Favorite ‘non-essential’ Mac apps and utilities
I realize there are too many lists like this, but I just wanted a place to share the apps and utilities that are useful but not absolutely necessary to my work. If you’ve found others you can’t live without let me know. Do what you can to support these developers if you find their products helpful.
Networking - Connectivity
Teleport
Use the same keyboard and mouse for up to three different computers with no additional hardware. Pure magic.
Freeware
DropCopy
Another magic helper. An inconspicuous circle sits on your screen. When you’d like to copy anything to another computer on your local network just drag it to the circle. Does local network messaging too.
Freeware
P2P
Aquisition
The best P2P I’ve found. Always being improved. Tried it once and never went back to Limewire.
Shareware
iPodDisk
The absolute easiest way to get music from your iPod to any computer.
Freeware
Interface
Disctop Pro
Its one of those things you didn’t know you needed until you got it. Not a necessity, but extremely handy.
Freeware
Transparent Dock
Like most interface tweaks this is really just a utility you look for because something about the aesthetics of your desktop bugs you. For me it was the look of the dock. This did the trick. Sort of a clunky interface but once its set up and hidden it does well. Note: Transparent Dock stops working after each OS update, but the author gets it up to speed very quickly.
Shareware
DoubleCommand
Gotta PC keyboard laying around you’d like to use with your Mac? This swaps the Option and Command keys around so you can. Also does much more if you need it to.
Freeware
TinkerTool
Great for adjusting the look and actions of the GUI. I mainly use it to free Widgets from the Dashboard. Once freed they rest on the desktop and run as standalone apps. But TinkerTool can do a lot more.
Freeware
Maintenance
MainMenu
The easiest-to-implement OSX maintenance routine I’ve used. Like Transparent Dock it does not work after you update your OS, but the author releases updates very quickly.
Freeware
SuperDuper
Hard drive back up and cloning tool. Tryout the free version and buy in if you find yourself wishing you could do what the full version offers. Fool and idiot-proof, both of which are good for me.
Commercial
(Limited-feature Freeware version available)
Organization
CheckOff
Very simple but well executed To-Do list that sits in your menu bar. I’m hoping for a version that updates the entries on all computers within a local network.
Freeware
Internet - FTP
Fetch
Honestly the only reason I use this for uploads was because it was the first one I used. There may be better, but Fetch gets the job done painlessly.
Shareware
Taboo
Ever close a Safari window that had more than one Tab open? If you have and were pissed about the fact that there is no warning like FireFox has then Taboo is for you. Once installed Taboo makes sure to asks you if you really want to close a window that has multiple tabs.
Freeware
Little Snitch
Feeling paranoid about apps that are phoning home? Little Snitch intercepts unauthorized network activity.
Shareware
Domain Tracker
Anyone who is addicted to collecting or researching domain names will appreciate every single feature in Domain Tracker.
Commercial
(Limited-feature Freeware version available)
PageSpinner
Like Fetch its the only app of its type I’ve used so comparisons aren’t possible, but PageSpinner has served me well for many years as a means to create simple web sites and update existing ones. Lately its been perfect for taking the inane code that iWeb creates and customizing it so it is actually usable.
Shareware
HTML Validator (based on Tidy)
HTML Validator is a Firefox plugin that can clean up home-brewed HTML code. Bad code, with warnings and errors, can not only result in a web page looking nothing like you intended it to, but it can also sabotage your search engine results.
Freeware
Media Players
NicePlayer
A sweet, full-featured player with a very minimal desktop presence. Can’t play as many formats as VLC or MPlayer, but looks a whole lot better when it can.
Freeware
VLC
Sets the standard for media player compatibility. If VLC can’t play it there is only one other player to try...
Freeware
MPlayer
...can play a few things VLC chokes on. Has good aspect ratio controls that aren’t buried in the preferences.
Freeware
eBay
GarageSale
The easiest way to sell stuff on ebay and look good doing it.
Commercial
(Limited-feature Freeware version available)
Rip
MacTheRipper
Removes the copy protection from your DVDs to allow you to transcode them or back them up.
Freeware
Popcorn/Toast
Industry standard for making dupes of your discs. Popcorn and Toast 7 have the ability to compress DVD files so they fit on a 4.7gb disc.
Commercial
HandBrake
I haven’t found anything else that can do what HandBrake does and make it seem easy. I use it for ripping copies of my DVDs to MP4 to keep them on a portable hard drive.
Freeware
iSquint
Quick and easy way to create iPod Video-ready movies.
Freeware
© 2006 JoelPeregrine.com | All Rights Reserved
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
