Apps
- A dragged image from a web page
- Pasted text copied from the web
- A URL dragged from my browser
- An image file from Finder
- A text document from Finder
- Calendar - change event duration
- Dock - single app mode, enable window previews
- Finder - enable "Quit Finder"
- Help Viewer - user normal instead of floating windows
- Launch Pad - Reset contents, control \# of rows and columns
- Music - enable half-star ratings
- Quick Time - Remember open movies on quit
- Safari - Backspace goes to previous page
- Screen Capture - change file type
- Spotlight - Reset index
- System - Disable notification center
- Terminal - Window focus follows mouse
- Time Machine - Do not prompt to use connected drives
- Disks info
- Files Info
- Maintenance
- General - Includes last backup date
- Details - Over 30 Unix characteristics on each file
- Access - Adjust traditional permissions and ACLs
- Advanced - Allows you to lock files
- Legacy
- Change many features of your login screen - including the displayed image, which is totally worth the whole purchase price to me!
- Show or hide any users of the computer on the login screen
- Enable and disable login items and launch agents
- Set defaults for window states on login
- Built in log viewer
- Complete list of system receipts for installed software titles that issue them
- Automated - Enable or disable system cron jobs
- Update or rebuild launch services database
- ** Force empty trash and clear print queue - Very Helpful!**
- Detailed info for every network interface
- Custom sharing settings including enabling airdrop on legacy machines
- Shortcuts to hidden utilities: Airport Utility, Wireless Diagnostics
- Complete Port List
- Network Optimization for selected broadband connections
- Hidden settings for system, AC and battery
- Sleep settings for disks, display, and system. Plus auto-power off settings
- Hibernation settings
- Scheduling for wake and sleep
- Error Codes
- Fonts
- Key Combos
- Manuals
- System Profile
Search Reddit for references to the app.
Apps from the Mac app store can generally be regarded as safe from malware, but you should read the privacy policy and make a decision based on your comfort level
Use a firewall like Little Snitch or Lulu if you have concerns about an app accessing the Internet with your data. Objective-See also makes Block-Block which will notify you when new apps try to access the Internet.
Don't use any pirated software
Don't disable System Integrity Protection or Gatekeeper
If downloading from third party sites like MacUpdate or GitHub, evaluate the number of downloads or stars an app has to determine how widely used it is. Generally (but not always) apps that have a lot of users have been investigated by enough people to be safe.
Stay current on tech/Apple news. If there is a misbehaving app, it generally makes the news.
If you want the extra protection, use something like Malware Bytes on demand scanner
If you are dealing with highly sensitive financial or other data, learn how to use encryption tools like Cryptomator so that you have control and you are not relying on unknown developers.
Learn to use a VPNs if you have security and privacy concerns.
Don't believe everything you hear. There are bad actors who spread misinformation about safe apps. Paranoia can also be catching.
- Choose between counting minutes, hours, days, weeks, months or years and select a custom emoji and color for every counter.
- Order your counters manually, alphabetically, increasing or decreasing by date or by color.
- See when a notable milestone occurs (e.g. "When is your 1000 day anniversary?") and add it to your calendar.
- Need to remember more than just a date? No problem, just add a custom note to your counter.
- Yonks has a growing list of popular counters from a variety of categories (holidays, sports, movies, games, …) for you to add with one tap.
- Change the date, time and number formats according to your local or personal preferences.
- Extensive keyboard support
- No user tracking
- Ability to edit files inside archives and nested archives
- Documentation to guide users in customization
- Theme supprt (plus you can add your own)
- Plugin support through a custom Lua API
- Actions panel (instead of layers of menus)
- Quick search
- Uses Mac's Quicklook and plugins
- Toggle hidden files
- Built in terminal
- Disk usage analyzer
- Multiple tabs and windows to create workspaces
- Refresh extensions in Chrome
- Share screen in Discord
- Eject external hard drive in Finder
- Assign and submit a pull request on GitHub
- Enable Dark Mode in macOS
- New note with template in Apple Notes
- Switch to a specific Slack channel
- Switch to Zoom gallery view
- Quit all apps with AppleScript
- Close Notification Center in macOS
- Maker
- Product
- Version
- Owner
- Code
- Date
- Notes
Blogs Are Not Commodities
Somehow, when I first investigated starting a blog, I managed to avoid the many websites devoted to creating a money-making machine USING THESE 10 SIMPLE TRICKS!!! The blogs I was familiar with weren't covered in ads, and I didn't have to pay to read them. There was an occasional invitation to buy the writer a coffee, but nothing high-pressure or gross.
A couple of weeks ago, Keenan, the creator of A Very Good Blog, wrote a long, heartfelt post about his lifelong relationship with his much-loved cousin and how the American political divide affected their relationship. It's the kind of work that deserves to be included in an anthology and everyone's Best of 2024 collections. It wasn't surrounded by banner advertisements or cut off in the middle with a place for paying customers to log in. No, it was offered to the world as the work of art it most certainly is. Many people have now read it, shared it, cried over it, and been inspired by it. The ability to write like that is a gift Keenan shares with the world. The people who recognize the richness of the Indy Web, the small web, and the blogs that comprise it are the grateful beneficiaries of Keenan's largesse. They, I mean, we, are a community who share pieces of ourselves, of our lives with one another because we feel called to do it.
I like to write, and of course, I want what I publish to be seen by as many people who might care to read it, but I don't want to approach what I have to share with a marketer's eye. My blogging style is mostly autobiographical and very personal. I write about my life, warts and all. I feel good when I finish a post. I'd never want to worry that I needed to appeal to this or that demographic or use certain keywords to make Google like me. I just want to tell stories, make people think, and be a part of the small group that rejects corporate algorithms in favor of honest engagement with an audience that isn't manipulated into viewing Living Out Loud, Linkage, or AppAddict.
Since 1994 I've made a living by helping people with technology problems in one way or another. Luckily, my interest in computers hasn't been ruined by doing it for a living. But that's just it. I already have a profession I love. I have no more desire to pad my bank account by blogging than I do in finding a way to monetize my bicycle or my hiking boots. It's shameful that there's a movement in this country to have people monetize their hobbies when what we need is a movement to make sure working people earn enough from their jobs so that they can have meaningful lives away from work.
I make no claims at artistry. I'm just a guy with a laptop and some spare time. I'm grateful to anyone who uses part of their precious minutes on this earth to read what I post. I'm not planning on stopping, and I don't think I'll ever be interested in taking money out of your pocket.
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Today on App Addict - Gladys - Free Shelf Utility that Syncs With iOS - I recently discovered Gladys, a free app that allows you to stash a variety of data types an a shelf on your computer display to retrieve later or to access from another computer or iOS device. I quickly tested: • A dragged image from a web page • Pasted text… - apps.louplummer.lol/post/glad… #Mac Apps 📝
Gladys - Free Shelf Utility that Syncs With iOS
I recently discovered Gladys, a free app that allows you to stash a variety of data types an a shelf on your computer display to retrieve later or to access from another computer or iOS device. I quickly tested:
All of these quickly synced via iCloud and were available immediately on my iPhone.
Some of the functionality is similar to Yoink, a paid app that also features a clipboard manager and a notes function.
Gladys is a native Mac app that supports standard keyboard shortcuts for cut/copy/paste, handoff, Quicklook, Spotlight, Handoff, service integrations and a share extension for apps that don't support drag & drop. You can use notes and labels for each item you add if desired. The app has built in search for any element. You can share items from Gladys with other users of the app, helpful on a workplace team or in a family environment. Glady collections can be exported and imported via .zip files.
Gladys has a strict privacy policy and employs no analytics. You can download it on the Mac App Store.
Today on App Addict - Mac Pilot for Customization and Utilities - Mac Pilot, a customization and utility app from Koingo Software is currently $3.00 on BundleHunt. There are similar apps like Onyx and Tinker Tool out there that are free, but for the price I thought I’d take a look. Applications Mac Pilot contains settings for several system apps. Here are… - apps.louplummer.lol/post/mac-… #Mac Apps 📝
Mac Pilot for Customization and Utilities
Mac Pilot, a customization and utility app from Koingo Software is currently $3.00 on BundleHunt. There are similar apps like Onyx and Tinker Tool out there that are free, but for the price I thought I'd take a look.
Applications
Mac Pilot contains settings for several system apps. Here are just of the few things it can control.
Disk
Gives info and lets you perform maintenance on individual partitions
File Browser
Detailed file information and settings
Login
Logs
Maintenance
Network
Power
Reference
In addition there is a section for getting more information and doing some optimization but it requires disabling System Integrity Protection and I did not explore that.
The final potentially helpful tool is one that strips out the files from binaries for either Intel or ARM processors if you are running low in disk space and want to eliminate things you don't need. I'd make damn sure I had a good backup before using that.
Can I Trust This App
In any discussion of software, regardless of the app in question it seems, someone always asks "Can I trust this app?" seeking some protection against malware or privacy invasion. It would serve anyone interested in investigating software or trying new apps to learn a few things about how to answer this question for themselves. Here is a list that is not comprehensive but should serve as a good place to start.
How Can I Tell If a Download Is Safe?
11 Easy Ways to Know If It Is Safe to Download Something
Agree? Disagree? What have I left out?
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Today on App Addict - Switch Glass - A Configurable Application Switcher with Per Display Settings - If you are one of those Mac users frustrated by the fact that the default dock is only visible on a single display, or you don’t like the way it deals with hidden windows, or maybe you wish you could hide certain apps, you might want to try Switch Glass,… - apps.louplummer.lol/post/swit… #Mac Apps 📝
Switch Glass - A Configurable Application Switcher with Per Display Settings
If you are one of those Mac users frustrated by the fact that the default dock is only visible on a single display, or you don't like the way it deals with hidden windows, or maybe you wish you could hide certain apps, you might want to try Switch Glass, an app by well known Apple podcaster, developer and writer, John Siracusa.
Switch Glass lets you configure a (hide-able) floating app switcher for each display in your setup.
• Visibility - Set it to be visible, hidden or auto-hidden/visible
depending on mouse position
• Position - Choose from eight
positions on each screen
• Orientation - Horizontal or vertical
positioning
• Background - Choose from four different backgrounds
including dark mode toggling
• Styling - Three different corner
styles
• Icon Size - App icons can be anywhere from 16 to 256
points in size
• Icon Spacing - Adjust from 0 to 100% of the icons
sizes
• Margin - Adjustable around the switcher itself
• App
Sort Order - Apps can be sorted by name or launch order
You can customize what clicking or shift clicking on an app does, with options to bring all windows or a single window to the front. Using option+click will hide the current front app while opening the app you click on. The app switcher has a context menu for each app and supports dragging items to the icons to open them.
As would be expected from a developer known for having exacting preferences in his workspace, you can fine tune almost every element in the app. Switch Glass is $7.99 on the Mac App Store.
Yonks - A Well Designed Day Counter
Yonks is a well-designed iOS app
that works quite well as a standalone app on Apple Silicon Macs. It's a
day counter that determines how many days since and event or how many
days until an even with lots of extra special touches. For a one time
purchase of $1.99 in
the App Store vs. subscription apps at 4X that price just for a year
of use, it's almost unbeatable.
Ever wanted to know how many minutes, hours, days, weeks, months or years have passed since you were born or since you got married? What about counting down to your next vacation or the end of an important project? Maybe you want to count the days since you started a diet, quit smoking or drinking or started a new fitness routine. Do you want a way to count down the time until a new movie or video game is released. Yonks (British slang for "a long time") can do it for you.
Features
Yonks does not have iCloud syncing but I had no trouble creating my setup on my phone and exporting a json file via the settings that I easily imported on my MacBook via the same mechanism.
According to the developer, Stefan
Grund, a new update is scheduled to drop on 2024-10-14 and version 2
of the app is in the works.
Marta - A Free Dual Pane File Manager
Marta is a free, dual-pane file manager for macOS written entirely
in Swift, making it fast and responsive to both keyboard and mouse
commands, although it specializes in the former. Under development since
2016 by software engineer Yan Zhulanow of Jet Brains, Marta may move to
paid model in the future but for no it can be downloaded for free at the dev's website.
Some of Marta's key features include:
Keysmith - Record Automation Macros With Ease
Keysmith is an automation
app that works in any other app on your Mac to record actions you can
later trigger from a menu or with a keyboard shortcut. I've been a
Keyboard Maestro user for many years. I have over 800 macros within that
application and a lot of experience using it, but after working with
Keysmith for just a short while, I have to admit it makes some actions
easier to record and activate. It's not a replacement for Keyboard
Maestro, but it will certainly supplement it.
Keysmith detects buttons, lists, and page loads automatically. The first macro I created with it was able to Open Obsidian, copy my daily note, open Day One, create a new entry and paste the content from Obsidian. I assigned it to HyperKey+D and was able to trigger it while I was in my web browser. I tinkered with it a little and was easily able to get it to close Day One after the entry was created.
The process is simple. You start the recording of a macro from a button on the menu bar. Your perform the action you need and Keysmith records your clicks and keystrokes. When you're done, you save the macro, give it a name and assign a hotkey if you want to.
Some of the example macros available for download on the Keysmith web site are:
You can use the total functionality of Keysmith for free to make up to five macros. The full version is $54. It is also available as part of Setapp.
Licensed - A Nice Single Purpose App for Keeping Track of Your Software
One of the reasons that I go to r/MacApps every single day
is the prospect of discovering news apps and developers. This week I
found out that an ancient app (well, 17 years), Licensed, has been updated
and is compatible with macOS 15. Licensed is a simple database to keep
track of your software purchases. It has fields for:
The database is searchable. From the app's file menu, you can identify the data file for easy backups, and you can export your data as a CSV file so that you can be assured you aren't locked into any proprietary format.
Licensed is a free app from developer Amar Sagoo. You can download it on his website.
Today on App Addict - The Zen Browser - I’ve found myself in a small and unpopular minority over the past couple of years as user and sometimes advocate for Microsoft Edge, mostly because I use it for work where I’m required to use Microsoft Admin Center and the suite of Microsoft 365 apps. I still stand by… - apps.louplummer.lol/post/the-… #Mac Apps 📝
Today on App Addict - CurrentKey Stats - A Triple Threat App - CurrentKey Stats has several target audiences. • Time tracking your app usage and time spent working. Unlike Apple’s Screentime, CurrentKey Stats only tracks an app when it is in the foreground, not the whole time it is open to give you a more accurate view of your time. • Controlling… - apps.louplummer.lol/post/curr… #Mac Apps 📝
Today on App Addict - Apple Password App Is OK I Guess - I have been using the Apple Passwords App instead of a third-party alternative for a few weeks. I’ve managed to get my work done and not get locked out of any apps, so it’s OK, I guess, but it does not have all the features I’m used to and it… - apps.louplummer.lol/post/appl… #Universal Apps 📝
Today on App Addict - Daily - A Dead Simple Free Task Manager - The Mac ecosystem is not at a loss for task managers. Apple’s own Reminders app has steadily added features over the years, incorporating things like grocery shopping and adding items via Siri. There are full blown GTD systems for executives and others with super complicated lives like Omnifocus. Then there… - apps.louplummer.lol/post/dail… #Mac Apps 📝
Today on App Addict - Surfed - Fell Off, Drowned - I recently saw an announcement for the release of version 3.0 of the Internet history and bookmarking tool Surfed. Previous app store reviews of the app stated that it had a lot of potential but that it wasn’t a mature product. I had hopes that a new version would correct… - apps.louplummer.lol/post/surf… #Universal Apps 📝
Today on App Addict - Find Usernames from 400 Different Social Networks - The username I employ here on Reddit is one that I first used on my AOL account back in the 90s before you could even get a real Internet account in my area. Until recently, I had no idea how many times I’d employed it over the years, at least… - apps.louplummer.lol/post/find… #Mac Apps 📝
Today on App Addict - Notenik - A Well Designed Plain Text Notes Plus App - Anyone looking for a well-designed notes app that’s free and open source, native to the Mac platform and based on plain text files would be well served by checking out Notenik by independent developer Herb Bowie.. Within Notenik you can create numerous types of collections of notes including but not… - apps.louplummer.lol/post/note… #Mac Apps 📝
Today on App Addict - A Folder Plugin for Quicklook - I’ve previously covered Quicklook plugins that let you use your spacebar in Finder to view things like package contents, videos, source code, compressed files and more. Recently the developer of the popular bookmarking app, Anybox, released a free Quicklook plugin for folders, which seems like a feature Apple should… - apps.louplummer.lol/post/a-fo… #Mac Apps 📝
