Essential Mac OS X Applications...
- Acquisition - Gnutella file sharing client
- Adium - Multi-protocol instant messenger client
- Address-o-sync - Sync multiple Macs without .Mac
- Amadeus - Great tool for audio enthusiast
- Audio Hijack Pro - Custom audio output filtering
- Backlight - Menu extra toggles screensaver as your desktop
- BurnX Free - Burn multiple sessions on CD
- Butler - Get more out of Finder
- CandyBar - Change your application and system icons
- Carbon Copy Cloner - Easy-to-use backup/cloning utility
- Chmox - An OS X native CHM file (Compiled HTML/eBook) reader
- Cocktail - Simplifies use of UNIX functions in OS X, and more
- Colloquy - IRC client
- CSSEdit - Visual CSS style editor
- DeepVacuum - Download entire websites
- Default Folder - Expanded functionality in "Save As.." dialogue boxes
- Deja Vu - Schedule regular file backups
- Delicious Library - Catalogue your books, cd's, games, dvd's
- Dimensionizer - Contextual Menu to display an image’s dimensions
- DeskShade - Hide desktop icons, terminal lock, and more
- Desktastic - Doodle on your desktop
- Dock-It - Add multiple multi-fucntion docks
- DragThing - An alternative to the dock
- DV Backup - Use your DV camera as a backup medium
- Evocam - Webcam application with built in web server, FTP, etc.
- FileJuicer - Extract images from Powerpoint, PDF, HTML, and CAB files
- Fink - Unix Ports for X
- Firefox - Open source web browser
- Fugu - An SFTP, SCP and SSH frontend
- Huevos - Customisable search engine helper
- HyperEdit - live previews of HTML and PHP pages
- iBank - Intuitive personal finance manager
- iBiz - Self-employed time billing manager
- iConquer - 1-to-6 player world conquest game
- iPodDisk - Utilize your iPod as an iDisk
- iRooster - Great free alarm clock
- iWipe - Secure disk and file deletion
- iZoom - Crop and resize your photos
- LiteSwitch X - Keyboard application switcher
- Little Snitch - Alerts you of outgoing network connections
- MacJanitor - Great tool for running & rescheduling OS X maintenance tasks
- MacMame - Multi arcade machine emulator
- MacSniffer - View all traffic on a network connection
- MacTheRipper - Go Ahead, Back that DVD up
- MacTracker - Database of all Mac models
- Mac Vim - The aqua version of Vim
- Mail.appetizer - Enhance Mail with this small but handy notification plugin
- Mplayer for OS X - Another great video player
- Net Monitor - Network throughput monitor
- Net Tool Box - Handy tool for the toolkit - for network issues
- NetNewsWire - RSS aggregator (If you're gonna use one, use NetNewsWire)
- Onyx - System tweaks and configuration
- OSXvnc - VNC remote control protocol
- PDF Browser Plugin - Allows web browsers to display PDF files
- Pixen - Pixel graphics editor
- Quicksilver - Application launcher and much more
- RCDefaultApp - Preference pane to set default applications
- Renamer4Mac - Rename files en masse. Useful for digital cameras
- SideTrack trackpad driver - Enhanced trackpad driver for Apple Laptops
- Simon Extreme - Classic Milton Bradley Simon game
- Skype - Uses P2P for phone-over-internet talking
- SubEthaEdit - Use Rendezvous for collaborative editing
- Synergy - Adds iTunes controls to your menu bar
- Transmit - FTP client
- Unison - Usenet newsreader handles messages, files, & media
- Virtue - Virtual desktop manager
- VLC - Play DivX encoded movies (and more).
- VoodooPad - Notepad with many advanced features
- Word Browser Plugin - Allows web browsers to display Word files
- xPad - Notebook/scrapbook supports drag & drop
- XRay - Expanded version of the Finder's "Get Info" window
- xScope - Suite of screen tools for UI designers
What would you add to this list?
What is it about essential that people don’t understand? Canybar? Essential? Riiight.
I can’t believe no one has suggested this yet: although someone (Randall) does note that Virtue won’t work on Tiger and mentions Virtual Desktop, which sadly costs money. On the other hand, there is Desktop Manager (http://desktopmanager.berlios.de/) that is both free and still in active development, meaning it actually works (and well)! And if you’re not yet using virtual desktops, you really are missing out on all the fun.
I don’t think anyone has mentioned NoteTaker from Aquaminds.com. Best outliner, organizer, notebook, brainstormer, voice memo recorder that I have ever used. Not free, but not much.
For tracking book collections, Booxter is by far the best app out there, hands down:
http://www.deepprose.com
Awaken - iTunes Alarm Clock and Sleep Timer
http://www.embraceware.com/products/awaken/
Mac only, and perhaps one of the coolest apps out there…
handbrake
MenuMeters!!
It’s been mentioned before, but I can’t stress enough how wonderful MenuMeters is! network, CPU, memory and HD stats and usage meters right in your menu bar. I won’t go without it! and best of all it’s 100% freeware.
[url=http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/menumeters]http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/menumeters[/url]
I like DarwinPorts as an alternative to Fink. Together both are a great way of bringing opensource apps to the Mac.
http://darwinports.org/
Just like the brilliant FreeBSD or Debian port/package systems…
How about Celtx, an open source and free scriptwriting and preproduction application for film and television.
http://www.celtx.com
Don’t forget:
- Taco HTML editor (free): http://tacosw.com/index.php
- iBackup (free): http://www.grapefruit.ch/iBackup/
If anyone needs a file renaming program QuickName is easy to use and is free.
http://www.parknation.com/quickname
i still dont understand why people are suggesting SizzlingKeys4iTunes or any such application with the power of quicksilver and the trigger options…
in addition my vote goes to:
menucalendarclock
awaken
textmate
appzapper
ecto/marsedit
isquint
omnioutliner
tomato torrent
linotype fontexplorer x
Videocue is pretty darn good for making quick little QuickTime videos with a teleprompter.
Did you guys see the new application that just released on Wednesday called ApperZap? My husband was giddy about it.
This subject comes up a lot. I’ve got my list up here: http://weblog.mrbill.net/essential-mac-software/
Go with Firefox instead of Camino. Even though Camino is “Made for a Mac”, it doesn’t work worth a damn! I used it for around six months and it used to crash numerous times a day.
Chicken of the VNC’s a good free option for a VNC client. May be worth puttin’ on the list.
Link:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/cotvnc/
iSquint and HandBrake Lite need to be added to that list for sure…both are free.
Link: http://www.isquint.org
Favorite RSS reader: Vienna!
Favorite BitTorrent client: Transmission, by far!
Favorite Gnutella client: Cabos, but Acqlite is also a good choice.
If you are fed up with Spotlight, File Buddy has an incredible find file function. It’s not free if you keep it but I can’t live without it anymore.
http://www.skytag.com/filebuddy/