[Pamela]

well I have about a week left of waiting for my 17" PB *crosses fingers* so I've been starting to think about what kind of software I will be installing on it. I thought I'd get some input regarding the "must have's" of software for this machine. I guess it will help you to know that I'm not a gamer (unless it's donkey kong or mario bros....as everyone rolls their eyes lol) and I use it for a lot of graphics/CAD/websurfing/music/email

These are the programs I plan to install...(So PLEASE!..give me your input! )

archicad
vectorworks
formz
maya
photoshop
illustrator
flash
office (grrr...apple come out with a good replacement!)
VPC6 with windows 2000

now what about things like unzipping programs (utilities), and dvd viewing programs, and burning programs, etc??

(adobe acrobat...I thought it comes with it?!?....and norton systemworks...do I need it for the defrager, and disk disaster help?...I have it now for my PC)

 

[gordguide]

Graphic Converter is a must have.

As for Apple coming out with a replacement for MS Office, ClarisWorks (now AppleWorks) has been around for a decade. It runs on Mac and Windows. Use it and you will wonder aloud why everything isn't so simple to use.

One could argue it's not as full-featured as Word, etc. I will argue that 99% of MS Office users never explore any of these "extra" features. Even though I have Office, I have never once needed to use MS Word to create a text document when AppleWorks was on my HD. Ever.

AppleWorks is a true integrated application (ie not 5 separate applications like Office) that does text, drawing, database & spreadsheet with less RAM than any single MS Office application needs.

OSX comes with Stuffit Expander. All your unzipping needs and more. Incredibly, Windows users still pay for WinZip when Expander (Windows, Mac, Linux) is available for free. Go figure.

You will want to d/l Windows Media Player from MS. DVD playback and DVD buring are part of the OS. Creating and viewing PDFs are part of OSX, but you can d/l Acrobat Reader from Adobe if you want.

Get familar with one of the following sites:
MacUpdate
versiontracker

I prefer Cocktail for OSX maintenance routines.

 

[Kosh]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Pamela:

now what about things like unzipping programs (utilities)
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Stuffit handles that. It should already be on the machine. Do a search for stuffit - I think it consists of 2 or 3 programs. It handles uncompressing almost all formats - zips, sits, tars, hqxs, etc...

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Pamela:

(adobe acrobat...I thought it comes with it?!?....and norton systemworks...do I need it for the defrager, and disk disaster help?...I have it now for my PC)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'd stay away from norton if you can. I've never used diskwarrior, but I heard it's better.

You may want to download MacJanitor to use to run the MacOS X cleanup scripts.

 

[däycüs mäximüs]

also, for regular OS maintenance, get MacJanitor. it's a free program that does the scheduled unix maintenance stuff that usually runs around 4 in the morning, when your computer is usually asleep or shut down.

just a thought. it will make your computer run faster.

 

[minnes]

instead of spending your hard earned cash on buying a new glod doorknob for for Bill Gates Mansion, just download X Windows, then download OpenOffice from www.openoffice.org, then you can read write edit and create any MS Office document except for Access and then you dont get access on Mac Office suites anyway.
I got it, it works fine, powerpoint may be a little limitied but hey it is free.

 

[Podboy]

I don't want to get into any kind of a war with you, gordguide, especially since I'm not particularly passionate about either product, but I'm gonna have to disagree with you about AppleWorks. I've been using it since about 94-95, and while it was amazing and incredible in the pre-OS X era (none of the extraneous bloatware bullsh*t that MS crams down their users' throats), my experience with it in OS X is at best uninspiring and pathetic. It was designed for 9 and below, and that is painfully obvious - for me, it's slow, unpolished, and ugly (read: no antialiasing in Drawing *wince*) However, I am NOT IN ANY WAY advocating products coded by the Redmond Giant. I have heard whispers of what their source actually looks like, and those tales are scarier than axe murderers. If I were Pamela, I would first hug myself for making a Big Smart Choice and getting a Mac, and then I would go ahead and grab OpenOffice, as minnes kindly suggested. That's not a permanent solution, however; I have heard rumours of Apple forging in secret a brand new suite or something like it to allow SuperHuman-style productivity. This will allow Mac-using companies to flourish, crushing their PC competitors, and thus making the necessity of pandering to the Wintel crowd quite moot.

(Naturally this forging took place in a large mountain that lies in the middle of a barren plain. The suite was forged by one whose name translates to 'He Who Sports Sharp Turtlenecks And Snazzy Jeans')

Anyhow, I'd grab OpenOffice and sit tight for a few months. Though that may seem like dangerous optimism when looking at the fact that Apple has not released an AppleWorks update in about two years (that's a very rough estimate from memory), and there is narry a sign of HappyNewProductLand on the horizon, the Mothership is apt to surprising us all now and then.

This would be the end of My Two Cents. Thank you for your time.

Cheers,
Podboy

 

[Pamela]

Yeah, that's the conclusion I ended up coming to a little while back while researching the whole office/appleworks thing. I hadn't heard good things about appleworks. I'm not in a huge hurry (schools back on in sept) and so I'll hold on to my *horrible* office xp until mac gives me a decent substitute.

 

[minnes]

I think Appleworks is a little old looking but still adequate for most business tasks except the database part.
The OpenOffice is a pretty reassonable substitute for Office and it will only get better.
a hell of a download to get X windows then Openoffice together nearly 200 mbs, but worth it

 

[jfpoole]

My biggest complaint about OpenOffice is that it doesn't look like a Carbon/Cocoa application, but rather a Linux application (and probably behaves like one, too). One of the reasons (I think) for owning a Mac is the pleasant UI experience. OpenOffice (for me) detracts rather than enhances this experience.

As for must-have Mac software, I can't say enough good things about BBEdit. If you have to work with text files at all (especially source code or HTML), BBEdit is a godsend.

 

[(( p g ))]

You'll be pleasantly surprised to find that most of what you need comes pre-loaded with your Mac, including Stuffit, DVD player, iTunes, iLife, etc. If you plan on burning a lot of data CDs, you might want to check out Roxio Toast, since it has a few things not offered by iTunes/Disc Copy.

Office v.X is nice if you can afford it, but if all you need is a basic wordprocessor, then save your shekels...you're gonna need them to pay for Photoshop and other over-prices Adobe apps.

As for affordable apps, Graphic Converter is a must-have, as are BBEdit (HTML editor), Fetch (FTP app), and Net NewsWire (news/blog reader and editor).

In additon, I seem to recall that all new PowerBooks come pre-loaded with QuickBooks Pro 5. That's a pretty good deal, since it retails for $300USD. In addition, you always get a free copy of good ol' Quicken when you buy a new system.

Hope some of this helps!
P

 

[Heart]

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