Mac Alternatives to often used PC Programs

Luvntravln · Oct 1, 2012

First, I know the answer; I do not trust the answer!

I can download Mac programs on my PC, store them on my PC until I receive my Mac, then transfer them to my Mac, can't I? Downloading a Mac program in a Windows environment doesn't mess up the Mac program, does it?

ieSpell - a fantastic spell check for Internet Explorer; my perception, perhaps incorrect, is that it is working on all of my text files too. If using Office for Mac I assume there is still the distinction between .docx and .txt or their Mac equivalents.

Is there a built-in reliable spell check for the Mac?

GOM Player is one of my favorite media players. When all other seem to fail GOM has the necessary codec to play a video. Is Quick Time the Mac gold standard? I have QT7 Pro; I have learned that QT10 is part of 10.8. If you want the "Pro" features, do you by the Mac version of QT7 and upgrade?

Pazera video converter suite: works like a charm to convert Flash You Tube videos from anything to anything; no Mac version. if you are running a PC check out the Pazera Free Converter Suite. What do you think about Flv Crunch?

adblockplus: This is the best of the ad blockers; no safari base! What is the Safari alternative?

Please recommend both free and "not so free" programs.

cradom · Oct 1, 2012

Luvntravln said:
ieSpell - a fantastic spell check for Internet Explorer; my perception, perhaps incorrect, is that it is working on all of my text files too. If using Office for Mac I assume there is still the distinction between .docx and .txt or their Mac equivalents.

Is there a built-in reliable spell check for the Mac?

Yes, there is one built in to the system.

GOM Player is one of my favorite media players. When all other seem to fail GOM has the necessary codec to play a video. Is Quick Time the Mac gold standard? I have QT7 Pro; I have learned that QT10 is part of 10.8. If you want the "Pro" features, do you by the Mac version of QT7 and upgrade?

VLC Download VLC Media Player for Mac - Popular multimedia player. MacUpdate.com

Pazera video converter suite: works like a charm to convert Flash You Tube videos from anything to anything; no Mac version. if you are running a PC check out the Pazera Free Converter Suite. What do you think about Flv Crunch?

There are several. Go to MacUpdate: Download Apple Mac Software & iPhone Software and type in video converter.

adblockplus: This is the best of the ad blockers; no safari base! What is the Safari alternative?

Adblockplus works in Firefox. I believe there is a SafariAdblock also. Search for 'safariad' MacUpdate Software Updates and Downloads for Apple Mac OS X and iPhone

chas_m · Oct 1, 2012

Cradom already answered you, but I wanted to add a few comments and personal experience.

Luvntravln said:
Downloading a Mac program in a Windows environment doesn't mess up the Mac program, does it?

Depends. If you download a DMG or ZIP file and *don't open it* then you should be able to transfer it to the Mac just fine. I have to wonder why anyone would do this, but I'm sure such a situation would exist and I just can't think of one.

there a built-in reliable spell check for the Mac?

Yes, it's called "the Mac."

Is Quick Time the Mac gold standard? I have QT7 Pro; I have learned that QT10 is part of 10.8. If you want the "Pro" features, do you by the Mac version of QT7 and upgrade?

First, you are forgiven any confusion here. Apple has made this as clear as mud.

Basically, QT7 was the last of its kind and QTX is a reinvention. QTX does what QT7 (regular) did but adds some other abilities. It overlaps QT7 Pro a bit as well but QT7 Pro continues to offer some features that QTX (there is no pro version of QTX) lacks.

The two exist in harmony together, QT7 Pro and QTX. So you can use either as you see fit, but you can't change the system's default QuickTime Player to anything but QTX.

The bottom line here is that Apple has incorporated all of QT7 Pro's features into its pro video software line, so there's actually not much reason for QT7 Pro to exist except that people paid for it and may still want to use it, so okay you can. For all normal uses, QTX is used by default.

QTX, when augmented by third-party add-ons Flip4Mac WMV Player and Perian, can play nearly every video format around. Still, VLC is useful to have because it a) handles some file formats better (in terms of scrubbing mostly) than QTX augmented does, and b) has some features/power that some people want to have. I consider it a valuable tool.

Pazera video converter suite: works like a charm to convert Flash You Tube videos from anything to anything; no Mac version.

I haven't run into anything that MPEG-Streamclip (free) or iFFMPEG ($10) or Miro Video Converter (free) or Adapter (free) can't convert, but I haven't quite tried everything yet. Bottom line: lots of options there. Indeed, QTX can convert quite a number of standard formats all by itself, including FLV.

adblockplus: This is the best of the ad blockers; no safari base! What is the Safari alternative?

Adblock.

cradom · Oct 1, 2012

chas_m said:
The two exist in harmony together, QT7 Pro and QTX. So you can use either as you see fit, but you can't change the system's default QuickTime Player to anything but QTX.

I gently beg to disagree. From somewhere I forgot where I got it:

"You can get QT 7.6.3 to be the default app. Find it (the one in the Applications/Utilities folder, NOT the newer version that's in the Applications folder), right click on it, and choose "Show Package Contents." Find the "Resources" folder and open that. Scroll down until you find the "QuickTime Player Launcher" program. Delete it. (You'll have to enter your password to do so.) From that point forward, you will be able to make 7.6.3 the default app. (Note: I made a backup copy of the QuickTime Player Launcher, just in case. But I've had no problems with this method."

Luvntravln · Oct 1, 2012

chas_m said:
Cradom already answered you, but I wanted to add a few comments and personal experience.

Depends. If you download a DMG or ZIP file and *don't open it* then you should be able to transfer it to the Mac just fine. I have to wonder why anyone would do this, but I'm sure such a situation would exist and I just can't think of one.

I can only think of one situation; saving time. Some of the files are large, e.g., Photoshop. I am in a unique situation. I pick up my Mac on a Monday; Saturday I fly to Hawaii taking only my Mac. I need to install all software that I normally use, all of my data (docs and images), and attend a couple of 1 to 1 sessions at the Apple Store. I am not taking my PC to Hawaii; going to Mac Cold Turkey.

Basically, QT7 was the last of its kind and QTX is a reinvention. QTX does what QT7 (regular) did but adds some other abilities. It overlaps QT7 Pro a bit as well but QT7 Pro continues to offer some features that QTX (there is no pro version of QTX) lacks.

For the moment this is not a dead issue by choice. I have been informed by Apple that - unlike every other company I deal with - they will not provide a Mac version if you own the PC version. Buy it again! Welcome To Apple World!

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I will do the downloads and slap my hand ;P if I want to peek under the zip cover.

chas_m · Oct 1, 2012

I'm surprised to hear that the PC version's serial number wouldn't work with the Mac version.

OTOH I can name LOTS of companies that won't give you the Mac version if you own the PC version. Indeed, it's a much shorter list of companies that do than those that don't (and vice versa as well).

Mac Alternatives to often used PC Programs

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