Zooom: Window stuff, “done right”

Originally downloaded 11/5/06. Zooom is about the third software package I’ve downloaded in recent months that adds the ability to move and resize application windows in more ways than the default Mac OS X behaviors. I suspect this is being driven by the needs of Windows users who’ve switched to the Mac and long for the comfort of their usual window behaviors. Zooom adds a preference pane to control its actions, which are triggered by keyboard shortcuts. One gets a positive impression of the software right off the bat thanks to an interactive demo that launches as soon as you install Zooom. Based on that, I’d say Zooom is pretty darn easy to use, but I’ll play with it and its fellow utilities for awhile before picking one. Zooom, unfortunately, isn’t free, but at $8, it’s not unreasonably priced. (Update 4/28/07: Zooom is now $10.)

Update 4/28/07. Zooom! is really cool, but I’ve decided to chuck it for myself, as well as its close competitor, MondoMouse, in favor of some freeware that takes care of the main functionality and does so more satisfactorily for me. That said, Zooom! is a fine product that I can recommend without reservation. It has a broader range of functions than the more expensive MondoMouse ⤴, and its developer is responsive to suggestions, actively seeking to improve the product. Zooom! is also the only one of these tools that extends its powers to the difficult, non-standard Mac OS X products from Microsoft. For control freaks, Zooom!’s new Magnetics feature will be a dream come true. It lets you assign an invisible grid to your monitor, to which you can snap your windows as you move and resize them with Zooom! Unfortunately, you can’t snap to the grid by using Mac OS X’s built-in move and resize tools. Below is my summary of pros and cons.

Version as tested: 1.2.