new macbook air - what to load

Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi,

I have bought my second MBA and it is in its box on the couch. My previous one, i am ttyping on now, i made some poor choices. I want to make the right choices now.
I have been looking on this site for advice and it seems that i should install Malwarebytes, Adblock Plus and Ghostery for malware protection and faster internet. It also seems that 1Password is one of the preferred password managers.
I will also install MS Office for convenience.

Just noticed that none of Malwarebytes, Adblock plus or ghostery are in the App Store - is this significant?

I will appreciate any comments,

Graham
 
Last edited:

Rod


Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
9,631
Reaction score
1,834
Points
113
Location
Melbourne, Australia and Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Your Mac's Specs
2021 M1 MacBook Pro 14" macOS 14.4.1, Mid 2010MacBook 13" iPhone 13 Pro max, iPad 6, Apple Watch SE.
Its significant I beleive, in that Apple does not believe that these apps are necessary IF you run your device in an ideal world where you manage your device in the way it is intended to be used. If for example you never change the default system preferences you would not be able to open any app not from the App Store or developers Apple recognises.
Unfortunately this is not reality.
All of the third party apps you have mentiined were originally free, designed to fill a need as perceived by the developers. There is still a strong griuop of people out there who beleive these app should be free, shareware or at the most donationware.
They are not the only examples of apps from these magnanimous developers.
OnyX, DiskMaker X and Handbrake just to mention a few.
 
OP
G
Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Thanks for the response Rod. It seems that you are telling me that the mentioned Apps should not be necessary? Maybe, but will they help me to enjoy a faster, cleaner internet? Also, i have definitely got to use a password manager - too many to track these days. Do you say that the Keychain is good enough?
 
Joined
Aug 2, 2011
Messages
2,014
Reaction score
184
Points
63
Location
Tyneside, UK
Your Mac's Specs
MBP Retina mid 2015 15.4" 16GB 2.5 GHz OS Monterey; iPhone 12 128gb; iPad Mini 5, 64gb
Make sure you download from the developer websites.
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
366
Reaction score
9
Points
18
Location
Duns. Scottish Borders.
Your Mac's Specs
27" i7 iMac. Intel Quad Core. 16 GB Ram.
Keychain has always served me well. There are quite a few members on here that use One Password I have noticed. But I have never had a need for it.

Keychain works well enough for me.
 
Joined
May 21, 2012
Messages
10,703
Reaction score
1,158
Points
113
Location
Rhode Island
Your Mac's Specs
M1 Mac Studio, 11" iPad Pro 3rdGen, iPhone 13 ProMax, Watch S7, 2018 15" MBP, AirPods Pro
We recommend the developers website for app downloads.

https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html
https://www.malwarebytes.com/mac/
https://www.ghostery.com/
https://adblockplus.org/

I usually do an internet search, to see if there are sites that are from the developer, before using the App Store. I downloaded on app, in the App Store but it wasn’t the one I was looking for, and didn’t work the way I needed. Luckily I found it on the developers site, and they were both had the same name after install.
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Keychain works well enough for me.

I agree. Even though I have a licensed copy of 1Password, as of late I'm using Keychain. Also, if you do use Keychain and also iCloud, you can sync your passwords across macOS to iOS for Safari and some other apps.

Aside from that, 1Password is in my opinion, overpriced.
 
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
15,455
Reaction score
3,811
Points
113
Location
Winchester, VA
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 16" 2023 (M3 Pro), iPhone 15 Pro, plus ATVs, AWatch, MacMinis (multiple)
Keychain/1Password. I use both. The issue I have with keychain is that on my iOS devices I cannot figure out how to see the passwords. It's fine if keychain works on the URL, but if a login location legitimately changes (happens more than you might think), then keychain doesn't work, but in 1Password I can see and copy/paste the password to the new login process.
 

Rod


Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
9,631
Reaction score
1,834
Points
113
Location
Melbourne, Australia and Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Your Mac's Specs
2021 M1 MacBook Pro 14" macOS 14.4.1, Mid 2010MacBook 13" iPhone 13 Pro max, iPad 6, Apple Watch SE.
Thanks for the response Rod. It seems that you are telling me that the mentioned Apps should not be necessary? Maybe, but will they help me to enjoy a faster, cleaner internet? Also, i have definitely got to use a password manager - too many to track these days. Do you say that the Keychain is good enough?
No I personally do not share Apples view that native apps are adequate for all situations.
I regularly use Daisy Wheel because I do not fully trust the Get Info storage results, I use OnyX, Malwarebytes,, Enpass password manager, a VPN, Ghostery and ABP. Because although some of their functions are achievable via native apps and functions they are less convenient to use.
For example Enpass does not save your passwords to a remote server (does not require an internet connection) although an encrypted backup is stored on iCloud to sync the app to mobile devices if you choose to do so.
 
Joined
May 21, 2012
Messages
10,703
Reaction score
1,158
Points
113
Location
Rhode Island
Your Mac's Specs
M1 Mac Studio, 11" iPad Pro 3rdGen, iPhone 13 ProMax, Watch S7, 2018 15" MBP, AirPods Pro
Keychain/1Password. I use both. The issue I have with keychain is that on my iOS devices I cannot figure out how to see the passwords. It's fine if keychain works on the URL, but if a login location legitimately changes (happens more than you might think), then keychain doesn't work, but in 1Password I can see and copy/paste the password to the new login process.
@Jake
To see the passwords, in iOS 11, go into Settings > Accounts & Passwords > App & Website Passwords. Here, I have to use fingerprint to get to the App & Website Passwords page. Then select the item you need the password for, it should slide to the next page, and your password should be there, tap & hold, and the option to copy will come up.
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Just tried as Bob describes and it does work. Never knew you could do that. Thanks Bob! A gold star for you.
 

Slydude

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Nov 15, 2009
Messages
17,596
Reaction score
1,072
Points
113
Location
North Louisiana, USA
Your Mac's Specs
M1 MacMini 16 GB - Ventura, iPhone 14 Pro Max, 2015 iMac 16 GB Monterey
^^^ What he said.
 
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
15,455
Reaction score
3,811
Points
113
Location
Winchester, VA
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 16" 2023 (M3 Pro), iPhone 15 Pro, plus ATVs, AWatch, MacMinis (multiple)
Thanks, Bob, never knew that. Won't use it because it's waaaay to many taps and scrolls. 1Password, tap the app, fingerprint to enter, type one or two letters of account and done. But it's nice to know I *could* do it if I wanted.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top