I downloaded Acorn today for a test run.   I was a little lazy and launched the app from my Downloads folder and right after was pleasantly surprised to see this dialog box pop up on my screen.

It’s a small thing, but such a simple way to make the end user’s life easier.  I can’t recall ever seeing this in another app.  A very nice touch and a great first impression.

Probably the best statement I can make about the health of the Mac software landscape is that as a consumer I am purchasing more Mac software now than I ever have before.  I compare this to the heyday of Windows, and my attitude around buying software is so much different.  Back then, you had to punch a couple tickets: pick up the latest Office suite, ensure you updated to the most recent versions of Norton Anti-Virus and Norton Utilities, but after that you were lucky if you bought another application or two over the course of the year.

The Mac landscape today is the opposite.  The most innovative apps are not at the office suite tier, but coming from the small-to-medium size developer shops.  The apps are lighter, less expensive, and usually a lot better than the aforementioned goliaths.  The environment encourages me to find, and then purchase, great new software.

Almost every application I have bought over the last year or so shares a common set of characteristics.  If an app offers all of these (and solves a problem that I need fixed), it gets me to click buy every time:

1. It does one thing (or a group of related things) very well – The key here is not a scarcity of functionality, but instead a total focus on solving a specific problem.
2. Provides Applescript support – Sometimes I use it, and sometimes I don’t, but it is like a security blanket for me.  I need it to be there.
3. Syncs application data via MobileMe (or a similar system) across multiple Macs – I use two Macs and need my data synced on both.  I know many people are not fans of MobileMe, but my experience with applications that sync using it has been good.
4. Offers licensing that lets me use the application on multiple Macs – This applies both for single user on multiple Macs as well as Family licensing (multiple users / multiple Macs).
5. Offers a 15 to 30 day trial –  The ability to play around with an unrestricted piece of software before you use it is probably the best sales tool ever invented.
6. Has an iPhone client - What makes a good desktop app doesn’t always make a good iPhone app, but we are buying platforms now; not just applications.  I want a platform that works on both.

The one that I thought about adding to here, but didn’t, was my ideal price.  Do I love that there are so many great Mac apps in the $15 to $30 range?  Of course, but to put that as a requirement for me to buy would be inaccurate.  I’ve bought software at all price levels and to say an app that has thousands of hours of development behind it should be priced at $19.95 is not right or fair to the developers.

Did I miss something on my “must have” list?  Let me know in the comments.

Here's the latest incarnation of my desktop. The Dock is auto-hidden on the left, my menu bar contains only the items I think are essential, and my Desktop is devoid of disks, folders, and files.

Minimal Mac is rapidly becoming one of my favorite sites of late.  It provides a daily dose of quotes, tips, and related snippets about the virtues of keeping your Mac experience as simple and bloat-free as possible.

I’ve recently reworked my desktop to embrace a lot of the ideas discussed on the site.  I’ve gone to an auto-hiding Dock, de-cluttered my menu bar, and removed any sign of files, drives, or folders from the Desktop.

And let me tell ya…  it feels great.  I never realized how much of a distraction some of these things were to me until they were gone (Gmail Notifier I am talking to you!).

While I’ve done some scripting, changed some preference settings, and tweaked various things here and there to get to this “minimal” state, the key to success has been having a good keyboard launcher.  I’m using LaunchBar, and it works great.  Anything I could possibly want to access is just a keypress or two away.

Good stuff.

I woke up this morning and saw a double recommendation for Notational Velocity, a note-taking app for the Mac, from two of my favorite bloggers, Giles Turnbull and John Gruber.

How can I not give this app a test drive?

Access OS X Services via: 1) Services Menu; 2) Action Menu; 3) Contextual Menu; 4) Text Editing Contextual Menu (via http://www.macosxautomation.com)

I just finished watching a series of MacBreak video podcasts on the new Services architecture in Snow Leopard, and I was really impressed.   With Snow Leopard, Apple has completely overhauled this architecture and introduced a killer framework that will really benefit both the casual and advanced user.

The videos are hosted by Alex Lindsay and feature Sal Sogholan, Apple’s Applescript Product Manager and automation guru.  Rather than me trying to explain how it all works, you should definitely just check out the videos:

• MacBreak 235: Automation in Snow Leopard Part 1
• MacBreak 236: Automation in Snow Leopard Part 2
• MacBreak 237: Automation in Snow Leopard Part 3
• MacBreak 238: Automation in Snow Leopard Part 4

Apple has also launched a new automation website, Mac OS X Automation, which has loads of good info and examples not only on Services, but Applescript and Automator as well.  The Services functionality alone is worth the price of Snow Leopard.  I can’t wait to start using it.

In the most recent Mac Power Users podcast, ”Word Processing and Writing“, Katie (@maccore) and Dave (@macsparky) led a great discussion on Mac Word Processing Apps.  I know… it sounds a little dry, but trust me.  It was really good.  By the time the podcast had wrapped up I not only had three new apps to test drive, but I picked up some great info and tips along the way.

In particular, I appreciated three configuration changes Katie shared that she makes any time she does a fresh install of Microsoft Word 2008.  All were spot-on, so I’ve collated them below and added links that explain in detail how to configure each setting.

1.  Change the default document format from .docx to .doc. Why do it?  It’s simple – compatibility.  Many users have not yet updated to the newest versions of Word and may encounter trouble if documents are not saved in .doc format:

How to do it: Switching to Mac: How to Change the Default “Save As” File Format in MS Word 2008

2.  Disable WYSWYG font menus. Why do it?  By default Word displays fonts in the font menu in a “live preview” mode.  That looks nice, but it requires Word to load the fonts on startup.  This drastically slows down your load times.  By disabling this feature Word will launch much faster.

How to do it: Mac OS X Hints: Reduce Microsoft Word Launch Times

3.  Change the default font from Cambria to Times New Roman. Why do it?  Again for compatibility and ease of use.  The de facto standard for documents is Times New Roman.  If you exchange documents frequently within users of other apps or Windows users, or just want to stick to “the norm”, you want to use Times New Roman.

How to do it: OS X Hints: Set the Office 2008 default font to Times New Roman

There you go!  Thanks again to Katie and Dave.  If you want to listen their actual discussion, it starts at 17:25 and ends around 21:27.  Enjoy.

Click Here to Download Mac Power Users 5: Word Processing and Writing