Top 10 User Recommended - OS X Tiger Must Have/Best Applications

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Harryc

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Title says it all, list your top 10 must have applications(or utilities) for OS X Tiger. You may list an application if it does not have a current release that is Tiger compatible, but please state so. Lets assume they can be found at http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx/
If they can't be found there, please list the source. It would also be helpful to state a few words on what the App. does.

For example;

Adium X - MSN, AIM, ICQ, IRC messenger client
Azureus - Java based ptp client
CCC - CarbonCopyCloner - disk cloner/backups - not released for Tiger yet.

This thread will go a long way towards helping newbies (like myself) understand what are the 'best of the best' applications for Tiger without wading through thousands of potential lemons :). Thanks for taking the time to do this.
 
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So far, the only apps that I have found to be the best of the best must have applications are:

Microsoft Office 2004 For MAC - Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
Stuffit Expander 9.0.2 - Expands downloaded files, such as SIT files

Thanks,
Ray
 
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K

Kokopelli

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I don't have a lot of time right now, I will come back and fill out the list with the whys and wherefores tonight.

EDIT: Linkage plus explanation as to why each made my top 10.

1) QuickSilver - I am in the process of writing a tutorial/walkthrough to explain why I think so highly of QS. I hope to have it done some time next week. In the meantime check out these articles.

2) ShapeShifter - because I like to have a more consistent look and while I think the default theme is OK, there are better.

3) WindowShade X - because I am used to being able to shade applications from Linux. The additional features (always on top, minimize in place, make transparent, etc...) are just a very handy bonus.

4) iStumbler - I do quite a bit of network trouble shooting and have set up multiple wireless networks professionally. This is a great tool for gauging signal strength and gives you a reasonable idea of how far a network can reach. Oh, and it is good for war driving as well. :)

5) Transmit X - great FTP app. Not much else to say here.

6) Witch - mainly I got this because it allows me to set a hotkey for zoom. The ability to tab through individual windows (rather than just applications) is great though.

7) SideTrack - Your trackpad on steroids (if it is supported). I tap on one corner for expose, another for the dejaMenu (see below), the third for middle click, and the final corner for right click. And I assigned dragging on the right edge as scroll. While it takes some getting used to (start your mouse movements closer to the center and turn up sensitivity) it makes the trackpad much more versatile for me. If you like the single button mouse thing though i suppose this would be less useful.

8) Adium X - A great IM, supports SameTime (which my office uses)

9) Handbrake - For ripping DVDs to take with you on the road.

10) DejaMenu - Indespensible on larger desktops. With a hotkey, bring up a dropdown menu that matches the title bar at the pointers location. On large dual monitor desktops this is far easier than moving all the way across one monitor, onto the monitor with the menu bar, and up to the menu I need. Wth the hotkey assigned to a corner of my trackpad it is even easier.

NOTE: List subject to change but that will do for a first pass.
 
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Kokopelli, what do you find so amazingly great about QuickSilver? If you could just give me a couple of examples of how you use it. I downloaded it and don't really seem to have the need for it. I'm not doubting it's useful for you :) Just saying I can't seem to find a use for it.
 
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Harryc

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Kokopelli, RGertner, thanks for the replies so far. Keepem coming guys and gals. I've learned something already. While researching witch I found out about the cmd-tab key combination to switch between open windows...very cool.
 
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Quicksilver- I dont even know the full extent of this app, I just know that I couldnt live without the ctrl + 'type app here' function.
Adium- I love the customizable interface.
VerizonSMS Widget- Just got it yesterday and I can't stop texting all my vzn friends from it.
iRooster- I haven't used a traditional alarm clock since I found this app (alarm clock app that uses iTunes)
 
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Kokopelli

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Joeth said:
Kokopelli, what do you find so amazingly great about QuickSilver? If you could just give me a couple of examples of how you use it. I downloaded it and don't really seem to have the need for it. I'm not doubting it's useful for you :) Just saying I can't seem to find a use for it.

Gladly, but as I mention in my revised post above, it will be next week. I don't think I could do the application justice with a quick post; some of the linkage above is to walkthroughs though. What caught my attention and made me decide to look deeper at QuickSilver is that when I first got my PB I did a google for "top 10" lists of OS X applications. QS was on over half of them. I do not think any other single app came close to as many mentions. That search is also where I found a good chunk of my own top 10 list above.

I am not kidding when I say I could write a small book on the subject if I had the time and inclination. The more you use it and the more you experiment the more you figure out how to do. I use QS all the time, I constantly try and figure out new features, and I have gone as far as writing a pair of (mostly useless to anyone but me) plugins for it. So I think it fair to say I take the app seriously.

A couple of quick examples though. NOTE: These examples use custom settings and/or additional plugins.

1) tap <ctrl> type the first three letters of any application and hit enter. Boom, there you go. It is not always 3. Sometimes 2 or 4, but it is a lot easier than navigating using finder.

2) <ctr>a (which is set as a trigger), then 'm' to launch the mac-forums, 's' to launch Slashdot, 'o' for OSNews, 'c' for CNN.

2.1) <ctrl>a then 'm,s,o,c' to launch them all at once

3) <CTRL><CMD><Space> and then the beginning of an artist to browse that artists albums in my iTunes library.

3.1) <ctrl><cmd>arrow keys for next track, previous track, pause/play, and stop

4) Tap <ctrl> and 'dom' then enter to display Domino's phone number from my address book without ever opening the address book.

4.1) Tap <ctrl> the beginning of my sisters name, tab, m, enter to launch mail and start a message to my sister. (looking up her address from the address book and automatically starting an email to her)

5) various other key combinations to launch different apps like camino (<ctrl><cmd>c), adium (<ctrl><cmd>a), voodoopad (<ctrl><cmd>v) and so forth. This is for the apps I use constantly so I do not even have to type the first three letters. (I also have triggers ot launch groups of apps)

6) <ctrl>s, g, enter, then type a google search
6.1) <ctrl>s, m, enter, then type a macupdate search
6.3) <ctrl>s, i, enter, then type an IMDB search
6.4) etc... (google images, rotten tomatoes, javadocs, XCode docs, Dictionary, Froogle, and so on)



Regret asking yet? ;)
 
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Kokopelli said:
Regret asking yet? ;)

Heh, not at all, I thank you for enlightening me :) I just got all of my keyoard triggers set up... awesome.
 
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Mellel is the best of the word processors. Yes, I use Word 2004 for some tasks, but Mellel has it beat in key areas:

1. Only word processor that properly handles RTL languages. What a joy to actually type Hebrew RTL without having to reverse spelling as in other programs!

2. Unique but powerful styles

3. Multiple flows, so that you can have 1, 2, 3 or more footnote systems running through the document.

4. Auto-numbering is very powerful.

5. Beginning with vers. 2.0, it will be XML based format (due to be released this summer).

6. Excellent integration with Bookends (you can buy them as twin pack).

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Still needs:

1. More powerful Find/Replace (if it had old Nisus Writer's GREP, that would be great).

2. Better integration with Word documents. If Word were consistent, then RTF would be sufficient. The problem is that many want to use Word as substitute page layout program, and add drawings, etc.

3. Better photo/graphics handling ability, although 1.9.1 has made significant progress.

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Best: $39 US for a three year license! Or $59 US for a five-pack!
 

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