Deskbar is feature built-in to Ubuntu Linux that speeds up common tasks by letting my type just a word and having it "do what I mean". Some examples:

If I want to use my chat program, I don't no longer have to think about whether it is already running or not, to decide whether to use a "task launcher" or a "task switcher". I just type "chat", and Deskbar will do the right thing-- Switch to it if it is open, or launch it if it is not.

The ability to "just think of the application" is the core elegance of the Mac OS X Dock, yet so many imitations of it get it wrong and continue to separate the concepts of task switching and launching. Deskbar thankfully allows you to just think of an application without being concerned about whether or not it is already open. But that said Deskbar is not a dock and the similarity with the OS X Dock ends there.

Other common tasks are also sped up. If I want to e-mail Chris, I don't have to think

1. Check to see if e-mail program is already running, and launch it if is not.
2. Switch to e-mail program
3. Open up new message
4. Type "Chris@summersault.com".

With Deskbar, Ijust think "email chris" and type "Chris@summersault.com". It takes of launching or switching to a mail program and launching the "new message" function with Chris as the recipient.

Likewise, if I want to open a website, I don't have to think:

1. Switch to browser
2. Start typing URL

With Deskbar, I just think "go to website" and start typing the URL.

Because these are common tasks that I do several times a day, I appreciate the small but frequest speed-ups that Deskbar offers. Perhaps more importantly, I appreciate that Deskbar eliminates boring busy work related to which applications are already running.

Installing Deskbar in Ubuntu Hardy Heron is easy. Just right click on the panel and and use "Add to Panel" and then Search for "Deskbar". Once it's in the panel, right click the icon to open the preferences. You'll find in the "General" tab that you can set or use a global keyboard shortcut to launch it. I use "<Control>Space", so in my examples above I would actually just be typing "<Control>Space chat" while using any application, and then Deskbar would appear present me possible actions it could take based on the word "chat". In the preferences also review the "Searches". Make sure "Window Switcher" is enabled and move to the top of the list! You may want to enable other possible matches, like the dictionary, or disable other searches options you don't use that might clutter results. I also suggest being intentional about the ordering of the search results to get the most of Deskbar. Put the most frequently used features at the top of the list. So for example, if I type "chat", I want the first match to be "Switch to my chat program". The option to "Look up Chat in the dictionary" may also be a possible match next in the search results but would require an extra keystroke or mouse action to select.