Since Steve just got himself a shiny new Powerbook, and asked for a list of apps he should throw on it, I decided to blog the list. Here is my “must-have” list of apps for OS X (unless otherwise noted, everything is either freeware or open source):
- Adium – multi-service IM client. Themes, plugins, icon sets – everything you could ever want to customize your IM experience (and it’s faster than AIM).
- Azureus – Best torrent client for OS X, even if it is Java.
- BBEdit – If you can’t afford BBEdit, you can download TextWrangler for free. not free
- BookIt – Keep your bookmarks synced up across all the browsers you’ve got installed on your machine. not free
- Chicken of the VNC – Nothing else needs to be said. It is the chicken of the VNC world – light on the calories, long on possibilities.
- Conversation – My favorite IRC client for OS X.
- Instiki – Best wiki out there, period, especially on OS X.
- MarsEdit – For to be editing your blog. not free
- NetNewsWire – Best newsreader on any platform. Pay for it, because it’s friggin’ worth it (and so you can use the beta). not free (although there is NNW Lite)
- NVu – I use it as a word processor when I don’t feel like writing documentation in HTML or on my wiki (you know, when you have to use an existing template). HTML editing goodness that just keeps getting better.
- OmniOutliner – Why don’t other platforms have decent outlining software? Before Instiki, I couldn’t live without OmniOutliner. Even now, it’s great for brainstorming, taking notes during meetings, and making lists. not free
- OnyX – A must-have for Powerbooks; OnyX runs all those BSD maintenance scripts that are supposed to run at 3 A.M., but never do because your laptop is sleeping.
- SubEthaEdit – The first and best collaborative text editors. Great for taking notes at conferences, in meetings (with other people smart enough to have Powerbooks and bring them to meetings), etc. semi-not free
- Tigerlaunch – Nice little menu item that has all your applications in it. Great when you don’t have something in your dock, but need to start it up.
- Transmit – A great FTP Client with right-click editing of text files in your favorite text editor. Very cool. not free (check out Fugu or Cyberduck if you’re a cheap bastard).
- VLC – For watching all the TV shows you download with Azureus. It plays everything, and plays it well.\
There you have it (and I can’t believe I kept it alphabetical). I didn’t include stuff that should have come with the machine, like iPhoto (even though it’s amazing) or Safari. Am I missing anything?
And if you happen to consider yourself a writer (regardless of whether or not anyone else does), you’d be doing yourself a great disservice not to check out CopyWrite.
Easily the nicest word-processor-for-writers app I’ve ever used. Well worth the $29.99 purchase price. You can dowload a limited-functionality trial version and test drive it for yourself.
I like “Quicksilver”:http://quicksilver.blacktree.com/ quite a bit.
Also, check out “Jonas Luster’s list of indispensible OS X apps”:http://www.jluster.org/indispensable.
“Here’s mine”:http://www.beatnikpad.com/archives/2004/04/25/mac_os_x_software_inventory – you might always want to investivate Merlin Mann’s “impressive collection of links”:http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/osx_inventories.html.
Hope these links work. (what, no preview?)