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Best Free Mac Apps!

wmmk

wmmk

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 28, 2006
2,414
0
The Library.
what are the greatest freeware/ opensource mac apps ever?
i love gimp, but are there any free programs to replace acrobat and illustrator (i know about inkscape, but its not that great)

is seashore really as powerful as the GIMP
can i make GIMP look and feel more like photoshop?
free non graphics macs are also always super cool!!

personally, i think nvu is better than dreamweaver and ardour is awesome for all digital audio!
 
Good idea. I think this thread should be a sticky. :)

I give two big thumbs up for Adium Instant Messenger client. great app.

Oded S.
 
those lsts are great, but i'd like to see the best freeware, not all of it. i currently use gimpshop, but it is still far far from the feel of photoshop.
seashore is also really cool(and natively supported!:)), but does is have all of the gimps features when it says it is
"It is based around the GIMP's technology and uses the same native file format."
thanks:D
 
I must say that I love sizzling keys. It is by far my favoirte app because now I can control my itunes with f6 through f8, and use exposé at the same time!
 
gosh, i thought this'd more of a popular thread.
come on, opensource grphic people, i know youre out there

p.s. this doesn't have to be open source, just freeware.
i need free as in beer, not as in speech:)
 
Democrat622 said:
gosh, i thought this'd more of a popular thread.
come on, opensource grphic people, i know youre out there

p.s. this doesn't have to be open source, just freeware.
i need free as in beer, not as in speech:)
Click to expand...

As Doctor Q says, this question has been answered numerous times. I understand that you only want a "best of", but everybody has their own favorites. I suggest just going through those two threads and picking out the apps that appear over and over.
 
ive looked at those uber-lists, but what i really need now is a CS2 alternative
GIMP=Photoshop(kinda, but interface tweaks would help!)
Inkscape=Illusrtator
Acrobat=?
InDesign=?
Alternatives to Macromedia Studio 8 would rock, too
NVU=Dreamweaver
Flash= [does blender do the same thing as flash?]
Freehand+Fireworks=Inkscape+GIMP

An easy, safe way to serve my iWeb site from my own mac mini would also rock
 
stridey said:
Acrobat=any application->Print->PDF->Save as PDF :)

Can't help you with the others though.
Click to expand...

geez, is that all acrobat does? i thought it was actually a powerful application :)
really, what's the whole point of it if it just generates pdf's
oh, the things huge corporations lead us to believe about their overspiced software :D
 
Democrat622 said:
geez, is that all acrobat does? i thought it was actually a powerful application :)
really, what's the whole point of it if it just generates pdf's
oh, the things huge corporations lead us to believe about their overspiced software :D
Click to expand...

I think the full version of acrobat has more features to edit and compose pdf files and create pdf forms, which can be filled in by users in the acrobat reader later on.

A free layout program comparing to indesign would probably be scribus, which has a native mac version, I think. I don't know, how they compare exactly from the view of their purpose, but I guess Indesign is way more powerfull. I can't say more about that, because I never really used layout programs.

I have long been looking for something Illustrator like. Inkscape is the best thing, I found, and at least for my purposes no match for illustrator (yet).
 
2ndPath said:
I have long been looking for something Illustrator like. Inkscape is the best thing, I found, and at least for my purposes no match for illustrator (yet).
Click to expand...

ah! i have just what you need! Expression at http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14792. It's supposedly made by M$, but I don't think so. Open source Mac graphics software from Microsoft, I doubt it. Anyway, when you fininh the download, don't open E3, open E3X, that is the faster, more full featured, aqua OSX version. Plain old E3 is for OS 9.
Hope that helps!

p.s. after installing a ton of libraies and making new directories, native scribus is running GREAT!!!!

OK! The Complete Free Creative Suite:
Photoshop=GIMP
Photoshop Elements=Seashore
InDesign=Scribus
Acrobat=[from any app] file->print->pdf->save as pdf
GoLive=without the unneccesary intergration of CS2, this is unneeded! just use NVU
VersionCue(whoa fancy, file conversion)=Save as whatever from any app, geez, how easy!
Bridge=Again, not needed when you don't have unneccesary integration

OK!

Next up: Macromedia Studio 8
Dreamweaver=NVU
Flash=
Fireworks=Similar Functionality built into GIMP
Contribute=xcode, free with your mac!
Flash Paper=Yawn, I can do that from Keynote

if anyone knows a good flash alternative, post it!
 
more free alternatives to apple apps this time:
Final Cut: Avid Free DV
DVD Studio Pro:?
Shake: Blender
Logic: X11+JackPilot=Ardour (jackpilot and x11 just make ardour work)
Aperture: iView media (not quite free but pretty close)

Just for fun:
officmac=openoffice.org

SO, BY READING THIS THREAD, YOU'VE SAVED $8,097
Yes, that's right, eight thousand, ninety seven US dollars
geez, that's cool

my whole harddrive has so much free stuff on its not even funny. im thinking of taking all my free/open apps and making them into a .pkg file called PimpMyMac
:):D:):D:):D

No I must use that saved money and buy a totally customized PowerMac G5.
Just kidding, if I actually had $8,097 on hand righ now (and I certainly don't!) I'd use it so save Darfur.

Peace on earth, use freeware, yadda, yadda, yadda

P.S. Happy almost Pesach to my fellow iJews out there!
 
Democrat622 said:
ah! i have just what you need! Expression at http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14792. It's supposedly made by M$, but I don't think so. Open source Mac graphics software from Microsoft, I doubt it. Anyway, when you fininh the download, don't open E3, open E3X, that is the faster, more full featured, aqua OSX version. Plain old E3 is for OS 9.
Hope that helps!
Click to expand...

Yes, this application looks nice. But when I try to open one of my EPS files it does not complain, but also does not show any content of the file. That happend with a few programs I tested. Only Illustrator never had problems with these EPS files.
 
kineticpast said:
Ummm, no. Those two programs are nothing alike. Shake is a compositor, Blender is a 3D modeler.
Click to expand...

well then, i guess not. anyone who DOES know a free shake alternative?
 
It's true. I see threads like this in many forums. My answer was to create a website based on the freeware solutions people come up with. And even that seems an endless task. Maybe what we need are threads that are a little more specific — for example, a list of freeware text editors. Just a thought.

Anyway, here's my two cents worth. I'd like to mention Service Scrubber from the makers of Butler. It gives you control over all the stuff that accumulates in the service menu, making it unwieldy and almost unusable. It seems like a great idea and got a good review in Macworld.
 
Another vote for Seashore.

Cocoa.* Universal.* Free.* Fantastic.* I put GIMP in the trash today.
 
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