Need advice on Software?

Hi everyone, i am looking for your help in finding the mac alternative to the following in preparation of receiving my 20" iMac next week! :

WINRAR
uTorrent
Windows Live Messenger (Looking for one of those cool transparent one's)
PeerGuardian
K-Lite Codec pack (to play any type of video file - a s**t load of codecs)


Is photoshop etc avaliable for mac as i wanna learn vector!?

Also need some sort of Image burning brogram/dvd backup software

WinRAR = StuffIt Expander
uTorrent = Transmission/Azureus
Messenger = Adium
PeerGuardian = never needed such a tool, so I don't know of any equivalents. I'll let somebody else answer this one
K-Lite = Perian

Photoshop IS available for Macs. CS3 was just recently released.

For your burning needs, you should check out Toast. There are also some free burning tools out there, which a simple Google search should show. Finally, check out MactheRipper or Handbrake for your DVD ripping needs.

http://www.unrarx.com/

http://transmission.m0k.org/

? / ? / ?

Photoshop for OSX is available, you can also run Windows version under Parallels / bootcamp.

Backup DVD - Copy - Mac the ripper. Convert - Handbrake.

Burn - Toast titanium.

If you're looking to learn vector art, you may want to look into Illustrator. I tend to use Illustrator as much, if not far more than Photoshop in terms of time spent.

Adobe does offer several packages though that bundle everything up according to your needs.

If you're looking to just learn though, you may consider looking about at free alternatives to get your feet wet and make sure you like what you're doing before paying hundreds of dollars on something you might not stick with.



--R.