Useful MAC Apps and Hardware [Ongoing Updates]

[Mike Lucey]

Hi Guys,

I thought I'd post some information / details on the various MAC Applications and Utilities that I find useful.

My latest find is XSlimmer http://www.xslimmer.com/FAQ.html. This program takes an application and 'slims' it down quite a bit. It nearly halved Google Earth!

The shareware version is limited to 50Mb of 'savings' but the full version has no limits, naturally. MOST IMPORTANT ***** There is a option to BACK UP the application before putting it on a diet! This is important if one does not have the original installer or its one of those programs that delivers the KEY via the Net, totally hidden to ones eye!

All in all I've made quite a bit of extra HD space available. BTW there is a Black List that shows the application that can't be slimmed down.

Mike

[juju]

Hmmm, seems like a nifty app. I'm not aware of anything like this on the PC platform.

[Mike Lucey]

Yes it is indeed Juju, but again there are lots of nifty software under the OSX platform.
Same for Windows but the new Macs can use those also. OK, I'll shut up before Jackson come after my hide

Mike

[Mike Lucey]

Here are a few more. These I use all the time.

Sticky Windows (A nice way of slapping windows to one side)
http://www.donelleschi.com/stickywindows/

KEEP AFLOAT (very handy for keeping a window floating on screen also allows tran)
http://millenomi.altervista.org/Afloat/
NOTE I first used Afloat on Tiger and it worked fine. When I moved to Leopard it did not work. I had to remove the installed SIML file and replace it with an updated version then reload Afloat 3. Worked fine after that. I notice that there is a Beta 4 on the guy's site now!

Doodim (It dims or turns black all but active program)
http://www.lachoseinteractive.net/en/products/doodim/

Viou ( Useful utility for sticking program 'icons' on folders
http://perso.orange.fr/prime/Pages/Viou/SoftViou1.html

[jeff hammond]

sticky windows looks great... that's right up my alley.. the download is crazy slow (75kb/sec) but i'll try it again later..
thanks.

[Mike Lucey]

Hi Jeff, I would be lost without Sticky Windows. I'm sure you will find it useful.

Mike

[Mike Lucey]

This is also quite a useful utility that I use quite a lot now. After taking a Screen Shot the .png is saved to the Desktop with a number. While there is a thumbnail of the image its not easy to figure out what is what on a high res screen. Sharpshooter comes to the rescue as it offers the option to rename the Screen Shot before saving to DT, very handy indeed.

Sharpshooter http://www.iwankerl.com/Software/Sharpshooter/

PS: The app is free and won't let the rude site name put you off

[solo]

LOL@ I wanker

[Mike Lucey]

Cunning Fox also from http://www.donelleschi.com is a very quick way of switching off the running apps when you want to get maximum processing power from your Mac. Its also a quick way of killing apps.

The icon is tiny and sits on the bottom left corner of the screen, a little yellow box with a 'C'. I having been using this some some time now with no problems.

Cunning FOX http://www.donelleschi.com/cunningfox/

Mike

[Mike Lucey]

LOL@ I wanker

Just noticed the guy's full name is Isaac Wankerl. I'd imagine the 'l' is very important
to this guy. (Also I think the 'W' is pronounced as a'V' as it looks like a German name). As is the 'e' in Lucey to me! I suppose we all have our burdens to carry

Here is Isaac's pic. He's from Texas .... I wonder it Todd has every bumped into him in his travels down there. The guy should place a PayPal Donate as the utility is VERY useful, I'm using it all the time.

[todd burch]

Don't know him.

In the handy Mac app category, I've purchased SnapzPro. Awesome. It will do a screen capture video, plus all manners of still screen capture, way above and beyond what comes with OS X.
http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/snapzprox/

I'm also running with a beta version of Skitch. I think it's in public beta right now. It's very handy for marking up / annotating a screen grab in fun, artsy ways. Skitch is from the same folks that produce Comic Life.
http://plasq.com/skitch

I'm considering springing for Fission and Audio Hijack Pro too from Rogue Amoeba.
http://rogueamoeba.com/

And, of course, Handbrake for ripping DVDs to my iPod.

Todd

[Mike Lucey]

Thanks for adding to the list Todd, much appreciated. Must check those apps out

I'm wondering if we should make this a 'Sticky' as I'm sure it would be of interest to many Mac users.

Also, It probably would not be a bad idea if a similar thread was started by one of the Win guys that is interested in checking out new Win programs. Any takers ?

Mike

[Mike Lucey]

Bean is a simple to use free word processor that I use ALL the time
as it meeting my needs and requirements.

http://www.bean-osx.com/Bean.html

Mike

[tim]

Looking in my applications folder I see
Image Tricks (http://www.belightsoft.com) - filters and transforms on images
ImageWell (http://xtralean.com) - image edit, crop, resize, annotate, web previewy stuff
Inkscape (http://www.inkscape.org) - drawing etc. Uses X11 and looks horribly like a windows app but is pretty good otherwise
LineForm ( http://freeverse.com/lineform/) - I paid actual money for this. Can even read pdfs and 'parse them' into graphic entities so you can edit them.
Picturesque (http://www.acqualia.com/picturesque/) - does pretty things to images

Aside from LineForm they're all no-cost.

[Glenn at home]

Thanks for the list all, as a new comer to OSX is there a freeware theme changer? Something like ShapeShifter?
TIA

[Mike Lucey]

Thanks for the list all, as a new comer to OSX is there a freeware theme changer? Something like ShapeShifter?
TIA

Here is one, Cricket1
http://mac.softpedia.com/get/Utilities/Cricket1.shtml

Also you might check out this list,
http://www.softlookup.com/category.asp?ID=513

Mike

[Glenn at home]

Thanks Mike, I'll check into those.

[Mike Lucey]

Hi Guys,

I've had Corel Painter Essential 2 for a while. It came as a freebie with something that I bought, can't remember what BTW I did not like the GUI.

I've just learned that Corel has now launched Painter Essentials 4 for both Win and Mac. I've downloaded the demo (60 days!) and had a very quick look araound and liked what I saw.
It is a major improvement over pervious versions. Its the 'lazy man's' ideal tool for trouble free quick painterly effects. Just upload the photo / picture and try the various options.

I think with a bit of time it might be possible to achieve the 'Dennis Effect'!

The demo can be had here, http://www.corel.com They require an account setup but I think its worth the effort. Or try here http://www.download.com/3001-2187_4-10747944.html

Here is a little YouTube presentation, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UeI07Y6FdA
Corel Painter Essentials 4

My efforts attached.

Mike

[Edson]

let me add my 2$.

Jing (http://www.jingproject.com/): very nice and useful free screen capture/annotation app. it allows you to record videos too.

Rita (http://www.frykholm.se/rita.html): "Rita is a paint program for MacOS X that attempts to be limitless, flexible and easy to use. Unlike traditional paint programs Rita does not restrict you to a particular image size or resolution. Instead, it uses an infinite canvas. You can make the image as big as you like and zoom in as much as you want without ever encountering any big blocky pixels."

Shindler (http://www.1802.it/shindler.php): drag any folder on this app and it will produce a text list all its contents.

Justlooking (http://chipmunkninja.com/article/justlooking2): no-frills image viewer

VLC (http://www.videolan.org/): media player that supports a large number of formats. whenever quicktime refuses to go vlc does the trick.

[Mike Lucey]

Hi Edson,

That JingProject is a useful tool to have in the arsenal. I have downloaded but was disappointed to see that the ScreenCast site is currently down. However I did sign up for a Flikr account. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

Mike

[Mike Lucey]

Hi Guys,

Here is a useful 2D Allpication, QCad. It has both Win and Mac versions and is very low cost. http://www.qcad.org/qcad.html

Mike

[Mike Lucey]

Hi Guys,

If you are half as unorganised as me you must be looking
for a good To-Do list maker, one that works!

I've tried a few and the 'list' system simply does not help
that much.

I've come across LifeShaker, a graphical slant on the To-Do
list maker. Check it out here,
http://www.funkycloud.com/lifeshaker/features.php

BTW, I was very impressed with the producer's web site and
tutorial videos, very entertaining in deed

Mike

[Edson]

have a look at MacBreakz (http://www.publicspace.net/MacBreakZ/), an application devised to help you prevent RSI. i have been using it for some days and it feels really good to take short breaks and stretch in the middle of a work session.

[Mike Lucey]

.... my cure for RSI is a cigarette break

[juju]

Messrs. Moderators, this topic should be a sticky I reckon!

[Burkhard]

Do anyone know a little prog which samples the program Icons on the desktop?
( Now I'm in the Mac family, too )

Burkhard

[Mike Lucey]

Welcome to the club Burkhard. I'm not clear on what
you are looking for! You might find something here,
http://mac.softpedia.com/get/Graphics/Pixer.shtml

Mike

[Burkhard]

Thanks Mike. I am meaning an easy way to start my apps from the Desktop without folder structures. I have similar something for windows, where I can organize my apps and start quickly what I need ( without having the desktop blowup with copied Icons).

Burkhard

[Edson]

burkhard,

no need to do such a thing on a mac. if you just drag an application's icon to the dock it will be there for you all the time.

if you are not yet using the dock (a very handy system feature), have a look at it as it is very useful.

[Mike Lucey]

I understand what you are after now Burkhard. Yes, as Edson
says the Mac Dock is the most obvious way to do this but there
are quite a number of programs that also for customised (pullout)
docks, Dock Fun is one and it can be located here,
http://www.donelleschi.com/dockfun/

BTW, this company also produces Sticky Windows, I would be lost
without it

Mike