Web Browsing
Mozilla Firefox
The premier free, open-source browser. Tabs, pop-up blocking, themes, and extensions. Considered by many to be the world's best browser.
IM - Instant Messaging
Adium
Connect to multiple IM accounts simultaneously in a single app, including: AOL IM, MSN, and Jabber. Beautiful, themable interface.
Application Launching
Quicksilver
Quicksilver lets you start applications (and do just about everything) with a few quick taps of your fingers. Warning: start using Quicksilver and you won't be able to imagine using a Mac without it.
Mozilla Thunderbird
Powerful spam filtering, solid interface, and all the features you need.
Utilities
The Unarchiver
Uncompress RAR, 7zip, tar, and bz2 files on your Mac. Many new Mac users will be puzzled the first time they download a RAR file. Do them a favor and download UnRarX for them!
DVD Ripping
RSS
Peer-to-Peer Filesharing
Running Windows Software on Macs
Q Emulator
Run Windows programs on your Intel Mac at near native speed. Works on G4 / G5 Macs too, but much slower.
Podcasting
Video Player, Torrents, Podcasting
Miro
Beautiful interface. Plays any video type (much more than quicktime). Subscribe to video RSS, download, and watch all in one. Torrent support. Search and download from YouTube and others.
Telephone
Telephone
A great "SIP" client. Call regular phones from your Mac. 100% free and open source.
Financial Transactions
Bitcoin
A "peer-to-peer" digital currency so you can buy things without paying transaction fees.
Video Converter, iPhone Converter
Miro Video Converter
Convert any type of video to mp4 or theora. Convert any video for use with iPhone, iPod, Android, etc. Very clean, easy to use interface.
Video Playback
VLC
Plays more video files than most players: Quicktime, AVI, DIVX, OGG, and more. Pretty good interface.
MPlayer
The interface and buttons are not as nice or as Mac-like in feel, but it may play even more video files than VLC.
Perian
A plugin that allows quicktime to play additional video formats. (Included in Democracy Player.)
iPod Ripping
CD / DVD Burning
Privacy
Vidalia
Word Processing / Office Suites
LibreOffice
Big, full featured suite of tools for word processing and spreadsheets. Compatible with and a free replacement for Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. Friends don't let friends pay for Microsoft Office.
AbiWord
A word processor. Leaner and quicker than OpenOffice. Compatible with Microsoft Word documents and OpenDocument Format.
Wifi Scanning
Sound Recording
Graphics, Photo, Publishing
FTP / SFTP
Fugu
Not as polished as Cyberduck (and only for SFTP) but has a side by side interface showing your files and the remote files.
HTML / Text Editing
Blue Griffon
Visual tool for making websites (WYSIWYG html editor), comparable to Dreamweaver.
IRC
Web Development
WaveMaker
A visual development tool for building great-looking web and cloud applications.
Note Taking
Freemind
An innovative application for note taking and outlining. Takes time to get used to, but some people swear by it.
Personal Finance
Buddi
A personal finance and budgeting program, aimed at those who have little or no financial background.
More Web Browsing
More Web Browsing
SunriseBrowser
Good webkit-based browser created with special tools for web designers.
PDF Viewer
Screensaver
More Filesharing
3D Graphics and Modeling
Planetariums and Outer Space
Celestia
Open-source 3D planetarium software. Akin to traveling through space (outer space).
Stellarium
"Renders realistic skys in realtime." See what you would see if your city wasn't so light-polluted. Used in real planetariums.
Comic Reader
Dance Dance Revolution
Games
Marathon: Aleph One
Engine for Bungie's free FPS series Marathon. Play online, solo play with rich original story, many total conversions and thousands of maps.
Free File Hosting
CC Publisher
Host Creative Commons video or audio files for free on archive.org with this easy uploader.
GAMES
SHOOTERS
- Download Page
Cube 2: Sauerbraten
A single-player or multiplayer shooter that's free and open source. - Download Page
Freedoom
A version of the classic first-person shooter Doom that's free and open source.
STRATEGY
- Download Page
Freeciv.net
A multiplayer strategy game that's free and open source. - Download Page
Glest
Magic and Tech battle in this real-time strategy game that's free and open source. - Download Page
The Battle for Wesnoth
A turn-based strategy wargame of humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, and trolls that's free and open source.
MMORPG
- Download Page
PlaneShift
Adventure through a giant stalactite in this massively multiplayer online role-playing game that's free and open source.
VARIOUS
- Download Page
Neverball
A 3-D ball game that's free and open-source. - Download Page
Scorched 3D
A turn-based artillery game that's free and open source. - Download Page
Lugaru
You're a rabbit seeking vengeance agains the wolves in this
COMMENTS