[b11051973]

I would say the apps I use the most are below. I probably use most of these everyday. I suppose I use other apps, but not nearly as much. I really use my Mac for entertainment purposes. I use Windows for work.

Safari
iTunes
Unison - usenet reader
VLC - watching videos
RAR Expander - putting together the binaries I download using Unison

[jbleisure]

In no particular order:

Overflow (Launches apps in an easy and cool way from teh dock)
Quicksilver(Launches apps and gives many options - slick and very customizable)
Seashore(small, basic & cute photo editing app)
MacJanitor(clean up)
DeLocalizer(deletes language options from your HD thereby creating space. Saved 1 GB last time)

[Cole Matt]

Thanks for the quicksilver app info. I am a noob (6 months in) and love it.

[SLiMeX]

Adium and Camino are all I need to survive.

[alfredo]

What about beer?

Beer good!

I hope that Desktop Manager does an Intel version so I can use it when I upgrade.

Once you start using a pager, it is hard to do without.

[kalani79]

2-week old PC-Mac converter here, so I'm still compiling my list of favorites.

A couple questions:

1. Are there any programs that allow you to switch between tabs in Safari using keyboard shortcuts? I had an extension in Firefox that allowed me to do this and it was very convenient.

2. If I want to rip DVDs to my harddrive to watch later (while travelling), is it best to use a program like HandBrake to change the file format to MPEG-4 or something? Or, what is the best thing to do to put DVDs onto your harddrive for later viewing? Currently I just use Mac The Ripper and launch the Video_TS folder.

TIA

[TheoCryst]

Safari already lets you switch betweeen tabs with your keyboard: Cmd+} (AKA Cmd+Shift+]) moves you forward, and the other bracket moves you back.

[Alcoholica]

Originally Posted by kalani79

If I want to rip DVDs to my harddrive to watch later (while travelling), is it best to use a program like HandBrake to change the file format to MPEG-4 or something? Or, what is the best thing to do to put DVDs onto your harddrive for later viewing? Currently I just use Mac The Ripper and launch the Video_TS folder.

HandBrake is ideal to save space and for convenience, if you don't mind sacrificing a little quality. An average movie tends to be about 1GiB in size for a 1000Kbps MP4/128Kbps AAC file.

[silkk]

On a daily basis I use:
Rapidweaver (web authoring)
CSSEdit (uhhh... css editing)
Taco HTML Edit (uhhhhh... HTML editing)
Safari (hunting... no, culling the over populated Crapious Exploratica Sixious of Genus Microsofticus)
Photoshop (making pretty things)

[jaydon34]

Flock a great web browser

[TheoCryst]

My must-haves:

Camino: excellent Mozilla-based browser
Adium: works great with AIM, MSN, Gtalk, Yahoo, and many many more
TextMate: good for coding and simple text editing
Seashore: simple image editor (still in alpha, so beware)
Transmission: small, fast BitTorrent client

[joelb]

Quicksilver - For basically all navigation and file manipulation
Visor - For a systemwide terminal like console
Omni Outliner (with KGTD) - To organise my life... GTD
iCal - For syncing with KinklessGTD and for more organising
Camino - pron

[imitchellg5]

Quicksilver
Senuti
Mactracker
Google Earth
Skype

[iREZ]

quicksilver
senuti
handbrake
fontexplorer x
vlc

[Case]

Heres my Top 10

1. Safari
2. MS Office 2004
3. Delicious Library
4. DashCode
5. Omni Outliner
6. Skype
7. Comic Life'
8. Acquisition
9. Senuti
10. HandBrake

[drewcifer]

most frequently used:
Adium
Transmission
Quicksilver
MenuTemperature
Sizzling Keys
Firefox

other stuff i dont use as much but still like:
AppZapper
BluePhoneElite
Coconut Battery
DeskShade
Delocalizer
Disk Inventory X
Flip4Mac
DropCopy
OnyX

[MoNdOnGo_CoN_CuAjItO]

MY TOP

Photoshop
Adium
Opera
Quicken 2006
Limewire
iTunes

[Arju]

I'm a new switcher... my list so far:

Adium
AcqLite
NetNewsWire Lite
Firefox
Sightspeed (good p2p video conferencing PC and Mac Compatible)

[Peter]

OmniWeb - Web Browser
Menuet - iTunes Controller
AppZapper - App Uninstaller
Transmit - FTP
Textmate - Text Editor
Adium - MSN Client

[alfredo]

Some good apps from the UNIX side, Inkscape (SVG editor) Scribus (DTP) and GIMPShop (GIMP with Photoshop style menus)

I use Inkscape quite a bit to make posters. I then put them in Photoshop for resizing and conversion into a gif. It makes very nice text, much better than Photoshop.

I can't live without Desktopmanager.

http://www.scribus.net/index.php?nam...artid=3&page=1

http://www.inkscape.org/download.php

http://plasticbugs.com/?page_id=294 GIMPshop

http://desktopmanager.berlios.de/ Desktopmanager

A very nice browser, it's fast and light weight
http://hmdt-web.net/shiira/en
One of the better kept secrets in the browser war.

[angelmb]

The need for using Pantone libraries in Apple's iWork apps bring me to hear about this wonderful gem, Spot Picker

Spot Picker 1.2b6 - MacUpdate

An extension/app every serious designer, art director… would have installed on his/her Mac.

Besides that, almost every shareware-freeware app I really like has been noted here, namely Camino, LittleSecrets, Little Snitch, Mactracker, OnyX, Overflow, Paparazzi!, Pixadex, PulpFiction Lite, SuperDuper!, SuperEmptyTrash…

[siMac]

Originally Posted by kalani79

A couple questions:

1. Are there any programs that allow you to switch between tabs in Safari using keyboard shortcuts?

As of Tiger (10.4) System Preferences will let you customize the keyboard shortcuts of most apps.

Personally I have back/forward as ⌘←/⌘→ and next tab/previous tab as ⌥→/⌥←.

[lavar78]

Originally Posted by siMac

As of Tiger (10.4) System Preferences will let you customize the keyboard shortcuts of most apps.

Personally I have ... [snip] ... next tab/previous tab as ⌥→/⌥←.

Aren't those the default shortcuts?

[siMac]

Originally Posted by lavar78

Aren't those the default shortcuts?

No the default shortcuts use '{' and something else, both of which are unusable to me since I am in the rare situation of using an English system with a French keyboard. I changed them to what seemed like logical shortcuts to me.

[lavar78]

Originally Posted by siMac

No the default shortcuts use '{' and something else, both of which are unusable to me since I am in the rare situation of using an English system with a French keyboard. I changed them to what seemed like logical shortcuts to me.

You misunderstood. Yes, the default shortcuts for previous page and next page are ⌘-[ and ⌘-]. However, I'm pretty sure the defaults for previous and next tab are ⌥-left and ⌥-right. I don't remember changing them to that.

[red rocket]

I just installed AutoPairs.

It's a preference pane/background app for autocompleting bracket/rabbit ear pairs, and so on. Massive timesaver! For instance, in the above link, I only had to type the first square bracket, AutoPairs instantaneously completing the closing bracket and moving the cursor one space back so I could type in "url". Incidentally, I now only had to type in one rabbit ears character instead of two.

(Note: The programmer says the pref pane isn't configurable on Intel Macs. I assume the background app stills works, though.)

[supernature]

1. iRecord - a very basic Tivo like recorder for use mostly with digital cable set top boxes.
2. VLC - the best media player to playback the streaming mpeg that iRecord captures and has a robust amount of effects for playback.
3. Mozilla - because it has a simple HTML editor

[ianbarker]

WriteRoom - Just a black window and text. Amazing to write with no distractions.
Mail Notification - Pops up with new mail when you are using another application.

[boomerdang]

is desktop manager intel compatible?

[red rocket]

Originally Posted by boomerdang

is desktop manager intel compatible?

No. Try VirtueDesktops instead.

Incidentally, I've noticed there's a new (?) sub-section at macupdate,

MacUpdate: Universal Binary (Macintosh Intel)

Don't know how long that's been there, I've never noticed it before.

[Classicn]

1. Google Earth
2. Skype
3. Backuptotheweb Backup To The Web - Online Backup Made Easy! (Online backup software)
4. Safari
5. Quicksilver

[Ryknow215]

1. Safari: surfing
2. Adium: chatting
3. Skype (2.0b with video!): video chats
4. iMote (w/ iTunes): music & TV
5. MenuCalendarClock: excellent calendar feature for the menu bar!

[yakkiebah]

1. Firefox
2. Little Snitch
3. VLC
4. Adium
5. Cyberduck
6. Teleport
7. Handbrake

[rubaiyat]

1. iTextExpress
2. AudioHiJack Pro
3. Azureus
4. MenuStrip
5. Linotype FontExplorer X
6. iView MediaPro 3
7. PhotoShop

[threestain]

Just bought Omniweb for only $10!!!!

Bargain!

[jcozzitorto]

In no particular order:

Firefox
Thunderbird
Acquisition
iTunes
VLC
Cocktail
MacStumbler
Terminal

I don't mind keeping VLC updated as it seems to get better over time without adding bloat. iTunes 7 looks much nicer than 6 and access to the iTunes store is good, but that being said, I miss 4.8.

The airport terminal command is fun to tinker with and seems to have success connecting to networks that the Airport menu list doesn't want to.

[ipodwheels]

Opera 9
Thunderbird
iTunes
Google Earth
and
MacJanitor

Haven't trusted freewares much except for updates, so this is a hard one....

[frankthetank966]

What are ya'll top 5 apps. to maintain the computer for free? I used onyx but I do not think it was any good.

[alfredo]

They have kept updating and refining it. Give it another chance.

I use MacJanitor or just type commands in the terminal.

Do one, when done do the next. This is only needed if your computer is off at night. OSX runs these scripts in the middle of the night.

sudo periodic daily

sudo periodic weekly

sudo periodic monthly

If you don't want to do that just get the free MacJanitor.

[frankthetank966]

Originally Posted by alfredo 

They have kept updating and refining it. Give it another chance.

I use MacJanitor or just type commands in the terminal.

Do one, when done do the next. This is only needed if your computer is off at night. OSX runs these scripts in the middle of the night.

sudo periodic daily

sudo periodic weekly

sudo periodic monthly

If you don't want to do that just get the free MacJanitor.

who are you talking to? me?

[alfredo]

I hit the wrong reply button.

Sorry

[frankthetank966]

Its cool

[MBPchef]

Top 5 :

VirtueDesktops ..... intel-native virtual desktop app
Handbrake ..... DVD ripping
info.xhead ..... password/personal info mgmt. database
Azureus ..... bit torrent client
smcFanControl ..... little app that controls the fan speed of my MBP

[chrisdisregard]

...

[frankthetank966]

Originally Posted by chrisdisregard 

9 months on I thought I'd do another list, just because.

Still in no particular order, still hard to narrow to only five or ten!

Apps I use so often I forget there was a time without them
1. Butler - Best app launcher I've found. Maybe not as fast as Quicksilver, but I'm a visual person so I don't mind a little icon clicking. I love having everything I need in a (or a couple) menu bar icon(s).
2. Adium X - Because everyone I know won't switch IM apps whenever I want to, haha. (although it should be noted that the file transfer abilities of this program are very aptly summed up in this emoticon )
3. Little Snitch - Great for the paranoid.
4. Side Note - After months of telling myself note taking apps just created more clutter, I downloaded this one and it's been a great way to keep organized!
5. High Priority - While on the topic of productivity apps, this is a great way to manage iCal todos (I don't even open iCal anymore)
6. Transmission - After being slowed down by the huge memory load of Azureus this was a nice change. Granted it's almost painfully simple and doesn't give you nearly the control, but if all you want is a drag and drop style BitTorrent client this is the way to go.
7. Spam Sieve - Getting thousands of spam messages a week makes this one more of a necessity.
8. Vienna - Simple, to the point and attractive. This is the first RSS reader I've used that I've enjoyed. (with the exception of RSS Menu but that's not really the same)
9. GIFfun - Simple and to the point. Exactly what I need for .gif animations.
10. jEdit - The easiest free editor for HTML/PHP/etc in my opinion. (I tried Smultron and while it had some really great features that I wish jEdit had, there were a few things like the really simplistic colour coding that turned me off)
11. Captain FTP - I've tried a few FTP clients, and this one still wins out. I've also got a copy of Cyberduck which is great for creating drop box-ish uploading, but overall I still prefer a two column layout.

Honourable Mentions
MailUnreadStatusBar - Since I have my dock on auto hide this is a great way to know if I have mail.
App Zapper - I tend to test out a lot of programs, this makes getting rid of the bad ones really easy.
Mac Pilot - Onyx and then some.
Taco HTML Edit - Great for HTML editing, and though it supports other languages (though oddly not CSS) I still find myself using jEdit a lot more.
The Unarchiver - The name just about says it all
Translation Service - Because my German just ain't that good

nice list, i do not really get little snitch. can you explain it more? i went to the link and it basically just says it will alert you if some program tried to access the interent

[lpkmckenna]

Originally Posted by chrisdisregard 

8. Vienna - Simple, to the point and attractive. This is the first RSS reader I've used that I've enjoyed.

I recently switched from NetNewsWire Lite to Vienna. I love it.

[arng1]

photoshop
appzaper
google earth
safari w/saft
limewire

[chrisdisregard]

...

[ChicagoNY27]

I cannot get Quicktime to work on my iBook G4. It used to work but now no longer works. All that I see is the faded "Q" Quicktime logo. I tried downloading it again but it still won't work. I have used Macs for awhile but don't know how to troubleshoot. It is driving me crazy!

I also have problems installing software I downloaded from Limewire or even a website that says it supports Macs.

Any advice?

[shifuimam]

Adium for chatting
Firefox for browsing
Seashore for photo editing
TextWrangler for text editing
Quinn, Klondike Forever, and Hotspot for games
Theme Switcher for themes
Weatherdock for the weather
Journler for journaling
YuBurner for disc burning
Micon and FinderIconCM for custom folder/app icons
Audion 3 for music playing
DeskDecal for wallpaper switching
SlimBatteryMonitor for power monitoring/management
Witch for application switching

All running on a 466Mhz iBook G3, so I look for stuff that doesn't run too slowly on such an old machine.