It is hard to explain to non Mac users just how flexible the Mac OS X is. I use two Powerbook G4 Laptops on a daily basis, one is Desktop bound, and one travels with me all the time. Aside from the indispensable software, Mac Office, Macromedia Studio and the iLife Suite, GarageBand, Itunes, and IPhoto, there are a number of tools that are free for the Mac OS X but are just as indispensable.

Here is my list:

1. Audacity multifunctional audio editor. For those times when you just have to edit music and audio. Audacity is an awesome tool and it’s free too.
2. ISquint – AVI to MOV converter. It is really annoying when I get a file that is in WMV format and the stupid Windows Media Player 9 for Mac doesn’t work because it hasn’t been updated for years.
3. JEdit – One of the great things about Notepad is that it does not retain formatting unlike most new editing including Apple’s Text Editor app. With Jedit for the Mac it has a great macro recorder and removes all those pesky formatting extras and gives clean Text.
4. FireFox – This is the default browser and the reason is that Safari has real problems with AJAX sites.
5. AdiumX – Multi IM client for MacIntosh. Unfortunately we still need to connect to multiple IM systems. Audium does that with ease.
6. ISync – The Entourage Conduit for the Treo is painful. The new Isync syncs Entourage and iCal together and gives me the wonderful world of iCal extensions. The “whateverCal” from Microsoft is a closed painful environment. (included in OSX)
7. Radio Tuner Widget – This Widget holds all my radio streams from BBC, CBC, NPR and New Zealand Radio Stations from one convenient player. Go Widgets!
8. Stickies – When you can’t find that damn pen, Stickies allows you to keep scratch pad on the screen as a kind of visible clipboard. Very useful on the airplane when you have no where to put a pad let alone a Laptop. (included)
9. Dictionary and Thesaurus – This freebie dictionary is great when I am not online. The spell checker is fine but sometimes you need to reach for the dictionary. (included)
10. Google Earth – Not really productive but it is tons of fun for hours.

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