access to features most computer users don’t even know exist. There’s a reason even Mac OS X comes with a full-featured terminal. CommandLineFu is an encyclopedia of exactly those features. A database featuring over 8,000 unique commands, this site can seem overwhelming at first – just like the command line itself. Dig in though, and you will wonder just how you used a computer without the command line.
Sorry, Windows users – the majority of these commands only work on Linux. Some work on Mac OS X as well.

Browsing

Head over to CommandLineFu to get started. You will immediately see the commands submitted most recently.
You can “grep” (read: search) the archive, if you want, or simply click “All Time Greats” to see the most popular commands. Or if you prefer, simply browse the massive tag cloud that makes up this sites right sidebar.

Quick, Temporary Web Server

Want to quickly share a file with someone? Set up your own web server in a few keystrokes with this handy command:
python -m SimpleHTTPServer
Just like that, your current directory will be shared. Here’s what it looks like in a web browser:

Naturally, you’re going to need to set up your router properly if you want to share with someone outside your current network. A dedicated IP or a service like DynDNS will also be needed. Still, for local file sharing, it’s hard to beat the above command: it’s quick and easy. It worked for me on Ubuntu and OS X.

Run Preview Command As Sudo

This one’s probably only useful for users of Ubuntu, or other systems utilizing sudo. It allows you to re-run the last command you executed as sudo, perfect if you forgot to add that vital preface.

See Your Unread Emails

Want a quick rundown of your unread emails? this simple command can do the trick, provided your email client of choice is Gmail.

It worked for me on Ubuntu and OS X; Linux users should make sure “curl” is installed.

See Your Mounted Devices

A mounted device is any storage drive plugged into your system and working. Need to see a full list of them? Simple.

Watch A Text Version of StarWars

Okay, this one’s not useful. It is, however, awesome. Watch a text-only version of Star Wars, complete with ASCII animated characters:

The code for this is simple:
telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl

3 Different Feeds

Do you want to know every time a new awesome command is discovered? CommandLineFu offers three different Twitter and RSS feeds for just that purpose. Which one you use depends on how frequently you want updates; check them all out here.

Conclusion

This site is awesome. Exploring it can teach you a great deal about not only the command line but also about computers in general.
Did you learn anything cool? Share links to your favorite commands in the comments below, or just list them yourself.

Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts

To use a keyboard shortcut, or key combination, you press a modifier key with a character key. For example, pressing the Command key (the key with a symbol) and the "c" key at the same time copies whatever is currently selected (text, graphics, and so forth) into the Clipboard. This is also known as the Command-C key combination (or keyboard shortcut).
A modifier key is a part of many key combinations. A modifier key alters the way other keystrokes or mouse clicks are interpreted by Mac OS X. Modifier keys include: Command, Control, Option, Shift, Caps Lock, and the fn key (if your keyboard has a fn key).
Here are the modifier key symbols you can see in Mac OS X menus:
(Command key) - On some Apple keyboards, this key also has an Apple logo ()
 (Control key)
 (Option key) - "Alt" may also appear on this key
 (Shift key)
(Caps Lock) - Toggles Caps Lock on or off
fn (Function key)
Startup keyboard shortcuts
Press the key or key combination until the expected function occurs/appears (for example, hold Option during startup until Startup Manager appears, or Shift until "Safe Boot" appears). Tip: If a startup function doesn't work and you use a third-party keyboard, connect an Apple keyboard and try again.

Key or key combination	What it does
Option	Display all bootable volumes (Startup Manager)
Shift	Perform Safe Boot (start up in Safe Mode)
C	Start from a bootable disc (DVD, CD)
T	Start in FireWire target disk mode
N	Start from NetBoot server
X	Force Mac OS X startup (if non-Mac OS X startup volumes are present)
Command-V	Start in Verbose Mode
Command-S	Start in Single User Mode

See also: Startup key combinations for Intel-based Macs.

Finder keyboard shortcuts

Key combination	What it does
Command-A	Select all items in the front Finder window (or desktop if no window is open)
Option-Command-A	Deselect all items
Shift-Command-A	Open the Applications folder
Command-C	Copy selected item/text to the Clipboard
Shift-Command-C	Open the Computer window
Command-D	Duplicate selected item
Shift-Command-D	Open desktop folder
Command-E	Eject
Command-F	Find any matching Spotlight attribute
Shift-Command-F	Find Spotlight file name matches
Option-Command-F	Navigate to the search field in an already-open Spotlight window
Shift-Command-G	Go to Folder
Shift-Command-H	Open the Home folder of the currently logged-in user account
Command-I	Get Info
Option-Command-I	Show Inspector
Control-Command-I	Get Summary Info
Shift-Command-I	Open iDisk
Command-J	Show View Options
Command-K	Connect to Server
Shift-Command-K	Open Network window
Command-L	Make alias of the selected item
Command-M	Minimize window
Option-Command-M	Minimize all windows
Command-N	New Finder window
Shift-Command-N	New folder
Option-Command-N	New Smart Folder
Command-O	Open selected item
Shift-Command-Q	Log Out
Option-Shift-Command-Q	Log Out immediately
Command-R	Show original (of alias)
Command-T	Add to Sidebar
Shift-Command-T	Add to Favorites
Option-Command-T	Hide Toolbar / Show Toolbar in Finder windows
Shift-Command-U	Open Utilities folder
Command-V	Paste
Command-W	Close window
Option-Command-W	Close all windows
Command-X	Cut
Option-Command-Y	Slideshow (Mac OS X 10.5 or later)
Command-Z	Undo / Redo
Command-1	View as Icon
Command-2	View as List
Command-3	View as Columns
Command-4	View as Cover Flow (Mac OS X 10.5 or later)
Command-, (Command and the comma key)	Open Finder preferences
Command-` (the Grave accent key--above Tab key on a US English keyboard layout)	Cycle through open Finder windows
Command-Shift-?	Open Mac Help
Option-Shift-Command-Esc (hold for three seconds) - Mac OS X v10.5, v10.6 or later only	Force Quit front-most application
Command-[	Back
Command-]	Forward
Command-Up Arrow	Open enclosed folder
Control-Command-Up Arrow	Open enclosed folder in a new window
Command-Down Arrow	Open highlighted item
Command-Tab	Switch application--cycle forward
Shift-Command-Tab	Switch application--cycle backward
Command-Delete	Move to Trash
Shift-Command-Delete	Empty Trash
Option-Shift-Command-Delete	Empty Trash without confirmation dialog
Spacebar (or Command-Y)	Quick Look (Mac OS X 10.5 or later)
Command key while dragging	Move dragged item to other volume/location (pointer icon changes while key is held--see this article)
Option key while dragging	Copy dragged item (pointer icon changes while key is held--see this article)
Option-Command key combination while dragging	Make alias of dragged item (pointer icon changes while key is held--see this article)

Application and other Mac OS X keyboard commands
Note: Some applications may not support all of the below application key combinations.

Key combination	What it does
Command-Space	Show or hide the Spotlight search field (if multiple languages are installed, may rotate through enabled script systems)
Control-A	Move to beginning of line/paragraph
Control-B	Move one character backward
Control-D	Delete the character in front of the cursor
Control-E	Move to end of line/paragraph
Control-F	Move one character forward
Control-H	Delete the character behind the cursor
Control-K	Delete from the character in front of the cursor to the end of the line/paragraph
Control-L	Center the cursor/selection in the visible area
Control-N	Move down one line
Control-O	Insert a new line after the cursor
Control-P	Move up one line
Control-T	Transpose the character behind the cursor and the character in front of the cursor
Control-V	Move down one page
Option-Delete	Delete the word that is left of the cursor, as well as any spaces or punctuation after the word
Option-Command-Space	Show the Spotlight search results window (if multiple languages are installed, may rotate through keyboard layouts and input methods within a script)
Command-Tab	Move forward to the next most recently used application in a list of open applications
Shift-Command-Tab	Move backward through a list of open applications (sorted by recent use)
Shift-Tab	Navigate through controls in a reverse direction
Control-Tab	Move focus to the next grouping of controls in a dialog or the next table (when Tab moves to the next cell)
Shift-Control-Tab	Move focus to the previous grouping of controls
Command-esc	Open Front Row (if installed)
Option-Eject	Eject from secondary optical media drive (if one is installed)
Control-Eject	Show shutdown dialog
Option-Command-Eject	Put the computer to sleep
Control-Command-Eject	Quit all applications (after giving you a chance to save changes to open documents), then restart the computer
Control Option-Command-Eject	Quit all applications (after giving you a chance to save changes to open documents), then shut down the computer
fn-Delete	Forward Delete (on portable Macs' built-in keyboard)
Control-F1	Toggle full keyboard access on or off
Control-F2	Move focus to the menu bar
Control-F3	Move focus to the Dock
Control-F4	Move focus to the active (or next) window
Shift-Control-F4	Move focus to the previously active window
Control-F5	Move focus to the toolbar.
Control-F6	Move focus to the first (or next) panel
Shift-Control-F6	Move focus to the previous panel
Control-F7	Temporarily override the current keyboard access mode in windows and dialogs
F9	Tile or untile all open windows
F10	Tile or untile all open windows in the currently active application
F11	Hide or show all open windows
F12	Hide or display Dashboard
Command-`	Activate the next open window in the frontmost application
Shift-Command-`	Activate the previous open window in the frontmost application
Option-Command-`	Move focus to the window drawer
Command- - (minus)	Decrease the size of the selected item
Command-{	Left-align a selection
Command-}	Right-align a selection
Command-|	Center-align a selection
Command-:	Display the Spelling window
Command-;	Find misspelled words in the document
Command-,	Open the front application's preferences window (if it supports this keyboard shortcut)
Option-Control-Command-,	Decrease screen contrast
Option-Control-Command-.	Increase screen contrast
Command-?	Open the application's help in Help Viewer
Option-Command-/	Turn font smoothing on or off
Shift-Command-=	Increase the size of the selected item
Shift-Command-3	Capture the screen to a file
Shift-Control-Command-3	Capture the screen to the Clipboard
Shift-Command-4	Capture a selection to a file
Shift-Control-Command-4	Capture a selection to the Clipboard
Command-A	Highlight every item in a document or window, or all characters in a text field
Command-B	Boldface the selected text or toggle boldfaced text on and off
Command-C	Copy the selected data to the Clipboard
Shift-Command-C	Display the Colors window
Option-Command-C	Copy the style of the selected text
Control-Command-C	Copy the formatting settings of the selected item and store on the Clipboard
Option-Command-D	Show or hide the Dock
Command-Control-D	Display the definition of the selected word in the Dictionary application
Command-D	Selects the Desktop folder in Open and Save dialogs Selects "Don't Save" in dialogs that contain a Don't Save button, in Mac OS X v10.6.8 and earlier
Command-Delete	Selects "Don't Save" in dialogs that contain a Don't Save button, in OS X Lion
Command-E	Use the selection for a find
Command-F	Open a Find window
Option-Command-F	Move to the search field control
Command-G	Find the next occurrence of the selection
Shift-Command-G	Find the previous occurrence of the selection
Command-H	Hide the windows of the currently running application
Option-Command-H	Hide the windows of all other running applications
Command-I	Italicize the selected text or toggle italic text on or off
Option-Command-I	Display an inspector window
Command-J	Scroll to a selection
Command-M	Minimize the active window to the Dock
Option-Command-M	Minimize all windows of the active application to the Dock
Command-N	Create a new document in the frontmost application
Command-O	Display a dialog for choosing a document to open in the frontmost application
Command-P	Display the Print dialog
Shift-Command-P	Display a dialog for specifying printing parameters (Page Setup)
Command-Q	Quit the frontmost application
Command-S	Save the active document
Shift-Command-S	Display the Save As dialog
Command-T	Display the Fonts window
Option-Command-T	Show or hide a toolbar
Command-U	Underline the selected text or turn underlining on or off
Command-V	Paste the Clipboard contents at the insertion point
Option-Command-V	Apply the style of one object to the selected object (Paste Style)
Option-Shift-Command-V	Apply the style of the surrounding text to the inserted object (Paste and Match Style)
Control-Command-V	Apply formatting settings to the selected object (Paste Ruler Command)
Command-W	Close the frontmost window
Shift-Command-W	Close a file and its associated windows
Option-Command-W	Close all windows in the application without quitting it
Command-X	Remove the selection and store in the Clipboard
Command-Z	Undo previous command (some applications allow for multiple Undos)
Shift-Command-Z	Redo previous command (some applications allow for multiple Redos)
Control-Right Arrow	Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table
Control-Left Arrow	Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table
Control-Down Arrow	Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table
Control-Up Arrow	Move focus to another value or cell within a view, such as a table
Command-Right Arrow	Move the text insertion point to the end of the current line
Command-Left Arrow	Move the text insertion point to the beginning of the current line
Command-Down Arrow	Move the text insertion point to the end of the document
Command-Up Arrow	Move the text insertion point to the beginning of the document
Shift-Command-Right Arrow	Select text between the insertion point and the end of the current line (*)
Shift-Command-Left Arrow	Select text between the insertion point and the beginning of the current line (*)
Shift-Right Arrow	Extend text selection one character to the right (*)
Shift-Left Arrow	Extend text selection one character to the left (*)
Shift-Command-Up Arrow	Select text between the insertion point and the beginning of the document (*)
Shift-Command-Down Arrow	Select text between the insertion point and the end of the document (*)
Shift-Up Arrow	Extend text selection to the line above, to the nearest character boundary at the same horizontal location (*)
Shift-Down Arrow	Extend text selection to the line below, to the nearest character boundary at the same horizontal location (*)
Shift-Option-Right Arrow	Extend text selection to the end of the current word, then to the end of the following word if pressed again (*)
Shift-Option-Left Arrow	Extend text selection to the beginning of the current word, then to the beginning of the following word if pressed again (*)
Shift-Option-Down Arrow	Extend text selection to the end of the current paragraph, then to the end of the following paragraph if pressed again (*)
Shift-Option-Up Arrow	Extend text selection to the beginning of the current paragraph, then to the beginning of the following paragraph if pressed again (*)
Control-Space	Toggle between the current and previous input sources
Option-Control-Space	Toggle through all enabled input sources
Option-Command-esc	Force Quit

(*) Note: If no text is selected, the extension begins at the insertion point. If text is selected by dragging, then the extension begins at the selection boundary. Reversing the direction of the selection deselects the appropriate unit.

Universal Access - VoiceOver keyboard commands
For information about VoiceOver key combination differences in Mac OS X v10.6, see this article.

Key combination	What it does
Command-F5 or fn Command-F5	Turn VoiceOver on or off
Control Option-F8 or fn Control Option-F8	Open VoiceOver Utility
Control Option-F7 or fn Control Option-F7	Display VoiceOver menu
Control Option-; or fn Control Option-;	Enable/disable VoiceOver Control Option-lock
Option-Command-8 or fn Command-F11	Turn on Zoom
Option-Command-+	Zoom In
Option-Command- - (minus)	Zoom Out
Option-Control-Command-8	Invert/revert the screen colors
Control Option-Command-,	Reduce contrast
Control Option-Command-.	Increase contrast

Note: You may need to enable "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as standard keys" in Keyboard preferences for the VoiceOver menu and utility to work.

Universal Access - Mouse Keys
When Mouse Keys is turned on in Universal Access preferences, you can use the keyboard or numeric keypad keys to move the mouse pointer. If your computer doesn't have a numeric keypad, use the Fn (function) key.

Key combination	What it does
8	Move Up
2	Move Down
4	Move Left
6	Move Right
1	Move Diagonally Bottom Left
3	Move Diagonally Bottom Right
7	Move Diagonally Top Left
9	Move Diagonally Top Right
5	Press Mouse Button
0	Hold Mouse Button
. (period on number pad)	Release Hold Mouse Button

Apple OS X

An A-Z Index of the Apple OS X command line

  alias     Create an alias •
  alloc     List used and free memory
  apropos   Search the whatis database for strings
  awk       Find and Replace text within file(s)
b
  basename  Convert a full pathname to just a filename
  bash      Bourne-Again SHell
  bg        Send to background •
  bind      Display readline key and function bindings •
  bless     Set volume bootability and startup disk options.
  break     Exit from a For, While, Until or Select loop •
  builtin   Execute a shell builtin •
  bzip      Compress or decompress files
c
  cal       Display a calendar
  caller    Return the context of a subroutine call •
  case      Conditionally perform a command •
  cat       Concatenate and print (display) the content of files
  cd        Change Directory •
  chflags   Change a file or folder's flags
  chgrp     Change group ownership
  chmod     Change access permissions
  chown     Change file owner and group
  chroot    Run a command with a different root directory
  cksum     Print CRC checksum and byte counts
  clear     Clear terminal screen
  cmp       Compare two files
  comm      Compare two sorted files line by line
  command   Run a command (not a function) •
  complete  Edit a command completion [word/pattern/list] •
  continue  Resume the next iteration of a loop •
  cp        Copy one or more files to another location
  cron      Daemon to execute scheduled commands
  crontab   Schedule a command to run at a later date/time
  curl      Transfer data  from or to a server
  cut       Divide a file into several parts
d
  date      Display or change the date & time
  dc        Desk Calculator
  dd        Data Dump - Convert and copy a file
  declare   Declare variable & set attributes •
  defaults  Set preferences, show hidden files
  df        Display free disk space
  diff      Display the differences between two files
  diff3     Show differences among three files
  dig       DNS lookup
  dirname   Convert a full pathname to just a path
  dirs      Display list of remembered directories •
  diskutil  Disk utilities - Format, Verify, Repair
  disown    Unbind a job from the current login session •
  ditto     Copy files and folders
  dot_clean Remove dot-underscore files
  drutil    Interact with CD/DVD burners
  dscacheutil  Query or flush the Directory Service/DNS cache
  dseditgroup  Edit, create, manipulate, or delete groups
  dsenableroot Enable root access
  dsmemberutil View user and groups rights
  dscl      Directory Service command line utility
  du        Estimate file space usage
e
  echo      Display message on screen •
  ed        A line-oriented text editor (edlin)
  enable    Enable and disable builtin shell commands •
  env       List or Set environment variables
  eval      Evaluate several commands/arguments •
  exec      Execute a command •
  exit      Exit the shell •
  expand    Convert tabs to spaces
  expect    Programmed dialogue with interactive programs
            Also see AppleScript
  export    Set an environment variable •
  expr      Evaluate expressions
f
  false     Do nothing, unsuccessfully
  fc        Fix command (history)
  fdisk     Partition table manipulator for Darwin UFS/HFS/DOS
  fg        Send job to foreground •
  file      Determine file type
  find      Search for files that meet a desired criteria
  fmt       Reformat paragraph text
  fold      Wrap text to fit a specified width
  for       Loop command •
  fsck      Filesystem consistency check and repair
  fsaclctl  Filesystem enable/disable ACL support
  fs_usage  Filesystem usage (process/pathname)
  ftp       Internet file transfer program
g
  GetFileInfo Get attributes of HFS+ files
  getopt    Parse positional parameters
  getopts   Parse positional parameters •
  goto      Jump to label and continue execution
  grep      Search file(s) for lines that match a given pattern
  groups    Print group names a user is in
  gzip      Compress or decompress files
h
  halt      Stop and restart the operating system
  hash      Refresh the cached/remembered location of commands •
  head      Display the first lines of a file
  hdiutil   Manipulate iso disk images
  history   Command History •
  hostname  Print or set system name
i
  iconv     Convert the character set of a file
  id        Print user and group names/id's
  if        Conditionally perform a command •
  info      Help info
  install   Copy files and set attributes
j
  jobs      List active jobs •
  join      Join lines on a common field
k
  kextfind  List kernel extensions
  kickstart Configure Apple Remote Desktop
  kill      Stop a process from running
l
  l         List files in long format (ls -l)
  last      Indicate last logins of users and ttys
  launchctl Load or unload daemons/agents
  ll        List files in long format, showing invisible files (ls -la)
  less      Display output one screen at a time
  let       Evaluate expression •
  lipo      Convert a universal binary
  ln        Make links between files (hard links, symbolic links)
  local     Set a local (function) variable •
  locate    Find files
  logname   Print current login name
  login     log into the computer
  logout    Exit a login shell (bye) •
  lpr       Print files
  lprm      Remove jobs from the print queue
  lpstat    Printer status information
  ls        List information about file(s)
  lsregister Reset the Launch Services database
  lsbom     List a bill of materials file
  lsof      List open files
m
  man       Help manual
  mdfind    Spotlight search
  mdutil    Manage Spotlight metadata store
  mkdir     Create new folder(s)
  mkfifo    Make FIFOs (named pipes)
  more      Display output one screen at a time
  mount     Mount a file system
  mv        Move or rename files or directories
n
  net       Manage network resources
  netstat   Show network status
  networksetup Network and System Preferences
  nice      Set the priority of a command
  nohup     Run a command immune to hangups
  ntfs.util NTFS file system utility
o
  onintr    Control the action of a shell interrupt
  open      Open a file/folder/URL/Application
  opensnoop Snoop file opens as they occur
  osacompile Compile Applescript
  osascript Execute AppleScript
p
  passwd    Modify a user password
  paste     Merge lines of files
  pbcopy    Copy data to the clipboard
  pbpaste   Paste data from the Clipboard
  pico      Simple text editor
  ping      Test a network connection
  pkgutil   Query and manipulate installed packages
  plutil    Property list utility
  pmset     Power Management settings
  popd      Restore the previous value of the current directory •
  pr        Convert text files for printing
  printenv  List environment variables
  printf    Format and print data •
  ps        Process status
  pushd     Save and then change the current directory
  pwd       Print Working Directory •
q
  quota     Display disk usage and limits
r
  rcp       Copy files between machines
  read      Read one line from standard input •
  readonly  Mark a variable or function as read-only •
  reboot    Stop and restart the system
  return    Exit a function •
  rev       Reverse lines of a file
  rm        Remove files
  rmdir     Remove folder(s)
  rpm       Remote Package Manager
  rsync     Remote file copy - Sync file tree (also RsyncX)
s
  say       Convert text to audible speech
  screen    Multiplex terminal, run remote shells via ssh
  screencapture Capture screen image to file or disk
  sdiff     Merge two files interactively
  security  Administer Keychains, keys, certificates and the Security framework
  sed       Stream Editor
  select    Generate a list of items •
  set       Set a shell variable = value •
  setfile   Set attributes of HFS+ files
  shift     Shift positional parameters •
  shopt     Set shell options •
  shutdown  Shutdown or restart OS X
  sips      Scriptable image processing system
  sleep     Delay for a specified time
  softwareupdate System software update tool
  sort      Sort text files
  source    Execute commands from a file •
  split     Split a file into fixed-size pieces
  stop      Stop a job or process
  su        Substitute user identity
  sudo      Execute a command as another user
  sum       Print a checksum for a file
  suspend   Suspend execution of this shell •
  sw_vers   Print Mac OS X operating system version
  system_profiler  Report system configuration
  systemsetup Computer and display system settings
t
  tail      Output the last part of files
  tar       Tape ARchiver
  tee       Redirect output to multiple files
  test      Condition evaluation •
  textutil  Manipulate text files in various formats (Doc,html,rtf)
  time      Measure Program Resource Use
  times     Print shell & shell process times •
  top       Display process information
  touch     Change file timestamps
  tr        Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters
  trap      Execute a command when the shell receives a signal •
  traceroute Trace Route to Host
  true      Do nothing, successfully
  tty       Print filename of terminal on stdin
  type      Describe a command •
u
  ufs.util  Mount/unmount UFS file system
  ulimit    limit the use of system-wide resources •
  umask     Users file creation mask
  umount    Unmount a device
  unalias   Remove an alias •
  uname     Print system information
  unexpand  Convert spaces to tabs
  uniq      Uniquify files
  units     Convert units from one scale to another
  unset     Remove variable or function names •
  until     Loop command •
  uptime    Show how long system has been running
  users     Print login names of users currently logged in
  uuencode  Encode a binary file 
  uudecode  Decode a file created by uuencode
  uuidgen   Generate a Unique ID (UUID/GUID)
  uucp      Unix to Unix copy
v
  vi        Text Editor
w
  wait      Wait for a process to complete •
  wc        Print byte, word, and line counts
  whatis    Search the whatis database for complete words
  where     Report all known instances of a command
  which     Locate a program file in the user's path
  while     Loop command •
  who       Print all usernames currently logged on
  whoami    Print the current user id and name (`id -un')
  write     Send a message to another user
x
  xargs     Execute utility - passing arguments
  yes       Print a string until interrupted
  !!        Run the last command again

3 Ways To Open Applications & Windows Maximized With VB Script [Windows]

If there is one thing I love to do, it’s write VB scripts. Whether it’s a Windows Script file or a VBA script inside an application, scripting provides the ability to add functionality to applications where most other people would find limitations and roadblocks.
One of the most common functions that I’ve found I use in many of my scripts is maximizing a window. This may be the launching of an application from a Windows script, or maybe launching an Excel or Word document in full-screen mode for display in a conference room, or as an application of sorts.
The beauty of scripting is that you don’t have to be a programmer to do this, and you don’t have to have any special software installed. If you’re using a Windows computer, or any application that has a VBA back-end, you can make use of these functions. In this article I’m going to provide three examples of how you can maximize windows using VB scripts, but you can take what I’m going to show you here and use it throughout any other script that you might be building.

Launch Applications In Maximized Mode

Before we get started, I’m going to quickly show you how you can launch any application in maximized mode by writing a quick script that launches that program using the Windows Shell.
There is a parameter in the Shell “Run” command where you can tell the application what mode to run in, and it will run it maximized. This is what the script looks like.

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<job>
<script language="VBScript">
Option Explicit
On Error Resume Next
Dim WshShell
Dim retVal
Dim myPath
set WshShell=CreateObject("WScript.Shell") retVal = WshShell.Run("C:\temp\firefox", 3)
WScript.Quit
</script>
</job>
You can substitute any program in the string where I currently have Firefox, and if the app allows for it. It’ll launch maximized. Some apps don’t. For example, this technique works for Firefox, but Chrome seems to have a mind of its own. Regardless, this script will work with most applications.

Open Documents Maximized in Word

To maximize any Word document, using nothing more than a command button in Word, you’ll need to enable Developer mode. To do this, click the Windows button and select Word Options at the bottom of the dropdown. In the Options menu, select “Show Developer tab in the Ribbon“.

Now you can select the Developer menu item and make use of “design mode” where you can code awesome functionality into your Word documents. To create a button that can maximize the document to full-screen, just enable Design Mode, click on the Forms dropdown button and click on the button object.

Place the button anywhere at all that you want in your document.  Right-click on the button, select CommandButton Object and then click View Code. Now, there are two things you can do to maximize the window. You can either force the Windows application itself to maximize like this.
Application.WindowState = wdWindowStateMaximize
Or, you can make the entire document go full-screen and remove the header toolbars completely.
ActiveWindow.View.FullScreen = True
This puts the entire document in full-screen with only a ruler enabled (if you click on the ruler button in the upper left). To get out of full-screen mode, just tap the Escape key.

What can this be used for? Well if you don’t have Microsoft Powerpoint, you can basically use this feature to  make use of Word as a similar display tool. To flip to the next page, you just scroll down the document.
If you don’t want to use a command button and would rather have the document automatically open in this mode, just use the code above in the Document_Open() function. You can get to that function in the code editor by selecting “Document” in the left dropdown at the top of the code window, and “Open” on the right dropdown.

Open Spreadsheets Maximized In Excel

What you can do with VBA in Word, you can usually also do in Excel, except things are going to be just a little bit different. You can enable the Developer toolbar the same way you did in Word above, but when you add a button you’ll see that Excel wants you to apply a Macro. All you have to do is name a new Macro and click on the “New” button. That will put you into the code editor.

This is where you’ll type the code to maximize the spreadsheet and remove the scrollbars.

If you’re not accustomed to coding in VBA, you’ll notice that many of the objects you can reference in your code are listed to the left. You can perform a number of actions on specific sheets and workbooks, and lots of the objects inside those sheets as well. In this case you’re referencing the entire Excel application itself.
Application.DisplayFullScreen = True
Application.CommandBars("Worksheet Menu Bar").Enabled = False
You can perform a number of actions on specific sheets and workbooks, and lots of the objects inside those sheets as well. In this case you’re referencing the entire Excel application itself. This code will convert the Excel window to full screen mode and then entirely remove the menu bar at the top of the screen.

Just like in Word, you can get out of this mode with the Escape key, and you can also use the same code in the  screen. You can also use this code in the Workbook_Open() or Worksheet_Activate() functions to enable full-screen mode without the need for a button. However you want to perform your script magic is up to you!
So start up Notepad or MS Office and give these scripts a try. Did you think of some creative use for launching maximized applications? Share your experiences in the comments section below.