[mindwaves]

*UPDATED 3/25/05 http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...5#post1938875*


Based on an idea in another thread, and to prevent people from posting the same things over and over, I have decided to make a new thread listing all commonly used Macintosh applications. This thread will be dedicated to ideas and the such and I will take these ideas and make it into a sticky (in a new thread).

So list your ideas here:

Commonly used video viewing applications:

1) Mplayer
2) VLC
3) Quicktime

Commonly used FTP applications

1) Interarchy
2) Rbrowser
3) Transmit
4) Fetch

Commonly used Word processing applications

1) Microsoft Word
2) Textedit
3) AppleWorks
4) Mellel

Commonly used Chat applications

1) Adium
2) iChat
3) AIM
4) MSN Messenger
5) Fire

Feel free to add your ideas here. The final draft will include the relevant links also and a short description. Thanks.

[mdc]

Commonly used FTP applications

cyberduck

Commonly used Word processing applications

subethaedit

Commonly used Chat applications

proteus

[Uncle Skeleton]

might I suggest linking to the actual website instead of versiontracker/macupdate links which may or may not break without notice? It would also be a good idea to explicitly link to versiontracker and macupdate themselves as a resource for finding new or lesser-known apps.

and how about a group for Web Browsers (and maybe a list of their pros and cons if you're feeling generous), and image editors (GraphicConverter)? And I submit BBEdit for text editors, and Cellulo for video (it has playlists and reads all kinds of wacky sub formats). Other categories at your discretion of course: CD burning, File Sharing, Screen Capture, and whatever VPC is.

[wataru]

Free open source software

NeoOffice/J (office suite)
Gimp.app (graphic manipulation)
Fink (package manager)
TeXShop (technical typesetting)
Desktop Manager (virtual desktops)
Mozilla Firefox (web browser)
R (statistics package)
ImageJ (image processing/analysis)

[juanvaldes]

Originally posted by mdc:

Commonly used Word processing applications

subethaedit

I'd change that to "Developement applications" and include fink, XCode, AppKiDo...

[Mr. Blur]

maybe groups for back-up applications, and maybe "utility" programs like diskwarrior, techtool, norton etc etc.

and i agree with uncle skeleton - link to the developer's website instead of versiontracker...or maybe provide 2 links - 1 to the website and a second that searches this forum - that might cut down on some of the duplicate threads.

[wataru]

I don't think this thread is going to do much good unless it's sticky.

[brutal]

Dude, you should add Camino to the web browser list.
The latest nightlies are AWESOME!

[jokell82]

For the file transfer category, Fugu. Won an apple design award last year. Check it out:
http://rsug.itd.umich.edu/software/fugu/

[finboy]

Originally posted by mindwaves:
Based on an idea in another thread, and to prevent people from posting the same things over and over, I have decided to make a new thread listing all commonly used Macintosh applications. This thread will be dedicated to ideas and the such and I will take these ideas and make it into a sticky (in a new thread).

So list your ideas here:

Dude:
We need some consensus on a backup application for OS X or OS 9. Some folks like SuperDuper, and some like CarbonCopyCloner. Making backups and bootable CDs seem to be hot topics in threads, so maybe you can add these (or YOUR backup strategy/software) to the list.

Also, don't forget TexEdit as an editor/word processor. That thing's been around for ever, and it's bulletproof.

[mindwaves]

Updated, and yes, I already had textedit in there. The new link:

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...75#post1938875


Thanks.

[Uncle Skeleton]

Cellulo is more like "alternative video player based on QuickTime that supports playlists and many subtitle formats"

And how can you leave out GraphicConverter? Even if it doesn't fit in any category, it's the quintissential mac app.

[mindwaves]

Originally posted by Uncle Skeleton:
Cellulo is more like "alternative video player based on QuickTime that supports playlists and many subtitle formats"

And how can you leave out GraphicConverter? Even if it doesn't fit in any category, it's the quintissential mac app.

Updated. Thanks.

[JKT]

Very nice idea for a sticky this one!

Comment - If you are going to include NeoOffice/J, then you ought to also include OpenOffice.org which runs in X11 - the reason being that this version will likely merge in the latest OOo 1.1.1 code quite a while before NO/J. Also, you ought to put both of these under the Office apps heading (there is nothing geeky about installing and using either).

Under the Backup files/restore files/clone a drive heading:

FoldersSynchronizer (shareware)

Can I also suggest another few headings (with my recommendations for them below):

Menu extras:

1. ImageWell (freeware) - enables extremely easy uploading of images to your iDisk (or other WebDAV or FTP servers)
2. iAddressX (shareware) - puts your AddressBook details in the menubar
3. MUmenu (freeware) - puts a listing of the latest MacUpdate downloads in your menu bar

Science Apps:

1. EnzymeX (freeware) - determine which restriction enzymes you should use to cut your DNA of interest.
2. 4Peaks (freeware) - visualize and edit DNA sequence files (an OS X native equivalent of ABI's EditView)
3. PyMol (sponsorware; free to academics) - a molecular graphics system with an embedded Python interpreter designed for real-time visualization and rapid generation of high-quality molecular graphics images and animations.

Services:

1. WordService (freeware) - provides 34 functions to convert, format or speak the currently selected text, to insert data or to show statistics of the selection within all Cocoa applications and Carbon applications supporting services
2. CalcService (freeware) - calculates the result of a selected formula within all Cocoa-applications and appends the result to the formula or replaces the formula with the result. In addition there's the possibility to display the result in a panel without modifying the text.
3. CalendarCreator (freeware) - will take whatever text you've selected and attempt to parse it into a dated event in iCal.

Edited to direct links to developer sites instead of Macupdate and to include Pymol in the science apps

[wataru]

I can't believe I forgot MenuMeters, possibly the most useful menu extra ever.

[trash80]

BBEdit/TextWrangler - is my pick for web development / word processing

Goliath is a great WebDAV file transfer program, i use it to transfer files to my iDisk, it works so much faster than mounting the thing with Finder

[lngtones]

Originally posted by jokell82:
For the file transfer category, Fugu. Won an apple design award last year. Check it out:
http://rsug.itd.umich.edu/software/fugu/

Apple design award for interface most resembling another app.

yeah, I know they do different things, but still...

[kovacs]

Euhm what about... iTunes, ShapeShifter, CandyBar, Cocktail, Quicksilver, Launchbar, Stuffit Expander and UnRar ?

[wataru]

Originally posted by kovacs:
Euhm what about... iTunes, Stuffit Expander

Those come with the system. Everyone has them. We don't need to tell people about them.

If you really want those other ones on the list, why don't you provide a link to the developer's website and a quick blurb about it.

[kovacs]

Originally posted by wataru:
Those come with the system. Everyone has them. We don't need to tell people about them.

Ok but they are commonly used.

Originally posted by wataru:

If you really want those other ones on the list, why don't you provide a link to the developer's website and a quick blurb about it.

ShapeShifter switch themes safely
Unrar open RAR files, quick and easy
CandyBar change the system icons
Quicksilver keyboard launcher
LaunchBar keyboard launcher
Cocktail tweak hidden settings in os x and perform maintenance