Must have mac software?

[slackerinabox]

I've stayed away from my 24" iMac (2008 model, core 2 duo) for quite a while now but find myself working from home (err, unemployed but freelancing) more, so I'm gearing her back up for full time use.

What are some key applications I should get? I haven't kept up with the apple world at all.

Here's my starting point - please suggest additions or upgrades that are must haves as I don't have a lot of spare scratch:
(My occupation is video editor/light web work)

1. Snow Leopard - Love it!
2. Final Cut Express 1.0 - yes, it's pretty bare bones but all I could afford at the time
3. iLife 08 - is upgrading to 09 worth the $$?
4. Adobe CS3 (photoshop, illustrator, after effects)
5. Running a demo of iWork and am not convinced I need it yet
6. OpenOffice - runs great, surprised!

Program types
1. Best FTP client - free if possible, cyberduck's ok but I bet there's something better



Any mac equivalents for:
1. Swish/Coffee Cup flash: I'm asked to make simple/unbranded photo albums and very basic flash intros for clients and am not a flash designer, anything out there for the mac that's simple for n00bs? I know it's cheating, but the requests are so rare that I don't think learning flash would be worth it.

 

[TheStu]

XSlimmer was great back when the average drive size was 60-80GB. It would strip out the PPC code (and in the intel world, strips 32 or 64bit code) to reduce the installed footprint.

VLC is useful for videos that Quicktime won't play.
Perian adds video compatibility to Quicktime.
Cyberduck is fine, but the payware king is Transit. They have a trial I think.
VMWare Fusion/Parallels if you want to virtualize Windows.
ChronoSync if you have more than one Mac.

 

[scootermaster]

Isn't there another similar thread floating around? Is there a sticky someplace? (Aphex?)

 

[AtlantaBob]

Quicksilver is great....

 

[totalcommand]

Caffeine to prevent your mac from going to sleep or dimming the screen when you're watching netflix or using VLC.

http://www.lightheadsw.com/

 

[mshan]

I believe iLife 08 allows you to reinstall the more fully capable iMovie 06, where as iLife 09 doesn't allow that option. Not sure, but may work if you already had iLife 08 and iMovie 06 installed, then installed iLife 09 over it, but haven't tested myself.

If you are using Final Cut, it probably doesn't matter, but for us more casual users iMovie 06 seems better than iMovie 08.

 

[VinylxScratches]

Why are you using OpenOffice? Use NeoOffice!