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.

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AppCleaner

Delete not only the app, but also all those pesky files that are associated with it.

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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.

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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.

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AppMenuBoy

Easy access to all your apps (and only apps — none of the associated files) from the dock.

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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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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.

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Caffeine

Set your Mac to stay awake when it’s inconvenient to have it fall asleep, for example if you’re watching a movie.

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Carbon Copy Cloner

Carbon Copy Cloner not only creates a backup of your hard drive, but it’s also bootable.

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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.

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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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Coconut Battery

Keep track of all the details of what’s happening with the battery in your portable mac as it happens.

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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.

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DasBoot

Turn your iPod into a recovery and diagnostic tool.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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File List

Rename your files in batches, and maybe compile a playlist while you’re at it.

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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.

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FreeDMG

Quickly create disk images using drag and drop.

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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.

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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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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.

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Lab Tick

Gain control over the backlit light on your PowerBook or MacBook Pro.

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Mac HelpMate

A good all-round utility that cleans, maintains and helps with troubleshooting.

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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.

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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.

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MemoryStick

See if you are running low on RAM with a display of your Mac’s memory allocation.

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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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Monolingual

Claim valuable space on your hard drive by eliminating localization files for languages you never use.

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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.

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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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Preferential Treatment

Check your preference files for corruption, then give ‘em the treatment if you so desire.

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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.

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RCDefault

Preference pane allows you to set default applications for the Internet, URLs, extensions, MIME types and file types.

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Reggy

Quickly visualize what a given regular expression will match given a test string. Also points out errors in your regular expression.

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SaveCircle

Autosave your work at time intervals you select. Choose to save the frontmost app or any other that is running.

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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.

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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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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.

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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.

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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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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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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.

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Teleport

Enables multiple Macs to share a single keyboard and mouse over a network. TidBITS review

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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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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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UnRarX

Expand .rar archives and restore corrupted or missing archives using par2.

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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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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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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.)

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