Apps I use

Below is a list of alien applications that I use on my Mac, a description of them, and why I use them.

Textwrangler - TextWrangler is the powerful general purpose text editor, and Unix and server administrator’s tool. (Since I am a freelance web developer and designer, I needed an editor that could do it all and not just an HTML editor.)

Quicksilver - A unified, extensible interface for working with applications, contacts, music, and other data. (I was a little hesitant at first about using this app, but it really comes in handy for looking up and opening an application or document quick and easy. Also, it shows you the contents of an application unlike the Finder. In Finder, you would have to right click on the application in order to look at the contents.)

1password - 1Password keeps track of all web passwords, automates sign-in, guards from identity theft. (As a person who is constantly surfing the net, registering on sites, and keeping up with my own sites, it gets a bit cumbersome. For most of my sites I use the same password and because identity theft is becoming rampant, I needed a secure solution. 1password prefills registration forms for you as well as generate secure passwords. 1password can even remember the login so you don’t have to. The only downside I can think of is moving everything over to a new computer in case you upgrade your mac and sell your old one.)

GIMP - GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. (Instead of paying hundreds of dollars for Photoshop in order to do image editing and web design, I needed a good alternative, and I don’t think there is a better free alternative than GIMP.)

iBank - The premier financial manager built exclusively for Mac OS X. (I needed a way to better track my finances offline instead of always logging into my account online. Once I took it for a test drive, I knew that this application was what I was looking for. Also, it has a feature that lets me set a budget that I can review at the end of each month in order to track my spending habits.)

MacSword - MacSword is a free & open-source application for research and study of God and His Word. It is developed specifically for Macintosh computers running Mac OS X. (I am a part-time seminary student and I needed something handy at all times without having to go online or go to my backpack for my Bible. Again, this is keeping in line with Mac’s philosophy about being able to do things faster.)

NeoOffice - NeoOffice is a full-featured set of office applications (including word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and drawing programs) for Mac OS X. (I hate to say it, but I am really anti-Microsoft. However, I still needed an office suite so that I can do my research papers and other projects for school. Even though I like NeoOffice as a good alternative, I am also falling in love with Pages which comes bundled in iWork.)

MarsEdit - Powerful Blog Publishing For Your Mac. (At first, I never understood why anyone would want to use a desktop blog publishing app. But once you get frustrated with the loading time of your site’s editor as well as always longing in, you will appreciate this little application helping you to publish to your blog faster. I am actually blogging with this application as I write. I am just testing it out for now because I have been using free apps like Qumana and Scribefire, which is a Firefox extension. If I really like it, I will purchase it. If not, then I will go back to using the other two free apps.)

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