Mac OS

Introduction

The following information is related to the Mac operating system. Hopefully the tips, tricks, and software listed below will improve your Mac experience.

Getting Started

Keyboard Commands

The following commands can be used anywhere, anytime:

  • Command+Space - Opens Spotlight.
  • Command+Shift+3 - Snapshots the entire screen, automatically saving the image to desktop.
  • Command+Shift+4 - Snapshots a screen region of your choice (press spacebar to highlight a select window). Automatically saves the image to desktop. Additional tips here.

Tips and Tricks

News/Info/Tutorials

  • ScreenCasts Online - A place to get screencast tutorials for learning more about how to use your Mac.
  • Tech University - Another place to learn more about your Mac and related software.

Security

  • Dashboard Widget Security - Dashboard widgets have the potential to be Trojan horses if you are not careful. This article discusses the security ramifications of using dashboard widgets.

QuickLook Plugins

The following plugins enhance the default behavior of QuickLook:

  • Folder List - Adds a detailed file listing to folders when being viewed.
  • Better Zip - Allows one to view the contents of a zip file.
  • Suspicious Package - Inspect an Apple package installer file before installing it.

Dashboard Widgets

  • Lorem Ipsum - Easily copy auto-generated text to your clipboard for use in testing your web design.
  • Where to Focus - An OmniFocus desktop widget that allows one to graphically zero in on which projects need the most attention via a line graph.

Applications

The following is a list of useful applications for the MacOS:

  • OmniFocus - Stay organized using the Getting Things Done method.
  • Vienna - A free, fast, and lightweight feed reader.
  • Gruml - A desktop version of Google Reader for the MacOS.
  • Times - A feed reader that is easy on the eyes.
  • Tweetie - Free. A popular Twitter client with a simple and elegant UI.
  • Echofon - Free. Another Twitter client but with sync support between your desktop and mobile client(s).
  • Quicksilver - As noted on the Quicksilver home page: “A unified, extensible interface for working with applications, contacts, music, and other data.” Check out LifeHacker’s Quicksilver Tips for further information.
  • Growl - A notification system for applications that support Growl. Check out this tip for closing multiple notifications at once.
  • Evernote - Capture information be it pictures, web, audio, etc. on multiple platforms, including mobile, with the ability to search, organize and retrieve this information at a later date.
  • Together - Another app for capturing thoughts and ideas.
  • MacJournal - Another app for capturing thoughts and ideas.
  • Curio - A free form design and idea capturing tool. Sort of like a mix between an outliner, mind mapper, and image capture.
  • VMWare Fusion - Run Windows within the MacOS.
  • Parallels Desktop - An alternative to VMWare Fusion (mentioned above). Check out a related LifeHacker article.
  • VirtualBox - Free visualization software for running other operating systems on the MacOS.
  • Camtasia - A powerful screen capture/casting application.
  • SnapzProX - A screen capture/screen cast application.
  • iShowU - A screen capture application.
  • Skitch - A screen capture application.
  • LittleSnapper - A screen and web capture program.
  • RadioShift - Allows one to aggregate and record radio stations so that you can listen to them when you want.
  • Audio Hijack Pro - Enables you to listen to audio when and how you want.
  • Fission - An audio editor that supports multiple formats: MP3, AAC, Apple Lossless and AIFF.
  • Wiretap Studio - Record audio from any application including inputs from USB, fireware, etc.
  • Airfoil - Enables you to send audio from any application (including the web) and send it to other network connected computers and devices.
  • Nicecast - Broadcast music or whatever across your home network or to the world wide web.
  • LineIn - “LineIn is a simple application for OS X to enable the soft playthru of audio from input devices.”
  • WinSwitch - Fast user switching.
  • Delicious Library - An inventory program for your movie, music, gadget, game collection and more. Connects to Amazon to look up information on what you have purchased. Uses the built-in iSight webcam on your laptop to scan bar codes to quickly enter information.
  • iLAS - A CD to MP3 ripper that focuses on getting the best quality sound captured in an MP3.
  • Burn - A free CD/DVD burning application.
  • Toast - A CD/DVD burning application that will cost money but might provide better functionality than Burn (mentioned above).
  • RipIt - A DVD ripper that pulls all content off your disc (i.e. everything like multiple audio tracks and languages, menus, special features, you name it).
  • HandBrake - A DVD ripper.
  • Mac the Ripper - A DVD ripper.
  • Fairmount - A DVD decrypter (disc-to-image) that can be played back via VLC.
  • Max - Extracts and creates high-quality audio files from CDs and other sources. Learn more here.
  • iStumbler - A wireless discovery and visualization tool.
  • Seashore - A free but basic image editor.
  • Acorn - An easy to use image editor.
  • Pixelmator - $59. An decent image editor for those who don’t want to spend money on Photoshop.
  • Layers - “Capture your displays as a Photoshop layered image. Don’t waste time capturing each window separately, importing them in your favorite PSD editor, naming the layers, positioning the images, etc.”
  • Photomatix - An image editor dedicated to exposure blending and tonal mapping. Cost: $99.
  • Hugin - A free panoramic photo stitcher application.
  • ImageSynth - A free program for stitching together images into seamless backgrounds images for use on a web page or any application that needs a repeating pattern.
  • iStat Menus - Adds customizable system diagnostics to your menu bar that is easier to use than the default system monitor application.
  • smcFanControl - Allows you to control your MacBook/MacBookPro temputures by adjusting the fans.
  • Secrets - Enables one to tweek hidden OS features.
  • xMod - Another app that can help surface the hidden features of the MacOS.
  • StartupSound - Adds a system preferences pane that allows you to mute or adjust the volume of the MacOS startup sound.
  • Coconut Battery - Get complete information about your laptop battery as well as how to manage and cycle it properly.
  • iBackup - A backup utility to help ensure that you don’t loose your important files.
  • SuperDuper - A backup and disk cloning utility.
  • Carbon Copy Cloner - A disk backup utility.
  • RapidoSerial - Stores information about your applications (i.e. keys, licenses, etc.) in a safe and secure manner.
  • 1Password - A password manager for all your online accounts. Works with multiple web browsers and machines.
  • Caffeine - Adds a one-click button in your menu bar to disable screen savers, suspend mode, screen dimming, etc. Great for presentation or situations where you want your machine to stay awake.
  • Cameras - Adds automated management when plugging in your camera devices to your computer.
  • Visor - A system-wide terminal application that is easily accessible via a hot-key.
  • DTerm - Enables a system-wide keyboard shortcut that can bring up a terminal for where you might be.
  • iTerm - A free replacement to the default Terminal application. Supports multiple tabs, session bookmarks, Growl notification, windows customization, etc.
  • ClamXav - Free virus software.
  • Perian - The “swiss-army knife for QuickTime”. Adds additional video support that does not come with QuickTime.
  • Evom - A very easy to use video converter application that supports many video formats for import and export. Also works with web video formats.
  • Video Monkey - Free. A video encoding application.
  • TrueCrypt - Free software for encrypting and securing your data.
  • You Control: Tunes - Adds playback control as well as other features for iTunes to your menu bar.
  • Cashbox - Free but basic software for financial accounting.
  • MoneyWell - A financial application that claims to be more user friendly that Quicken when in comes to managing your income and expenses. Cost: $40.
  • ExpanDrive - A FTP client for the MacOS that integrates remote servers as mounted volumes for ease-of-use.
  • S3 Hub - An Amazon S3 client for the MacOS.
  • Transmission - A free BitTorrent client.
  • uTorrent - Another free and handy BitTorrent client.
  • A Better Finder Rename - Many claim that this is the best app out there for renaming files. Cost: $25.
  • Slife - A free application for tracking and managing how your time is used when on the computer. Has many views for studying the data captured by time and by application. There is also a version of Slife available for team use as well.
  • Git - Installs Git on you system so you can access Git source code repositories.
  • Gity - A visual manager for your Git repositories.
  • TextMate - One of the top rate editors for dealing with all kinds of code: PHP, Java, Ruby, HTML, CSS, etc. Comes with syntax highlighting, tons of keyboard commands, and includes bundle support for extending the platform.
  • BBEdit - Software for the web developer offering an assortment of handy features for getting your work done in an elegant editor.
  • Coda - A CSS editor, FTP client, site builder, etc.
  • CSSEdit - A CSS editor for the Mac. If you need CSS3 support, then read here.
  • IxEdit - JavaScript based interactive design tool so you can test and create before writing code.
  • Snippets - Capture code snippets that can be easily reused through a few hot key gestures.
  • PathFinder - A replacement to the default Finder app with a ton of features for browsing around your file system. Includes tabs, terminal support, and much more.
  • NameChanger - Easily rename files and folders in mass.
  • Default Folder X - Set up default folder actions when opening and saving.
  • Kaleidoscope - “Spot the differences in text and image files. Review changes in seconds with the world’s most advanced file comparison application.”
  • Plex - Media center software for your Mac. Helps integrate your Mac into your home theater setup.
  • MediaLink - Software that connects and integrates your Playstation 3 with your Mac.
  • Rivit - Connects the MacOS to the PS3 using the DNLA protocol to share photo, audio, and video content.
  • Billings - Software for keeping track of the hours you have worked for a client. Has a slick timer that sits in the menu bar for easily starting/stopping time. Can also generate invoices all of which can be customized with a unique look and feel.
  • Smart Utility - Drive diagnostic software that can provide more information about your S.M.A.R.T. drive(s).
  • Data Rescue II - A nice but pricey app for recovering your data from a hard drive that crashed, can no longer be mounted, etc.
  • ShareTool - Allows you to access your home Bonjour network remotely.
  • TimeMachine Editor - Allows one to change the default setting for TimeMachine backup times.
  • NeatWorks - Digital scanning software.
  • HoudahGeo - Lets you synchronize GPS information with your picture information.
  • ShoveBox - “ShoveBox catches all those little scraps of information that you can’t act on now but would rather not forget. It sits up in your menubar, waiting for you to drag in text, images, URLs, and more.”
  • Mars Edit - Blog editing software that makes it easy to compose and manage blog posts from your desktop. It is compatible with many popular blogging engines.
  • Blogo - A desktop app that might make your blogging experience much easier.
  • SwitchResX - “Designed to manage resolutions of all your monitors.”
  • MySQL Preference Panel - Built for 64-bit systems (i.e. Snow Leopard).
  • MongoHub - A GUI for your Mongo databases.
  • YourSQL - A UI for dealing with MySQL databases. Supports queries and table manipulation.
  • Querious - A MySQL administration tool written from the ground up for the MacOS.
  • Sequel Pro - Another MySQL administration tool.
  • Telekinesis - Remotely access your Mac via your iPhone.
  • DMG Master - A tool for building disk image archives.
  • RSpactor - An application for running RSpec tests.
  • Couch DBX - A one-click install of Couch DB on your system.
  • Homebrew - An install automater of open source software.
  • Pollux - A comprehensive tool for organizing and tagging your iTunes music collection including the correct detection of album art, track information, song lyrics, etc.
  • SketchBox - Easily capture and retrieve notes, sketches, quick ideas, etc. Its like a digital sticky pad.
  • MockSMTP - “A native MacOS application that embeds its own SMTP server. It also features an e-mail client browser, enabling instant viewing of both raw content and HTML rendering, so you can see how your mail looks when delivered.”
  • Fluid - Create a native application of your most used web site(s).
  • LESS - Compiles and build LESS CSS files for your web applications.
  • Comic Book Lover - Allows you to view and organize your digital comic book collection.
  • Jumpcut - “An application that provides “clipboard buffering” — that is, access to text that you’ve cut or copied, even if you’ve subsequently cut or copied something else. The goal of Jumpcut’s interface is to provide quick, natural, intuitive access to your clipboard’s history.”

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