ksbolduan@amherst.bitnet (09/06/90)
We all have them. We all rely on them. There are some INITs and CDEVs that we just cannot live without. I'd like to see what people use, what they feel are ABSOLUTELY INDESPENSIBLE when they use their Mac. These have to be SOOOOOOO important and invaluable that you should be able to limit your list to five even if your icons go all the way across the screen of your 21" monitor ;-). So, to get things rolling, here's my list in no particular order: OnCue Application launching utility that sits in the menu bar SuperClock! I just HAVE to know what time it is... Windowshade Double click on any window title bar and the window, except for the title bar, disappears. Amazing... Boomerang Nifty addition to the SFGet dialog box. ATM How did we EVER live without this one? Kevin Bolduan KSBOLDUAN@AMHERST Bitnet Address
denbeste@bgsuvax.UUCP (William C. DenBesten) (09/07/90)
From article <10065.26e62394@amherst.bitnet>, by ksbolduan@amherst.bitnet: > There are some INITs and CDEVs that we just cannot live without. > OnCue Application launching utility that sits in the menu bar > SuperClock! I just HAVE to know what time it is... > Windowshade Double click on any window title bar and the window, > except for the title bar, disappears. Amazing... > Boomerang Nifty addition to the SFGet dialog box. > ATM How did we EVER live without this one? I need only two. (I do use more for mail, reminders, etc.) After Dark A Screen Saver (any will do) Disinfectant INIT It is sad, but one needs to watch out for viruses. -- William C. DenBesten is denbeste@bgsu.edu or denbesten@bgsuopie.bitnet
meldal@bach.Stanford.EDU (Sigurd Meldal) (09/07/90)
I'll cheat. The line between inits as system add-ons and inits that are properly part of the system is not clear to me. E.g. AppleShare is absolutely essential to me, since I use a UNIX box as a file server, but I do not think that the original query was after that kind of thing? So - I'll make a list of nifty inits I cannot live without, disregarding those that are part of a program package or come with the system. 5 nifty inits I would not want to live without: Boomerang (addition to SFGet dialog. A new, improved version has been sent to registered users). AltCDEF Gives me both up and down arrows on either end of the elevator in all windows. Quickeys Binds functions (such as menu items, buttons, etc.) to keys. Suitcase Allows dynamic opening and closing of font, da and sound files. ATM Adobe Type Manager. Renders beautiful bitmap fonts in all sizes for postscript fonts. Necessary to make my DeskWriter function well. Plus a pair that everyone should have: Gatekeeper and Gatekeeper Aid Virus protection Let me briefly comment on the choices of the initiator of the list: In article <10065.26e62394@amherst.bitnet> ksbolduan@amherst.bitnet writes: >OnCue Application launching utility that sits in the menu bar I let Launch do that for me - it offers me an icon docket in application (rather than init) form. Together with Quickeys it give me keyboard launch capability. >SuperClock! I just HAVE to know what time it is... I use TimeKeeper, a clock application. Much prettier, and does not mess with the menu bar. Sigurd -- Hard mail: ERL 456 | Internet: meldal@anna.stanford.edu Computer Systems Lab.| Stanford University | BitNet: meldal%anna.stanford.edu@forsythe.bitnet Stanford CA 94305 | Uucp: ...decwrl!glacier!shasta!anna!meldal USA | phone: +1 415 723 6027 fax: +1 415 725 7398
dorner@pequod.cso.uiuc.edu (Steve Dorner) (09/08/90)
Here's my short list: Moire - screen saver, menu clock Gimme Back SysBeep - nukes the Sound Manager hooks into SysBeep on older macs; the Sound Manager wastes entirely too much time when it beeps ATM - [We sure are getting nifty software out of Adobe since Apple abandoned ship. Coincidence? I doubt it...] AppleShare MacTCP My development system has one or two other inits, but that's all; every init adds to boot time, and programming this no-memory-protection beast means LOTS of reboots... -- Steve Dorner, U of Illinois Computing Services Office Internet: s-dorner@uiuc.edu UUCP: uunet!uiucuxc!uiuc.edu!s-dorner
wnn@ornl.gov (Wolfgang N. Naegeli) (09/08/90)
Here are the absolutely indispensible ones. Five ONLY? Impossible!
I actually use 40.
Boomerang If you don't use it, you're wasting lots of time.
DiskDoubler Speedy file compression utility with the slickest user
interface of any compression tool on any machine.
DiskTop File management and more. Much faster than MultiFinder
Coach Pro Any other spell checker is a nuisance.
IconIt! Lets me create button bars in any application (incl.
Finder). Much faster than pulling down hierarchical menus.
OnCue I might replace this with HandOff II soon.
OnLocation Nothing finds files by name or content as rapidly.
QuicKeys It's macros save me lots of time.
SmartAlarms Without it, I would forget too many things.
Suitcase II How else could I manage those 42 no-nonsense DAs that I
use all the time, plus those that I need occasionally.
SUM Shield It's there when I need to recover a deleted file in a
hurry.
Tops Spool Faster, less intrusive, less memory hungry, much more
reliable than Backgrounder.
Of course, I also depend on
MacTCP and
AppleShare,
but I consider those part of the System software.
I found CClock (application) to be a better alternative to SuperClock. It
also shows me how much memory (largest free block) I've got left, and it lets me select a font size that I can read from across the room.
And possibly the most vital INIT of them all, not because I need it, but because of those sick minds out there:
Disinfectant INIT
Wolfgang N. Naegeli
Internet: wnn@ornl.gov Bitnet: wnn@ornlstc
Phone: 615-574-6143 Fax: 615-574-6141
QuickMail (QM-QM): Wolfgang Naegeli @ 615-574-4510
Snail: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6206jh0576@leah.Albany.Edu (Joe Houghtaling) (09/08/90)
Here's my 2c worth: ESSENTIAL: Gatekeeper & Gatekeeper Aid: indespensible virus protection, especially if you do any programming. (I got tired of Vaccine complaining every time I fired up Think C!) After Dark: my fave for screen saver. Love the flying toasters! Disktop: still provides many services I don't get from the Finder Programmer's Key: beats reaching around the side of the machine Suitcase II: keeps my DAs and Fonts organized Smart Quotes: even tho MS Word 4 has this feature, I still like SS's dash conversion and typing correction facility. Boomerang: a must have for getting around those SF dialogs. NICE, BUT NOT SO ESSENTIAL: Logout: just in case you're curious about how much time you spend staring at the screen. PopChar: you _can_ use KeyCaps, but this is so much handier for finding that trademark symbol. Temperament 2: if you use Word, this kills all those 'Word Temp' files that the program leaves lying around. STUFF TO KEEP YOUR INITS AND CDEVS ORDERLY: Icon Wrap: keeps those INIT icons from marching off the end of the screen at startup init cdev: there _are_ commercial products with more bells and whistles, but this gets the basic job done (and well) and you can't beat the price (a postcard from your home to Australia!) Transform: problem with init cdev is that the Finder will 'lose' the icon of an INIT that's bypassed by 'init cdev'. Transform re-instates the icon. Looking forward to seeing what other folks find indespensible. j. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | joe houghtaling | "In my opinion television | computer science dept.| | jh0576@leah.albany.edu | validates existence." | suny at albany | | | -calvin | albany, ny 12222 usa | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
kjp@ecn.purdue.edu (Kevin J Podsiadlik) (09/08/90)
In article <10065.26e62394@amherst.bitnet> ksbolduan@amherst.bitnet writes: >We all have them. We all rely on them. There are some INITs and CDEVs >that we just cannot live without. I'd like to see what people use, what >they feel are ABSOLUTELY INDESPENSIBLE when >they use their Mac. These have to be SOOOOOOO important and invaluable that >you should be able to limit your list to five My five (not a whole lot of originality): QuicKeys -- how _did_ I get along without it?! Suitcase II -- good to have all those DAs handy. SuperClock! -- the Cadillac of on-screen clocks. DFaultD -- I know, everyone is mentioning Boomerang. Guess I'm just the kind of guy who deliberately tries to pick Coke in the Pepsi Challenge. SAM Intercept -- More sensitive than Vaccine, less unilateral than Gatekeeper. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kevin Podsiadlik "6. A screensaver, kjp@en.ecn.purdue.edu when I find one that won't crash..."
Garance_Drosehn@mts.rpi.edu (Garance Drosehn) (09/08/90)
INITPicker -> to help keep track of the INITs & cdevs
Suitcase II -> Can't imagine the Mac without loads of fonts, DAs, sounds,
and a few FKEYs.
Pyro 4.0 -> Entertains passers-by when I'm not busy on my Mac. Oh, yeah,
saves the screen from burn-out at the same time.
DFaultD -> Does the stuff that most people pick Boomerang for. This
is the shareware version (which is no longer available).
A commercial version is part of "Now Utilities".
Lookup INIT -> (& matching DA) Spelling checker, checks as I type, or
the DA can be called up to check a single word.
Findswell -> Another helpful option for the SF dialog. Useful when you
know the name (or part of the name) of a file, but can't
remember where that file is.
PopChar CDEV -> Makes it trivial to find the character you're looking for
in the font that's currently active. Great price too.
Windowshade -> Allows one to make the contents of a window disappear so
you can see (and click on) whatever windows are behind it.
This is still useful even though I have the Set-Aside
feature of multifinder. Great price too (ie, free).
SuperClock -> Like this a lot, although it seems to cause problems in a
few oddball situations.
Well, there's more of course. All the inits and cdevs I have are pretty
useful, or I wouldn't have them in there in the first place! But these
are the ones that are important enough that I have them both at work and
at home. And of course there's things like MacTCP, TMON, CD-ROM related
INITs, etc, etc.
Garance_Drosehn@mts.rpi.edu
ITS Systems Programmer
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Troy, NY. USAwiseman@tellabs.com (Jeff Wiseman) (09/08/90)
In article <10065.26e62394@amherst.bitnet> ksbolduan@amherst.bitnet writes: >We all have them. We all rely on them. There are some INITs and CDEVs >that we just cannot live without. I'd like to see what people use, what Try the following: InitCDEV Turns inits off and on without removing/replacing them in the system folder SuitcaseII supports limitless (for all intents and purposes :-) fonts, DAs, fkeys, sounds. Reminder Reminds people that they forgot something :-) The reason that I like the first two is that the third wish to the proverbial three wishes should always be a wish for three more :-). These two inits help me to accomplish that! -- Jeff Wiseman: ....uunet!tellab5!wiseman OR wiseman@TELLABS.COM
CXT105@psuvm.psu.edu (Christopher Tate) (09/09/90)
Indispensible INITs and CDEV's, huh.... Not many for me, actually. Here's the list I would scream without.... Suitcase II -- mostly for fonts, not DA's SuperClock! -- small, pretty; doesn't take up screen real estate Disinfectant INIT -- sad, but true: there are twisted people out there Shield INIT -- hard disk protection from the Symantec Utilities Boomerang? I guess this is one of those "you don't know you need it until after you've been using it a while" beasts. I don't use it, since I crash my machine often enough without it, so I don't need it. ------- Christopher Tate | etaT rehpotsirhC Bitnet: cxt105@psuvm | mvusp@501txc :tentiB Uucp: ...!psuvax1!psuvm.bitnet!cxt105 | 501txc!tentib.mvusp!1xavusp!... :pcuU Internet: cxt105@psuvm.psu.edu | ude.usp.mvusp@501txc :tenretnI
FlashsMom@cup.portal.com (NancyAnn none Sheridan) (09/09/90)
Can I count Little Beeper [randomizes and asynchronizes your beeps] and Cmdr. Dialog [lets you copy & paste anywhere, even dialogs] as one, since they're both by Andrew Welch? --- 72540.1731@CompuServe.Com Flash@Dcjcon.Das.Net FlaSheridn on America OnLine FlashsMom@Cup.Portal.Com
russotto@eng.umd.edu (Matthew T. Russotto) (09/09/90)
Here's my list: init cdev Gotta be able to turn them off. MaxAppleZoom I'm a glutton for screen space Dimmer Screen saver that interferes with nothing. Font/DA Juggler I'm a DA maniac. MenuClock No-frills clock Programmer's Key Easier than the interrupt button Dispensable INITs: Gatekeeper Viruses: Never had one yet. Desktop Mgr Slight performance improvement. MFMenu Extra menu of applications (patched for 6.1b9) All the rest are hardware support (CD-Rom), or server support (TOPS, SoftTalk, etc)
taylor@limbo.Intuitive.Com (Dave Taylor) (09/10/90)
This is fun! Here's my list:
Essential:
Virex INIT 1.8
I haven't tried that many different anti-virus programs because
once I got Virex, I realized that I didn't need to continue
the quest. This has saved me a NUMBER of times from viruses,
even from commercial disks!
After Dark 2.0
What can I say that I haven't already said about this super nifty
screen saver program from Berkeley Systems. Kicks ass over Pyro
(though no dogcow, alas) and I like it a lot.
Hand Off II
Even better than the previous version, Hand Off II allows me to
bind specific apps to file types independent of what the Mac
thinks is appropriate, and also (HURRAH) gets rid of those
annoying "app not found" errors.
Aumsing, fun or useful:
Super Clock!
Always nice to know the time...
Webster's Electronic Dictionary
Look up words for spelling and definition.
Mouse Odometer INIT
Fun stuff; how far does your mouse travel each day?
Plus the usual support for CD-ROM, etc.
-- Dave Taylor
Intuitive Systems
Mountain View, California
taylor@limbo.intuitive.com or {uunet!}{decwrl,apple}!limbo!tayloran12280@mdaali.cancer.utexas.edu (David Gutierrez) (09/11/90)
Hard to limit it to five, but these are the ones you can take when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers. Boomerang QuicKeys Alarming Events Disinfectant Suitcase II David Gutierrez an12280@mdaali.cancer.utexas.edu "Only fools are positive." - Moe Howard
clubmac@runxtsa.runx.oz.au (Australia's Largest Mac Users Group) (09/11/90)
Here's my list of indispensible INITs & CDEVs... init cdev 3.0 - a VERY useful tool, great implementation, and only costs a postcard. (NOTE: I think it is REALLY LOUSY that of the tens of thousands of Mac users using this cdev, the number of postcards is very small. This really shows how lousy many human beings are - even Macintosh people) SUM Shield - it has been great to be able to recover deleted files, especially newly downloaded files, that wouldn't be backed up until the end of the day. Fortune II - I just LOVE fortune cookies... SunDesk 1.1 - put some real COLOUR back into your Mac II Boomerang - bouncing around frequently used folders and files is GREAT. Desktop Mgr - I'm not the only one who HATES waiting two hours to copy a file Dimmer - Yeah, I know After Dark is great, but for simple, unimposing no-nonsense screen saving, this baby does it well. Smart Alarms - This keeps my head on straight. Reminds me to do many things. SFScrollInit - Andy Herzfeld came back to Australia and see us some time! ATM - Great fonts on a great HP DeskWriter SuperLaserSpool - Great spooling program Suitcase II - gimme more sounds, DAs, Fonts, FKEYs, now, mister. Great! SuperClock - very stable program. Nice work. SCSI Probe - great for mounting hard disks after the mac has been booted SO, there it is. At the moment, my inits' icons take up two strips of the 13" screen. _____________________________________________________________________________ | Jason Haines, Vice-President | | Club Mac - Australia's Largest Macintosh Users Group | | G.P.O. Box 4523, Sydney, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA, 2001 | | | | INTERNET:clubmac@runxtsa.runx.oz.au UUCP: uunet!runxtsa.runx.oz.au!clubmac | | ACSNet: clubmac@runxtsa.runx.oz | | | | Phone: (02) 743-6929 Club Mac BBS: (02) 907-9198 | | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | | "If that was his face, then he has a huge cleft in his chin" - Agent 86 | |_____________________________________________________________________________|