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What are the best Mac Apps?

M

MeUnix

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 21, 2013
355
2
San Francisco
I am almost positive there is already a thread for this, so I apologize in advance for making another one.

Just wanted to get some weigh-ins and suggestions about the Mac Apps that make your life easier, and what you use them for.

TBH, I haven't really downloaded many apps from the Mac App store besides xCode for my developing.

Just curious about what other Mac users are using from the App Store..
 
I do not buy apps from App Store very often and usually only if they are free. Generally I buy directly from app provider. I use MS Office 2011, Toast Pro, Coda 2, Adobe Master Collection CS6, iWorks and Carbon Copy Cloner. I prefer buying directly from seller site as it allows the seller to make more of the selling price. I have only a couple of free apps from the App Store, but they are not worth mentioning.

Mind you, I am sure there are some good ones depending on your needs. I am sure other will post some.
 
firedept said:
I do not buy apps from App Store very often and usually only if they are free. Generally I buy directly from app provider. I use MS Office 2011, Toast Pro, Coda 2, Adobe Master Collection CS6, iWorks and Carbon Copy Cloner. I prefer buying directly from seller site as it allows the seller to make more of the selling price. I have only a couple of free apps from the App Store, but they are not worth mentioning.

Mind you, I am sure there are some good ones depending on your needs. I am sure other will post some.
Click to expand...

I am just the opposite. I have a very strong preference of buying from the Mac App Store. There are two major reasons for this preference:
  1. Updates: Most developer sourced applications check for an update when you launch the application, which is the worst possible time to update... because it is the exact time you want to use it. MAS apps update asynchronously with usage... allowing them to update when not otherwise in use.
  2. Licensing: MAS apps are licensed for all of your machines. We are a family of 4, each of use with an iMac and a MBA. Hence, all eight macs are licensed for every app we purchase from the MAS.
The major exceptions that I must buy from the developer are (in order of importance):
  1. Microsoft Office
  2. DevonThink Pro Office
  3. Nik Software Suite
  4. Carbon Copy Cloner
  5. Adobe CS6
I doubt that I will ever buy Adobe pro apps anymore. I just do not use them enough to justify the expense. I have about $2000 in CS6 products, and it is one of my least used apps. I got it for a special project that required it.

The rest I deal with... but I would vastly prefer MAS distribution.

/Jim
 
As far as Mac App Store offerings go:

Pages

Logic X ( I'm a Producer / musician )

A couple of games

Aperture

Third Party Apps:

VLC

Handbrake

MKV

Thunderbird ( Mozzila Email Client )

MS Office for Mac

And a couple of little music apps...Audacity and the like.:)
 
Photoshop ( you know what it is :) )
Mamp ( local web server )
Keynote ( you know what it is :) )
Bean (i'am not use office suite yet)
Sublime text editor
then the important think is Web Browser, since i leave Safari and turn into Google Chrome
 
  • PathFinder (not on MAS but worth a mention)
  • Dropbox
  • Fantastical
  • 1Password
  • Alfred2 (1 is on MAS but not 2)
  • MacFamilyTree 7
  • PDFPenPro 6
  • Pixelmator
  • iDentify
 
Not sure these are all app store, but some utilities/small apps I use:
A Better Finder Rename for batch renaming files
Tinker mostly for showing hidden files
Click for taking screenshots on a timer
Text Wrangler
Spectacle to move and resize windows
Popchar to view fonts
Audacity for sound editing
Charles for http monitoring (really should by it), HTTScoop too
Monster Debugger but that's for Flash development
PhotoZoom Pro 5, used it once, great job enlarging photos
TexturePacker for sprite sheets
Yummy for ftp
 
For me:

Main Apps
Photoshop
iWork
Spotify
Last fm scrobbler
Aperture
Pocket (read it later app, coupled with the ipad/iphone apps is very handy)
Teamviewer
VLC

Utilities
Smcfancontrol to adjust the fans manually
All2mp3 to convert tracks to mp3
UnrarX
Sleeptime to keep the computer awake for x hours or indefinitely
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Pixelmator (if Photoshop is out of your reach)
Aperture
VueScan
Freeway Express
Transmission
Dropbox
VLC Media Player
Little Snitch
JMRI: DecoderPro
X Lossless Decoder
Onyx
 
CCC
Aperture
Firefox
Scansnap
Paprika
MS Office
Dropbox

Like the others, I prefer buying from the App Store so my wife can use the apps too. We have 4 Macs, 2 iPads, 2 iPod touches, and 1 iPhone (soon to be 2) so I look at licensing as part of software evaluation.
 
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