Got a New MacBook!

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Sylas

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Joined
Dec 14, 2007
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350
I'm typing this from the sleek white keyboard of my newly-purchased MacBook and I must say, Apple has truly outdone themselves. This is possibly the finest piece of consumer electronics I have ever owned. Everything was a magical experience; from the opening of economically-sized box to powering this puppy up for the first time and seeing that shiny blue apple light up. For the first time I can understand the fervour of the Apple fanboydom - a group I think of which I am now a part.

I was up and running in about one and a half hours with all my music, work and video copied across from my crusty, soon-to-be-relegated-to-dad laptop. This is my first Mac so after doing a bit of OS X App research I have installed Firefox, Speed Download for my Rapidshare downloads and VLC for movies. My question is this: is there any other essential software you recommend I get? I'm currently a student and my main problem is choosing the best word processor, the two favourites being iWork and Microsoft Word.

Any other suggestions, tips and ideas relating to general Mac use are also welcome!
 
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BobJones

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May 29, 2006
Messages
1,508
Good luck with the new mac.

Don't know that you will need the download manager, or firefox (it's a matter of preference) or VLC.

Try perian to take care of movies and audio.

I prefer iWork to Office - and it's cheaper.

Try ClamXav, Handbrake, NetNewsWire, Tweetie and Colloquy.
 
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assagai

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Apr 24, 2007
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+1 on perian and handbrake.

Safari is so much faster than firefox, give it a chance, also checkout glims, an addon for safari if you miss some of those firefox features.

My favourite utilities are :

coversutra, nifty music utility that works like spotlight.
Default Folder X - adds a bunch of options to your file dialogues for managing folder locations
Windowshade X - Fold-up windows and minimise in place
 
Shardie

Shardie

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
711
theres tons of cool software, just browse the downloads page on the apple website. also cos u new to mac, get all the apple tutorials from apples website and you can broswe them using local bandwith: movies.apple.com

my software
heres what i use
01.jpg

02.jpg
 
Shardie

Shardie

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Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
711
Also nice thing to do is make your HOME folder look nice with some cool icons.

mine

home.jpg
 
Shardie

Shardie

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
711
icons i use; madse them using Adobe Illustrator CS4 and Img3icns

icons.jpg
 
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momo786

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Mar 7, 2009
Messages
313
Welcome!

Before buying iWork or Office, try NeoOffice or Open Office...both are open source and works really well.

If you will be accessing complex docs created in Office, I would then say go for Office for Mac. In my experience, the formatting on these docs are not always preserved when used on programs other than Office.

There's tons of free software available...I would suggest looking at MacRumors.com for lots of useful info. Somewhere on their website they have a section that lists recommended software for Mac's. Might be under a section called newbies guide or Mac tutorials...can't remember right now.

Enjoy!
 
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Sputnik

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Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
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1Password
Things
iStat Menus (for the calendar in the menubar)
Transmission
Cyberduck
 
GreGorGy

GreGorGy

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Jan 18, 2005
Messages
15,289
Sylas said:
after doing a bit of OS X App research I have installed Firefox...
Click to expand...

Do more research. Firefox and the later suggested (yet amazingly excellent) NeoOffice both run on Java, slowing you down and chewing resources.

I have owned and used iCab - a shareware browser - since OS 7.6.1. I only ever fire up Sea Monkey when I need to pay a once-off beneficiary or add a beneficiary on my internet banking, no other time. Firefox simply fails to impress me. iWork is worth every cent, IMO.

The second thing I install on any of my Macs I have bought (after iCab) is BBEdit. I have constantly upgraded it since v4 and I do believe the latest is somewhat expensive at over $100 new. TextWrangler - their Freeware offering - is just as sweet though.

Oh, and get LittleSnitch.
 
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