After reading articles about the best Macintosh software at Andy Budd, Futurosity, Garrett Dimon, Macslack, TUAW, Whitespace, YourTotalSite, and for Windows at Digital Web Magazine about free tools for freelancing, I decided to incorporate some of their ideas into my article. After having just purchased a Mac, I was in search of the best [free] software I could find. I would be starting from scratch, not having ever owned or used a Macintosh, so I figured I could make a nice, usable list for myself and some of my friends who are about to make the same plunge I did. I not only wanted to replicate some of the software on my PC, but I was really aiming to replace the PC with my Mac. In essence, a complete migration. So, here’s the list of the best freeware tools I found:

(more…)

Well, it finally happened. I’m going to be the proud owner of a new iMac G5. Primarily for design related reasons, but also part new interest in OS X (v 10.4 Tiger). I’m not ignorant to Macs. My brothers have been fanatics about them since their debut. I, on the other hand have been a PC user since I was about 15. I’ve nothing against Macs (except for their price), but everything I need to do, I can do on a PC for about a fourth of the price. That, and I had a long stint as a PC technician.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to working with this Mac. I have already had an unpleasant experience with Apple which I will detail here later.

Jason: Oh, MAN! You GOTTA check out that Mactracker application. They have one for Windows. It is incredible!

Eric: That’s really cool. I like how they included the “startup Chime”.

Jason: Yeah, me too. And I really like the fact that they included pictures.

Eric: hmmm… looks like they already wasted the “little Big Mac” joke on the Mac II in ‘87.

Jason: little Big Mac?

Eric: A few of us have joked about the Mac mini and how they should call it a ‘big mac’…. but they already did. Most of the Macs have a nickname. The Mac II in 87 was the “little big mac”.

Jason: Ah, ok.