So i got my first apple computer since the Apple IIgs. I got a mac book pro today and i need to know essential programs i should download for it. Thanks.
it would be easier to advise if you let us know if there's anything specific you plan on doing with it, otherwise all the essential shit comes with it.
You need a game to play. There is only one game for Mac ever. It is Marathon. But if you end up not liking your Mac, that is Ok because they made Marathon for Windows too. Just don't do something weird like play the Windows Marathon in the Virtual XP thing on your Mac.
No Windows trolling, I have no tolerance for it and you will be booted from the thread. Keep the thread on topic.
Did you get one of the new ones? I feel so obsolete now. About the only things I'd suggest are SMC fan control, just in case you need to tweak fan speed, and another browser (I use Google Chrome) as the last build of Safari I used was a system hog (This could have been fixed since, I haven't checked) I stopped using fan control when I realized it was Safari screwing the system that was making thing heat up. Other than that it depends what you're doing with it.
VLC Media player, i got a mac for christmas and this is a lifesaver since quicktime player is not my favourite application.
Oh yeah, surprised I forgot this. I use it for all videos, and I use it instead of iTunes for playing back music as it's a straightforward played with none of the crap.
thanks guys. yes i got one of the new ones, not 100% sure what i'm going to do with it yet. that is why i'm asking for suggestions without saying what i need. i do need a comic reader though.
As has been stated, definitely move to another browser like Chrome or Firefox rather than use Safari. Here are some that I use, off the top of my head: -VirtualBox is a nice, free application if you want to run another operating system while using OSX. -For video, I use Handbrake frequently as well as Subler for placing films with subtitles (or remuxing .mkv files). -XLD is a good, free audio encoder. -Calibre is excellent for organizing ebooks. -Transmission and uTorrent are both good for the bittorrent protocol. (I prefer the former, though it seems to use more resources than the latter.) -If you want to stream any video to an Xbox or PS3, PS3 Media Server is a great, free program. (I have also used Rivet for those purposes, but it's not free.) -Drive Genius and Data Rescue aren't free, but they're excellent tools for maintaining hard drives as well as recovering data. -Chicken of the VNC is a good, free VNC client. -Cyberduck is a nice, free program if you use FTP. -If you're burning DVDs, I like the small, free program called Burn. -For comics, I prefer Simple Comic, though Jomic is good too. -For photographs, I prefer Lightroom to Aperture. (iPhoto is also perfectly capable, if you don't need a deep level of options.)
I am going to second a recommendation for SMC Fan control. Also, Steam. Some great games out there for OSX/Windows on Steam. Also, if you dont need MS Office, Open Office is a fine and free substitute. You could also get Firefox/Chrome if you dont really like being stuck with Safari. Also, I use Adium for my instant messages. I like it quite a bit more than the chat program that is preinstalled.
I cant add anything to which software to get but congrats on a new mac! I have had my mac book since the end of last summer and use it for everything but some gaming. My desktop is still better for gaming and i use windows on it for that purpose but my mac is my primary machine!
Congrats on your MBP. I just got my first MBP last week...17in i7 quad. If you got one with the newer graphics cards I recommend gfxcardstatus. It allows you to determine whether you use the integrated or dedicated card and can help save battery. I also recommend Starcraft 2, however I only play it in bootcamp so not sure that qualifies.
i got the 15in i7, and my buddy and his wife play starcraft 2. i have almost picked it up 4 times now and they keep telling me too. lol
