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Essential Mac apps/goodness

Dr_KeenbeanDr_Keenbean Dumb as a buttPlanet Express ShipRegistered User regular
edited September 2007 in Games and Technology
So I got a new job and to my shock and joy there was a shiny macbook sitting on my new desk. I have played with macs in the past but actually having one in my possession is a new and exciting concept.

So wtf do I do now? Beside use it for work I mean.

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  • LoneIgadzraLoneIgadzra Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Well, you could search out the other 20 threads on this subject, but as usual my recommendations would be to use the following apps (really sorry, but I only have five minutes and can't find the url's at the moment, but Google should work):

    1. Set expose to screen corners
    2. Enable all two-finger things for the trackpad
    3. Use Adium for IM
    4. Use TheUnarchiver for your file decompression needs
    5. Use Quicksilver because it's awesome (takes a little while to incorporate it in your normal habits though)
    6. For video playback, use VLC when all else fails, but I recommend going the Quicktime integration route since you can take advantage of FrontRow that way, and it's more reliable than VLC. For that you will need a program called Perian, and maybe the xiph.org ogg vorbis plugin if you need it. And I also recommend using NicePlayer instead of QuickTime Player. An AC3 plugin may also be necessary, but I can't recall the one to use, so just google "quicktime ac3".
    7. Use Uno if you, like many, hate brushed metal.
    8. For a web browser I really like Safari's integration and speed (currently using Safari 3 beta), but you can install the horror show that is Mac Firefox if you really want to. Before that, I'd use Camino though (Firefox engine, but in a more Mac-native and speedy shell).

    Other apps as needed, depending on what you want to do.

    As for fun stuff, I hate to say it, but the number one thing Macs excel at is work, not play. So get used to expose and get multitasking if you want to get the most out of it. Also, play around with iApps that are useful to you (note that Mac iTunes is a lot better than the Windows version, and should be your only stop for music playback). Photobooth is always a laugh.

    I used to love Ambrosia Software's games, like Escape Velocity, but they've all been left by the wayside as many of their best ones don't even run on OS X, let alone Intel processors. A lot of their newer releases, like Gooball, Redline, and Sketchfighter seem quite crap to me.

    Oh, and if you don't know the GUI right now, reading this article should give you some more perspective on Mac conventions (though it's referring to 10.3, not 10.4): http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=2232

    LoneIgadzra on
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