Recommend me Software for my New Mac.

[DomLando]

I purchased an new 15" Macbook Pro. This will be my first experience with an apple computer as I have been using various Windows based laptops for over 10 years now. Basically I used the laptop for work, internet, word processing, watching movies, music and any normal day to day usage. I do some minor photo and video editing but nothing to major.

Based on that what kind of software can you recommend? Any interesting apps I need or apps I need for everyday use? Any recommendations are welcome. Thanks in advance!

 

[spinnerlys]

work - scientist, mathematician, police officer, bar maid, pilot, ...
internet - Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Camino, ...
word processing - iWork, MS Office, NeoOffice, OpenOfiice, Text Edit, ...
watching movies - iTunes, QT Player (7 and X), VLC Player, Movist, ...
music - iTunes, ...
normal day to day usage - ?
photo editing - iPhoto, Aperture, Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Gimp, Pixelmator, ...
video editing - iMovie, Final Cut Express, Adobe Premiere Elements

Links to Software Recommendation Threads
List of Mac Software
MRoogle on "recommended software"


Also have a look at the following links, as the information presented there might be helpful in your future endeavours into Mac OS X and could clear up initial confusion and may even prevent harm to your system or your files.

Mac OS X Basics

Switch 101 - guide with articles made by Apple on how to accustom yourself, after you switched to Mac OS X from Windows​

Mac 101 - How to get started with Mac OS X​

Find out how - tutorial videos made by Apple on how to do certain thing in Mac OS X​

Pro tips - tips made available by Apple for easier ways of doing certain tasks​

Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts - Learn about common Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts.​

Mac OS X Beginner's Guide by MacRumors - learn about software, media players, shortcuts and some useful tips, tricks and hints​

Mac Guides - tutorials, product guides and more​

Mac Guides - Finding Mac Software​

MRoogle - a very effective tool to search these fora using Google and made available by edesignuk, introductory threads: 1, 2 and 3​

"How to maximise your MacRumors troubleshooting experience" created by mad jew in 2006​

 

[Kernos]

For internet, word processing, watching movies, music ... Your Mac already comes with software: Safari and Mail for the web, QuickTime Player and DVD Player for movies, TextEdit for word processing, iTunes for music and iPhoto for pictures.

iPhoto has some pretty good editing functions itself. But, I would also suggest you look at GraphicConverter, a fantastic shareware graphics editing program. I'm not sure if it has changed, but one could test it forever, but it was so good, I felt compelled to get licenses:

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/10057380

A quite good, free, word processor is Bean. TextEdit is more like a notepad and I find it limited.

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/24881/bean

NeoOffice is a free complete open-source suite, comparable to Microsoft Office:

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/24881/bean

The 2 sites I have links to, VersionTracker and MacUpdate are good sites for finding software and updates. Check out their advanced searches.

 

[deputy_doofy]

http://www.opensourcemac.org