In the past I've used a few different methods for keeping my screen clean while working with a lot of apps and windows:
- option-click on the desktop = hide current app
- option-click on app in dock = hide current app and switch to click on app
- option-apple click on desktop = hide all apps except Finder
- option-apple click on app in dock = hide all apps except clicked on app

However, setting up apps to automatically open in different workspaces, then having a quick keyboard shortcut to change between them is nice and something I might get used to.

I guess it's similar to Exposé. I didn't think I'd use Exposé much when it was introduced, but I couldn't live without the Show Desktop command now.

What's everyone else think of Spaces?

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A spaces trick: Drag a window so that the mouse pointer rests against the side, top or bottom of the screen and press command or option or control... it'll slide into the next adjacent space.

Edit: you don't need control/option/command to make it work... just leave the pointer on the side of the screen and wait.

Spaces is currently my favourite new Leopard feature - it's totally replaced Exposé for me. Instead of using Exposé to get at the window underneath Safari, I just flip over to the other space. I even replaced my button 4 shortcut on the Mighty Mouse with the "show all spaces" F8 command.

yep, its growing on me! i set up one of the hot corners to show all spaces which provides a quick way to switch without the keyboard.

i have key apps assigned to separate spaces, finder & system preferences assigned to all. careful placement of apps in spaces is useful - mail next to safari for instance, makes it easy to switch between them if you are copying stuff across.

Its almost perfect. Its a clean + simple solution, especially for a laptop's small screen.

The only problem i've encountered is that control- arrow can interfere with some apps.

I notice that witch for example is a little erratic with spaces, generally only registering apps in the current space.

I've got spaces for readers, media players, words, internets, machine management and so on.

Yeah, that's a big issue.

I've changed mine to option-arrow, but I use that for Logic, so I'll have to use something else.

System wide keyboard shortcuts are always hard to implement.

As a user of Desktop Manager, I use ctrl-arrows all the time, sounds like I'm gonna be completely at home with Spaces.

I will, however, miss the 3D cube transition of Desktop Manager.

You can use control-[number] instead, but its a little awkward for short fingers.

just use alt/option and arrow.

That way, especially on the new wireless keyboards, you have the keys right next to each-other and can navigate around just using your right hand.

The control/number trick breaks when you have more than ten spaces.

Not that it will be an issue for me as I find it hard to fill up even four...