Just got my mac. What should i download/do first?

Hello peeps. i just got a 13 inch macbook pro. Is there anything i should download and install or anything first? Any useful apps or anything? Thanks

I'd recommend appcleaner, for any unneeded apps

i'd check out FreeMacApps.com - FreeMacApps.com and Apple - Downloads - All Categories for applications to suit your needs that you might of had on your PC.

customizing your mac to your needs is essential

You won't need an A/V or Spybot type software.

First couple of things you'll want to grab are Flip4Mac and Perian for video codecs you'll need, and I guess you might as well grab Flash player also.

From there on, it's pretty much what you need for what you want to do.

If your going to use Safari, I would get clicktoflash, it blocks flash and on Youtube you can watch many videos in QuickTime.
ClickToFlash

Also on youtube you can view the videos in HTLM5
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

AppCleaner as advised above, only for any Apps that you install that you decide you don't want, and that don't come with their own uninstallers!

OnyX to perform basic clean up/maintenance every 2-3months. Use the automation tab, and the default selections in the action.
Other than that, better if you just enjoy your Mac on not get into the Windows paranoia, and also get to know your Mac well before you start messing with something that is good by default.

I would advise going to Apple - Find Out How - Mac Basics and going through all the tutorials at your own pace, and getting a little familiar with the way a Mac works.

DON'T install any Anti Virus Software, unless you are installing a Windows OS, and then only install it on your Windows Partition or VM.

If you need anything in particular, please post a thread here in what you are needing, so that recommendations can be given to you, rather than having everyone come into this thread with their preferences telling you what you need!

Welcome to Macs, and Mac Forums, and please, if ever in doubt, ask first, and don't let anyone (friends or computer techs) install anything on your Mac!

Haha sweet links guys.

Im not as silly as some of the other people around here who install antivirus

jram said:

If your going to use Safari, I would get clicktoflash, it blocks flash and on Youtube you can watch many videos in QuickTime.
ClickToFlash

Click to expand...

+1 for clicktoflash!!!

Also VLC media player - Open Source Multimedia Framework and Player

I would take a look at these things. And be sure to read the documentation of all of them.

1. Appzapper
AppZapper - The uninstaller Apple forgot.
The best (in my opinion) application uninsaller
But if you want free. Then the above appcleaner is almost as good.

2. Onyx
Titanium Software
A very nice OS X mantainance application

3. Mactracker
http://mactracker.dreamhosters.com/
A database with specs of every Mac ever made. You'll be surprised at how often this kind of information is useful.

4. The Missing Manual for 10.6 Snow Leopard
Mac OS X Snow Leopard: The Missing Manual - O'Reilly Media
Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Snow Leopard Edition - O'Reilly Media
There is 2 books there. Shop around for a good price and browse them in a bookstore to see which one is better for you. Sure these are totally optional. But if you need an OS X book, this series of books is one of the best.

5. A few links from the Apple website you should read.

Apple - Mac OS X - What is Mac OS X - Time Machine
This is Time Machine. A really good way to back up the data on your Mac.

Apple - Mac OS X - Windows Compatibility - How Mac works with PCs
Apple - Support - Boot Camp
This is Bootcamp. And this is the way you get windows natively on your Mac if you want it there.

6. Perian
Perian - The swiss-army knife of QuickTime components
This allows you to watch many different movie/music codecs in quicktime. Very nice to have.

I'm sure others will chime in with more.

LOL .... Just as I suspected, this thread is turning into a "what is available and you should have for your new Mac" thread

Also appears that posters don't take enough time to read previous posts to a thread they are responding to.

To the OP, there are many good suggestions so far, and anything you are unsure, or want to know, feel free to ask

Oh yeah.... The first thing to download for your new Mac is...




































Wait for it............



















































Apple software updates for your Mac. Period!

You never fail to put a smile on my face Juke

Go to System Preferences (from the Apple Menu at the top right) and start customizing your mouse, trackpad, dock and security settings. Turn on Firewall from the Security pane. Download Flip4Mac in order to play any Windows Media files you might come across, or Perian or VLC player. Get an external hard drive and set up Time Machine. Download AppCleaner to remove any apps. Check out the tutorials at Apple - Find Out How - Mac Basics