Afloat
Keep a selected window floating above the others, move or resize it from any edge, turn it into an overlay, pin it to the desktop — and more.
aLaunch
Application launcher operated from the menu bar features your choice of icon size, the ability to open files and folders, and categories that can be grouped between separators. Supports hot keys and folder hierarchies.
AppCleaner
Delete not only the app, but also all those pesky files that are associated with it.
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&mdash 3 so far
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Also try: AppTrap
AppFresh
Stay up to date from one place with all your applications (third-party and Apple), widgets, preference panes and application plugins.
AppleJack
Troubleshoot a Mac even if you can’t load the GUI, or don’t have a startup CD handy. Repair your disk, repair permissions, validate the system’s preference files, and get rid of possibly corrupted cache files.
AppMenuBoy
Easy access to all your apps (and only apps — none of the associated files) from the dock.
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&mdash 2 so far
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AppTrap
When you move an app to the trash, you get a notice listing its associated files and asking whether you want to delete them as well. It could be the most efficient way of all to delete programs.
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&mdash 2 so far
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atMonitor
Display system activity in real-time. In addition to CPU, GPU, VRAM, FPS, disk and network info, atMonitor allows interaction with processes, setting up triggers, logging, purging RAM and more. Three views: menu bar, floating window and top window. Four different themes.
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&mdash 3 so far
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Backuplist
Wrapper application for the powerful Unix rsync tool processes your choice of files to be backed up as copies to your hard drive or to an external storage device. It offers many important options for advanced users.
Caffeine
Set your Mac to stay awake when it’s inconvenient to have it fall asleep, for example if you’re watching a movie.
Carbon Copy Cloner
Carbon Copy Cloner not only creates a backup of your hard drive, but it’s also bootable.
ClamXav
Virus? What’s that? It’s only a matter of time before OS X is hit by a truly virulent virus, and ClamXav should be able to help you detect it.
CLIX
If you get the jitters when using Terminal, then CLIX may be for you. It has all those bizarre Unix commands built in, so all you have to do is find the right one and click it. And you just might learn a few along the way.
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&mdash 4 so far
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Coconut Battery
Keep track of all the details of what’s happening with the battery in your portable mac as it happens.
CornerClick
Take hot corners to the next level with the ability to open files, hide applications, open URLs, run AppleScripts and do the usual exposé actions.
DasBoot
Turn your iPod into a recovery and diagnostic tool.
Document Palette
Create new documents directly in open folders. With a folder active in Finder, press Control+Option+Command+N to make the palette appear, then select the document type you wish to create.
Dragoman
Batch convert a wide variety of image, photo, music, text and archive files with drag and drop. Among supported formats are JPEG, PNG, PDF, iTunes MP4, OGG, Word, RTF, RAR and Zip.
EasyFind
Find folders, files and contents without the hassle of indexing. EasyFind is sort of like Spotlight for those who haven’t upgraded to Tiger.
EverSave
Tool allows you to save all of your documents — if possible — in a specific time interval or by changing the frontmost application. Accessible from the menubar, with lots of options for applications and documents.
FastScripts Lite
Get instant access to your scripts by keyboard shortcut or menubar. Go beyond the AppleScript menu with many usability improvements and a refined interface.
File List
Rename your files in batches, and maybe compile a playlist while you’re at it.
ForeverSave Lite
For those programs without an autosave feature, ForeverSave comes to the rescue. Features include Save All, hotkeys and an application assistant that defines how, when and what to save.
FreeDMG
Quickly create disk images using drag and drop.
Grand Perspective
Scan your folders to get a colourful view of what is inside them. Then hover with your cursor to see what files are represented. It’s a great way to see what’s taking up all the space. Disk Inventory X does much the same thing.
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Also try: Disk Inventory X
HotBox
Preference Pane allows you to sweep any portion of your screen and have it blow up to fill the screen. Both fun and practical.
iBackup
Yet another backup app getting good reviews is called, in the tradition of the many iApps, iBackup. It gets especially high marks in the ease-of-use department.
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&mdash 1 so far
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iStat Menus
Keep tabs on what’s going on under the hood with stats in the menu bar for CPU, memory, disks, monitor, temperature, fans and power, and Bluetooth. Plus, customize the date and time to your heart’s content.
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Also try: MenuMeters
iTerm
Imagine Terminal with a slick interface, including tabs, and you’ve got iTerm.
Lab Tick
Gain control over the backlit light on your PowerBook or MacBook Pro.
Mac HelpMate
A good all-round utility that cleans, maintains and helps with troubleshooting.
MacJanitor
There’s maintenance stuff your Unix-based computer does every night, but if you’re like me and turn it off at night, that won’t happen. So get MacJanitor to do it instead, and keep that Mac purring.
MacTracker
A database of information on every Mac ever made — even those made by companies other than Apple. No detail is too obscure. You can even play startup chimes.
MemoryStick
See if you are running low on RAM with a display of your Mac’s memory allocation.
MenuMeters
Keep track of what’s going on in your Mac with MenuMeters — a set of of monitors for CPU system load, disk activity, memory and network throughput. The cool thing is that they all sit on your menu bar.
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&mdash 1 so far
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Monolingual
Claim valuable space on your hard drive by eliminating localization files for languages you never use.
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&mdash 1 so far
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muCommander
A lightweight, cross-platform file manager featuring a Norton Commander style interface and running on any operating system with Java support.
MultiXFinder
Switch applications from the menubar much like they did in the OS 9 days. Lets you see background processes and assign shortcuts to the first nine entries in the menu. Several other options, settings and rules available.
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Also try: aLunch
Onyx
Verifies the startup disk and the structure of its system files, runs system maintenance, configures some hidden parameters , deletes caches, removes unneeded files and folders, and more.
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&mdash 4 so far
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Permanent Eraser
When you empty the trash on your Mac, you’re simply telling the system to forget about those files. You could go a step further by Command-clicking on the Trash and using Secure Empty, which overwrites the data seven times. If that’s still not good enough, Permanent Eraser will overwrite your data 35 times, scramble the original file name, and truncate the file size to nothing.
Pester
Set a time you have to do something and Pester will remind you by bouncing in the dock, playing a system alert, speaking a message (that you create), and displaying a message and the time. Actually, you have a choice — it will do some or all of those things.
Preferential Treatment
Check your preference files for corruption, then give ‘em the treatment if you so desire.
PsyncX
PsyncX allows you to make a backup of either one part of your hard drive or the entire hard drive to another computer. In addition, it allows users to schedule backups.
Purity
Go through caches, logs, browsers, downloads, chats and games — check off the cruft you don’t want — then click to move it into the trash. A great way to clean up your Mac. Ignore the Buy button. Purity is now freeware.
RCDefault
Preference pane allows you to set default applications for the Internet, URLs, extensions, MIME types and file types.
Reggy
Quickly visualize what a given regular expression will match given a test string. Also points out errors in your regular expression.
SaveCircle
Autosave your work at time intervals you select. Choose to save the frontmost app or any other that is running.
Scheduler
Schedule the automatic launching of applications, Applescript applets, documents, websites and file downloads at startup time or at a given time and date. There are many other scheduling options.
Semulov
List all mounted volumes in your menubar, categorized by type. Clicking on a volume menu will unmount/eject that volume. Supports Growl unmount and mount notifications.
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&mdash 3 so far
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Service Scrubber
If you’re overwhelmed by the number of services you find in your service menu, use this handy utility to scrub out the ones you don’t want. With services at a manageable level, you might actually use them.
SilverKeeper
An intuitive and easy way to do backups that’s been around for a long time. Apple’s built-in Time Machine is probably easier.
SMARTReporter
Warns you of some ATA hard disk failures before they happen by periodically polling the S.M.A.R.T.-status of your hard disk.
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&mdash 2 so far
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SuperDuper
If you’re confused about which backup utility to use, it’s understandable — there are many to choose from, and each is good in its own way. Recently, though, SuperDuper has risen head and shoulders above the others as the best of the best. The freeware version allows you backup and clone your drive. For extra features, you have to pay.
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&mdash 1 so far
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SyncMate Free
Free version allows syncing of contacts and calendars between Macs and several devices, such as Windows Mobile and Nokia S40 phones, PlayStation Portable, USB drives, other Macs and Windows computers. It supports Google account synchronization and you can backup to an online storage account.
Tags
Sort your files with tagged categories of your own making. Just duplicate the mother tag, drag files onto it and they will all share that category. Open the tag to find files that belong to it. Works great in Tiger. Your mileage may vary with Panther.
Teleport
Enables multiple Macs to share a single keyboard and mouse over a network. TidBITS review
The Unarchiver
Decompress several different compression formats, including some of the obscure ones that OS X can’t handle. Interface fits in nicely with the Finder.
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&mdash 1 so far
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TinkerTool
Not satisfied with the system preferences Apple gives you access to on your mac? TinkerTool lets you get at that hidden stuff too numerous to mention. If you’re the type who can’t leave well enough alone, then tinker away.
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&mdash 1 so far
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UnRarX
Expand .rar archives and restore corrupted or missing archives using par2.
Volumizer
Get volumes or disks to show up, more conveniently, in the dock or the menu bar instead of on the desktop.
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&mdash 1 so far
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Witch
Switch between open windows without reaching for your mouse. Click on a shortcut key, and up pops a neatly organized translucent list of windows to choose from.
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&mdash 1 so far
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Xmenu
Add one or more menus to the menu bar for accessing files and data. Pre-set menus include Applications, Developer, Home, Documents and Snippets. Or define your own. (Not a system hack.)