So, I a friend (and co-host of the Forever Geek Podcast) who just purchased a Macbook Pro. He’s made the switch. The first thing he said was “I don’t know what I need to install on it.”
So…what applications should a switcher download and install when they get their new Macs?
I have a few ideas, but I wanted to see what you guys think, then I’m going to compile a list of the most popular choices…
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15 thoughts on “Reader Feedback Request: Top Apps for Switchers”
I have used and owned a “PC” since the very first day they came out – not once did I feel the inclination to purchase any shareware. However since switching to the Mac at the start of 2005 I have bought around a dozen or more apps. The overall quality of application on the Mac is just vastly higher than it is on the PC.
By the way; the first two lessons any switcher needs to learn, how to install and how to un-install! 🙂
Of course which apps to download/buy is entirely down to your interests and work profile.
However I would choose:
AppZapper (please Apple buy this and make it part of Leopard!)
Transmit (FTP client)
Chronosync
ComicLife (may well come with a new MBP)
GarageSale (eBay client)
Chicken of the VNC
HoudahGeo (photo geo tagger)
Newsfire (RSS reader)
Otis (addictive game)
Parallels (oh the irony!)
MacSaber (just for fun)
Text Wrangler
Yojimbo
Plus a few non-Mac specific apps like Google Earth. Oh and “Cuppa” (a tea brewing timer) I am from England after all!
quicksilver is a must i’d say, also little snitch. neooffice if he does not want to cough up for pages and keynote. appzapper! dragthing is neat, macdust and macaroni for system maintenance, MenuCalendarClock iCal if he plans to use ical extensively. mplayer or better VLC or maybe both. i recommend spamsweep if he gets a lot of spam. stuffit expander can be useful. transmission as a bittorrent client, transmit for ftp. whatsize to keep track of disk space huggers. uno if he wants a seamless UI.
can’t think of any more right now 😀 of course, not even half of the above is freeware.
Hey all, I am the person to which Michael speaks.
What am I looking to do with this machine:
Blog
Podcast
Write Stories
Basic Image Editing (crop, resize)
Basic Videos (right from the integrated webcam and some desktop screencasts)
Listen to Music
Play with Frontrow
Watch divx/xvid movies?
FTP/SSH into sites to change things
Deal with basic accounting (spread sheets from Open Office should be fine though)
Basically this has to replace my ThinkPad laptop.
Handbreak, VLC, VisualHub, Onyx
Flip4Mac, NeoOffice, the Stop Dashboard Widget, MPlayer, iFreeMem
What are they planning on doing with this MBP? Do they work with graphics, documents, video, audio…more information, please!
AdiumX (you have friends, right?)
NeoOffice
Firefox with google synchroniser
Freemind (mindmapping)
VLC (to watch DVDs at high volume)
Flip4Mac
Perian Quicktime plugin
The Unarchiver (supports most compressed files and is beautiful)
Zee (beats preview for looking at pics)
What else do you need anyway? 😉
trash the MS office trial and download openoffice.org.
flip4mac, flash, open office or neo office, firefox
TOAST 8 a must!!!!
Oh boy, lets see.
Acquisition
AppZapper
CandyBar
Firefox
Flip4Mac
HandBrake
Toast 8 Titanium
Transmit
Xtorrent
iClip
Mac Pilot
MainMenu
The Unarchiver
StuffIt Expander
Tinker Tool
VLC
Shapeshifter
FruitMenu
Growl
Thats enough for now. 🙂
Yojimbo for notes and projects
Image Well for optimising photos for web and basic image editing
Photoshop Elements for a bit more image editing
Google Docs & Spreadsheets, Homepage and Reader
Growl to tell you what is happening
Transmit for FTP
Quicksilver for productivity
CleanApp to remove unwanted applications
ArtText for basic and quick logos & icons
…… and of course iLife.
Adium – great IM which works with many networks
TextMate – my editor of choice, much better than anything I have seen on PC.
David:
Blog – iweb – comes on a new mac
Podcast – garageband/itunes/imovie/iweb – all come on a new mac
Write Stories – openoffice
Basic Image Editing (crop, resize) – iPhoto – comes with a new mac
Basic Videos – imovie, quicktime (upgrade to quicktime pro for $30)
Listen to Music – itunes
Play with Frontrow
Watch divx/xvid movies? – you’ll need to download 3ivx D4
FTP/SSH into sites to change things – got me there
For FTP, I recommend the freeware app Cyberduck.
VLC player for Divx videos, Quicksilver is nice also.