Must have Mac programs?

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
moonpie
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:22 am

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by moonpie » Tue Nov 20, 2012 3:45 pm

funken wrote:Cheers Trypset. I have to say I still have problems with Soundflower, but have never found anything to replace it. Sometimes I get a horrible buzzing noise from it. I only ever use it do do screen recordings.
Hey funken, did you try out jack osx? Mentioned it in my post as an alternative to soundflower, as I had the same problems. Little more finicky to set up, but definitely way more usable.

condra
Posts: 2755
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2007 2:03 pm
Location: Dublin

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by condra » Tue Nov 20, 2012 4:17 pm

On a slightly different note, the first thing I do with a new Mac is:

Put the God damn brightness down
Turn off genie window effect
Show HD on desktop
Disable translucent menu bar
Turn off autohide the dock, but make it smaller
Delete the stupid shitty playlists in iTunes
Put iTunes into LIST VIEW, with artwork hidden
Disable all the dumb parameters in iTunes like Genre and Album Name
Make the text in iTunes much bigger with pref file
Disable Time Machine
Set Fn key as "Show Desktop"
Get rid of that fanning shit beside the Trash Can
Delete all the bloat shit from the Dashboard (Time Machine, Spaces, Calander etc)

moonpie
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:22 am

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by moonpie » Tue Nov 20, 2012 4:23 pm

condra wrote:On a slightly different note, the first thing I do with a new Mac is:

Put the God damn brightness down
Turn off genie window effect
Show HD on desktop
Disable translucent menu bar
Turn off autohide the dock, but make it smaller
Delete the stupid shitty playlists in iTunes
Put iTunes into LIST VIEW, with artwork hidden
Disable all the dumb parameters in iTunes like Genre and Album Name
Make the text in iTunes much bigger with pref file
Disable Time Machine
Set Fn key as "Show Desktop"
Get rid of that fanning shit beside the Trash Can
Delete all the bloat shit from the Dashboard (Time Machine, Spaces, Calander etc)

The fn thing for desktop is cool - dont you lose "delete" though (with combination backspace)? Id die with dock autohide on my 13inch mbp and Live. Would be pretty unworkable.

Whats the advantage to the translucent menubar?

trevox
Posts: 659
Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:58 am

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by trevox » Tue Nov 20, 2012 4:56 pm

condra wrote:On a slightly different note, the first thing I do with a new Mac is:

Put the God damn brightness down
Turn off genie window effect
Show HD on desktop
Disable translucent menu bar
Turn off autohide the dock, but make it smaller
Delete the stupid shitty playlists in iTunes
Put iTunes into LIST VIEW, with artwork hidden
Disable all the dumb parameters in iTunes like Genre and Album Name
Make the text in iTunes much bigger with pref file
Disable Time Machine
Set Fn key as "Show Desktop"
Get rid of that fanning shit beside the Trash Can
Delete all the bloat shit from the Dashboard (Time Machine, Spaces, Calander etc)
Disable Time Machine? Sorry, but that's bad advice! TM has saved my ass on numerous occasions for both restoring lost files and getting previous version of files. Also, if you ever plan on migrating or need to rebuild your machine, it is pretty seamless with TM. My advice would be to ensure you use it, not disable it.

The only bad element of time machine is the lack of customization. But if you ever run into an issue where you do not want TM to kick in, simply eject the drive or disconnect from your machine.

OzWozEre
Posts: 166
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 12:47 am

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by OzWozEre » Tue Nov 20, 2012 6:15 pm

funken wrote:
condra wrote:On a slightly different note, the first thing I do with a new Mac is:

Put the God damn brightness down - agreed
I have mine at the lowest setting usually as well, that's why there's buttons for it, simple
Turn off genie window effect
You mean expose? That shit comes in handy when you're working across multiple windows in multiple programs, maybe not so much with the one-screen-daw type deal. But it's definately useful
Show HD on desktop
You mean the "Macintosh HD" icon? It's there by default...
Disable translucent menu bar - why?
Why not, if that rocks your boat...
Turn off autohide the dock, but make it smaller - why?
Ditto, I never interfere with user's dock preferences, to each their own! Notice how you have all these options...
Delete the stupid shitty playlists in iTunes
The next few points are all about iTunes as if the world of Mac usage revolves around fucking iTunes, let's skip since they're no biggies...
Put iTunes into LIST VIEW, with artwork hidden
Disable all the dumb parameters in iTunes like Genre and Album Name
Make the text in iTunes much bigger with pref file
Disable Time Machine - WHY?
TM can be annoying at first, expecially when you don't set your parameters and have it backup whenever it wants, i.e. when you're in the middle of some important shit. USE IT, EMBRACE IT, it will save your fucking arse. Remember, TM backups up complete images of your current system, it's more than just a file-backup deal like Dropbox etc.
Set Fn key as "Show Desktop" - good idea
Nice to see someone using that stupid fn key for something... I might try this as well
Get rid of that fanning shit beside the Trash Can
These too can come in hand for certain files you want quick access to without having to open up finder or, gasp! press fn to show the desktop like you set above, just to open a file. Remember you can drag any folder down there and it will act the same way as the current one you have... I have a few, one for downloads, current projects etc.etc.
Delete all the bloat shit from the Dashboard (Time Machine, Spaces, Calander etc)
Bloat? No sir. I have the feeling you are a recent mac user convert, still use a windows pc or some other thing where you haven't made the full switch over to mac os x.

Genie effect? HD on desktop? Bloat? Need a show desktop button? Think TM backups are stupid? Tons of whinny about itunes? === Definitely a Windows User Mindset.
Macbook Pro (2.5 Dual, 4gb) / 30" Cinema Display (I don't give a fuck about no multi-monitor support)

moonpie
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:22 am

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by moonpie » Tue Nov 20, 2012 6:27 pm

OzWozEre wrote:
funken wrote:
condra wrote:On a slightly different note, the first thing I do with a new Mac is:

Put the God damn brightness down - agreed
I have mine at the lowest setting usually as well, that's why there's buttons for it, simple
Turn off genie window effect
You mean expose? That shit comes in handy when you're working across multiple windows in multiple programs, maybe not so much with the one-screen-daw type deal. But it's definately useful
Show HD on desktop
You mean the "Macintosh HD" icon? It's there by default...
Disable translucent menu bar - why?
Why not, if that rocks your boat...
Turn off autohide the dock, but make it smaller - why?
Ditto, I never interfere with user's dock preferences, to each their own! Notice how you have all these options...
Delete the stupid shitty playlists in iTunes
The next few points are all about iTunes as if the world of Mac usage revolves around fucking iTunes, let's skip since they're no biggies...
Put iTunes into LIST VIEW, with artwork hidden
Disable all the dumb parameters in iTunes like Genre and Album Name
Make the text in iTunes much bigger with pref file
Disable Time Machine - WHY?
TM can be annoying at first, expecially when you don't set your parameters and have it backup whenever it wants, i.e. when you're in the middle of some important shit. USE IT, EMBRACE IT, it will save your fucking arse. Remember, TM backups up complete images of your current system, it's more than just a file-backup deal like Dropbox etc.
Set Fn key as "Show Desktop" - good idea
Nice to see someone using that stupid fn key for something... I might try this as well
Get rid of that fanning shit beside the Trash Can
These too can come in hand for certain files you want quick access to without having to open up finder or, gasp! press fn to show the desktop like you set above, just to open a file. Remember you can drag any folder down there and it will act the same way as the current one you have... I have a few, one for downloads, current projects etc.etc.
Delete all the bloat shit from the Dashboard (Time Machine, Spaces, Calander etc)
Bloat? No sir. I have the feeling you are a recent mac user convert, still use a windows pc or some other thing where you haven't made the full switch over to mac os x.

Genie effect? HD on desktop? Bloat? Need a show desktop button? Think TM backups are stupid? Tons of whinny about itunes? === Definitely a Windows User Mindset.
Why the heck are people so hostile to people just giving advice/pov? I really dont understand that. The windows jab could be the most obvious trolling ever. A perfectly normally post gets a reaction of "no, no... NOOO. NO GOD NOOO.. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. RAAAWR." Jeez, calm down.

The genie effect is generally how windows open on osx. A la - a genie coming out of a bottle. Can be distracting, and its just a visual effect.

HD isnt on the desktop - what I think he means is displaying the drive on the desktop like how an external drive

OzWozEre
Posts: 166
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 12:47 am

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by OzWozEre » Tue Nov 20, 2012 6:46 pm

Who's trolling who? Take another look and tell me babe!

So he's upset about the genie effect, thanks for confirming, definately a Windows user.

Sure external/all drives popup on the desktop when conected...

I'm surprised he also didn't gripe about not being able to one-click-maximise a window. That's another windows user faviorite.

It's not trolling when you point out the obvious -- it's suttle trolling when you're trying to force a square peg into a circle peg and cry foul when it doesn't fit like the OP did.

Take a deep breath, throw your windows shit in the trash, don't look back.

And yes, I was a longtime windows user so I know how the other side thinks :)
Macbook Pro (2.5 Dual, 4gb) / 30" Cinema Display (I don't give a fuck about no multi-monitor support)

8O
Posts: 5502
Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:29 am
Location: Berlin

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by 8O » Tue Nov 20, 2012 6:55 pm

I think we're now heading towards the "Post your OS X dock screenshots" thread - wasn't there one already?

We can all agree on the uselessness of Dashboard and Launchpad, right?

And, used Time Machine for a bit until I realise that it doesn't replace proper archiving backups like CCC, so dropped it...
Image

OzWozEre
Posts: 166
Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2012 12:47 am

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by OzWozEre » Tue Nov 20, 2012 7:10 pm

8O wrote:I think we're now heading towards the "Post your OS X dock screenshots" thread - wasn't there one already?

We can all agree on the uselessness of Dashboard and Launchpad, right?

And, used Time Machine for a bit until I realise that it doesn't replace proper archiving backups like CCC, so dropped it...
Launchpad -- I don't have Lion and I'm not sure I will ever upgrade, that shit scares me too much!
Dashboard -- Kinda stupid, and slow to load if you have too many third-party widgets making internet pings/calls. I still use it for the "stickes" when I need to make lists and remember stuff, nice and quick to access... oh and the calculator :)

The only "must have" mac apps I can think of for general purpose users are:

AUDIO HIJACK PRO (for when you need to boost the sound beyond what mac os allows)
CANDYBAR (if you really want to mange/change your default mac icon sets)
CLYPPAN (basically stores a history of all your recent copy+pastas so you can go back and view incase you f up)
DESKTASTIC (kinda useless but some might find it usefull, you can write (notes) on your actual desktop)
COLLOQUY (IRC chat client)
CYBERDUCK (FTP free client)
EXPANDRIVE (Kinda like a FTP client but it shows the remote server as an external mac icon drive, nice)
FLIP4MAC (so you watch wmv/* stuff)

... that's really it, everything else I have is application specific.

P.S. If you're thinking about getting Parrallells or VMware -- I prefer VMware, I bought both VMware was the only that worked best and the cleanest etc. I think Paralells has more features (nice-touches) but also a bit more meh.
Macbook Pro (2.5 Dual, 4gb) / 30" Cinema Display (I don't give a fuck about no multi-monitor support)

Trypset
Posts: 868
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:14 pm
Location: Horticulture Dept., Texas A&M

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by Trypset » Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:12 pm

whoah there......was supposed to be a friends thread about some useful shit for a new Mac user.....let's keep it there.....really do appreciate all the opinions and advice.

I hate iTunes :)
TrypseT
Live 8 Full (not suite), ES-1 MKII, Microkorg, MPC 1000, 2 1200's, Ms. Pinky's, OSX, Edirol FA-101, and a crate 'o' wax

Tarekith
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Contact:

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by Tarekith » Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:15 pm

Generally I try and use as many of the built in programs as I can, but a few I recommend are:

MenuMeters
Cyberduck
Max (sbooth.org)
Handbrake
Transmission (if that's your thing)
Tarekith
Ableton Forum Administrator
https://tarekith.com

shlomo
Posts: 132
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2004 9:53 pm
Location: Zagreb,Croatia

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by shlomo » Tue Nov 20, 2012 11:03 pm

http://www.soundhack.com/freeware/

have this one on my macs from 90's!
8)

but if you are serious, save some cash and get this one...

http://www.uisoftware.com/MetaSynth/index.php

moonpie
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:22 am

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by moonpie » Wed Nov 21, 2012 2:02 am

funken wrote:
moonpie wrote:
Why the heck are people so hostile to people just giving advice/pov? I really dont understand that.
well I hope you weren't including me, I asked those questions because I'm genuinely interested in the answers.

No, I know you werent funken, you liked some stuff and genuinely added to the discussion. others on the other hand... :)

/End Rant/

This thread is actually shaping up to be pretty cool.


pepezabala
Posts: 3501
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2004 4:29 pm
Location: In Berlin, finally

Re: Must have Mac programs?

Post by pepezabala » Wed Nov 21, 2012 7:59 am

8O wrote: And, used Time Machine for a bit until I realise that it doesn't replace proper archiving backups like CCC, so dropped it...
Can you tell em more about that? I was thinking of getting another big harddrive and use time machine. Right now I do the chaotic once-in.a-while-back-up-method, copying the most relevant folders with my work to back up drives - which leads to harddrives full of duplicated files and folders. I thought time machine should be a neat way of getting this more organized. What's the problem with time machine?

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