This thread is a bit dated, but in case people still find it useful, here's my input.
Start with Safari, the add firefox for anything that doesn't work in Safari.
Yes. Safari is my primary web browser. The GUI is similar to Firefox, but I think a little more elegant. Safari is also much faster than Firefox.
I use Firefox for the occasional site that says that my browser isn't accepting cookies. Safari does, so I'm not sure why the site doesn't read that. Of course this is only for sites where I think the cookie is essential.
Firefox still has more plugins that Safari oesn't. DownloadHelper is nifty for ripping streaming video content. It doesn't work with all sites tho.
handbrake.. you need handbrake
Yes. HandBrake is better than Mac the Ripper for ripping video. Sorry, Mac the Ripper guys.
It's been stated above, but VLC, Perian, and Flip4Mac are pretty essential. They expand the video formats you can use.
I also like:
JustNotes: ($0) it's a Stickies like application, but the GUI is slick. It has some more functionality than Stickies. It also has some less...and I prefer what it doesn't do that Stickies does...like simple text instead of rich text. It also syncs via the cloud ($0) with an iPhone app called Simplenote ($0). I use them all day long. I can barely function without my lists. How sad. I also need a mobile and at home place to capture stray (yet important) ideas.
VoodooPad: ($40) is a handy app for collecting brainstorming sessions, and initiating writing projects. You can use it to hyperlink your ideas together.
Microsoft Office: ($???) for file compatibility, go with the industry standard. Word and Excel are more feature rich (if bloated) than Pages and Numbers. It costs more than Apple's iWork and runs slower, but it's worth it. I haven't tried Open Office for Mac, but I wasn't impressed with it for Linux.
