First time macOS user, what are the essential apps? (lemmy.aerir.xyz)

submitted 1 year ago by aerir@lemmy.aerir.xyz to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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[-] zephyrvs@lemmy.ml 24 points 1 year ago

Maccy for clipboard history management via simple shortcuts
Stats for useful system metrics in the menubar
LM Studio for easily exploring open source Large Language Models
NoTunes to get rid of Apple Music launching when you connect your headphones
Bitwarden for multi-platform password management
Rectangle for keyboard-based window management
Homebrew if you're a developer/sysadmin/command line user
Fluent Reader to subscribe to RSS feeds

[-] michaelfone@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

You need a separate app to prevent Apple Music from opening?

[-] _calm_bomb_@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 year ago

I don't know about him, but I have my first mac (from work) for two months and I never had Apple Music open when I plugged my headphones in.

[-] zephyrvs@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I wasn't clear in my description. For me, Apple Music always kept on opening whenever I interacted with my headphones, e.g. by clicking on play/plause buttons, at least since macOS 10.5 in 2007. Might just be an issue on my side (doesn't look like it though), but I've been disabling iTunes/Apple Music for years by making it non-executable until Apple introduced System Integrity Protection, making it impossible to modify Apple's apps. And now I just keep NoTunes running. I can live with it eating 8MB of my RAM.

[-] B0rax@feddit.de 1 points 1 year ago

I literally never had this problem. And I run a Mac since 2012 and I have never even opened music since it is called that way.

[-] Saff@lemmy.ml 21 points 1 year ago

Rectangle for window snapping is a life saver!

[-] Donebrach@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Lack of window snapping is my number one reason I cannot stand MacOS as a working environment. The fact that the only solution is a third party app is infuriating.

[-] nittiyh@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

You make it sound like a constant pain, I just installed one of the dozens third party apps available and never thought about it again. It’s really not a problem

[-] Donebrach@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Well that’s not really an easy option when you don’t own the computer you’re working on. Also again, the fact that the only way to enable the functionality is to pay for a third party app is pretty shitty and a major development oversight (and akin to the fact that IPadOS still to this day does not have a built in calculator because Steve Jobs said “why would anyone need to use a calculator on their iPad when they could use their iPhone?” Over a decade ago.

Apple makes some great products, but also makes some really bad design choices and continues to double down on them.

[-] B0rax@feddit.de 2 points 1 year ago

Rectangle is free…

[-] AngryClosetMonkey@feddit.ch 2 points 1 year ago

I'm curious. What workflow do you have that requires window snapping? I'm asking because I have no use for window snapping and I'm trying to understand why people require it.

[-] elfin8er@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

The biggest use for me, as a Windows user, is multitasking on a single monitor. For example, I can have my code up on one half of my screen, and documentation on the other side. It's really quick and easy when the windows snap into position.

[-] wtfeweguys@lemmy.whynotdrs.org 1 points 1 year ago

I don’t recall offhand how to trigger it but you can absolutely do a two app split-screen in MacOS.

[-] Donebrach@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I’m usually working in multiple applications and being able to quickly arrange them saves a massive amount of time over the course of a work day. I’ve worked extensively in both MacOS and Windows and I just prefer the tools windows gives you.

[-] kimpilled@infosec.pub 14 points 1 year ago

IINA is like VLC but with a nicer interface.

brew is a CLI package manager.

OpenEmu is a great console emulation platform (like retroarch, but with a way better interface that’s designed for a desktop instead of a TV).

[-] JoyfulCodingGuy@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

AltTab: Windows alt-tab on macOS

Rectangle: Keyboard based window management.

Linear Mouse: Per-device settings for Mouse, Track Pad, etc. Things like pointer super, scroll direction, and mouse acceleration.

[-] Burnt@lemmy.one 5 points 1 year ago

I never knew about Linear Mouse, thank you so much!!! I fucking hate how Apple ties scroll direction on mice/touchpad and no, "natural" scroll direction is not natural on a standard mouse Apple.

[-] JoyfulCodingGuy@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

No problem! Glad I could help someone. I was so happy when I found it so I'm glad it can help others.

[-] B0rax@feddit.de 3 points 1 year ago

What does AltTap do better than the build in cmd+tap?

[-] JoyfulCodingGuy@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

Just a preference thing since it makes it more like how Windows and some Linux distros do window management.

Hitting Alt + Tab brings up a preview of all windows that you have open with the ability to scroll / tab through them.

Hitting Alt + ` while focused on a certain application shows a preview image of each window for that application that you have open.

I personally like it more than the OSX default but to each their own.

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[-] stridemat@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

I’m lost without magnet.

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/magnet/id441258766?mt=12

[-] JoyfulCodingGuy@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

Why not use Rectangle? While Magnet looks like it probably does a lot more and has more customization I'm having a hard time seeing the difference to make it worth that price vs. free. Can you explain your thoughts? 🙂

[-] stridemat@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I wasn’t aware of the alternative and having brought years ago kind of forgotten about the cost. It just follows me around.

[-] JoyfulCodingGuy@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

Makes sense haha. Whatever works is good. 🙂

[-] 1c5473@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

Big upvote for Magnet! I just wish it were possible to move windows between desktops 🥲

[-] Thekingoflorda@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

Raycast is like alfred but free.

[-] kratoz29@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

How is it with extensions? I like the workflows with Alfred, I currently use metrics/currency conversion, speedtest, adding notes to Fantastical, those are some that come in top of my mind right now.

[-] nittiyh@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

It’s pretty good on the extensions front. Lots of options. However like a lot of free software, it comes with privacy drawbacks. They share usage statistics with advertisers, it creeps me out.

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[-] VelociCatTurd@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Amphetamine - Keeps your Mac awake if you need to.

[-] 01189998819991197253@infosec.pub 1 points 1 year ago

Like Caffeine on Linux. Sweet!

[-] Cube6392@beehaw.org 6 points 1 year ago

Homebrew
Alfred
Amethyst
Kitty or iterm2
A web browser that doesn't suck (I recommend librewolf or Firefox)
A text editor that doesn't suck (I recommend NeoVim, vim, or vscodium)

[-] makingStuffForFun@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

Forklift. You're all welcome

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[-] nagypetre@terefere.eu 6 points 1 year ago

I would recommend SnazzyQ’s videos on macOS essentials:

https://youtu.be/h2xoRkzjQoc

[-] NotForTheOtherUse@aussie.zone 6 points 1 year ago

CleanShot X is great for screenshots and screen recordings, and markup of them.

https://cleanshot.com/

[-] AngryClosetMonkey@feddit.ch 5 points 1 year ago

What can it do that macos built-in screenshots and preview can't do?

[-] NotForTheOtherUse@aussie.zone 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I think the main thing I like is that it fits so seamlessly within my workflow. I can customize the functions I use to happen the way I want them to.

It has the same functions as the default app:

ability to take screenshots of all or part of a screen (with/without timer)
ability to take a screen recording of all or part of a screen (with/without a timer)

But it also provides options for:

adding simple markup to your screenshot (lines/arrows/text/squares etc). As a developer, I often want to take a screenshot and add a bit of text or an arrow to highlight something to someone I'm trying to explain something to
ability to do scrolling screen captures
recording in MP4
trimming screen recording videos
removing or including audio in screen recording videos
recording animated GIFs instead of video
reducing resolution (for filesize) after capture
hide desktop icons during screen capture
change/hide desktop background wallpaper during capture
options to customize shortcut keys for various operations, or customize workflow (for example I like screenshots to be automatically added to my clipboard after capture or markup so I can immediately paste in whatever chat I'm having with colleagues)
options for keeping a history of screenshots/recordings
options (I don't use) for cloud share/storage

[-] whysofurious@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago

Honestly Cleanshot X is a total improvement of the native app and worth absolutely everything. Irreplaceable for me as of today.

[-] whysofurious@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago

If you need a gui text editor, BBEdit is pretty good.

Others that I haven't seen suggested and that I personally use daily:

KeepingYouAwake prevents the laptop to going to sleep (although there are tons of other ways to do it).
Raivo OTP if you have an iPhone with Raivo installed it copies the TOTP to the mac clipboard
Lulu as firewall for outgoing connections

Honestly, Alfred, Rectangle, AltTab and CleanshotX are almost essential, IMHO.

[-] 6daemonbag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 year ago

What's the general consensus on Lulu? Can anyone else chime in?

[-] technoby@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

I love it and it’s one of the first things installed when I get a new Mac. All of apps by Objective-See are great!

[-] mercano@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Witch - Brings Alt + Tab functionally to MacOS

Scroll Reverser - Lets you adjust the scroll direction on a per-input device level. The OS, by default, only has a single global preference. This lets me reverse my trackpad two finger scrolling without messing with my mouse setting, which gets everything moving as my muscle memory expects.

Speaking of mussel memory, this isn’t an app, but a System Preference suggestion. If you’ve got Windows style keyboard shortcuts, like Ctrl + C to copy, stuck in your head, you can go into Apple Menu > System Preferences, Keyboard, then click on the Modifier Keys button in the bottom right. Here, you can swap the command, control, and option keys around to move the functionality over to your expected key. I did Control key: Command, Option key: Control, and Command Key: Option so I can continue to do Left Modifier Key + C to copy.

[-] Jocarnail@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Honestly very little. Mac already has a lot of functionality built in. I have only specialized programs for my workflows and not much else.

[-] RustedSwitch@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Keyboard maestro

[-] 7provincien@startrek.website 3 points 1 year ago

I highly recommend Marta as an alternative dual pane file explorer. Capable macOS alternative to Total Commander; https://marta.sh/

[-] accesslog@lemmy.one 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Homebrew, Iterm2, Keka, Menumeters/btop, newsboat/Vienna for rss, Keepass, Veracrypt, Sublime.

Learn keyboard shortcuts like

cmd+~ to cycle through different windows of a same appln

cmd+c and cmd+opt+v for cut and paste

cmd+mouse click on a folder opens it in a new tab

cmd+shift+4 for screenshot tool and change the settings to copy the screenshot to clipboard.

Cmd+space - spotlight. Hide folders if you only want it to open apps

One more thing switch doc type to plan text in TextEdit app to use it as Windows Notepad.

[-] nehal3m@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

I rebound cmd+~ to option+tab, because tilde is in a weird place on my Apple keyboard's locale. Easier to remember as well.

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[-] frantisek@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

BetterTouchTool

[-] nicerdicer@feddit.de 1 points 1 year ago

Top Notch - https://topnotch.app/

Apparently you need a third party app to switch the color of the menu bar to black so that you can hide the stupid notch.

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this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2023

72 points (93.9% liked)

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