black steel

for those who are unaware of onyx - do yourself a favor and download it today.

having spent the last few years bouncing around between various osx maintenance applications and regimens - i can truly say that onyx represents by far the easiest way i've found to consolidate my maintenance chores. and at this price point (uhhh... FREE!), it is an unbeatable resource.

in no order - here are a few things that distinguish onyx from the rest of the osx maintenance utility pack:

1. compared to cocktail, applejack, etc., onyx's help files are a real standout - for such a "feature rich" app, the help system really makes it easier for a non-tech guy like myself to figure out what onyx is really doing to my system. the help files alone are a major reason to roll with onyx in my opinion.

2. i personally find the onyx user interface a bit easier to grok than the competition. the tabs make it really easy to figure out what you're doing - and while the "tweak head" settings are still in there for those who need them, the main functions are easy to wrap my brain around. cocktail has a better UI now than it used to - but i still find onyx more manageable.

3. onyx's developer - titanium software - seems to be a bit more forthcoming with their updates compared to the "other guys". i've seen updates and developer notes within a day or two of a mac osx update, which is pretty nice for a "freeware" developer.

together with carbon copy cloner, onyx has become one of my "must have" osx utility apps. next time - more on my backup strategy using ccc and a scripted backup system. ciao til then.

golden chute

http://yellowmug.com/filechute/

if you haven't checked this one out yet, do it. it's the perfect file swapping add-on for your dot mac account. slicker ui than webdav, way faster upload times than finder drag-n-drop, and it's a breeze to use: simply drag your deliverables into the "chute" icon and email the resultant download link to all your pals. and it's windows friendly too!

the latest version has a nifty "progress bar" icon that gives you an instant status update on your uploads right from the dock or finder.

the only downside is the fact that this functionality really should have been built into dot mac in the first place. oh well - onward to leopard.....