I wrote FastScripts in a fit of anguish. I had finally decided to get around to learning AppleScript, but every time I tried to write a script, I found it was more trouble to run the damn thing than it was to just carry out the steps by hand. Either the script took too long to run, or it messed up my current application’s focus, or I couldn’t find the script to begin with. Apple’s script menu was a step in the right direction, but it infuriated me that it was such a pale reflection of what it ought to be (and even of the much-loved OSA Menu from Mac OS 9).

The first release of FastScripts was a pretty simple knock-off of the Apple script menu, with a few of its biggest shortcomings addressed. I preloaded all of the scripts to eliminate the massive delay I observed in Apple’s menu, and added a few polishing touches to the way the frontmost application changes (or doesn’t change) in response to a script invocation. Finally! I could start learning (and benefiting from) AppleScript.

Over the past few years, FastScripts has grown in functionality and elegance as carefully chosen features have been added to its box of productivity ammunition. For the most part, FastScripts falls into the “simple but effective” category of software, focusing on making script execution in particular as elegant and unobtrusive as possible. For many people, the lack of flair leaves them wondering why they should bother with FastScripts when swiss army knives like QuickSilver and Butler offer cheap or free alternatives. The bottom line is that FastScripts is for scripts. If you like to run scripts, FastScripts is on your wavelength, or at least it tries to be. I have tried the others and without fail I run into some usability or configuration issue that leaves me groaning.

But script nerds aren’t exactly the majority of Mac users, so acclaim for FastScripts is relatively hard to come by. It feels great when an occasional word of praise passes over the airwaves. FastScripts has been lauded in two issues of MacWorld magazine, and occasionally mentioned in the blogs of people I respect a great deal.

Something is in the air this past week, as write-ups and links to FastScripts have turned up in a few different blogging venues.

First, I was very pleased to see a mention in the Sep. 30th linked list section of John Gruber’s Daring Fireball, a blog that I’ve discovered fairly recently but quickly observed to be a great place for thought-out commentary on the Mac.

On Monday, I was reading through Michael Tsai’s blog, when I was surprised to see a write-up devoted completely to FastScripts. I have been reading his blog for many months and am always interested to get his take on things. I breathed a sigh of relief to learn that his take on FastScripts was very positive, having picked up on one of the many subtle features aimed at pleasing my detail-oriented user base.

Finally, FastScripts earned itself a full-page write-up on Tim Gaden’s Hawk Wings. Tim switched to the Mac after a positive experience with Apple’s included Mail client. He’s been so enthusiastic about it, that two years later he’s devoted his personal blog, , to tips and techniques for improving workflow with it. In a recent entry, he describes how FastScripts helps him turbocharge his AppleScripts, in particular in conjunction with Mail.

To everybody who appreciates FastScripts and lets me (or the world) know about it: “Thanks!” You make it all worthwhile.

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