A Brief Historical past of DragThing

Might 2005 marks the tenth anniversary of the unique launch of DragThing 1.0. Ten years is a very long time to be engaged on one piece of software program, so I believed it was solely acceptable to rejoice the event!

This web page will probably be up to date over the following ten days with varied bits of trivia and beforehand undisclosed secrets and techniques about DragThing that you just will not discover wherever else.

In case you are new to DragThing, you’ll find out extra details about it here, and obtain a replica of the most recent DragThing 5.6 with Tiger assist here to strive it out.

It is okay, we’ll wait so that you can come again earlier than we begin.

There have been thirty-nine totally different releases of DragThing thus far – should you’ve used DragThing because the very starting or when you have any questions, I would like to listen to from you!

Ship me a remark to the handle beneath and I will add it to this web page.

Here is to the following ten years!

10 Issues You Did not Know About DragThing

1. The official story of DragThing’s title is that I used to be engaged on my drag and drop based mostly dock through the summer season of 1994, and a buddy of mine named Dair requested me one thing alongside the traces of “have you ever completed that drag factor but?” and the title caught. Nevertheless, since I’ve instructed that story so many instances, I can not keep in mind whether it is truly true or not, and I think it is not.
2. The title was initially meant to be a parody of the various “InterCaps” product names of the time, particularly within the Apple world – AppleScript, QuickTime, MacWrite and so forth. I would by no means initially meant to make any cash with DragThing, so it did not matter – or so I believed – that it had a marketable title. Nevertheless, DragThing 1.0 proved very fashionable and I used to be caught with it. Over time, fairly a couple of merchandise appeared from different builders with the phrase “Factor” on the finish which amused me to no finish.
3. DragThing was initially freeware, or extra precisely “coolware”. The concept was, should you favored it and used it, you have been purported to ship me one thing cool. Mostly this concerned T-shirts, however I obtained a whole lot of fascinating stuff despatched to me from all world wide. A while later, I obtained an e mail from a man at a really giant promoting firm who defined that his finance division did not perceive the idea of coolware, and wouldn’t it be okay if they only despatched a big cheque as a substitute? And so, capitalism was invented. A useful aspect impact of this modification was that it considerably alleviated the mounting T-shirt storage disaster – to the nice delight of my important different.
4. Early variations of DragThing used to run out a yr after they have been launched, and began warning individuals to obtain a brand new copy a month previous to that. I did this as a result of I used to be fed up with individuals working historic variations and asking about bugs that I had fastened years in the past. Some individuals thought it was a crafty scheme that I had deliberate years upfront to make individuals to improve to the shareware model, however it wasn’t. Sincere!
5. A sure utility software program firm as soon as supplied to purchase the unique rights to DragThing for $10,000. I respectfully declined, and so they purchased out one in every of my similarly-named opponents as a substitute. When DragThing turned shareware a while later, it quickly turned clear that this had been the right choice!
6. DragThing Lite, the simplified model of DragThing which shipped with DragThing 2, was initially written to be included with Mac OS 8.5 as a substitute of the AppSwitcher. The cope with Apple fell aside fairly rapidly, however the code survived.
7. To allow the hidden debug mode in DragThing 2, open the Preferences window and kind on the arrow keys: up up down down up up up up.

   

   This was the identical code that enabled the debug mode within the sport Sonic The Hedgehog 3 on the Sega Genesis/Megadrive.

8. The explanation there wasn’t a lot DragThing growth between 1998 and 2000 is as a result of I used to be then a part of the workforce working in secret on the Finder and Mac OS X Dock at Apple. I felt then that the Dock would in the end substitute DragThing. Nevertheless, for quite a lot of causes, I left Apple shortly after Aqua and the Dock have been introduced in January 2000, and little or no of my code survives within the present Dock. I moved again to Scotland, and work began on DragThing 4 quickly after.

   Replace: I am reliably knowledgeable that none of my authentic code survives within the present Dock. Thanks John for rubbing that in 🙂

9. DragThing 3.0 was an unreleased model of DragThing 2.9 that had been tailored to run on early developer previews of Mac OS X. Due to Aqua, I realised I would want to rewrite a lot of the consumer interface code, and so I began engaged on DragThing 4 as a substitute.
10. DragThing 4 on Mac OS X contained the good easter egg on the planet, however fewer than ten individuals have seen it.

    Replace: Many individuals have requested me what it’s. I’d like to let you know, as a result of it was actually cool. However there can be repercussions.

10 Yr Timeline

10 Killer Apple Applied sciences Of The Final 10 Years That DragThing Did not Help

1. Copland
2. Rhapsody
3. OpenDoc
4. PowerTalk
5. QuickDraw GX
6. QuickDraw 3D
7. Publish & Subscribe
8. Newton OS
9. Dylan
10. Cocoa

10 Years Of Screenshots

1. Metrowerks Codewarrior – the event atmosphere I’ve used for the final ten years
2. Apple Xcode – the event atmosphere I am more likely to be utilizing for the following ten years, sadly
3. Bare Bones BBEdit – merely one of the best textual content editor
4. Adobe Photoshop – one of the best picture editor, however definitely not easy
5. Resorcerer – at the very least it runs natively on Mac OS X!
6. ResEdit – the unique. Nonetheless runs on Tiger
7. PowerGlot – a lot nicer than AppleGlot
8. Iconographer – as a result of all people wants icons
9. Installer VISE / FileStorm – for installers previous and disk pictures current
10. PCalc – the one software program older than DragThing

10 Feedback

1. From Cletus Waldman at ResExcellence:

   You have learn this many instances I’m certain about varied items of software program. “It’s the first merchandise i set up once I load a brand new system.” However that’s what is finished on my machines with this little jewel. There’s nothing I’ve ever discovered to exchange DragThing. Nothing! Certain there are options on the market in third social gathering house. None with the characteristic set of DT. I occur to be some extent and click on individual and never a keyboard shortcut man. So this suits my work fashion completely and flawlessly.The wonderful factor about it nevertheless, is that it’s such a dynamic and customizable program that one can actually have one of the best of each worlds each level and click on and keyboarding. It appears it’s at all times actually one step forward of the curve. I’ve been lucky to be on the beta workforce additionally, so I do know the care and work James places in on this program. James you have got one nice little program there. I congratulate you, and want you continued success on this world of 1 shot shareware wonders.
   

2. From Guillaume Gete:

   I started beginning working with DragThing since 1995, or one thing like that. And to say that DT is likely one of the most steady items of software program I’ve ever seen, even on the time of Traditional Mac OS, is an understatement. Humorous to see that one in every of my oldest information on my Mac continues to be the DragThing preferences file from 1996 That might be a proof by itself. The very fact is, from all of the functions and utilities I’ve examined for years on the Mac platform, DragThing is perhaps the one with probably the most respect for the Mac itself, whether or not it’s in its programming execution, its carefulness of utilizing one of the best Mac OS applied sciences in the very best methods (have you learnt so many functions that on the twenty ninth of April may use Quartz Excessive results, AppleScript and assist Finder’s Sensible Folders whereas the brand new OS was simply launched ?). Lastly, all of this is able to not be attainable with out talentuous programming, but in addition actual humanity and love of the Mac behind. James Thomson is likely one of the best, and in addition most beneficiant (and funniest) builders I’ve handled. To this point, my most really useful piece of software program on the Mac if you wish to amaze individuals whereas improve your productiveness with a very *usable* Dock. You want it. Interval.

3. From Wealthy Shupe at FMA:

   I feel I obtained hooked on DragThing round model 1.5. I’ve a reasonably agency reminiscence that the v2 ‘About…’ window was an amazing new look, however which may have been my initiation. That is not necessary. What IS necessary is that, since I put in this marvel app, I’ve not used my pc one time with out utilizing DragThing dozens–even hundreds–of instances a day. In actual fact, I’d guess that many DT converts do not even know the way highly effective it may be. At present individuals consider it as a Dock substitute. Whereas I’d by no means, ever, ever commerce DragThing for the Dock, it’s so far more than that. It isn’t simply highly effective, handy, and productive. It’s indispensable for me.

   Here is an anecdote that may be telling. I lecture and/or practice at commerce exhibits two to 4 instances a yr and have performed so pretty persistently for years. I have not gotten by even ONE presentation with out somebody asking about DragThing. It obtained to be so routine, that I included DT in a “Cool Stuff” closing slide on the finish of each presentation. Every viewers watches me entry each app, each doc, each URL, each server, each window, and each drive out of DragThing and can not help however wish to know the way I can do all of that. It is a disgrace that now that Expos is in vast use, the viewers would not even know that a whole lot of switching and window management is definitely being dealt with by DragThing.

   My largest remorse? The variety of disillusioned Home windows customers when I’ve to inform them that DT solely runs on the Mac platform.

4. Extra coming quickly… Hopefully!