So I'm getting a Mac

Lemurion · 11-18-2010, 07:56 PM

I'm about to add a Mac Mini to the stable of computers that live on or under my desk, so I'm wondering what software I should look for. I plan on doing at least some writing on it, and I know about Scrivener - but I'm curious what else I should look for.

As always, free is good.

jaxx6166 · 11-18-2010, 08:51 PM

Grammarian has proven to be indispensable.

GoblinWriter · 11-19-2010, 01:04 AM

I've been a Mac person for two or three years now, but I haven't purchased much in the way of software. I do have Scrivener and enjoy writing with it. I originally purchased iWork for Pages and that's one I could have done without (especially after I found Scrivener). I also have Open Office (free).

As much as I hate to say it, I may eventually buy MS Word. It's been a pain going back and forth with editors and beta readers who are Windows based. (Though I can open Word files, I can't see tracking changes and notes and such.)

I'm sure more software-savvy folks will have ideas for you. I tend to just use what I've got unless something's ticking me off, heh.

~Lindsay

P.S. I recently added Kindle for the Mac, for when I feel like reading ebooks on a big screen.

James_Wilde · 11-19-2010, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoblinWriter

I also have Open Office (free).

As much as I hate to say it, I may eventually buy MS Word. It's been a pain going back and forth with editors and beta readers who are Windows based. (Though I can open Word files, I can't see tracking changes and notes and such.)

Have you taken that up with the people at Open Office and/or LibreOffice, Lindsay? I'm sure they'd be interested to know that. If not, perhaps you would contact me offline, and we can see if we can reproduce it and I'll present it to them.

James_Wilde · 11-19-2010, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemurion

I'm about to add a Mac Mini to the stable of computers that live on or under my desk, so I'm wondering what software I should look for. I plan on doing at least some writing on it, and I know about Scrivener - but I'm curious what else I should look for.

As always, free is good.

So, first of all congratulations, Lemurion. Welcome to the Mac world. Even if they are a closed shop, Mac is the way computers should always have been, and Linux (my second favourite and long-time home) would do well to head in the same direction.

Now, let's see what I've got in my Applications folder and subfolders...

1Password for all your passwords (not free)
Firefox, as my bank wouldn't allow Safari (they've changed their minds now)
GPG
MGBD Chinese-English Dictionary, but you probably won't need that... (not free)
Open Office, as mentioned by Lindsay

And then in the Additions folder:

Was forced to add ADE for library books
Aeon (temporarily dead timeline organizer for Scrivener)
Barnes & Noble E-reader
Calibre (E-book manager and initial converter of documents to epub)
Celtx (for scriptwriting)
Gimp (God I hate that program! It does everything except what I want.)
Gnucash
Kindle for Mac
LilbreOffice (not yet ready for the general public, but real soon now...)
MacBookReader (not used it yet, don't know why I got it)
Nvu - my son added this. Something to do with websites I believe.
Sigil (for editing epubs when Calibre has converted to them)
Skype of course
Storylines (not free but essential until Aeon comes back to life)
uTorrent
VLC (supposed to allow you to change video formats, but it would be easier with Textedit! It does, however, play things DVD player can't.)

Then I have a bunch of stuff for formatting and burning DVDs, none of which are suitable for the inexperienced, and thus just lie there taking up space. And one or two shell scripts for drm removal and the like, but I'm not supposed to mention them.

All free except where stated.

//James

ShortNCuddlyAm · 11-19-2010, 07:00 AM

I'll add another vote for Scrivener, Calibre and Sigil

Other software I like:
Little Snapper (not free) - screen grabbing software, which also manages your screen grabs.
Adium (free) - IM client which supports multiple accounts
OmniFocus (not free) - task management/getting things done type software

James_Wilde · 11-19-2010, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

Adium (free) - IM client which supports multiple accounts

Ah, I thought Adium was the Apple IM client so I didn't mention it. It must have been installed by my son when he gave me his old Mac.

Lemurion · 11-19-2010, 05:01 PM

Thanks everyone.

I already use some of the cross platform stuff on Windows - and as I'll have three computers at the desk I'm not too worried about needing any specific program on the Mac (though I will be buying Scrivener).

Steven Lake · 11-19-2010, 05:50 PM

I say, build yourself a computer, put Linux Mint on it, and then install Open Office for the editing and writing software. You'll thank yourself. Mac is too proprietary and does too much to lock you in. Linux is open and you are free to do pretty much whatever you want with it.

Lemurion · 11-19-2010, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lake

I say, build yourself a computer, put Linux Mint on it, and then install Open Office for the editing and writing software. You'll thank yourself. Mac is too proprietary and does too much to lock you in. Linux is open and you are free to do pretty much whatever you want with it.

It's a good idea, but one reason I want the Mac is to try something new. The Mini will be my first desktop machine in over a decade that I didn't build. As for Linux, I spent most of 2009 running Ubuntu as the primary OS on my desktop machine.

I haven't done much with Linux Mint, but I've used half a dozen distros over the years, so a new one doesn't sound like anything special.

Thanks for the suggestion, but it doesn't really answer the question I asked. Besides, the Mac is already en route and it's not costing me any money - I'm just trading a bit of writing for it.

(Besides, if I get the yen for Linux I can just throw it on another of my boxen.)

notsure · 11-19-2010, 06:12 PM

I'm a long time PC user (including linux for many many years) but just recently got my first Mac.

My 2 cents? I love the Mac. Everything just "works" on it. I'm a software developer by day (Windows, Linux, etc...) and the last thing I want to have to do when I get home is deal with "quirks".

The apple tax is more than worth it, IMO. How much is your time worth?

I've also been informing friends and family that if they expect to get support from me down the road their next computers will have to be Macs.

Lemurion · 11-19-2010, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notsure

I'm a long time PC user (including linux for many many years) but just recently got my first Mac.

My 2 cents? I love the Mac. Everything just "works" on it. I'm a software developer by day (Windows, Linux, etc...) and the last thing I want to have to do when I get home is deal with "quirks".

The apple tax is more than worth it, IMO. How much is your time worth?

I've also been informing friends and family that if they expect to get support from me down the road their next computers will have to be Macs.

To be honest, I don't know if I'll even like it.

I probably will, I even expect that I will, but I don't know because I haven't had any real experience with one.

I'm just going to try it out and see what happens

jaxx6166 · 11-19-2010, 10:27 PM

That's pretty much what I did. I had extensively built my own computers for about 12 years. Got into an argument with NewEgg CSR after they sent me a DOA processor and motherboard from AMD. It was my last build ever.

The next day I bought a 13" MBP and never looked back. Only other software I could think of would be Parallels, but if you have a bunch of computers laying around, you won't really need that.

I've been able to get Track Changes to work between DOC and PAGES with no problem. I don't know what issues you had arise, GW, but I haven't experienced them..

James_Wilde · 11-20-2010, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemurion

To be honest, I don't know if I'll even like it.

I probably will, I even expect that I will, but I don't know because I haven't had any real experience with one.

I'm just going to try it out and see what happens

That was my attitude. And when I'd spent a week under my son's tutelage (it was his old Mac I got) and was ready to throw the thing at the wall, suddenly one day I said: "So _that's_ how it works. Why haven't all computers always been like this?" and the rest is history. I keep the old box, dual boot with XP and Ubuntu under the desk and fire it up from time to time, usually to rip a dvd or something, but I'm a Mac user now!

JSWolf · 11-20-2010, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemurion

I'm about to add a Mac Mini to the stable of computers that live on or under my desk, so I'm wondering what software I should look for. I plan on doing at least some writing on it, and I know about Scrivener - but I'm curious what else I should look for.

As always, free is good.

What software to look for.. that's easy.. Windows 7.

11-18-2010, 07:56 PM	#1
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	So I'm getting a Mac I'm about to add a Mac Mini to the stable of computers that live on or under my desk, so I'm wondering what software I should look for. I plan on doing at least some writing on it, and I know about Scrivener - but I'm curious what else I should look for. As always, free is good.

11-19-2010, 01:04 AM	#3
GoblinWriter vizsla wrangler Posts: 73 Karma: 120000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Seattle Device: Kindle 3G	I've been a Mac person for two or three years now, but I haven't purchased much in the way of software. I do have Scrivener and enjoy writing with it. I originally purchased iWork for Pages and that's one I could have done without (especially after I found Scrivener). I also have Open Office (free). As much as I hate to say it, I may eventually buy MS Word. It's been a pain going back and forth with editors and beta readers who are Windows based. (Though I can open Word files, I can't see tracking changes and notes and such.) I'm sure more software-savvy folks will have ideas for you. I tend to just use what I've got unless something's ticking me off, heh. ~Lindsay P.S. I recently added Kindle for the Mac, for when I feel like reading ebooks on a big screen. Last edited by GoblinWriter; 11-19-2010 at 01:05 AM. Reason: typos!

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11-18-2010, 08:51 PM	#2
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	Grammarian has proven to be indispensable.

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ShortNCuddlyAm WWHALD Posts: 7,879 Karma: 337114 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK Device: iPad. Selling my silver 505 here	I'll add another vote for Scrivener, Calibre and Sigil Other software I like: Little Snapper (not free) - screen grabbing software, which also manages your screen grabs. Adium (free) - IM client which supports multiple accounts OmniFocus (not free) - task management/getting things done type software

11-19-2010, 05:01 PM	#8
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	Thanks everyone. I already use some of the cross platform stuff on Windows - and as I'll have three computers at the desk I'm not too worried about needing any specific program on the Mac (though I will be buying Scrivener).

11-19-2010, 05:50 PM	#9
Steven Lake Sci-Fi Author Posts: 1,157 Karma: 14743509 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Michigan Device: PC (Calibre)	I say, build yourself a computer, put Linux Mint on it, and then install Open Office for the editing and writing software. You'll thank yourself. Mac is too proprietary and does too much to lock you in. Linux is open and you are free to do pretty much whatever you want with it.

11-19-2010, 06:12 PM	#11
notsure Zealot Posts: 123 Karma: 76 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505, PRS-350	I'm a long time PC user (including linux for many many years) but just recently got my first Mac. My 2 cents? I love the Mac. Everything just "works" on it. I'm a software developer by day (Windows, Linux, etc...) and the last thing I want to have to do when I get home is deal with "quirks". The apple tax is more than worth it, IMO. How much is your time worth? I've also been informing friends and family that if they expect to get support from me down the road their next computers will have to be Macs.

11-19-2010, 10:27 PM	#13
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	That's pretty much what I did. I had extensively built my own computers for about 12 years. Got into an argument with NewEgg CSR after they sent me a DOA processor and motherboard from AMD. It was my last build ever. The next day I bought a 13" MBP and never looked back. Only other software I could think of would be Parallels, but if you have a bunch of computers laying around, you won't really need that. I've been able to get Track Changes to work between DOC and PAGES with no problem. I don't know what issues you had arise, GW, but I haven't experienced them..

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