

Ask YC: Mac virgin wants to know, what would you install? - ericb

Previously due to work and other reasons (I have a large amount of windows knowledge) I have been a windows user. This week, my first mac book pro arrived.<p>I'm looking for developer tools and tweaks, and cool programs that I'd know if I was a mac regular. On windows I'd point myself to sysinternals programs, registry hacks like opening a command prompt in a folder from explorer and registering dll's from a right click, tortoisesvn, putty, etc. For background, I'm doing development in rails at the moment.<p>So what do you suggest? So far I have quicksilver and growl.
======
bouncingsoul
Honestly, I would hold off installing a bunch of software until you have a
need for it – or at least until you can appreciate the problem it solves.

OS X comes with a lot of tools out of the box, and I think it'd be better to
stick with that stuff until you outgrow it or are no longer satisfied with it.

For example, people will recommend the VLC player, but QuickTime with the
Perian plugin is what I use: more stable than VLC and plays all the formats.
And it's one less app.

I didn't use Quicksilver for much more than a launcher when I had it. The
Spotlight menu in OS X 10.5 is pretty much as fast as Quicksilver for
launching apps. So maybe wait to install Quicksilver.

Same with Adium: iChat is good enough for me.

And people recommend Growl, but I found it more annoying than helpful. Pretty
much every third party app registers itself, which means seeing tons of alerts
I don't care about. (Unless you go into the Growl preference pane and
unregister everything, which made Growl too high maintenance for me.)

The only essential things I'd recommend (again, only get them if they make
sense to you):

TinkerTool <http://www.bresink.com/osx/TinkerTool.html > – Gives easy access
to hidden system preferences.

Perian <http://perian.org/> – A plugin for QuickTime that lets it play all the
formats it doesn't play.

Paparazzi! <http://www.derailer.org/paparazzi/> – Makes taking webpage
screenshots easy.

Service Scrubber <http://www.manytricks.com/servicescrubber/> – Lets you prune
the Services menu. (Don't worry about installing this until you see a need for
it.)

TextWrangler <http://www.barebones.com/products/textwrangler/> – Free text
editor with terminal integration and excellent file search capabilities.

Transmission <http://www.transmissionbt.com/> – My favorite bittorrent client.

~~~
tx
How did you get away with iChat? I don't know a single person on AIM account,
everybody is either on Yahoo/MSN or even ICQ.

~~~
rms
Are you or your friends from outside of the USA? Seems like AIM is only really
popular in the USA.

~~~
tx
Hm... some of them are (ICQ users), but the American portion of my contact
list is split between Yahoo and MSN. For some of them those messengers are
"corporate standard", i.e. everybody at work is running one of those two.
Another sizeable group of corporate IM contacts is on Skype, and growing fast,
due to the encryption I suppose. Frankly, I've never heard of AIM until I
bought a Mac last month.

Am I on an island? :-)

------
bayareaguy
First, the basics:

Signup with the Apple Developer Connection (ADC)[1].

After that you will want to install XCode. You can get that from the ADC or
from the install cd.

You should then install macports[2] so that you can easily get BSD tools and
utilities.

There is also a friendly GUI shareware app called Port Authority[3] you can
use to maintain your ports tree.

[1] - <http://developer.apple.com>

[2] - <http://www.macports.org>

[3] - <http://www.codebykevin.com/portauthority.html>

I'll skip the whole code editor issue. XCode has one and you'll probably want
to use some other one you already know about in addition to it anyways.

Some of my must-have utilities:

Disk Inventory X [4], so you can see where all your space went.

Hex Fiend [5] is a good open source no-frills hex editor.

[4] - <http://www.derlien.com>

[5] - <http://ridiculousfish.com/hexfiend>

When I need to write technical documentation suitable for printing, I use
Scrivener[6], with MultiMarkdown[7], TexShop[8] and MacTex[9].

[6] - <http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.html>

[7] - <http://fletcherpenney.net/MultiMarkdown>

[8] - <http://www.uoregon.edu/~koch/texshop>

[9] - <http://www.tug.org/mactex>

Finally, here are a few things I've already posted to YC in the past.

FreeDup - <http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=89078>

KeyCue - <http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=97555>

Top 100 Essential Mac Applications -
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=110233>

~~~
ericb
I installed macports. Before I get to deep into this, is this error obvious to
anyone? Note--I do see it's a missing folder, but what is unclear is why I
don't have it, and whether it's a part of something larger I'm missing. When I
run:

sudo port install putty \------------ Error: Target org.macports.extract
returned: shell command " cd
"/opt/local/var/macports/build/_opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_ports_textproc_expat/work"
&& gzip -dc /opt/local/var/macports/distfiles/expat/expat-2.0.1.tar.gz |
/usr/bin/gnutar --no-same-owner -xf - " returned error 127 Command output: sh:
/usr/bin/gnutar: No such file or directory

gzip: stdout: Broken pipe

Error: The following dependencies failed to build: gtk1 gettext expat libiconv
ncurses ncursesw glib1 pkgconfig Error: Status 1 encountered during
processing.

~~~
bayareaguy
Sounds like this may be your problem:
[http://lists.macosforge.org/pipermail/macports-
users/2007-Au...](http://lists.macosforge.org/pipermail/macports-
users/2007-August/004842.html)

Ryan Schmidt suggests:

 _Please verify whether you have /usr/bin/gnutar. If you do not, then your Mac
OS X installation is incomplete. I believe gnutar is provided by either
BaseSystem.pkg or Essentials.pkg from the Mac OS X DVD, both of which are
quite essential to Mac OS X's functioning._

~~~
ericb
WOW. I just grabbed gnutar from a buddy who installed Leopard from CD. His
machine had gnutar and mine didn't. Now, macports is happy as a clam. Seems
bizzare that I didn't have it. I found one other person who had the same
problem with a factory install. Weird.

[http://nullstyle.com/2007/10/27/how-to-build-imagemagick-
and...](http://nullstyle.com/2007/10/27/how-to-build-imagemagick-and-install-
rmagick-with-macports-on-mac-os-x-leopard/)

~~~
ericb
As a breadcrumb for anyone stumbling across this via google, I also had to
install the latest X 11 to get the X windowing to show me anything. X 11 is
grayed out on my install disks in the optional installs for leopard. Until
upgrading X 11, the terminal window would run and the X 11 process would
launch, but no visible window would appear.

<http://trac.macosforge.org/projects/xquartz/wiki/X112.1.4>

Now the macports putty is working. Sweet!

------
fiaz
I always get cool stuff from the following links. You'll learn a hell of a lot
from what you find here and it will be useful virtually everyday:

<http://del.icio.us/tag/mac+osx>

<http://del.icio.us/tag/macosx>

<http://del.icio.us/tag/mac>

<http://del.icio.us/tag/osx>

You'll also discover all the cool ways Macs are being used and it might even
give you some new ideas on how you can use your Mac in ways that are not
possible on Windows.

I would also suggest that you first see if there is a way to install ANYTHING
Unixy via MacPorts (as posted by another user). This is a VITAL component for
developing on Mac OSX.

------
mattculbreth
Textmate of course.

After that I'd get MacFUSE from Google Code for connection to Unix boxes,
CheckOff for simple task lists, Twitterrific, xPad for notes, pgAdmin3 for
PostgreSQL, Mailplane for GMail accounts, iWork08 or NeoOffice for Office
apps, Parallels for virtual machines, and Adium for chatting.

You're all set then!

------
PStamatiou
I just got a Macbook Air and listed the first things I installed/uninstalled
when I got it. Might be of use. It's at the end of this post:

[http://paulstamatiou.com/2008/03/06/how-i-got-a-macbook-
air-...](http://paulstamatiou.com/2008/03/06/how-i-got-a-macbook-air-
for-15-dollars)

~~~
mrtron
Happy with the air? I really considered getting one and a powerful
desktop...but decided to wait.

~~~
inovica
I love mine. I was sceptical at first but its been a lovely machine so far....
and I've owned 10+ Macs in my time.

~~~
akkartik
It's lighter than an X61, yet has a larger screen. That's what the thin-ness
buys me.

I'd still have gone with a thinkpad if they came with anything but #$%# vista.

------
boredguy8
It's not a developer tool, but it does mean you can put your MacBook Pro -on-
your lap. <http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/23049>

I'm also a big fan of SubEthaEdit for collaborative editing.
<http://www.codingmonkeys.de/subethaedit/>

------
moog
Textmate, Transmit, CocoaMySQL.

A nightly build of WebKit AKA Safari is much faster than Safari out-of-the-
box. You can get it here: <http://nightly.webkit.org/>

------
axod
I don't actually bother installing much desktop software these days. Just a
good text editor, browser, subversion...

~~~
optimal
That's where I'm at, too--just keep it simple. vim, svn, FoxBug, and I'm all
set. I believe simplicity correlates with productivity.

~~~
axod
Agreed. And if you keep your desktop light, you can switch to working on
another desktop easily. There are some pretty usable webapps out there these
days.

------
Alex3917
AIM: Adium

IRC: Snak

RSS: NewsFireRSS

Notes: FreeMind

Newsgroups: Unison

Misc: Aquamacs, AppFresh, WhatSize, Flip4Mac, Twitterific

If you go to Startup School then you should also have a copy of SubEthaEdit
installed. It's a text editor for mac that lets you take notes collaboratively
in real time.

~~~
jrsims
Why Snak for $29 when you can Colloquy for free?

<http://colloquy.info/>

Also, if you're a terminal freak and want a good text mode IRC client, I
probably don't have to tell you that you can install 'irssi' over MacPorts.

Real hackers use irssi. :)

~~~
axod
why install an IRC client when you can just <http://www.mibbit.com> :)

------
christefano
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Path Finder yet. It's a serious file
manager that makes the Finder look like it was designed by Fisher-Price.

<http://www.cocoatech.com/pf4/>

------
makecheck
I've used SCPlugin for Subversion access on the Mac desktop, it has a similar
feel to TortoiseSVN on Windows.

I would also tinker with Apple's Automator (a built-in application) and look
at the Finder's Folder Actions (which Automator supports). With surprisingly
little effort, you can create some very powerful commands to use when right-
clicking desktop items.

Finally, perhaps the Mac equivalent of a "registry hack" is the command-line
"defaults" program (also built in). It allows you to explore and change the
preferences of many programs. You can turn on hidden features and other cool
stuff that way.

------
johnca
Text utils: TypeIt4Me (expands your codes into frequently-typed text) and
JumpCut (multiple clipboard).

MenuCalendarClock replaces your menubar clock with with a menu of a simple
calendar (ties in with iCal too, but i don't even use that).

As soon as Aion is updated for Leopard get it if you deal with time zones.

Alarm Clock 2 wakes you up to your selected iTunes playlist (with gradually
increasing volume).

UnRarX deals with .rar files.

------
mcavalletto
For what it's worth, the apps I normally install on a new development box
include TextMate, Cyberduck, QuickSilver, OmniGraffle Pro, Photoshop, and
Skype.

------
therubberduckie
Coda has been the answer to my prayers, I hope it helps you

<http://www.panic.com/coda/>

------
hernan7
Learn some Unix -- Bourne shell and all the usual suspects like awk, sed,
grep. OS X has Unix under the hood, you might as well make use of it.

~~~
ericb
I'm already down with shell scripting, but otherwise that is generally good
advice.

------
optimal
I don't have much to add, but how do you like your MBP so far?

I've had mine for almost a year and like it very much. I liked my Dell laptop
running Ubuntu, but I do prefer the (more expensive) Mac hardware. The fan
runs almost silently when compared to the Dell and, okay, it's just a nicer
design too.

~~~
ericb
I like it very much so far! I don't have a nagging paranoia that I've somehow
got a virus. I like the quiet, and design itself. It's also faster all-around,
and slicker.

The only downside at all so far--I can't stand the way the home and end keys
work and I'm having trouble with not having ctrl-C/ctrl-V and ctrl-Z work--the
apple key does those functions, but on my keyboard, I find that key to be more
awkward. It's screwing with my keyboard shortcut mojo.

~~~
curi
you can swap cmd and ctrl keys if you want, in the keyboard area of system
preferences. you can also change caplocks there to something more useful.

for home/end is the problem them not moving the cursor? try cmd-up-arrow and
cmd-down-arrow

~~~
ericb
I'll try the swap asap for command and ctrl. That's great-- Thanks!

In windows, home and end jump to the end of line/beginning of line, so I
frequently hit shift-home or shift-end to select a whole line of text, then I
copy or cut and move it.

I found app-specific hacks here:

<http://www.starryhope.com/tech/apple/2006/keyfixer/>

but I haven't checked out how it works yet, as I think I can add Thunderbird
and other programs myself. Or I'll just re-adjust...

~~~
bouncingsoul
Rather than rearranging everything to be like Windows, maybe you should learn
to use things the way they are on Mac.

Just consider that every hack and customization you make will make it that
much harder to use another Mac without all your Windows-y adjustments.

For example, on Mac you navigate around text with the Command and arrow keys.
So:

    
    
                             Win        Mac
        Beginning of line    Home       ⌘←
              End of line    End        ⌘→
         Beginning of doc    Ctrl-Home  ⌘↑
               End of doc    Ctrl-End   ⌘↓

~~~
ericb
I have had that thought, but I find the positioning of the apple key awkward.
Also, 95% of my productivity is determined by how fast I get around my own
machine, and also it's unavoidable for a while that I will be using my mac and
other people's pcs.

Thanks for the translations.

~~~
bouncingsoul
It's awkward because it's unfamiliar. I was pretty good with Windows before I
switched to Mac and now I definitely prefer using the Command keys with my
thumbs than the Ctrl keys with my pinkies.

It does suck though to be using something so unfamiliar.

------
prakash
This from Marc Andreessen's blog:
<http://blog.pmarca.com/2007/06/the_ideal_os_x_.html>

and one more: <http://bestmacsoftware.org/>

------
inklesspen
Perian and NicePlayer are required for watching random bits of video from the
rest of the world.

<http://perian.org/>

<http://niceplayer.sourceforge.net/>

------
m0nty
I spent a long time looking for a decent, free text editor. I eventually found
two: Komodo Edit and Text Wrangler. The only reasonable terminal program is
iTerm, although I'd give it up to get a Mac port of PuTTy.

~~~
makecheck
There's a ton of Mac terminals. I use MacTelnet as an OS X terminal, even
though it isn't finished.

~~~
m0nty
I don't know about "a ton", at least not with tabs and a nice user interface.
But MacTelnet looks nice, thanks for the tip :)

------
jey
Quicksilver, Adium, MacPorts

------
bprater
I really like Coda for text-editing, especially if you want an integrated FTP
editor, text editor and preview in one app. Textmate + Cyberduck + Safari is
great, but it's a lot of extra clicking around.

------
pkaler
Check out the MacBreak Weekly Picks. MBW is probably the best Mac podcast out
there. The hosts recommend a product each week.

<http://mbwpicks.com/>

------
bfioca
<http://www.rescuetime.com> :)

------
comatose_kid
Vienna is a great free RSS reader. Colloquy is great for IRC.

~~~
curi
Why do you like colloquy? I found it barely adequate.

~~~
a-priori
I find Colloquy is fine (though it has a bad habit of pinning the CPU every
now and then...), but there's nothing special about it. I'd switch in an
instant if someone suggested a superior alternative.

What do you suggest for an OSX IRC client?

~~~
jrsims
If you're a terminal junkie, then try installing 'irssi' over MacPorts.

Love it.

~~~
curi
/upvote

------
1gor
emacs22

~~~
hsuresh
Aquamacs is very good

------
asjo
Debian, actually.

~~~
CRASCH
Parallels or VMware. I have a mac book pro and I find that having access to
windows and Ubuntu is great. The best of all three worlds.

------
icey
DarwinPorts

------
curi
no one has mentioned installing firefox yet. plus web developer extensions.

also get VLC for playing video files and DVDs

~~~
jotto
the only reason to install firefox 2 or firefox 3 is for the developer
extensions, namely firebug.

safari is much faster and feels better to use because of the natural OS X
interface.

~~~
curi
i also prefer safari. but another reason to use firefox is in combination with
Spaces, which isn't very good at having an app's windows divided between
spaces. (yes there is a setting to change this, but it has its own downsides)

