Mac OS X is almost everything you could ask for in an OS. If
"almost" is not good enough for you, here are ten programs that help
make your OS X experience complete.
1. VueScan
One area well behind the curve in making the move to OS X is
scanner drivers. VueScan
fills the gap by providing connectivity for a host of different
scanners.
2. PageSucker
PageSucker is a tool for off-line browsing. Put in a URL, tell the
program how many levels deep to download, and away you go. PageSucker
downloads complete Web pages or even entire sites in a format that
allows it be copied to disk or CD and viewed later, after disconnecting
from the Internet.
3. Palm Desktop
For owners of Palm PDA's, the wait is over. The
Palm Desktop final release is finally here for OS X. Even if
you don't own a Palm, you may find the Palm Desktop a fine Personal
Information Manager in its own right.
4. Samba Sharing Package
Samba (included with OS X) allows you to share your files on a
Windows network, but setup can be daunting.
Samba Sharing Package simplifies setting up a basic Samba
server.
5. BrickHouse
BrickHouse, which has been featured prominently in this column in
the past, simplifies the configuration of the firewall which is built
into OS X.
6. CookWare
This program includes over 700 built-in recipes. If you would like
to add recipes to CookWare
(and an unlimited number can be added), you can find recipes with one
click by using the built-in Web resource helper. If you need to convert
Serving Sizes or Ounces to Liters you can use the built-in conversion
helper. You can also send a recipe to your friends via e-mail with just
a couple clicks. CookWare automatically formats the recipe for
e-mailing and remembers e-mail addresses and subjects.
7. Tea Timer
One's first impression of this program might be, "minimal." It is,
as its name implies, a countdown timer. I have used this program for
years, first in Windows and now on the Mac. I have come to rely on it
when I have popped something in the microwave, am allowing tea to steep
or preparing instant soup. I am often working in another room, away
from the microwave or other appliance, and may not be able to hear
bells or buzzers. With Tea
Timer, I can always keep track of what's cooking.
8. VNC
VNC is a
free remote-control program produced by AT&T labs in England.
Similar in features to Timbuktu, VNC is completely cross-platform.
Control a Mac from a PC, a Unix machine from a Be box, etc. The
possibilities are endless, and the price is unbeatable.
9. InterMapper
InterMapper is a network monitoring and alerting program that
monitors a network and the servers connected to it. It notifies the
network manager when there are problems. InterMapper can test many
different kinds of servers, as well as displaying traffic rates, WAN
utilization, and other critical network information. InterMapper can
send notifications using sounds, email, or pages - or by running
scripts and programs. It also has a built-in Web server, so you can
view the health of the network remotely using a standard browser. An
indispensable tool for Network Administrators.
10. OmniGraffle
OmniGraffle helps you draw beautiful diagrams, family trees, flow
charts, org charts, layouts, and (mathematically speaking) any other
directed or non-directed graphs. From the makers of OmniWeb, the fine
OS X web browser, this program could be called, "Visio lite comes
to the Mac."
As I was compiling this list, I noticed how many of the programs
were now downloadable directly from Apple's site. Upon further
investigation, I discovered that this was the case with every one of
them and changed all links (except VNC, which has separate client and
manager programs) to point to the download link on apple.com. Kudos to
Apple for providing this valuable service to make the transition to
OS X a little easier for everyone.
