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Switching tomarrow, software questions

G

ghostee

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 25, 2004
286
0
Villa Park, IL
I have an iBook 12" G4 800 which should be arriving tomarrow, and I'd like a little bit of advice on various software so I can be prepared. I prefer open source or free programs, but welcome suggestions for commercial software.

1. IRC: What is the best client? I'd need a full featured client supporting DCC transfers, ident, and preferably one that you can script and customize.

2. Usenet: On windows I've used Xnews for all my binary grabbing needs. Is there a similiar proggie for osx? Also, is that a parity program for repairing damaged pieces of posts?

3. Compression: Does OSx have built in support for .zip and .rar formats? If not, what program should I grab?

4. Codecs: I plan on playing Divx, Mpeg-2, Mpeg, Avi, Quicktime, Mp3 and possibly others. Is support built-in for these or should I look for codecs or packs?

Thanks again.
 
well I can't answer all of your questions, however, Quicktime should play all of those, however to be able to play DivX you will need the plugin I think.

Also... make sure to calibrate your battery first thing.
 
ghostee said:
3. Compression: Does OSx have built in support for .zip and .rar formats? If not, what program should I grab?
Click to expand...

Finder has built in support for zip compression. You can also use a program called Stuffit Expander (I think this comes with new Macs) which will decompress almost anything (the expander is free, but there is a full version called Stuffit Deluxe which includes more features but at a cost)

4. Codecs: I plan on playing Divx, Mpeg-2, Mpeg, Avi, Quicktime, Mp3 and possibly others. Is support built-in for these or should I look for codecs or packs?
Click to expand...

I think Quicktime Player handles most of these, but there is a free program called VLC available from http://www.videolan.org/ which is also a good media player. You can also use iTunes for MP3s. This combination should be able to play everything you have.
 
mm

ghostee said:
I have an iBook 12" G4 800 which should be arriving tomarrow, and I'd like a little bit of advice on various software so I can be prepared. I prefer open source or free programs, but welcome suggestions for commercial software.

1. IRC: What is the best client? I'd need a full featured client supporting DCC transfers, ident, and preferably one that you can script and customize.

2. Usenet: On windows I've used Xnews for all my binary grabbing needs. Is there a similiar proggie for osx? Also, is that a parity program for repairing damaged pieces of posts?

3. Compression: Does OSx have built in support for .zip and .rar formats? If not, what program should I grab?

4. Codecs: I plan on playing Divx, Mpeg-2, Mpeg, Avi, Quicktime, Mp3 and possibly others. Is support built-in for these or should I look for codecs or packs?

Thanks again.
Click to expand...
compression is built in (zip that is), you can get the divx player for os x free. quicktime provides most of your mpeg support. itunes for mp3's and wmp9 for your windows media stuff. there are a bunch of rar extractors, in addition to stuffit expander that does sits.

I can't remember which I use, but look at macupdate for rar, and you will find dozens.


and I don't use usenet or irc, though I know either fire or proteus supports IRC.
for most of the shareware/freeware software I use, I go to www.versiontracker.com or www.macupdate.com

they both usually have everything I am looking for.
good luck.

welcome to os x. it'll be nice.
 
ghostee said:
I have an iBook 12" G4 800 which should be arriving tomarrow, and I'd like a little bit of advice on various software so I can be prepared. I prefer open source or free programs, but welcome suggestions for commercial software.

1. IRC: What is the best client? I'd need a full featured client supporting DCC transfers, ident, and preferably one that you can script and customize.

2. Usenet: On windows I've used Xnews for all my binary grabbing needs. Is there a similiar proggie for osx? Also, is that a parity program for repairing damaged pieces of posts?

3. Compression: Does OSx have built in support for .zip and .rar formats? If not, what program should I grab?

4. Codecs: I plan on playing Divx, Mpeg-2, Mpeg, Avi, Quicktime, Mp3 and possibly others. Is support built-in for these or should I look for codecs or packs?

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Well, I can answer #4 for ya pretty quickly - get VLC! VLC will play any type oif video format you can throw at it - I have never run acorss anything yet that I haven't been able to play using VLC. And the best thing is, it's free! This is something you better get used to becoming a Mac user by the way - no need to pay for expensive apps like in the Windows world - there are better quality apps for free in the Apple world! :cool: Anyway, VLC will play QuickTime as well, but you can just use the QT PLayer (obviously) for this - and if you want to use the QT Player for more video, then grab some divx and 3ivx codecs for it and it'll play just about everything as well.

As for your MP3s, iTunes will handle those just fine - and again, no need to pay for it!
 
1. IRC: What is the best client? I'd need a full featured client supporting DCC transfers, ident, and preferably one that you can script and customize.

Conversation, or BitchX (but you need to compile it manually).

2. Usenet: On windows I've used Xnews for all my binary grabbing needs. Is there a similiar proggie for osx? Also, is that a parity program for repairing damaged pieces of posts?

For binaries, I have found Unison to be very useful. For articles MT-NewsWatcher X.

3. Compression: Does OSx have built in support for .zip and .rar formats? If not, what program should I grab?

Zip compression is built in in Panther, there's a command line Rar utility.

4. Codecs: I plan on playing Divx, Mpeg-2, Mpeg, Avi, Quicktime, Mp3 and possibly others. Is support built-in for these or should I look for codecs or packs?

Quicktime should play most of these. There's MPlayer for the others.

Ken
 
ghostee said:
I have an iBook 12" G4 800 which should be arriving tomarrow, and I'd like a little bit of advice on various software so I can be prepared. I prefer open source or free programs, but welcome suggestions for commercial software.

1. IRC: What is the best client? I'd need a full featured client supporting DCC transfers, ident, and preferably one that you can script and customize.

2. Usenet: On windows I've used Xnews for all my binary grabbing needs. Is there a similiar proggie for osx? Also, is that a parity program for repairing damaged pieces of posts?

3. Compression: Does OSx have built in support for .zip and .rar formats? If not, what program should I grab?

4. Codecs: I plan on playing Divx, Mpeg-2, Mpeg, Avi, Quicktime, Mp3 and possibly others. Is support built-in for these or should I look for codecs or packs?

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

1. The best IRC client in my opinion is X-Chat Aqua. Clean, and powerful

3. OS X DOES have built in compression, but for a more powerful solution, look to Stuffit.

4. Do NOT try and use QuickTime to play DivX, or .AVI. Download a program called VLC, I don't even use Quicktime now that I have this.
 
how do you actually do calibrate the battery?
Click to expand...

to calibrate the battery let if fully discharge, ie run it all the way down until your mac goes into sleep mode, then plug it in and let the battery charge all the way up....and thats about it from my understand of the process im sure someone will correct me if i am wrong...
 
mplayer

I put in my vote for Mplayer, handles all sorts of DIvx and AVI, even subtitles, it's small, free, frequently updated and there's no codec installs to worry about. i like VLC too, but i haven't touched VLC in a loooong time since i found MPlayer
 
ghostee said:
I have an iBook 12" G4 800 which should be arriving tomarrow, and I'd like a little bit of advice on various software so I can be prepared. I prefer open source or free programs, but welcome suggestions for commercial software.

1. IRC: What is the best client? I'd need a full featured client supporting DCC transfers, ident, and preferably one that you can script and customize.

2. Usenet: On windows I've used Xnews for all my binary grabbing needs. Is there a similiar proggie for osx? Also, is that a parity program for repairing damaged pieces of posts?

3. Compression: Does OSx have built in support for .zip and .rar formats? If not, what program should I grab?

4. Codecs: I plan on playing Divx, Mpeg-2, Mpeg, Avi, Quicktime, Mp3 and possibly others. Is support built-in for these or should I look for codecs or packs?

Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day,
But teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

If you have a question about the existence of a category of software, go to http://www.versiontracker.com/ or http://www.macupdate.com/ and do a search for what you are looking for. You can also do a Google search. You will find everything that you want without the wait for your information.
 
People have been answering

But not to all your questions, lets pull them together.

Place to look for software, www.versiontracker.com, has every version of almost every program you could want to find.

1) IRC: many clients that are out there for free - X-Chat Aqua is stated above and it is a very nice program. Others too that are good just look on version tracker.

2)Version tracker brings back a couple - Newsflash Alpah12, Hogwasher 3.1, SlashDock 2.3.8, OSXnews 0.08, many many more. look up Usenet

3)Compression like zip files are opened by the OS. Stuffit can be found in the Application/Utilites folder. Stuffit should automatically open .rar or .tar or gz.tar, all those types.

4)Codecs can be gotten for playing avi files in quicktime, but its not great and doesn't play all files. Best is VLC or Mplayer OSX, and there are other programs based off of mplayer.

Again, Versiontracker.com to find any program you want.
 
~Shard~ said:
... And the best thing is, it's free! This is something you better get used to becoming a Mac user by the way - no need to pay for expensive apps like in the Windows world - there are better quality apps for free in the Apple world! ...
Click to expand...

This is one of the side benefits of Apple starting from the ground up with OS X, and basing it on BSD. Enough Linux and BSD users have migrated to OS X that they've put the work into porting their favorite open source apps.

I don't know how much good freeware existed back with OS 9 and earlier; but a lot of the best free stuff available now started out in the Linux community (such as VLC and MPlayer, which are both mentioned in this thread). :D
 
MisterMe said:
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day,
But teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Click to expand...

Agreed. But the writer asked members of this board to offer their collective expertise on specific applications -- not a URL to a Web site that would then have to be thoroughly combed.

If someone stops you on the street and asks for directions, you tell the person how to get there. You don't provide the name of a store where s/he can buy a map.
 
brhmac said:
Agreed. But the writer asked members of this board to offer their collective expertise on specific applications -- not a URL to a Web site that would then have to be thoroughly combed.

If someone stops you on the street and asks for directions, you tell the person how to get there. You don't provide the name of a store where s/he can buy a map.
Click to expand...

Good analogy. Although passing along websites is an excellent additional source of aid and information, let's try and help out people as much as we possibly can here in these forums so they don't have to go elsewhere - that's what the forums are here for, and that's what the forum members are here for! :cool:
 
To cover two gaps in the answers here:

RAR Programs: UnRarX has served me well for quite some time; it's fast, lightweight, handles PAR1 files, and any common version of RAR that I've seen around. And, of course, it's free.

The alternative is MacPAR Deluxe; it's shareware, but is VERY powerful; it handles PAR2 repairs, RAR repairs, all un-RAR needs, and can build RARs and PAR sets as well. Nice program.

Usenet Binaries: As somebody already said, Unison is the way to go for binaries. The interface is a little unusual, but it makes browsing VERY easy.

Unfortunately, far and away the best usenet reader on the Mac (maybe any platform), especially for binaries, was killed by its creator a couple of weeks ago. It was called Thoth, and if you can find a copy somewhere you won't be disappointed--I will likely use my paid copy for the forseeable future. Why the fellow killed it instead of just stopping development, I don't understand, but it's a spectacular app nonetheless.
 
brhmac said:
Agreed. But the writer asked members of this board to offer their collective expertise on specific applications -- not a URL to a Web site that would then have to be thoroughly combed.

If someone stops you on the street and asks for directions, you tell the person how to get there. You don't provide the name of a store where s/he can buy a map.
Click to expand...
I like to empower people. You like dependents. We disagree. That's what makes a world.
 
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