Good and Free software for Apple newbie


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digitalbuff

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Aug 18, 2004
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Hi

after a few mths with my mac mini, i still feel like a fish out of water so I am starting a thread to help fellow newbirds:

Software (Great to install)
1. MSN (IM) - Free
2. Adium (IM) - Free

Can anyone recommend an equivalent of the following Windows software?
a. WinZip/WinRAR
b. Flashget (Download manager)
c. eMule/Kazaa (P2P)
 

For those using iChat (Mac) - AOL/AIM (PC) for video conference

or iChat (jabber) - MSN/Yahoo (PC) to video

Please check out Skype Mac new offering, Skype 1.5 BETA (MAC)! You're now able to video call anyone regardless of OS!

It ultilises your iSight or onboard iSight. Compatible with both PowerPC and Intel chips! And is coded in Universal Binery! Way cool!

I tried it out and it worked! As smooth as hot butter.
 

davsmiths said:
For those using iChat (Mac) - AOL/AIM (PC) for video conference

or iChat (jabber) - MSN/Yahoo (PC) to video

Please check out Skype Mac new offering, Skype 1.5 BETA (MAC)! You're now able to video call anyone regardless of OS!

It ultilises your iSight or onboard iSight. Compatible with both PowerPC and Intel chips! And is coded in Universal Binery! Way cool!

I tried it out and it worked! As smooth as hot butter.

Tried it this few days with a friend in USA (he is using Mac and me Windoze).
His feedback is the video on his Mac (using Skype s/w) is better and smoother
than the s/w that comes with the Mac (sorry i don't use Mac so i don't know the Mac s/w
name. :embrass: , is it iChat???).
 

kktan said:
Tried it this few days with a friend in USA (he is using Mac and me Windoze).
His feedback is the video on his Mac (using Skype s/w) is better and smoother
than the s/w that comes with the Mac (sorry i don't use Mac so i don't know the Mac s/w
name. :embrass: , is it iChat???).
iChat AV. :D
 

Yes. Skype Mac to Skype PC for video is smoother than iChat - AIM.

Nonetheless, iChat - iChat is still the best video protocol I have used. :) And iChat AV can video conference up to 4 person.

Maybe Skype will have the video conference thingy soon.
 

Hi

1. Any good replacement for the Preview software. Too many limitations. I need something simple to view/sort images like Picassa/Irfan/ACDC for PC.

2. Any mac equivalents for P2P download like eDonkey and Azureas Bit Torrents.

Please recommend. Thks.
 

digitalbuff said:
Hi

1. Any good replacement for the Preview software. Too many limitations. I need something simple to view/sort images like Picassa/Irfan/ACDC for PC.

2. Any mac equivalents for P2P download like eDonkey and Azureas Bit Torrents.

Please recommend. Thks.
iPhoto?
 

digitalbuff said:
Hi

1. Any good replacement for the Preview software. Too many limitations. I need something simple to view/sort images like Picassa/Irfan/ACDC for PC.

2. Any mac equivalents for P2P download like eDonkey and Azureas Bit Torrents.

Please recommend. Thks.

Aperture?

Bit expensive though.
 

Freewaremac.com

Opensourcemac.org

Versiontracker.com
 

Is there something other than Trillium, and something like Adium that can do MSN, ICQ for the Windoze format? Thanks.
 

Sehsuan, I think what you're looking for is Miranda (Windoze).

For the original poster: VLC is very useful. It not only lets you open and view videos encoded in most of the codecs, it also will allow you to bypass the region limitation of the DVD player. No longer will you have to switch regions to play DVDs from somewhere else. Also don't have to flash firmware or do anything to your hardware. Just use VLC, and open disc from there.

I don't believe Skype's video chat is of better quality than iChat. iChat is the best that I've seen, and also the most features (>3 party conference). Skype's video features are still in beta. Best used with iChat for >2 macs and every party using iSight cameras. Probably what you friend means is that when doing cross platform conferencing with you, it's better quality than him using iChat, and you using AOL IM.

Other useful software. Let me see.

Quicksilver. (Indispensable. Application launcher + productivity tool; i.e. can do things like email, move files, append text, with a few strokes of the keyboard)
Burn (advanced disc burning software, as good as the expensive Toast software)
CoconutBattery
Journler
Gleam (for flickr upload)
WriteRoom (for writers... full screen writing in 'dark room like' environment. distraction free. helps writers like me get things done.)

I use sites like the following to discover new software:
http://coolosxapps.net/
http://osx.iusethis.com/
 

Hi

1. Any good replacement for the Preview software. Too many limitations. I need something simple to view/sort images like Picassa/Irfan/ACDC for PC.

2. Any mac equivalents for P2P download like eDonkey and Azureas Bit Torrents.

Please recommend. Thks.


1. ACDC also has Mac version.
 

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