[TheIceMan]

1. WeatherPop Advance
2.Synergy
3.iView MediaPro 2.0
4. Path Finder
5. Omniweb

[mindwaves]

Adium <--- The best AIM client ever!
MPlayer
Mellel

[voyageur]

Watson - My absolute favorite. News, VersionTracker, weather, TV listings, Movie listings, package tracker, etc all on one nice package that works.


Transmit - FTP client

Meteorologist - instant weather in a tidy menu bar app.

iLyric - Gets lyrics for songs in your iTunes library

Cocktail - Utility that runs cron jobs and does other stuff too.

[ryaxnb]

Launchbar
Pac The Man 2
Themer (or since it doesn't work with 10.3, ThemeChanger)
iTunes, iPhoto, Safari
Iconographer
Fooey, no room for more?
GraphicConverter
The Mount App
TinkerTool
MacJanitor
MacTracker

[stupidFish23]

- shadowClipboard
- iChat
- RBrowser Lite
- shadowIP
- Xcode

[JEB]

WeatherPop

iClock

iApps

...that's all I have!

[bmuki]

As a scientist, I use a lot of Unix stuff:

LaTeX (for scientific writing)
xdvi (to view LaTeX)
gv (to view postscript)
gnuplot (to plot data files)
javac and java

Also, not free but very cheap, I use TextWrangler.

At home, between Photoshop Elements and the gimp, I have most of the functionality of the full Photoshop.

[sanity assassin]

These are the ones I liked, and ended up buying, amazing what these little apps to do productivity.

Transmit 2
Synergy
Cocktail
Subethaedit
Halime
Proteus (great program)
mlamc
MPC to AIFF

[swelliott]

- Transmit (FTP application)
- IcyJuice (ICQ chat clone)
- JediKnight (IRC application)
- OmniWeb (Web browser)
- Notes (Notepad application)
- Impression (Backup application)

Darnit, that's six. Though in the interest of offering full disclosure, that last one is mine.

[zro]

1) QuickTime Pro (not really shareware, but well worth $30)
2) MT-NewsWatcher
3) Budget
4) Watson
5) Imprint
6) USB OverdriveX

[Agent69]

For me, GraphicConverter was a must. I just registered my copy yesterday, in fact.

Freeware that I like includes:

ExifRenamer
Fink
iTunes
iCal
JAlbum
Jview
MacMame
MPlayer
VLC
Vim (now included with Panther)

[pub3abn]

1. LaunchBar
2. Unsanity apps (WindowShade X, Labels X, etc.)
3. Default Folder X
4. Slides!
5. GraphicConverter

Also appreciate all the iApps, and all the UNIX open source stuff....

I think Panther will make some of my favorite apps unnecessary....

[NetworkShadow]

No real order, but iTunes is the best.

1. iTunes, can't beat iTunes!
2. Unsanity haxies (FruitMenu is the best)
3. Synergy
4. MenuMeters
5. Proteus
6. Safari
7. ThemeChanger and themes

[MojoRising022]

1) Launchbar - is there a more useful app anywhere?

2) CocoaMySQL
3) NetNewsWire Lite
4) SubEthaEdit

Havent seen a whole lot of shareware apps that excite me...seems there are very few apps left that offer bang for the buck.

Is it me or are a lot of marginal freeware apps (or apps that used to be) suddenly shareware?

[ColonelSawtooth]

Would have to be. . .

LaunchBar - way out in first
Watson
BBEdit Lite
Sound Studio
Hydra

[wataru]

Graphic Converter
Synergy
Taco HTML Edit
Word Lookup
Menu Meters

[Truepop]

Aside from Apple Freeware Apps,

1) Transmit
2) Synergy
3) Salling Clicker
4) Cocktail
5) OmniWeb

All of these were so good, I had to buy a license.

[matt_s]

Originally posted by PabloTX:
What are some of your favorite free/cheap shareware programs, and what are they?

Some favs, use consistently:

@-Time
Fetch
WireTap
ExecutiveSync
MailSiphon

Zippist used to be on this list until Apple included zip archiving in Panther.

These are my top shareware / freeware favorites with the sole exception of the program I would not run OS X without - I would still be running 9.2 - that is, ASM. All these other programs are used from time to time but ASM is always on.

I use ASM 2.0.3 with Panther and it works great. It "overrides" the user name that normally would appear on the upper right with the Application Menu from OS 9. It just wouldn't be a Mac without it.

[turk.o]

-Transmit
-iPulse (2.0 esp.)
-Stickybrain
-Carbon Copy Cloner
-Eudora
-Poisoned (and, ha, Serial Box)

[Musti]

In no particular order:

1. anything from Mozilla.org

2. BitTorrent

3. USBOverdrive

4. GraphicConverter

5. PithHelmet (please...waiting for an update)

[jreades]

1. Racoon (IPSec VPNs)
2. Konfabulator
3. Apache with mod_php, mod_perl, mod_ssl

[T Walls]

I don't want to list Apple Software in with these...and for me, "top" means most-used:

Personal Use:
1. Adium (want final 2.0!!!)
2. VLC
3. Poisoned
4. WireTap
5. PDF Browser

Runners Up:
PCalc
Path Finder
Fugu

Professional Use:
1. Carbon Copy Cloner
2. NetRestore
3. Fink (and accompanying packages)
4. cast:stream player
5. Fugu

[chrisutley]

1. LaunchBar
Glad to see so many people love this app as much as I do. It is always the first thing I recommend. UNIX geeks that are switching to Mac OS love it, typing to launch stuff makes them feel at home.

2. VirtualDesktop
I fell in love with this functionality on a Linux box, CodTek brought it to Mac and made it the most powerful implementation of virtual desktops on any platform. Even with the introduction of Expose, I find this utility makes my Mac a happier place.

3. Transmit
Particularly powerful FTP program, with a particularly easy to use UI. It just does what it's supposed to do, does it well, and never gets in my way.

4. VoodooPad
This is the coolest app that I haven't figured out how to use yet. I haven't had many opportunities to use it, but it's such a cool little app. One day I will find the perfect use, and then I can practice Voodoo on a regular basis.

5. StickyBrain
So many good things about this app, but what keeps me from falling in love is the HORRIBLE user interface. A palate nightmare, not very Mac like at all. The "Stickies" format is kind of useless too, I mean what's the point? It's just clutter and eye candy - and the candy isn't that sweet. If they could preserve all the functionality that deals with data and formatting, and rework the thing like iOrganize it would be perfect. So you might be wondering why I use it? Well, it's the contextual menu support. I select formatted text in a Cocoa app, right click and can save it directly to a category in StickyBrain - StickyBrain doesn't even have to be running! It preserves the formatting and everything. If you don't care abou that feature, check out iOrganize.

MOST OVERRATED APPS

1. Watson
Why Watson? Why Sherlock? I guess if you needed to access one of these plug-in things on a regular basis perhaps it's useful? I like my web browser just fine.

2. DragThing
Cripes, another dock thingy on my desktop? No thanks. Dock does just fine, add LaunchBar and what's the point?

3. Konfabulator
I bought this software after one day of using it. I don't use it anymore. It's fun for a few days, until you realize those widgets are just cluttering up your desktop. Interesting idea and well done, just losses its' appeal after a while.

4. Meteorologist
Buggy.

5. BBEdit
Very powerful, solid application. Still, it's dated in terms of UI. Too many windows and palates going when I'm working on a big project. Time for a good Mac editor to use the all in one window approach that Windows apps use, or at least offer both. FTP support could be beefed up too, and given a browser that is open all the time. Come on Bare Bones, get with it - it's time to take BBEdit forward or end up like Fetch and Newswatcher. I think Apple's code editor can support the kind of one window approach I'm talking about, but it's not too good for stuff like PHP and other web stuff I and many others do.

[tabarnak]

iTunes
LaunchBar
Chercher
BuddyPop
iOrganize

[t_hah]

shadowClipboard - very easy to use, multiple clipboard app
shadowIP - displays your IP address, very useful for laptop users
vlc - excellent media player application
Puissance3D - Awsome logic game, connect 4 in 3D
X Resouce Graph - displays all types of stats about your computer

[siliconwarrior]

1. Acquisition. Rock on.
2. FruitMenu (gotta have my Apple menu)
3. SallingClicker. Nuff said.
4. iPulse. Unnecessary but so cool.
5. PixelShox. 'Perdy' pictures...

[Peter]

Originally posted by chrisutley:

5. BBEdit
Very powerful, solid application. Still, it's dated in terms of UI. Too many windows and palates going when I'm working on a big project. Time for a good Mac editor to use the all in one window approach that Windows apps use, or at least offer both. FTP support could be beefed up too, and given a browser that is open all the time. Come on Bare Bones, get with it - it's time to take BBEdit forward or end up like Fetch and Newswatcher. I think Apple's code editor can support the kind of one window approach I'm talking about, but it's not too good for stuff like PHP and other web stuff I and many others do.

Wow it isnt the most beautiful application As you said, very powerful and very solid. This application is awesome for coding.

[kovacs]

In no specific order:

- ShadowClipboard
- Watson
- Most Apple iApps
- MPlayer
- Pic2Icon
- Acquisition
- Mp Rage
- GraphicConverter
- Synergy
- Can Combine Icons
- Candybar
- Themechanger
- shadowGoogle
- cocktail
- omniweb/graffle/outliner
- proteus
- RBrowser lite
- HTML map maker
- Mellel
- Ericsson Client and ericsson clicker
- dockless
- meteorologist
- PDF plug-in
- MP3 contexual menu
- Menu Meters

That must be about it

[chrisutley]

Originally posted by PeterClark2002:
Wow it isnt the most beautiful application As you said, very powerful and very solid. This application is awesome for coding.

That's the kind of thinking that will sink them in the end. BBEdit is the greatest app ever, yadda yadda yadda.

It's the best editor on the Mac right now no doubt, but the criticisms I made are valid. Sooner or late somebody will top them, if they don't innovate.

[DennyA]

Keep it coming, folks. With my new iBook on the way (my first Mac since the Mac Classic), this topic is chock full o' invaluable information!

[mindwaves]

Indeed, keep it focused. I'm going to make it as a Sticky.

I also like to add Poisioned to my list.

[nayr x]

What I would say are the essentials, and what I always encourage/force my mac-converted friends to get ASAP to get the most out of their macs: (in no real order

- LaunchBar
- Dragthing
- Acquisition
- VLC
- Themechanger (BBX Mercury is the sheezy)
- G-force plugin for iTunes
- Candy Bar
- Snaps Pro
- iClock
- Microsoft Office

No mac system should be without! I can't imagine a Mac without any of these. Apple needs to bundle, or provide a list of suggested 3rd party apps with every new system. It makes me sad that some people never know how functional their macs can become!

[Juggler]

• LaunchBar
• LaunchBar
• LaunchBar
• LaunchBar
• and LaunchBar

[AJ]

1. Launchbar (there is a theme here!
2. Proteus
3. Mplayer
4. NetMonitor
5. Salling Clicker

[neilw]

1) I'll toss another plug on the pile for Launchbar, because clearly it's not getting enough good press in this thread. Don't know what I'd do without it.

2) Though I have some mixed feelings about it, I've gotten a *lot* of use out of GraphicConverter over the years.

3) TinkerTool. Right from the get-go, enabled me to take advantage of the various undocumented settings in OSX.

4) WindowShadeX. Works great, and sometimes Window Shade is just the right way to get a window out of the way temporarily.

5) Yum! is the application that enabled me to ditch Classic once and for all, by replacing MasterCook. Simple and effective.

[memento]

1. dcgui
2. konfabulator
3. themechanger
4. IPNetMonitor
5. VLC

[typoon]

Transmit
Marine Aquarium
Transparent Dock
Aquisition
Tinker Tool
Audio HiJack
Wire Tap
FrogBlast

[WOPR]

Synk - just found this brilliant file sync app
CCC
Cocktail
VLC
Colloquy
Analog Helper
Poisoned
DiskTracker
OmniGraffle
Audio Hijack

Sorry can't count!

[torifile]

1) Omnioutliner - I find a new use for it everyday
2) SubEthaEdit - Great, free editor. All it needs now is ftp support.
3) iTunes - should be at the top, but it's not a productivity app.
4) mail.app - I've grown to love it and it's even better in Panther
5) BitTorrent - well, you know....


Fallen off the list: Launchbar. I did love it for a long time. Maybe too long... It got insanely slow after a while and I haven't reinstalled it since I clean installed Panther. I miss it, but it's just too damn slow.

[fisherKing]

*open menu - a great cm to access apps, etc
*kunvert - converts images to jpgs etc
*transparent dock
*uControl (waiting for a 10.3 version...)
*iMote - control itunes from key combos
*acqlite
*mighty mouse/mike's cursors (perfection)
*weather desk
*onyx (which i haven't yet tried in panther)

& waiting for pithhelmet; essential!

[SupahCoolX]

(no order)
-Checkbook
-Prefling
-VLC
-Notes
-Tinkertool
-SNES9X

[Hi I'm Ben]

Adium (1) - Simple customizable able AIM client.

iRC - Nice IRC Chat client

Weather Desk - Works better then meteorologist for me =(.

VNC & Microsoft Remote Desktop - I use them both for the same thing and for different uses. When i'm away from home MSRD is GREAT for accessing my PC and when i'm in home I use VNC for accessing my PC again but this time i use it to play movies on my TV without having to get up. Basically making my iBook an oversized TV remote.


Shadow Killer - Kills the shadows around the windows

Serial Surfers - Hah, only kidding.

[Judge_Fire]

For �9.25, you can get a super pack of little utilities called Artis Screen Tools.

Guides that hover over all apps, pixel rulers to measure distances, a "Small Screen" version and a magnifying glass.

J

[Palafo]

1. Launchbar
2. Netnewswire (regular, tho lite is just dandy)
3. Watson
4. Acq-Lite
5. the i-life suite plus Safari
6. Konfabulator (just a toy, really, but cute)
7. Streamripper (but what an ugly alias icon!)
8. MacJournal
9. Cocktail
10. iblog

[poocat]

launchbar is slow?
wow. you must have a different program than i do, or be setting it up to scan your entire hd, or something...

really. top five? it's not a question. i just installed panther and the first thing i did was hit command space like five times before realizing that i had to go d/l launchbar again. it's absolutely the bomb.

that said, here's five:

1. launchbar (clearly)
2. adium (another desperately waiting for 2.0!)
3. candybar (my icons!)
4. worldclock deluxe (i live far away)
5. transmit (almost as simple as i want it)

but all of these except launchbar could go away and i'd still be happy, because there are other options. there's nothing like launchbar though.

pc.

[mcsjgs]

Pacifist
Tex Edit
WeatherMenu
Cocktail

[moofman]

OmniOutline
uControl
OpenMenu
LaunchBar
Adium

[chris v]

I just downloaded Transmit this morning. Best FTP app, yet. VERY nice interface, and fast!

Also, a handy utility if you're always emailing screenshots like I am, is DropJPEG. It does one simple thing, which is to turn anything you drop on it into a jpeg.

CV

[mindwaves]

RBrowser -- simply the best FTP client ever. Greatly simplies my life since it can show only certainn types of files and it looks like the FInder and easy chmod control.

[torifile]

Originally posted by poocat:
launchbar is slow?
wow. you must have a different program than i do, or be setting it up to scan your entire hd, or something...

Yeah, it was slow for me. My .plist file had inflated to about 200k. I've been using the program for a LONG time, so I imagine it just got bogged down. I just reinstalled it and didn't copy over my previous prefs and it's much better.