Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Applications > Must Have Apps?

Must Have Apps?
Thread Tools
SCHMEGGA
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Abilene, TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 7, 2007, 11:28 AM
 
Ok guys, I am getting ready to go all out and completely overhaul my entire computer system. I am going all the way. What I want to know is what apps should every mac user not be without. This is independent of what I use my mac for or what I do for a living. I simply want to know what apps you use everyday that you could not do without. I will start off with the first 4 I will be getting:

1. Aperture 1.5 (do a lot of photo editing with my Nikon D70 and currently Photoshop CS)
2. Quicken
3. iLife '07 (as soon as it is released)
4. Final Cut Express (I do some amateur video editing of my kids)


Ok guys hit me with all the others:
Adium?
Thunderbird?
Word Processor?
etc....
     
Turias
Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Minnesota
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 7, 2007, 11:33 AM
 
You should really just read through this thread (it's a sticky).
     
SCHMEGGA  (op)
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Abilene, TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 7, 2007, 12:01 PM
 
Originally Posted by Turias View Post
You should really just read through this thread (it's a sticky).
Actually I did read through that before I started this thread and got some great ideas, but I didn't want to limit the discussion to freeware/shareware, which is what is "mostly" described in that thread. Thanks for the link though.
     
SCHMEGGA  (op)
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Abilene, TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 8, 2007, 08:36 PM
 
No suggestions? Then I will let this thread slowly die.
     
Philip J. Fry
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Planet Express
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 9, 2007, 10:21 AM
 
Originally Posted by SCHMEGGA View Post
No suggestions? Then I will let this thread slowly die.
As for Quicken, how in depth do you get with it? If you do basic banking and nothing more, check out Cha-Ching and see if it will do what you want.
     
techtrucker
Senior User
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 10, 2007, 10:54 AM
 
1. Yojimbo, I do a lot of research on the web and need to save tidbits of info.
2. OmniWeb, I make enough use of it's unique features to warrant paying for a browser.
2. OmniOutliner Pro
4. FileMaker Pro
5. Adobe CS2 Suite
5. Dreamweaver
6. BBEdit
7. XCode

Of course this list all depends on what you do, I do a combination of web and application programming, consulting, and transportation industry research.
MacBook 2.0 160/2GB/SuperDrive
Lots of older Macs
     
Shades of Gray
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jun 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 10, 2007, 01:19 PM
 
Word processors: both under $70

Mellel, best support for multi-lingual capability. Styles are unique, but far better than Word's styles or clones. Multiple note streams. XML base. Basic, but adequate outlining built in.

Nisus Writer Pro, soon to be released. Far more capable than Nisus Writer Express. Feels like a writer's tool.

Page Layout: both under $125, but see Ragtime 5 Solo for personal, free use

Papyrus XII, I used it to layout a full length book with photos, and it worked very well.

Ragtime 6 very capable high end page layout and word processor, as well as spreadsheet and slide show features. Very popular in Europe. I am using it for short-study guides where I need more control over layout than a word processor. Many find this more than meets the needs of word processor, spreadsheet, and page layout.
Ignore the argumentative nature of this poster. He is old and can't engage in meaningful dialog
very long. Therefore, management asks that you at least humor him. Thanks.
     
SCHMEGGA  (op)
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Abilene, TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 10, 2007, 01:27 PM
 
Originally Posted by Philip J. Fry View Post
As for Quicken, how in depth do you get with it? If you do basic banking and nothing more, check out Cha-Ching and see if it will do what you want.
Looks like a good program, but I actually do budgeting from Quicken, and I use the webconnect feature to sync with credit card companies.

techtrucker:
Yeah, the only one on that list I think I would use would be CS2 (which I currently use), but I plan on trying a switch over to Aperture 1.5 since CS2 has soooo many more features than I ever use.

Shades of Gray:
Mellel is definately one I will be looking into. Thanks for advice. I don't use a word processor very much, but this could convince me to start.
     
Bollo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2006
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 10, 2007, 04:18 PM
 
are there any spyware or virus apps that anyone would recommend-i'm new to mac and am not sure how secure they are
     
Shades of Gray
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jun 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 10, 2007, 05:46 PM
 
Basically there is no need for either.
Ignore the argumentative nature of this poster. He is old and can't engage in meaningful dialog
very long. Therefore, management asks that you at least humor him. Thanks.
     
warfarer
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Nov 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Feb 10, 2007, 07:22 PM
 
Originally Posted by SCHMEGGA View Post
techtrucker:
Yeah, the only one on that list I think I would use would be CS2 (which I currently use), but I plan on trying a switch over to Aperture 1.5 since CS2 has soooo many more features than I ever use.
Aperture is not a trade off for CS2. If you don't use the whole suite or several parts, just install Photoshop/Imageready. You will thank me for this info later. Photoshop has a lot more possibilities and less limits than Aperture. I usually shoot in Raw with my D200 and then move them into Aperture first to check exposure and do color corrections. Then I export out and do any small tweaking in Photoshop.
iStink (with my Mac)
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:30 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,