Mac OS must-have apps

Hi,
I am a new owner of a Macbook Pro and this is my first machine running Mac OS ever.
Since I am a total newbie using only Windows so far I would like to ask about some must-have software I should get. I’d like to know what kind of:
-anti-virus/firewall
-codec pack
-mp3/video player
-office document creating/editing software
-DVD burning app
should I get. And if there’s some other software I should install on my Mac please let me know as well. If it’s about a browser, email client etc. I downloaded Mac OS versions of the ones I’ve been running on Windows.
I already googled this as well but I’d like to hear some of your opinions.
By the way – if this changes anything my Mac OS version is Snow Leopard.
Many thanks in advance.
Answer #1
lil snitch
Answer #2
anti-virus: not needed, the scanners that are available are to scan your mails for windows viruses so you don’t send them to your contacts that are using windows
– codec pack / video player: VLC player, it plays everything you throw at it including subs
– mp3: itunes, no doubt about it
– office: microsoft office 2008
– DVD burning: Toast Platinum
The pre-installed mail app is pretty good in my opinion so I haven’t installed anything else, for browser of course Firefox cause of the massive amount of addons available for it.
other handy stuff:
Downloadmanager: Speed Download
Instant Messaging: Adium
rar/unrar: betterzip (it also handles hjsplit files)
removing unneeded languages and other stuff like the old source codes (since you only need the intel code): CleanMyMac
ftp software: filezilla or transmit
lab tick: this allows you to keep the keyboard backlight on all the time (even in rooms that have light enough, etc)
rss reader: NetNewsWire
Answer #3
– You don’t need to really run an AV since there are too few malware which work on Mac OS. If you want one, almost all major brands offer AVs for Macs.
-Codec Pack + Video Player + Audio Player — VLC
-StuffIt / Betterzip for archive files
-Document editing-NeoOffice / Microsoft Office 2008
-DVD burning- Burn OSX
Answer #4
Thanks a lot. Please let me know if anybody else has some other tips.
Answer #5
@kidd
very good list, but as a downlaod-manager i prefer iGetter!
Answer #6
all i’ve tried was jdownloader & speed download, and since speed download hasn’t failed me yet i haven’t seen why i should try something else
Answer #7
download manager: jDownloader -> the best downloader in the world i think
Answer #8
download manager: jDownloader -> the best downloader in the world i think
speed download > jdownloader on mac
Answer #9
, i have to admit now:
SpeedDownload > iGetter
Answer #10
I use this apps on my Mac.
Browser: Google Chrome and (native) Safari
Torrents: Transmission
Download Manager: JDownloader
Audio player: Cog
Video player: VLC
IM: Adium
Archiver: The Unarchiver
FTP: Cyberduck
Coding (webapps) ($): Coda
Maintenance: OnyX
Others:
CORD for RDP’ing to Windows machines.
ntfsMounter for mounting ntfs-drives with read/write support.
Dropbox for sharing files between all my machines.
FacebookSync for syncing contacts with Facebook.
TeamViewer for I need to take over a friends computer.
VMware Fusion ($) to integrate Windows Apps into MacOS (mapped to my Boot Camp partition)
One of my primary source for good software advice is Lifehacker.
http://lifehacker.com/tag/featured-mac-download/
Answer #11
i use perian instead of vlc. allows you to watch almost anything through quicktime.
http://perian.org/
extract rar, unrarx.
http://www.unrarx.com/
create rar, simplyrar.
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/21430
these are freeware.
Answer #12
Thank you for all your advices.
Answer #13
Needed apps:
NOTE: REMEMBER TO PATCH TO 10.5.8 for Leopard and to 10.6.2 for Snow Leopard with software update
– Maintence: Onyx
– Antivirus: Nothing! (Cus macs never get viruses)
– IM Application: Adium
– Word Processing: iWork 09
– Video playback: Quicktime or VLC – Video Editing: iLife 09
– Codec Pack: N/A
– Windows Support: Parallel Desktop
– Other apps:
– NTFS3G for writing to windows drives
– JDownloader
Answer #14
- Antivirus: Nothing! (Cus macs never get viruses)
That is false. Macs can get infected too. However there are only few viruses which target Mac OS.