Dan McCullum DesignDan McCullum Design

Windows Live Writer

Thursday, November 15, 2007

I must say... Windows Live Writer is not at all classic Microsoft... It's actually very usable and smooth!

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Cool Mac Software

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

One of the things that has impressed me most about using a Mac is the large amount of very high quality free and opensource programs available for the platform. Unlike with Windows, where most programs are junk, or otherwise useless, it seems that the Mac community is a lot pickier about the software they use. In celebration of what appears to be a time honored fashion, I am now going to list a few really great pieces of free software for the Mac that have been quite useful to me.

Cyberduck - Powerful FTP Client

Handbrake - DVD Ripping Tool

Max - Audio Format Conversion Tool

Bean - Simple Word Processor

Smultron - Fast Text Editor with Syntax Highlighting

Vienna - RSS Reader...Until I get Leopard Mail

Writeroom 1.0 - Distraction Free Writing, for Free. The newer versions are not free. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find version 1.

CocoaMySQL - MySQL Database Manager

Schoolhouse - Invaluable homework manager

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LogMeIn

Friday, November 09, 2007

I'm writing this from a desktop located somewhere on the SUNY Plattsburgh Campus using the dashboard widget on my MacBook. Confused?

Here's how: I'm using a free piece of software called LogMeIn which allows you to very easily set up remote desktop connections with either Windows or Mac computers. You can then easily access those computers via the LogMeIn website from anywhere in the world! What I like most is the speed... It's quite responsive, even over the internet. In fact, it is more responsive across the internet than my previous VNC setup was over ethernet in my room.

All in all this is a very neat piece of software that has much potential, though I wish it worked on Linux as well.

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Leopard

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Since the release of Mac OS X Leopard--

I mean, since I got my MacBook, I've been looking forward to the release of OS X Leopard with great anticipation. Now that it's been released, I've been anxiously anticipating being able to afford a copy. Meanwhile, I've been eagerly devouring every bit of information about the new system that I can get my hands on.

So, without further ado, here is what I'm looking forward to most:

Coverflow in Finder and Quicklook. Finally, filmstrip view on the Mac. As a graphic designer, the inability to simply browse my photos and designs through the finder has been a real PITA. It is perhaps my biggest complaint about Tiger, and seems to have been more than adequately delt with. Quicklook in particular appears to have some really powerful applications.

Faster performance. Always welcomed.

True 64-Bit computing. The implications of this will probably become evident sometime next year as more developers take advantage of the enhanced performance and security of 64-bit computing. The stuff under the hood may be the most significant improvements in the entire system.

The new Mail.app looks promising, and will hopefully address my main complaints with Tiger Mail.

Spaces. Appears to be the most viable virtual desktop system for the Mac to date. Should be useful for laptop use.

Time Machine. This is more exciting to me in that it makes the Mac by far the best desktop system for any home use besides gaming. Though it has already garnered complaints from some power-users, this application seems to be more useful for the casual computer user crowd.

There are a lot of other things that make this upgrade worth it to me at this point, which I won't go into, but it has occurred to me that perhaps what excites me most about this system is the load of little things that will make my computer more useful, more powerful, and more fun.

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