Blog FeedKeeping Track
Everyone has programs that they like. Naturally I’m not talking about games, but rather those other applications people use. Browsers, music programs, editing apps, communication programs. The list goes on. But how many programs do you have for which you keep a keen eye on their development? I have quite a few now. It always tends to start the same way. I will get the program, I’ll start liking it, I will wonder what the next version will have, and from then on I will regularly check up on any new updates and proposals, as the version numbers tick over. So, without further ado, here is the list of programs which I just can’t help but check up on for news or updates every couple of days.
Firefox
Those who know me will understand why this one makes it to the top of the list. Since I first converted I have been following each major release with a keen interest, and to be honest, I don’t know why. It already does everything I need it to (and plenty of stuff I don’t). With the lead up to Firefox 2’s release, I was actually quite vocal when it came to the new theme. The obsession has of course spawned children - I now also regularly check for updates to the Firefox addons that I use.
Google Earth
This one makes a little more sense. Google Earth is novelty program with little real usefulness for someone like me who hardly ever goes outside. Yet, it’s one of my favourite programs and I regularly check if there are any updates that increase the novelty of the thing. More than just seeing if the program itself has been updated though, I am usually more interested in seeing if there are actual imagery updates. Nothing quite makes my day like seeing as post on the Google Earth Blog telling me that entire new countries have been updated with swathes of high-res photography.
Trillian
Like Firefox, Trillian currently does everything I need it to. Apart from perhaps being a little less bloated and unreliable, I can’t really hope for much more in an IM program. Despite this, I’ve been checking the Cerulean Studios Blog almost daily hoping to see some more news on what is being added in the next release, Trillian Astra. Unlike Firefox though, the changes for each subsequent release are kept quite confidential, and updates to the blog are scarce. To be honest, it’s starting to drive me nuts, and makes no sense when you consider that Trillian 3 does everything I want anyway. But I’m not gonna stop.
Windows
As much as I don’t like to admit it, I have been following the development of Windows Vista quite closely. This is despite the fact that I don’t plan on buying Windows Vista any time soon, and the only reason I will eventually be using it will most likely be that it comes bundled with my next PC. My current upgrade path has ground to a halt so it’s looking like my next gaming rig will be the first time I buy a whole new box outright. My interest in Windows has also grown out of the desire for comparison. Since diving deeper into the blogosphere (which has a much higher Mac-PC ratio then the rest of the world) and since a fair few people I know have made the switch, the features of OSX have definitely caught my eye. Of course, with issues like this and the whole gaming problem, I’d say my future as a Windows user is probably quite solid.
Bulletin Boards
There isn’t just one here, there are actually three. phpBB, which I have used for Aelon’s forums for many years now, of which there is a major release coming out soon (3.0). PunBB, a lightweight alternative which I’ve been considering switching to, which also has a major new release in the works (1.3), and finally, bbPress, from the makers of WordPress - another alternative I am exploring for Aelon seeing as it can be somewhat integrated with the blog. I’ve been following the development of each for quite some time now (obviously phpBB for longest) and I’m still not quite sure which to switch to.
That pretty much sums up all the software I’ve been checking up on several times a week. There are of course others which I follow less closely - Launchy for instance is a great little app for Windows but it doesn’t get updated too often anyway. I followed IE7’s development until it was released - after testing the betas and release candidate I had to submit the same bug 3 times and it was still never fixed. I think I’ll steer clear of that one in future.
So, what software do you spend time monitoring for updates and improvements?
30th October | Reply
Ooo eck, where to begin. Excepting those application that come with OS X and the iLife series in general since these are no-brainers for any self respecting Mac user, the following is a rough list of the applications that are important to me:
Camino - The browser that basically represents a proper OS X version of Firefox. I want to like this browser but it still lacks in some areas but the new betas are showing real promise by fixing these bad parts so I’m tracking these.
Shiira - Again, another browser, but one that looks like it could be the best of the bunch if they get it right. At the moment the betas of version 2.0 are still very much unfinished, and still in Japanese in some areas (localisation from non-English languages to English being pretty unusual), but it could be really cool so I’m keeping an eye on this one.
Midnight Inbox - A personal organisation tool that is based on the Getting Things Done methodology that links into the suite of OS X applications like Mail and iCal. Currently progressing to version 1.0, I’m playing around with the betas of this one in the home that it can sort my own mess out.
Inkscape - Too tight to fork out for something like Illustrator but need an application to knock out vector diagrams? Give Inkscape a bash. Again, it’s another beta application that’s gradually improving and I’ll update this one each time there is a new release, particularly as I’m hoping that eventually they’ll dump the need for X-Windows in the same way as OpenOffice has.
NetNewsWire - Awesome RSS reader application that I probably spend more time in these days than any other application, even browsers.
OmniGraffle Pro - Sort of the Mac version of Visio that can be used for all sorts of purposes. Each version of this application has added essential tools and features so I keep track of what the next version are going to add.
OmniOutliner Pro - By the same bunch as OmniGraffle (who’d have thought that, eh?), this application makes it really easy to make lists and is a darned sight more functional than the likes of Word. Up until I picked up Midnight Inbox I was using this application in conjunction with a bunch of AppleScripts to keep myself organised.
Onyx - General maintenance application for the Mac that’ll allow you to tweak the OS to your liking and run the UNIX maintenance scripts. I keep downloading updates to this application but, to be fair, I’m damned if I can tell the difference between what I have now and the first version that I download a couple of years ago.
SQLGrinder - My standard tool for accessing databases and running queries. It still has a few bugs so I’m always on the lookout for new versions.
VoodooPad - Fabulous personal Wiki application that integrates really well into the OS and makes documentation much easier. The app just keeps getting better so it’s one that I keep an eye on at the moment.
Transmit - The best FTP client I’ve found on the Mac with some great features but has the propensity to choke on directories with huge numbers of files. Given this problem and the fact that I often deal with such directories I’m always looking for an update from the developers that will fix this issue since I know they are aware of it.
I think that’s the major ones for me. I’m also keeping an eye on Merlin 2, particularly in relation to OmniPlan, as being a suitable project management tool on the Mac but I have to confess not having had the time to actually try either application. Still, the blurb for both sounds good and so I’m monitoring developments.
30th October | Reply
I don’t follow the updates of *any* of my software closely enough, frankly - when it isn’t doing it automatically (Windows), I pretty much check at random (Winamp, or whathaveyou)
I am quite astonished that you’re still using Trillian - I used it for a fair old while myself, until I got utterly sick of how horribly bloated it was (and I’m pretty sure it somehow grew ever more wasteful & memory-hungry the longer I used it, despite the Jabba the Hutt-esque state it started off at) & ditched it for MSN, or ‘Windows Live Messenger’ as they’re calling it these days.
The turning point wasn’t when I noticed that MSN (which I’m still going to call it) was actually significantly better than Trillian in every important way (apart from the multi-messenger bit, obviously); no, it was when I, just for a laugh, decided to see if it was less of strain on my system to run MSN and AIM at the same time than it was to just run Trillian. Thanks to my preamble, it should come as no surprise that the MSN/AIM tagteam won out (although I actually just use MSN these, because AIM is ugly and shit)
8th November | Reply
I’ve never heard of pubBB, cool stuff. Here is what I currently use and enjoy:
Paint.NET - digital image editor. Similar to Paint Shop or Photoshop, but it’s legally free and fast for me.
Open Office - I’m sure you know what this is.
K-Meleon - it’s like a skimmed-down faster version of Firefox.
Gaim - like Trillian, but I prefer Gaim.
1by1 - a great lightweight MP3 player. Under 100kb.
11th November | Reply
I don’t really check for any updates regularly, as i’m not ‘into’ computers enough really.
But sometimes I will get bored and look for the latest news on things like Google Earth and the new Windows. It is usually articles like this actually that end up sending me to those sites and then I will browse them for a good while.
20th November | Reply
Notebook Hardware Control: monitors notebook components. I`m checking quite often as they only recently added ACPI script control and I`m waiting for the expansion of those features.
Rivatuner: waiting for decent mobile x1800 support.
nBitor: nvidia flash utility