MAC software

[Shawn]

I recently made the switch to Macintosh after years and years of Windows use. However, I'm still a novice at available software for a variety of applications. If you guys have any suggestions I would really appreciate it.

I'm looking for the following:

Word Processing/Spreadsheet/Database

Music Player (right now I've got iTunes & Play)

Audio Editing software

Picture Editing software

Video editing/burning software

Preferably freeware or something not too expensive.

Thanks!

Shawn

[Christiern]

Word Processing/Spreadsheet/Database

There is Microsoft Word for Mac (possibly a good choice because you know the app)

Mariner Write has been around for many years, and the keep improving it. It costs less than Word and is totally compatible with it.

There is also Open Office, which is free and eminently downloadable here.

Open Office was created as an alternative to Microsoft's Office package, so it also contains data base and spreadsheet.

Music Player (right now I've got iTunes & Play)

For mere playing, iTunes should be is all you need.

Audio Editing software

Audacity works very well and is a free download here.

Picture Editing software

While you can do some of that in iPhoto, I recommend (and use) Adobe's Photoshop Elements. The new version is great.

Video editing/burning software

For normal video editing, iMovie and iDVD are flexible and easy to use. In fact, one can do amazing things with those apps.

Burning is inherent in the Mac system, but you can do much more with Toast Titanium. Look for the periodic special deal.

I highly recommend that you get the iLife package, which contains iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, and Garage Band (create music). There is a new iLife coming soon, the latest is iLife '09,but Apple is dropping the year tag. You will find the best price for this package at Amazon—go to the "new/used" offers and save about $25 .

I hope this is helpful.

[Quincy]

Chris provided excellent advice, but as a Mac user use this link for the Audacity download. For some reason he provided a Windows link.

Edited December 3, 2009 by Quincy

[Shawn]

Thanks gang! I am planning to get the iLife suite soon and I downloaded a demo of iWork and have been playing with that.

The only reason I installed the Play application is because it supported FLAC files where iTunes does not.

I'll look into these other applications tonight.

[mjzee]

I've just tried Audacity and do not like it. I don't find it intuitively designed or easy to use. I much prefer Amadeus Pro, which is available at the Apple online store for $40.

[Jazzjet]

I've just tried Audacity and do not like it. I don't find it intuitively designed or easy to use. I much prefer Amadeus Pro, which is available at the Apple online store for $40.

I agree with this. Amadeus Pro is well worth the small investment. I would also suggest adding some other audio conversion tools, such as Switch ( free ), xAct ( for decoding FLAC files, free ) and Soundgrinder which does an excellent job of converting audio files ( about $40 ). If you're going to do a lot of CD, DVD burning etc, you ought to consider buying Toast Titanium.

[Stefan Wood]

I also recommend the Amadeus program. A very powerful and versatile program for chump change.

[Shawn]

Re: the iTunes & FLAC thing. I ended up using a little freeware app called "Max" which is an audio file converter. I converted the FLAC files to ALAC (apple lossless) and then loaded them into the iTunes library. Works like a charm.

[Jim R]

Re: the iTunes & FLAC thing. I ended up using a little freeware app called "Max" which is an audio file converter. I converted the FLAC files to ALAC (apple lossless) and then loaded them into the iTunes library. Works like a charm.

I've been using Max for years, and it has performed very well. The only thing I still don't understand is that when I convert a flac file to apple lossless, it still doesn't sound as good as the same (unconverted) flac file played in a different player (I use VLC). I've admitted before that I often have trouble hearing a difference between files converted at different bitrates (128, 320, etc) in iTunes, but when I play a flac in VLC, the difference (between that and the same file converted to apple lossless and played in iTunes) is as clear as can be.