Making the Switch
As many have guessed from my previous post, I am the new owner of a 17″ Powerbook G4. I have always liked apple computers. Although I have always used a PC (my previous laptop was a Dell Inspiron 3800), I have never been one of those Apple haters. For a few years now I have had a iMac on my desk at work for testing, DVD creation, and hybrid CD development. We also have a Media100 system running on a PowerMac G4, so I am no stranger to Macs.
Just in the first few days of using the Powerbook, I have been very impressed by the interface and ease of use. I am able to go from the wireless network at the office to the wireless at my home without having to rescan for networks or change any configurations. I was able to easily import my e-mail from my PC, as well as all of my contacts.
I have decided to stick with Firefox/Thunderbird/Sunbird for my web/email/calendar. I suppose I could give Mail and iCal a chance, but I have been using Thunderbird since 0.6 and I am really pleased with its direction.
Aside from getting used to a one-button mouse and remembering all the shortcut keys, I am enjoying my new Powerbook. If anyone has any suggestions of software that is a must have for any mac user, I am taking them.
September 26th, 2004
You need:
Fink and Fink Commander
Quicksilver
NetNewsWire
Fire or Adium for IM
XChatAqua or Colloquy for IRC
MacStumbler
MPlayerOSX
QuickTime Broadcaster (because hey, it’s free)
RealOne and Windows Media Player 9
Other suggestions: WireTap or StreamRipperX if you want to save audio streams; VoodooPad if you’re Wiki-friendly; SubEthaEdit if you want to edit files collaboratively; MS Remote Desktop Connection if you still connect to XP boxes.
Have fun, and please let me beat you at fantasy football. ;)
September 27th, 2004
I second Quicksilver and MacStumbler.
You might also try:
Transmit (FTP client)
Netflix Freak (GUI for Netflix - awesome!)
Imagewell (quick, easy image-prep for the web)
NewsFire (RSS reader w/ slick interface)
Sidetrack (dedicate part of your touchpad for vertical/horizontal scrolling - slick!)
September 27th, 2004
Thanks for the suggestions guys.
I have already decided on NetNewsWire for my RSS, but will take a look at NewsFire. I have been a fan of transit for a while now, so I know it will be my FTP client of choice.
Looks like you may have me beat this week Matt, unless your player tonight really sucks and gets big negative points.
September 27th, 2004
Jeremy,
After getting my PowerBook, I went out and got a two button + scrollwheel wireless-optical mouse. It’s much better than that trackpad.
Since everyone else is listing their software, I might as well list mine.
Basics:
Browsers: Safari & Firefox (although I have just about everything else installed too)
Mail: Thunderbird
Calendar: iCal (more refined than Sunbird at this point)
FTP: Transmit
IM: Adium
IRC: Colloquy
Media: QuickTime, WMP, Real, Acrobat, etc.
Office: OpenOffice.org
Text Editor: BB Edit
Image Editing: The Gimp, Macromedia Studio MX 2004
RSS: NetNewsWire, PulpFiction, NewsFire
Other Apps/Utilities:
Paparazzi (full page screenshots)
MS Remote Desktop Connection (for connecting to WinXP)
Apple X11.app (for Unixy apps)
DVD Backup and DVD2One X (for DVD duping)
Chmox (for reading Windows .chm help files)
Hymn (a Digital Rights Enabler for M4P files)
iPod Viewer (for pulling tracks from your iPod)
Konfabulator (widgets galore!)
Dock Dividers (http://www.artofadambetts.com/archives/cat_mac_os_x_themes.html)
September 27th, 2004
http://www.objectpark.net/mcc.html
http://www.bronsonbeta.com/mailappetizer/ (if you start using mail, panther has much more powerful features than jaguar’s version)
http://www.yousoftware.com/itunes/
http://www.mkd.cc/sox/ (for maintenance, beautiful program)
And I prefer Fetch to trasmit, but that’s just old love — otherwise for hand coding I swap between BBEdit and skEdit, both of which have their features, BB being an old love as well but sk coming close to turning me!
As for IM’s, I prefer Proteus to Adium ONLY because it has the invisible feature (that I can be online but not be seen)… if Adium impliments this, which they have said they will over time, I will make the switch to them.
Everything else is standard Adobe/Macromedia programs I use for my design — QuarkXpress is out for anyone who works under me in print, InDesign all the way:)
If you want some forum links for questions, just ask!
Here’s another person that switched on our teaching forum, and the links I gave him and discussions about it:
http://www.codingforums.com/showthread.php?t=43520
September 27th, 2004
One program that wasn’t mentioned and is really great is skEdit. I heard of it through Jon Hicks and really love working with it. Occassionally I come across a bug but overall it’s great! And it’s cheap. Just $20. Check it out at http://www.skti.org/skEdit.php
September 27th, 2004
Macs are great but I miss TopStyle Pro :(
There’s an half decent alternative for Mac: http://www.macrabbit.com/cssedit/
September 27th, 2004
For a powerbook, I highly recommend the Sidetrack software package which allows you to access features of your trackpad that aren’t turned on by default, such as scrolling, setting tapping as a right-click, setting actions for clicking in corners, etc. I find it makes my trackpad much more useful. The developer website can be found at:
http://www.ragingmenace.com/
Matthew
September 27th, 2004
I’ll third Quicksilver. ; ) Enjoy!
October 21st, 2004
[...] llowing other applications to open URLs in tabs, rather than new windows. I have loved my Powerbook since the day I got it. One of the first things I got for it was t [...]
October 26th, 2004
I switched to 17″PB myself a few months back. I would recommend the following if you don’t already have it in addition to what has been said earlier:
# Quicksilver
# XScope
# Almost everything from Panic
# Extensis suitcase
# iPodderX