Software I Use: OS X

In alphabetical order:

  • Alfred – Application launcher, custom search fiend, calculator, and a lot more. My colleagues think of me when someone mentions Alfred. (Freeware; Paid Powerpack available, which unlocks Snippets — this feature removes the need for TextExpander, and is really fast.)
  • Apple Music – “Over 30 million songs online for $9.99, or $14.99 for your family.”
  • Bartender – Organize and tidy your menu bar apps. $15 USD.
  • Cloak VPN – Stay safe online with their super-simple VPN. Apps available for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Pricing options for subscriptions start at $2.99/month, and passes start at $3.99 (depending on the duration of time).
  • The Clock – “Keep track, easily and efficiently of your contacts in different time zones. Have a quick view on a Calendar.”
  • Cloudup – Quick file sharing platform. You can see this post on WordPress.com News for more details: Cloudup Joins the Automattic Family
  • coconutBattery – View and track your current battery health. (Freeware)
  • DayOne – A simple journal application for the Mac and iPhone. ($4.99 for iOS, $9.99 for Mac.)
  • Dropbox – Easy file synchronizing and sharing that works with computers, smartphones, and the Dropbox website. (Freeware)
  • F.lux – “It makes the color of your computer’s display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day.” (Freeware)
  • FileZilla – FTP client/server. (Open source)
  • iA Writer – A writing app that lets you focus on writing; syncs with iTunes, Dropbox, and iCloud. ($0.99—8.99)
  • Itsycal – Tiny calendar for your Mac’s menu bar. (Freeware)
  • KeePassX – Cross–platform secure password manager. (GNU General Public License)
  • LibreOffice – Alternative to Microsoft Office. (Open Source)
  • Lightroom – Fantastic software by Adobe for photo processing. I’m still using Lightroom 3, but 5 is the latest version. ($149)
  • Linkinus – Slick IRC client that I use at work when Slack is down. ($9.99)
  • Apple Mail – Included in OS X. Nothing personal, Thunderbird, we had a great run. (Free)
  • Marked 2Markdown preview, allows me to copy HTML for posting online. ($13.99)
  • nvALT – A fork of Notational Velocity. Syncs with Simplenote and into its own plain text files, which allows me to preview posts in Markdown using Marked 2.
  • Pixelmator – Image editing. It’s cheaper than Adobe Photoshop. ($14.99)
  • PopClip – Add an iOS–like menu when you select text on your Mac. ($4.99)
  • Sidestep – Proxy my internet traffic through a secure connection to my work server. (Open source)
  • Simplenote – Keep notes on iOS, Android, Mac, and the website. I use this primarily for lists, reference, drafting posts for my blog, and agendas for people. I love it. (Free.)
  • Skitch – Annotate and crop screenshots. (Freeware)
  • Skype – IM, voice, and video chat. I occasionally use this at work. (Freeware; paid options)
  • TextWrangler – Text editor. (Freeware)
  • Timing – “Timing automatically tracks which documents you are editing, which applications you use, and the domains of the websites you visit.” Helps me feel better about how my time was spent in relation to the tasks I’ve accomplished. ($9.99 $19.99)
  • Things – The task manager I love; thanks to my buddy and coworker Isaac Keyet for the recommendation. ($49.99 for Mac, $9.99 for iPhone, $19.99 for iPad)
  • VLC – Multimedia player. (Open source)
  • YNABEpic budgeting software. My wife and I still love it. Desktop version is required to use YNAB for iOS, which has cloud sync, allows you to enter transactions on–the–go, and stay aware of your spending. ($60 for Desktop; $4.99 for iOS. Free for college students!)

Browsers

  1. Google Chrome
  2. Mozilla Firefox
  3. Safari

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Last Updated: February 1, 2016