AquaGrep or iPassepartout
Great to search on the context of text and other files. Aqua Grep is a GUI front end to the unix grep, while iPassepartout is a bit more involved with more features.
DiscBlaze
Sure, it can't do all the latest DVD-+RW tricks yet, but then again I don't have such a drive. The latest integration of Disc Copy on Panther to the DiscUtility left me wanting when I tried to burn CDs with more options. DiscBlaze is able to burn and create ISOs, dmgs, and even read .toast files! It still has some problems but the developer is responsive to requests and the price of the app is only $19.
CodeTek VirtualDesktop
I said it in the past and I will say it again: Expose and workspaces compliment eachother, but they don't cancel each other out. Therefore, I need a virtual desktop utility and CodeTek's does the job great (except the problems when using it with X11 apps)
Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection
While I use Mac more and more as times goes, I still need my XP as all my mail is there. I use this MS utility to remotely connect to my XP desktop and except the fact that it turns off my numlock and changes the keyboard to US layout (my default is GB) on my PC, it works great.
Path Finder
A good Finder alternative with two killer features: the Drop Stack and the Path Navigator. Some context menu cleanup is required though. Read more about it on my review a month ago.
Drivers:
SuperCal
iBook's and 12" Powerbook's LCD screens are not of the same quality as the ones found on 15"/17" Powerbooks. Try SuperCal and get back part of what you never had. It makes the screen look twice as good to your eyes by changing the gamma correction. They are your eyes. Take care of them.
uControl
I quite like the Mac keyboard, but my husband hates it. He only works with Keytronic keyboards so he plugged in his PC keyboard to the Mac, but the Option and Command keys are reversed when using PC keyboards on a Mac. The uControl kernel extension will allow you to reverse these keys again and let you use any PC USB keyboard with your Mac (tip: to eject the CDs with a PC keyboard press and hold F12).
USB Overdrive X
Ah, a really long story. When we got this new Mac last month and created an account for my husband, he hated the very-very slow mouse acceleration and speed. The Mac OS X algorithm makes all mice behave the exact same (see: slowly as the cheap mice), even if this mouse is a $50 Logitech 800 dpi. In order to move from one point of the screen to the other, we needed to move the mouse over the mousemat twice. Terrible. USB Overdrive X fixes this problem. Just put these values in its pref panel: dpi 120, Acceleration 50% and enjoy that $50 you spent for your mouse. He is now happy. :)
Networking:
RBrowser or Fugu
RBrowser and its free little brother Rbrowser Lite is a useful utility it does remote file system browsing using ssh/scp/ftp/sftp etc. The other alternative here is Fugu which is completely free.
SharePoints
Share *any* folder on your Mac via Samba or AFS easily and trouble-free.
Development:
Taco HTML Edit
I just need a basic HTML editor and BBEdit is way too powerful for what I really need. The free Taco HTML Edit editor does the job without promising more than it actually does.
iTerm
A terminal alternative. Support for tabs and more advanced features.
Toys:
Yum!
Yum! holds my recipe collection. For people who love to cook. Because as they say in Greece, "Love goes through the stomach first".
David here. I just had to add what is, in my opinion, the most important and useful OS X application. I think Eugenia's crazy for not using it, since if I had to give it up it would be like losing my thumbs. The wonder app is Launchbar. It allows you to launch applications, initiate emails, go to web sites, and do other actions without taking the time to touch the mouse. Initiated with a command-spacebar, it then gives you a configurable command line-type interface. I type "sa" in, it launches safari. I type "eu" it composes an email to Eugenia. Ten minutes with it and you'll never go back.
- "Favorite Mac OS X Apps, Page 1"
- "Favorite Mac OS X Apps, Page 2"
