# Best 3rd party utilities for OS X...



## serpicolugnut (Feb 28, 2002)

While responding to another thread about Default Folder X, it occured to me that there is a extremely healthy crop of 3rd party utilities available for OS X, and it hasn't even hit it's 1 year birthday yet. I wanted to start a thread to talk about them, and maybe introduce some new ones to people who didn't know they existed. 

My favorites in the arena of GUI enhancements are ASM, FruitMenu and Classic Spy.

My other favorite 3rd party utilities are osXigen for FTP, Password Master for storing serials & passwords, Pic2Icon for generating 128x128 thumbnails of images, USBOverdrive for finally given us 3rd party mouse users control over our devices, and Iconographer for creating OS X icons...


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## Ralph J. (Feb 28, 2002)

in addition to the utilities that serpicolugnut mentioned, i also recommend TransparentDock, TinkerTool and MouseZoom.


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## frgee (Feb 28, 2002)

duality 3 for theme-ing.


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## genghiscohen (Mar 1, 2002)

LaunchBar!!!


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## tismey (Mar 1, 2002)

DockSwap , TransparentDock ,WindowShade X and TypeIt4Me get my vote.


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## edX (Mar 1, 2002)

ASM is no. 1 on my list but that is because i am old school. It keeps me from habitually reaching for something that isn't there.

also dockswitcher,  default folder x (even while needing some work), desktop changer, free space, swap cop, Xoptimize, and BatChmod.


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## serpicolugnut (Mar 1, 2002)

You know, I weened myself off of the habit of moving my mouse to the upper right hand corner of the screen to switch applications, so I stopped using ASM because I thought I didn't need it. 

Then I realized another thing that ASM does that's a lifesaver - it enables "Classic Window Mode", which basically means, if you click on one window of any application, the entire application and all it's windows comes to the forefront, which is the way that I like it.

OS X by default allows you (depending upon the application), to click on an applications window, and if it isn't the main window, the rest of the apps windows may be obscurred by another application. Very annoying - and really cool that ASM fixes it.

I wish one developer would take all these nifty little utilities like ASM, TrashX, Fruit Menu, WindowShadeX, etc. and roll them in to one application/utility. They could call it the "RetroResourceApp" or something to that effect. Basically a all in one utility that gives old school lovers of OS 9's UI features the ability to restore them in X.

Hey - I can wish outloud can't I?


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## naysayer (Mar 1, 2002)

less is more


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## dlookus (Mar 1, 2002)

more or less.


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## ksuther (Mar 1, 2002)

ASM doesn't seem so great me, but I've yet to try it 
Maybe I should.
Most important to me are: Transparent Dock, USB Overdrive as of recently (it's greeaat ), SlashDock, MouseZoom, TinkerTool, MemoryStick is quite useful too


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## Alexandert (Mar 2, 2002)

> _Originally posted by tismey _
> *DockSwap , TransparentDock ,WindowShade X and TypeIt4Me get my vote. *



But don't forget LaunchBar and  ASM!!!


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## simX (Mar 2, 2002)

I agree with ASM, Spy (not to be confused with Classic Spy), FruitMenu, PasswordMaster, Pic2Icon, Iconographer, TinkerTool, and WindowShade X.

But there are NUMEROUS that you guys have TOTALLY overlooked:

SNAPZ PRO X (main one), GraphicConverter, BootCD (creates a Mac OS _X_ boot CD with specified apps on it), Pitbull Pro, Pacifist (allows you to select install things from packages like Mac OS X install packages), Proteus, SwapCop, Super Get Info or Get Info, and you can't forget X Font Info, XRay, and Zingg!

Oh, yeah, and Memory Usage Getter. 

Wow, now that I think about it, Mac OS X DOES have a whole bunch of third party apps even though it's first birthday is only 23 days away.  I'm sure that's mostly due to the fact that anybody can now develop Mac OS X applications with the free developer tools.  And also because of UNIX ports, but this less so.


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## tagliatelle (Mar 2, 2002)

You can also thanks the JAVA 2 support. Did you also noticed that you are not so far away from my post counts. Congratulations for your 900 post.


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## Alexandert (Mar 2, 2002)

But he post things "normal" people understand, Hervé!


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## tagliatelle (Mar 2, 2002)

If sharing thoughts about what you are creating on Macosx NOrmal?


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## ksuther (Mar 2, 2002)

Wow, I just understood Hérve's last two posts! OMG!

Add to the list Get Info, Locator, Adium, ChangeDesktop, ManOpen, MacJanitor, XOptimize and Terminal


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## simX (Mar 2, 2002)

Terminal is not third-party, silly!


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## ksuther (Mar 2, 2002)

I don't care, it's still useful 

I use MUG 2.0 when I'm bored, but RELEASE 2.0.1 would ya simX?


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## edX (Mar 2, 2002)

simX - where do i get BootCD? this is one i have been looking for!! (the function, not the name)


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## edX (Mar 9, 2002)

so can anybody tell me where to get Boot CD?

anyone? anywhere?


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## simX (Mar 9, 2002)

I believe it was a MacFixIt.com only release.  They had posted it on their website, since someone had sent them the program.  They touted it, because it really is nice how it allows you to put specified apps onto a CD.  I could potentially create a Norton Utilities beta boot CD from it (but it didn't work because Norton needed some other driver thingies that I didn't install on the CD).  It actually creates a disk image from your current system (which allows it to be the latest system software) and then allows you to add apps, but you could actually modify the disk image yourself before burning.

It's here: http://www.macfixit.com/library/osxu.shtml

BootCD is second from the top.


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## edX (Mar 9, 2002)

Thanks SimX!  I wondered if you had lost track of this thread. i saw you were on and decided this was a great time to get your attention. 

damn, it is cold tonite on the coast.

i hope i can manage to make an updated drive10 disk with it.


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## simX (Mar 9, 2002)

Just make sure that if the application that you want to install needs extra stuff installed in the library and such, it would probably be better to mount the disk image after it is created and use the traditional installer to install all of the components -- this was my mistake in making a Norton Utilities beta CD.


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## Aqualung (Mar 9, 2002)

Most of you should just go back to OS 9...after all the utilities you use are all aimed at making OS X behave like OS 9.  Yuck.  

BTW, if you want to switch to an application and have all its windows come forward, then just click on it's icon in the dock.  

As someone who uses multiple apps, I like that I can switch between windows rather than Apps.  Normally I'm working on a single project in multiple apps, and it's nice to have all the windows related to the project in front, even if they aren't from the same app.  This is an awesome feature!


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## mindbend (Mar 9, 2002)

Icon Machine (or iconagrapher or Iconbuilder Pro) for custom OS X icons

Synchronize Pro X [qdea.com] (for those of us who need to synch files across networks or take-home drives). Don't waste your time with the others, this one's the best.

BatCHown (for simple graphical privileges changing).

Youpi Keys (for launching apps, scriptsm files and more thru keyboard shortcuts. A must have.)

Great job programmers, keep em coming!


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## Valrus (Mar 19, 2002)

PearCalc. A calculator and an app launcher in one, free. I thought it was a weird combination too, but I really like it. Also it includes a service so you can use it in an application. Nice!
Also the screen footprint is tiny. fantastic and free... yum.

-the valrus


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## ERICBRIAN2002 (Mar 20, 2002)

I dl type it 4 me and when i got to this point i dont get what they mean "Now pull down the keyboard menu: 

You should see TypeIt4Me listed with an icon intended to look like the A key on a keyboard: select it and a little icon of the juggling man will appear to the right of the A icon, giving you access to the TypeIt4Me menu options."

I didnt see no juggling man.?


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## twister (Mar 20, 2002)

If you wouldn't mind, add links to your favorite apps.  I have never heard of ASM before today so i had to go find it.  Looks cool.

Anyone making a label program yet? I miss em.


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## ksuther (Mar 20, 2002)

SNAX supports labels... I don't feel like having to buy another Finder though, and I never used labels in the first place


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## twister (Mar 20, 2002)

thanks but i dont need another finder. 

twister


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## ksuther (Mar 20, 2002)

My thoughts exactly 
Maybe Apple will reintroduce labels in 10.2. I never found them very useful though. I'll admit I don't use my computer to make any money or organize things though either  But when I do, separate folders seem so much better.
Also, XDarwin and Fink are quite useful


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## twister (Mar 20, 2002)

I never liked labels until i got my web job.  Then when you have to keep track of pages you changed, and emails you send, and things that were final versions, i realized that labels rocked.


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## dani++ (Mar 21, 2002)

Also, there's stuff like wht comes from PTH software (lie PTHPasteboard, which is a lifesaver).


Dani++


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## pbrice (Mar 22, 2002)

1.  WindowShade X - it's the one feature I truly miss from 9<.  I don't even miss SPring Loaded Folders anyomore.  The great feature set of OS X makes SLF obsolete for me.

2.  iSwipe (www.hillmanminx.com) for file sharing through multiple services (the Auto Search feature is great)

3.  RadioFree (www.xlife.org) lets you record internet streaming radio.  It has a great and simple Aqua interface.

4.  eFaxCocoa - free faxing software

5.  Son of Weather Grok - fun weather utility.  The update chime is out of this world hysterical/annoying

I know a lot of people seem to love AWS, but I personally HATED the application menu being on the right side in 9<.  I am glad it is gone and glad those who liked it can get a utility to bring it back.  With the combination of interleved windows, bringing application to front by clicking on the Dock icon, the window menu, hiding and quitting form the Dock,...etc OS X offers more options / functionality than 9< ever did.


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## Koelling (Mar 22, 2002)

1.) Fink
2.) Adium
3.) Mozilla
4.) Omniweb
5.) Tinker tools
6.) Graphic Converter
7.) Disk Tracker

I realize that some of those cross the line from Utilities to Apps but I usually think of applications as being work something you work on, like Illustrator or Electric Image and utilities that you work with, like using Graphic Converter to help with a project. It depends on the person whether you use it as a utility or app.


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