Chapter 13: Enhancing OS X with Utilities
In This Chapter
Utilities that extend OS X capabilities
Utilities you can live without
Utilities that add new capabilities to OS X
Although OS X comes with an amazing number of utilities, as Chapter 10 explains, there are a few things OS X doesn't do and a few things that benefit from enhancements. That's where third-party utilities come in. They fill the gaps and extend OS X's native capabilities in cool ways.
This chapter surveys utilities you may want to bring into your Mac to either extend its current capabilities or add new ones. And by “utilities,” I don't mean full-fledged applications like Adobe Creative Suite, Apple iWork, FileMaker, Microsoft Office, or LibreOffice that are used to do major work. Instead, I mean those little tools that make your life a little bit easier.
Of course, I don't mean to imply that everyone should get all of these utilities or only these utilities. Everyone's needs are different, so there may be utilities not listed here that are perfect for you and ones listed here that you don't need. My selections are meant to be utilities that many people should consider.
Utilities come from all sorts of sources, from major software providers to individuals who do it for the sheer joy of solving a problem. Many are free, and most of the rest are low cost (typically less than $25, though commercial wares tend to cost between $50 and $100). Some are sold in stores, but many more are available as downloads on the ...
