Rest in peace, Steve Jobs

Posted in: Apple,Blog
on October 6, 2011
» No Comments

Steve Jobs / 1955-2011

For some, their icons are rockstars, writers, or actors… For me, Steve Jobs is that kind of icon—a rockstar.

As an adopted child and a college drop out, Mr. Jobs opened a whole world of possibilities for me with his personal story. We shared adoption and drop-out status and that shaped me in ways I can’t describe. We also shared a love for technology… Not just technology, but how technology can—and should—make people’s lives easier. There’s also those shared Buddhist ideals and experimentation with psychedelics. Indeed, it feels like my path and Steve’s share similar milestones and that’s why I revere him so much.

His life reminds me:

to “stay hungry and stay foolish”
to stop living other people’s dreams
that you can achieve your goals without some silly piece of paper claiming you’re an expert in some field
that it’s all about your passion and drive—the keys to your own success
that a supportive family, whether of blood or bond, is valuable and nourishing.

Steve, you are my rock star and icon.

You changed me and the world for the better. You will never be forgotten.

Rest in peace, friend.

7 Open Source Mac Apps

Posted in: Apple
on August 5, 2008
» Tags: Apple, applications, apps, mac, open source
» No Comments

The Open Source Mac community is a vibrant one! The beauty of Open Source is the community and its dedication to quality and accessibility. Below, you will find a small list of Open Source apps I use and recommend.

Mozilla Firefox

Firefox

While I am devoted to Safari, Firefox still holds a special place in my heart… Especially when it comes to design web pages. The free, open-source browser can be extended with plug-ins and there are too many useful ones to mention here. If Safari bugs you, Firefox is the solution. Tabs, pop-up blocking, themes, and extensions.
Download Page

Quicksilver

Quicksilver is one of the few apps I will recommend to any Mac owner. It’s simple enough but can be used complex actions. Upon installation, most newbies are intimidated or dumbfounded by Quicksilver. Take a moment to Google some Quicksilver basics, and you’ll quickly figure out why Quicksilver is the essential Mac app. Quicksilver lets you start applications (and do just about everything) with a few quick taps of your fingers.
Download Page

MacLibre

Think of MacLibre as the ultimate open-source installer. Find and install up-to-date open-source software from within MacLibre. No longer do you have to visit hundreds of sites to find lists of Mac apps. If it’s open-source, it’s most likely in MacLibre and installable in a few clicks. It will even keep them updated for you!
Download Page

Vienna

I’m an info junkie and, frankly, I can’t remember half the sites I visit. If I find a site I like, I grab it’s RSS feed address and store it Vienna. Once or twice a day, I open Vienna and have all the latest news from these sites in an organized and concise inbox. Combine that functionality with smart folders, and you have a simple, nice, native RSS reader. Love it!
Download Page

VLC

Face it… Quicktime is awesome if you’re watching a Quicktime file… That’s it. We all know that the Intertubes are filled with all sorts of files from Windows Media (eh!) to AVI. VLC plays more video files than most players: Quicktime, AVI, DIVX, OGG, and more. While I don’t necessarily love the interface, VLC is a good utility for making web-based video more accessible.
Download Page

Handbrake

Handbake

The well known DVD ripper and MPEG-4 / H.264 encoder that includes full support for the AppleTV 2.0 and the latest iPhone/iPod Touch firmware. Get your DVD collection backed-up or onto your iPod, iPod Touch or iPhone without losing your hair or your wallet. Simple. Easy. Enough said.
Download Page

iEatBrainz

I am addicted to music. With over a terabyte of music (that’s over a month of non-stop house, jazz, acid jazz, techno, alt, indie, electronica, and ambient music), organization is key. iEatBrainz takes an audio fingerprint of your song and looks for a match on its servers. If a match is found, it fills in the correct metadata (title, artist, etc) for MP3s in your collection. A lifesaver for a music fiend.
Download Page

iBiz – Keeping The Freelance Biz Organized

Posted in: Apple
on July 30, 2008
» Tags: Apple, billing, freelance, ibiz, osx, productivity, software
» No Comments

iBiz is the perfect OSX freelance billing app.

There comes a time in any freelance designer’s life when s/he needs to pay attention to billable time, invoices, and clients. While OSX includes iCal, Address book, and Mail, it’s not enough for multiple clients and time-keeping. Enter¬†iBiz!

iBiz offers:

seamless iCal and Address Book synchronization/integration. Those important contacts are now universally accessible from your Mac and your iPhone (or synch-able mobile).
project and task tracking.
invoice templates.
estimates.
automated time-tracking.
integration with iBank (another great app from IGG Software).
and so much more.

That’s top-level. Visit the iBiz site for all the glorious details!