WBW -- Mac Switchers/Users Thread [Updatedx2]

Introduction
With a significant increase of switchers (to OS X) on WBW nowadays, its about time to have this thread. This thread is intended to give useful resources to the OS X users here on Mac subjects. All OS X Users feel free to contribute items such as links, software links, tutorials, tips, and tricks. You can also post questions for answering.

Even lengthy FAQs are welcome.

Mac News Sites

MacNewsNetwork - http://www.macnn.com/
MacCentral - http://www.macworld.com/
MacBytes - http://www.macbytes.com/
MacMinute - http://www.macminute.com/
The Mac Observer - http://www.macobserver.com/
Slashdot/Apple - http://apple.slashdot.org/
MacRumors.com - http://www.macrumors.com/
Digg/Apple - http://www.digg.com/apple
AppleInsider - http://www.appleinsider.com/
MacSlash - http://www.macslash.org/
Different District - http://www.differentdistrict.com/
ThinkSecret - http://www.thinksecret.com/
LOOPRumors - http://looprumors.com/
Mac.Ars - http://arstechnica.com/articles/columns/mac.ars
InsideMacGames - http://www.insidemacgames.com/
MacGamer - http://www.macgamer.com
MacAddict - http://www.macaddict.com/

Mac Software Download Sites
MacUpdate - http://www.macupdate.com/
VersionTracker - http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx/
Mac OS X Downloads - http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/
OpenSourceMac [NTM] - http://nothickmanuals.info/doku.php?id=opensourcemac
FreeSMUG - http://www.freesmug.org/
Open Source Mac - http://www.opensourcemac.org/
MacGameFiles - http://www.macgamefiles.com/

Mac Tips and Tricks
MacOSXHints - http://www.macosxhints.com/
DaringFireball - http://www.daringfireball.net/
ResExcellence - http://www.resexcellence.com/
MacEnterprise - http://www.macenterprise.org/
Mac Geekery - http://www.macgeekery.com/
MacMerc - http://www.macmerc.com/
MacZealots - http://maczealots.com/
NonStopMac - http://www.nonstopmac.com/
OSXGuide - http://www.osxguide.com/
Mac OS X speed FAQ - http://www.macmaps.com/Macosxspeed.html
Mac Boot Key Combos - http://www.jacsoft.co.nz/Tech_Notes/Mac_Keys.htm
Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance - http://www.macattorney.com/ts.html
Macintosh Reference Guide - http://www.informit.com/guides/guide.asp?g=mac&rl=1
MacDevCenter (O'Reilly) - http://www.macdevcenter.com/
OSX Basics - http://www.mortalspaces.com/osx/
OSXFAQ - http://www.osxfaq.com/

Kanzen's (ZW's) Software Choice List UPDATED

This is a downloadable software list. These items do not come standard with OS X installation. All items included by OS X Installation are omitted. Items with asterisk are pay software. Everything without asterisks are free/open source. All of these items can be found at MacUpdate.com for download.

7zX - 7zip archiver
Adacity - Audio Editor (dl: LAME MP3 encoder)
Adium - Instant Messenger
Acqlite - Light Gnutella client
aMSN - MSN Messenger clone with Webcam support
BBEdit - Text Editor*
Bits on Wheels - BitTorrent Client
Blender - 3D Modeler and Renderer
Books - Book catalog application
Burn - CD/DVD Burning software
Camino - Open source, Mac only Firefox
CamiTools - Camino add-on.
Cashbox - Basic Money Manager
Centerstage - Media Player
Chax - iChat Enhancer
Check Off - ToDo Manager for the Menubar
Chicken of the VNC - VNC Client
ClamXav - Antivirus (for those worried about Windows Viruses.
CleanArchiver - Compressor
Cog - Media Player
Colloquy - IRC Client
ColourMod Widget - Color section tool. [NEW]
Cyberduck - FTP Client
Democracy Player - IPTV Client
DivX - Codec and Encoder (Encoder is pay)*
EZ 7z - 7zip compressor and decompressor
FileUtilsCM - File editting contextual menu
Firefox - Popular open source web browser. (Optimized versions available)
FFmpegX - Media Encoder*
Flip4Mac - Windows Media Codecs for Quicktime
gDisk - Allows you to upload and download files to and from Gmail. (Internet Storage Drive) [NEW]
GlowWorm FW Lite - Outbound firewall.
Growl - Notification System
HandBrake - DVD to Movie File (use MediaFork instead)
HexEdit - Hex Editor
iBank - Advanced Money Manager*
iClip Lite - Dashboard widget of iClip.
Ircle - IRC Client
iStumbler - Wifi finder
JumpCut - Enhanced Clipboard
KisMAC - Wifi finder without probe requests
LinoType FontExplorer - Font Manager
Little Snitch - Outbound Firewall*
LiquidCD - CD/DVD Burner
Locomotive - Localized and portable RoR development kit. [NEW]
MacPAR deLuxe - Decompressor for RAR
MacTheRipper - DVD Ripping tool
MainMenu - Maintenance menu
MAMP - Localized and portable installation of PHP5, MySQL, and Apache with no setup fuss. [NEW]
Max - Audio Encoder
MediaFork - DVD Ripping and encoding tool.
MenuMeters - Menubar system statistics
Monolingual - Language remover
MPlayer - Media Player
MyMind - Mindmapping software
NeoOffice 2.0 - Office Alternative
Ogg Drop - Ogg VBorbis encoder for the Mac
OSXvnc - VNC Server
Paparazzi - Website to image capture tool
Perian - Codec pack for QuickTime
Pixen - Pixel Art Editor
Poisened - Filesharing Application
Preferential Treatment - Preference maintenance
PureFTPd Manager - Secure FTP manager
QuickImageCM - Image handler
QuickSilver - Automation Launcher
RarMe - RAR Compressor GUI (dl: rar)
Safari Stand - Safari Enhancement
Senuti - iPod Music Retrevial
ServiceScrubber - Remove services from the menu.
SiteSucker - Website/page downloader
Smultron - Text Editor
StreamRipperX - Internet Radio Recorder
StuffIt Expander - Decompression
SunShield - OS X firewall configuration tool
Taboo - Safari Enhancement
Tag - Metadata editor for audio files
TextWrangler - Text Editor
Transmission - BitTorrent Client
TinkerTool - System Modifier
Unarchiver - BOMArchiver replacement with more supported file formats.
VLC - Media Player
VirtueDesktops - Desktop manager
WhatSize - Space allocator
WikiNotes - Notetaking program that functions like a Wiki
XScreenSaver - Ported Unix Screensavers

thanks i knew some but there's some that are a real help

I'll be answering Mac Questions by posting the answers here. Feel free to ask any general Mac question via PM.

Thanks Kanz....ill start looking here for my answers in future :P

Kanzen,

Do you know why none of the movies will play on my divx codec? I'm running OSX and downloaded the one for mac. But it still wont play the avi files.

Thanks
Blaz

Not all .avi files are Div-X encoded. There is a chance that the file was encoded with the new defunct Indeo Video, X-vid, or WM7-10 codecs.

Make sure that you placed the codec in the proper directory. All codecs should be located within: Volumes/(Your Hard Drive)/Library/Quicktime/

For additional codecs install Perian ( http://perian.org/ ) and try once more. If still no luck try VLC. VLC (VideoLan) can be found at: http://videolan.org

Thanks! ill give those a try

Wow, a MAC sticky.

Do we have Windows sticky?

j/k

Useful startup key combinations.

Mac (PPC)

Force start up from OS X drive
-- press and hold down X during startup.

Start up into Startup Manager (OS/Drive-selector)
-- press and hold down OPTION during startup

Bypass primary startup volume for another
-- press and hold down OPTION-COMMAND-SHIFT-DELETE during startup.

Start up from optical drive
-- press and hold down C during startup.

To eject any removable media during startup
-- press EJECT. (or)
-- press F12. (or)
-- hold down mouse button.

To attempt to start up from NetBoot (bootable network server)
-- press and hold down N during startup.

To start up into FireWire Target Disk mode
-- press and hold down T during startup.

Start up in Safe-Boot mode (disable login items)
-- press and hold SHIFT during during startup.

Start up in Verbose Mode
-- press and hold down Command-V during startup.

Start up in Single-User Mode
-- press and hold down Command-S during startup.

Zap PRAM
-- press and hold down COMMAND-OPTION-P-R until second chime.

Clear NVRAM (reset-all Open Firmware)
-- press and hold down COMMAND-OPTION-N-V until second chime.

Boot into Open Firmware
-- press and hold down COMMAND-OPTION-O-F during startup.

Mac (x86)

Start up from optical drive
-- press and hold down C during startup.

Start up in Apple Hardware Test (requires Install DVD 1)
-- press and hold down D during startup.

Reset NVRAM
-- press and hold Option-Command-P-R until you hear two beeps.

Start up into Startup Manager (OS/Drive-selector)
-- press and how down OPTION during startup.
-- press N to make bootable network volume appear.

To eject any removable media during startup
-- press EJECT. (or)
-- press F12. (or)
-- hold down mouse button.

To attempt to start up from NetBoot (bootable network server)
-- press and hold down N during startup.

To start up into FireWire Target Disk mode
-- press and hold down T during startup.

Start up in Safe-Boot mode (disable login items)
-- press and hold SHIFT during during startup.

Start up in Verbose Mode
-- press and hold down Command-V during startup.

Start up in Single-User Mode
-- press and hold down Command-S during startup.

Start up from default boot image on NetBoot server
-- press and hold down Option-N during startup.

hmmm i don't use these commands but its great to know them.. thanks for the spellcheck type thingy you taught me as well (option + esc)

Taking screenshots
Take a picture of the screen -- Command-Shift-3
Take a picture of the selection -- Command-Shift-4
Take a picture of the screen, place in Clipboard -- Command-Shift-4, then press Control while selecting
Take a picture of the selected window -- Command-Shift-4, then Spacebar


More universal key combinations
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75459

So I just joined rapidshare, and I'm a mac user. I can rarely find movies online that I can actually play on my computer. I was hoping you could tell me of a program that I can use to watch them. Thanks.

Options:

1. Install the appropiate codecs -- see Perian: http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/22923
2. Use VLC -- http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/5758
3. Use MPlayer -- http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/18580
4. Install Flip4Mac for WMV videos in QT -- http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/17787

And do any of those play rar files? i downloaded the vlc, but it still seems to not be able to play rar files. thanks for your help so far kanzen.

RAR is not a video format.

http://fefe.whatboyswant.com/forum_read/551083/1/10

Use:

The Unarchiver - http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/22774
UnRARX - http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/9365
MacPAR DeLuxe - http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/11858

Hey Kanzen. Thanks for all the help. As I'm sure it is obvious, I don't know my ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to mac software. A lot of other people have been much less helpful when it comes to me asking any questions. So I appreciate it.

this sticky is becoming really helpful!

thx man, that was very helpful in the first days