Macintosh: Most recommended software list?

Ronald Epstein · 01-13-2007, 03:19 AM

Thought I'd ask all Mac users within this forum to help
compile a list of essential software for the Mac.

Whether it be FREEWARE, SHAREWARE or something to
be bought, this should be a list of the most interesting
and useful software you have found to date.

If possible, give a brief description of what the software
does, an indication of whether it is FREEWARE or not, and
even a link to the download area. All that is optional.

Looking forward to some of your suggestions

**HTF Ads**

Joseph S · 01-13-2007, 08:21 AM

Essential:
Firefox - Freeware
Alsoft Diskwarrior (Absolute Essential) - Paid Disk Miracle Worker http://www.alsoft.com
AudioHijack Pro (or not Pro) - Free/Shareware - Record/Timeshift audio from all apps http://www.rogueamoeba.com
DVDPedia (and rest of pedias) - Shareware - Catlogue software that can import from DVDProfiler - http://www.bruji.com
VLC (Freeware) - Mediaplayer
MacParDeluxe - Fee/Shareware - For .rar files
Voodoo Pad or Mori (Free/Shareware) - Notebook style apps
Stuffit Expander or equivalent The Unarchiver (Freeware) - File Archive Expanders
Podworks (Shareware) - iPod utility to backup iPod contents and more - http://www.scifihifi.com/podworks/
Realplayer (Freeware/No junk installed either)
MPlayer OS X (Freeware) - Mediaplayer
Flip4Mac (Freeware/Shareware)) - Plugin for .wmv files - http://www.flip4mac.com
VueScan (Shareware - if you have a scanner) - Near Universal Scanner application - www.hamrick.com/
USBOverdrive or Steermouse- Configuration software for USB Devices (Sharewares)

Other options:
EyeTV (Play/re-record/re-edit .ts files and Timeshift TV)
MactheRipper
Any of the Unsanity.com haxies
VNC Client - Timbuktu/ChickenoftheVNC
DynDNS Client
Meteorologist
Bookit - Bookmarks utility
SharePoints - Configure for Windows Sharing
MacTFTP Client
Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition
GarageSale - Ebay Listing App
Toast - CD/DVD burning app
R-Name - Batch File Renamer
Split and Concat - File join/split gui app
DiskCatalogue Maker
CandyBar and Pixadex - Icon and GUI changing apps
Firewire SDK - DVHS and Firewire CATV recording/playback apps

Cameron Yee · 01-13-2007, 10:08 AM

Butler (freeware) - among many other things, launches applications by keystrokes; great if you don't like to mouse to everything and don't want to clutter up your dock

http://mac.softpedia.com/get/System-...s/Butler.shtml

Carlo Medina · 01-13-2007, 11:26 AM

Ron, First of all, choose Universal Binary versions at all times if it's an option. Those are optimized to run on MacIntel hardware. Non-universal will run, but under the Rosetta emulator, leading to lower performance (but they run fine, just slower).

Handbrake. Freeware. And its sister Instant Handbrake. Converts DVD to video iPod format in one program. For iPod use only, use Instant.

MacMP3Gain, Freeware. *TRULY* normalizes audio files (MP3, AAC) by analyzing the entire song for average volume then setting them to the same average volume, not by the old (and highly inaccurate method) of setting peak levels the same. This has allowed me to have all 4000 songs on my iPod, all of which were mastered at very different audio levels on CD, to sound approximately the same volume, eliminating my need to change volume when louder/softer songs come on.

iLife - included with your system purchase. Check it out, buy a book if you have to. Garageband - great beginner music recording. iDVD. iPhoto. Photobooth. You get the point.

VLC Player - freeware, media player

Flip4Mac, freeware plugin, shareware option, plays WMV files on Mac.

How long until the new "Mac" subforum appears?

Let me know of your hobbies and I'll post some payware. Like:
Screewriting: Moviemagic Screenwriter or Final Draft.
Music Recording/Postproduction: Pro Tools LE/M-Powered or Apple's Logic Pro/Express
Video editing: Apple's Final Cut Pro
etc.

Adam Lenhardt · 01-13-2007, 02:51 PM

Not having a Mac, I'm going to stay out of this thread after just seconding Joseph's VLC recommendation. In fact, I'd recommend installing VLC on BOTH partitions. Best video player I've ever used.

Windows download:
http://www.videolan.org/mirror.php?f...8.6a-win32.exe

Mac OS X download:
http://www.videolan.org/mirror.html?...vlc-0.8.6a.dmg

Ronald Epstein · 01-13-2007, 03:47 PM

Gents,

Since I am playing with .dmg files I would like an antivirus
installed "just in case" something goes wrong.

I'd rather not have to purchase a second anti-virus program
on top of the one I am going to use with the emulated Vista.

Is there a FREE Mac antivirus (like AVG) that lets you do
simple scans on files before executing them?

Ronald Epstein · 01-13-2007, 03:51 PM

Thanks to the recommendation from Joseph...

Since I am a power DVD PROFILER user I am wondering whether
it will be better continuing to use PROFILER under Windows or get
DVDPedia?

Any preference as to which is better?

Keep the software recommendations coming. Great stuff!

Steve Tannehill · 01-13-2007, 04:22 PM

Do you have a barcode scanner other than the PS2 Cuecat? I used the PS2 Cuecat with the PC, but could not with the Mac. DVD Profiler runs fine under Parallels, but for me it would have been hand-entry of the UPC codes.

So I got a Bluetooth scanner in conjunction with Delicious Library:

http://www.delicious-monster.com/

- Steve

Ronald Epstein · 01-13-2007, 04:24 PM

Heya Steve!

I have the cue-cat and I figured it would run
fine under Parallels, no?

Update

Found the scanner. Very nice! Will it work with
DVDpedia as that seems the closest to being compatible
with DVD Profiler?

Thomas Newton · 01-13-2007, 04:48 PM

SnapZ Pro X 2.0 (shareware, Ambrosia Software, $29 for still capture or $69 for still + motion capture)

Advantages:

1. Much more flexible than Mac OS X's screen capture. Still capture works very well. (Motion capture should be evaluated for performance with your system and your application.)

2. If I remember correctly, it doesn't artificially cripple itself when the DVD Player application is running.

Disadvantages:

1. Likes to put up a modal display that delays the system for two seconds or so at startup time. Removing the application from the startup item list and running it yourself is a workaround for this.

2. The vendor uses a registration scheme where the program only accepts registration codes for 30(?) days from the date of issue. If you pay for the program, then use it for a year, then do a clean install of MacOS 10.5 ("Leopard"), you'll probably find SnapZ X Pro telling you that you are an "unregistered user", and refusing to accept the registration code from your initial purchase. To be fair, you can request another code from the vendor, and they'll look you up in their registration database, and send another one out -- if they're still in business.

Thomas Newton · 01-13-2007, 05:03 PM

Photoshop Elements (or full PhotoShop). These aren't Universal, but should become Universal in their next major upgrade cycles.

Thomas Newton · 01-13-2007, 05:23 PM

If you're fond of hierarchical application menus, you can drag a folder icon or disk icon into the right side of the Dock. Populate the folder with aliases and subfolders. Then right-click on the Dock icon to open the menu as needed.

On my system, the Dock has the most-used applications, and the "menu folder" points to other programs I use less frequently. The folder even has an Aqua-themed Apple icon (from one of the freeware icon collections) to make it look like an updated version of the Mac OS 8 "Apple menu".