Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Tip 405
Supertip: Get Some Must-Have Mac Apps
In this topic I've deliberately avoided recommending third-party apps. There
are a handful of exceptions where apps are needed to make up for rare defi-
ciencies in OS X's functionality—for example,
Tip 387,
Expand QuickTime
Player's Knowledge of File Types
, on page 398
—but throughout the topic a DIY
approach and faith in OS X's extensive built-in toolkit are encouraged.
That said, there are some add-in apps that are part of a standard Mac setup
for many users. I've listed a handful here. Unless otherwise marked, the apps
are free of charge and can be downloaded from the websites mentioned.
Unlike other antivirus programs,
36
ClamXav doesn't remain present in
memory. You can run it to scan any files that look suspicious, such as
those you've downloaded from a less reputable website. This is available
via the App Store.
toolkit and integrated development environment is free of charge via the
App Store for anybody who purchased OS X. It allows you to create apps
for OS X and iOS and also create Dashboard widgets.
expands OS X's knowledge of compressed file formats, specifically adding
in the ability to expand RAR, 7-zip, LhA, and StuffIt formats (the official
app by the creators of the StuffIt format, StuffIt Expander, which is a free
download from the App Store). This is available via the App Store.
clients for OS X, but this is perhaps the most fully featured and is fre-
quently updated with new features.
with FTP, SFTP, WebDav, Amazon S3, Google Storage (including Google
Docs), Microsoft Azure, and Rackspace Cloud Files. This can be purchased
via the App Store, but a free-to-try older “donationware” version is available
36. For example, Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition:
HTTP://WWW.SOPHOS.COM/EN-US/PRODUCTS/
