software for OS X
Some of this software may be incompatible with versions of OS X later than 10.4 (Tiger). In many ways, OS X has not improved since then, and I no longer use it anyway (but I do update this list occasionally).
$ = requires key for unimpeded operation
repositories
- MacUpdate
- reviews and links to popular OS X software updates
- MacPorts | Fink
-
package management systems for open-source unix software ported to OS X; these may seem easier than compiling from source but one remains dependent upon the package maintainers, and I've come to generally use them as a last resort
For the command-line, see Unix software...
utilities
- LaunchBar
- $ : very useful, quick, configurable keyboard access to find/open/manipulate files/programs; also has multiple clipboard/pasteboard support (free alternative: Quicksilver)
- OnMyCommandCM
- make your own system-wide contextual menu commands
- TextExtras
- installs a menu of useful text-handling commands for Cocoa applications
- DEVON technologies
- useful service modules (CalcService, WordService), and EasyFind
- MenuMeters
- CPU/memory/disk/network info in menubar
- GrandPerspective
- tree map of disk usage
- DiskWarrior
- $ : repairs HFS+ volumes (where others fail or make matters worse)
network
- Little Snitch
- $ : internal firewall (for detection/prevention of network connections from the inside out)
- CyberDuck
- FTP and SFTP client
- NetNewsWire
- $ : RSS/RDF client (free "Lite" version also available)
- Meteorologist
- current weather information and forecasts in dock or menu bar (supports cities around the world)
programming
- Hammerspoon
- Lua script interface to various system services/components
- HexEdit
- hexadecimal file editor
- VLC | mpv
- multimedia players for various audio and video formats including most Windows Media files
unfiled
- UnicodeChecker
- explore and convert Unicode