OS X Starter Kit (Applications)
I often explain my (relatively recent) preference for Macs with the statement that they occupy something of a sweet spot for me. Because the operating system is Unix-based, development environments are a snap and stability is baked right in. I also get a powerful command line environment. Because it’s Apple, I get some swell eye candy (hardware and software) and all of the “lifestyle” components (e.g. iTunes, video, upgrades, etc.) are also easy. Speaking very generally and with the understanding that nothing is perfect, Windows misses on the former, Linux on the latter.
This is the second post in a miniseries that defines my own personal OS X starter kit. In the first post, I covered configuration—those things (read: settings) I change before I add anything at all. Today, applications. Before we begin, though, let’s align our expectations, shall we?
Do Not Expect
- I will not list my favorite apps in every arbitrary application group conceivable. That’s been done many, many times and I feel like being pseudo-original today.
- I will not list my favorite apps for specific, specialized tasks. That means I won’t talk about my favorite text editor for writing code (Komodo Edit), my favorite FTP client, my favorite Twitter client (I’m a great big waffler on this one anyway), my favorite browser, etc.
Expect
- Applications and tools that make me swoon and that must be on my machine before it feels like home. Until these are all installed and configured, I feel like a couch surfer in my own environment.
- As hinted above, what I’ll call “environmental” applications. Apps that are pervasive within the context of how I interact with the system.
- “Over the counter” applications. Apple ships with some great stuff (Terminal, iPhoto) and some hidden gems (Digital Color Meter), but they’re already there, baked right in and ready for use. No effort required. Listing those would be kind of like cheating.
- Stuff you’d typically find in the
/Applicationsdirectory. There are a few plugins and utilities that typically reside elsewhere, but we’ll get there in a later post.
Expectations aligned? Good. Here we go.
Adium
Instant Messenger Client
Seriously. There is no better multi-protocol IM client on the planet. Period. All the functional goodness of Pidgin (it’s powered by libpurple), all the sexiness of, well, Apple. Adium offers support for all kinds of third party eye candy to boot (e.g. themes, icons, styles, etc.).
Alfred
Application Launcher
The digital lifestyle is just better with a good application launcher. I appreciate any other tasks a launcher may be able to perform, but my appreciation wanes with each degree of configuration complexity that’s added to support those extras (I’m looking at you, Quicksilver). I’ve used many and all have been good enough, but Alfred has my attention at the moment. I haven’t been using it exclusively for long, but so far it feels like the right balance of functionality and simplicity.
As a quick aside, my vote for best-of-breed in the application launcher category on any OS goes to Gnome Do on Linux. I miss a couple of things after my switch from Linux, but none more than Do.
Dropbox
Best Application Ever
I know that’s not a real category of application, but it might as well be when discussing Dropbox. The other day it actually made me breakfast. Waffles. It didn’t skimp on the syrup. If you frequent multiple computers and don’t know about Dropbox then you’re just not paying attention.
LastPass
Password Manager
Technically, this is a browser extension, I suppose, but it’s every bit as useful as an application and this is my list so I’m going to pull rank. Whatever the web equivalent of tying my shoes might be, I can’t do it without LastPass. It knows where I am, it knows when it can help and proactively asks if I would like it to do so. I would.
Everything on the Internet requires authentication these days and if you want some modicum of security then you need a good password repository. There’s nothing better on the web than LastPass. It’s cross-platform and makes it brain-dead simple to maintain password discipline while retaining some level of convenience in the authentication process.
KeePassX
Password Manager
As good as LastPass is, I still cling to my trusty stand-by. Some authentication info has nothing to do with the web and I put those bits in KeePassX. Most of the stuff that’s in LastPass is also duplicated in my KeePassX database. You can never be too careful or too redundant with this stuff.
SuperDuper
System Backup & Recovery
Like many before me, I learned the hard way. Backup your system. There are other alternatives, but nothing beats SuperDuper, for my money.
There you have it. The application-centric atmosphere of my computing world. As an added bonus, all of these can be had for for absolutely no cost. Several offer paid versions, but free versions are available.
As I mentioned at the beginning, I use other applications, of course, but these are the first ones that get installed and the ones that make my system home.
