ROBOTANK  SImple, small, and works just as it should. It saves the trouble of using Terminal commands to calculate checksums. Thanks to the dev.  
(Version 1.4)

ROBOTANK  Is this developer serious? He releases version 1 of this app, which never worked properly, then less than a year later he brings out version 2 and wants an upgrade fee? Is this supposed to be a bad joke? Version 2 should be a free upgrade--maybe if it actually worked properly it would begin to make up for the fiasco that was version 1. Further evidence that this dev is clueless: for a while he was distributing a cracked version of Mac The Ripper 3 on his web site, seemingly totally unaware that it wasn't free, which is strange because the version he had must have come from a torrent site. Stay miles away from this guy. I don't know if he's actually dishonest or just grossly incompetent, but I would certainly never send him another penny for his badly written software.  
(Version 2.0)

ROBOTANK  I can't get this app working at all--it cannot recognize the PS3 on my network. All network settings appear to be in order, and other similar apps (MediaLink, PS3 Media Server) work just fine. I emailed Yazsoft support but received no response I'm hoping they will see this post. I'm using an Intel Mac with OS X 10.5.7.  
(Version 1.0)

ROBOTANK  Firefox also takes a long time to start for me. I used to have too many extensions.I got rid of most of them, but I didn't notice any substantial improvement in loading time. I hate FF's long load time: It makes it feel bloated, and makes Safari feel like a far more streamlined browser.  
(Version 3.5)

ROBOTANK  If I'm not mistaken, Fast Dial is an extension, not a default feature of Firefox? That isn't clear in your post.  
(Version 3.5)

ROBOTANK  I can't get this to work properly with Safari 4.0.1. It installs fine, but when I activate it, the tabs pop up for a brief moment, then disappear. Their shapes can still be highlighted on the screen, but clicking on them does nothing. I like this feature, and I might be willing to pay for it if it worked. I guess it's possible that it's conflicting with Glims or one of the other add-ons I have installed. What experiences have others had with version 2.0?  
(Version 2.0)

ROBOTANK  MPlayer OSX Extended seems very good overall, but I've never managed to get it to properly open a VIDEO_TS folder. With encrypted disks it fails to load at all, and with unencrypted disks, it displays the picture with errors (i.e. weird colours, broken picutre, etc.). All discs that have failed in MPlayer work in VLC and Apple DVD Player. Anyone else have more luck with this aspect of the app?  
(Version rev11)

ROBOTANK  I'd never even heard of this player before today, and I must say I'm quite impressed. It's got a sleek interface, lots of options, handles a wide range of file formats, and feels more responsive than any other player I have. It also handles MKV files better. I'm definitely going to give this a try as my default player for a while.  
(Version 0.6.4)

ROBOTANK  Whatever, dude. You're obviously a bit of a tool. It's interesting that you have all sorts of other problems with Firefox that you failed to mention in your first "review." By the way, I wouldn't count on getting any of the sort of lip service you're after, now or ever.  
(Version 3.5rc3)

ROBOTANK  All other things being equal, it's absurd to post a one-star review of an app because you don't like the GUI. Reviews are supposed to consider a wide range of criteria, not a single element. If you want to comment on one aspect of a program, post a comment, not a review. This is absolutely ridiculous. Admin should delete this senseless "review." By the way, I'm not even saying this to go to bat for Firefox--I actually prefer Safari and OmniWeb over anything Mozilla.  
(Version 3.5rc3)

ROBOTANK  FairMount will sometimes fail on discs with advanced copy protection. More powerful rippers like this and RipIt are still relevant.  
(Version 1.3.1)

ROBOTANK  The free version of Mac the Ripper (2.6.6) is horribly outdated. The newer version (3.0, though it still hasn't been updated since Jan 08) can possibly be obtained by sending the developer a "gift" in an unspecified amount through his forums. Honestly, either this app or RipIt are better choices than Mac the Ripper at this point.  
(Version 1.3.1)

ROBOTANK  Isn't that the point of open standards? They allow developers to operate within a single framework and create web sites that work equally well on almost any browser? Most modern browsers, except of course for IE, are very standards-compliant, so I don't see how choice is a bad thing. It seems at this point that it's Microsoft vs. all when it comes to making the web a neutral place.  
(Version 1.6.8)

ROBOTANK  The Intel 64-bit version of RC4 crashes on quit every time. I've tried deleting old preferences to no avail. I guess I'll have to try the regular 32-bit version, though other 64-bit apps work no problem for me. Anyone else have this issue?  
(Version 1.0rc4)

ROBOTANK  I haven't had any issues getting licences for Many Tricks software, but I have noticed that they respond either very slowly or not at all to other sorts of email contact. For example, I've sent them two bug reports and never heard a peep out of them nor seen the issue addressed. Moreover, updates for their software rarely appear, even when there are obvious bugs. In any case, these folks make some very nice utilities, but I would never send them my money again after experiencing their utter lack of customer care and support.  
(Version 2.0.2)

ROBOTANK  That's because the developer inserts a string in the Saft plist file that tells it not load if Safari's build number exceeds the current one. You can edit the string and "trick" Saft into loading. On the other hand, you could switch to Glims, which, although it sometimes has incompatibilities with new versions of Safari (minor or otherwise), at least it doesn't shut itself down because of a tiny .0.1 update. I used Saft for a while, but this issue as well as the convoluted update process made it more trouble than it's worth.  
(Version 11.0b (5530.18))

ROBOTANK  How reliable can an app really be if its developer can't update it to run on Leopard, which has been out for over a year and a half? You must be using a lot of abandoned software if upgrading to Leopard would break "hundreds" of apps. You might as well just bite the bullet and upgrade. With Snow Leopard on the way, I'm sure Tiger is rapidly running its course.  
(Version 1.3.6)

ROBOTANK  Yes, it does work with most browsers. For me it works with Safari, OmniWeb, iCab, Camino, Firefox, Opera, early builds of Chrome/Chromium, etc. As a proxy, GlimmerBlocker intercepts and filters incoming traffic before it gets to the browser, so it shouldn't matter which one you're using.  
(Version 1.3.6)

ROBOTANK  It's really not that big of a deal. All you have to do is deactivate GlimmerBlocker before you uninstall it. I would think that should be obvious enough to most knowledgeable users anyway, since GB works as an http proxy and therefore changes network settings. In any case, the painful process is no worse than reinstalling, deactivating, and re-uninstalling GB, which should take no more than a few minutes at worst.

Also, ClickToFlash, while a great plug-in in its own right, is not an alternative to GB, as it blocks Flash only, while GB is an ad blocker.  
(Version 1.3.6)

ROBOTANK  You post a one-star review because you think the price is too high? You realize that pricing is only of several criteria when writing a review? Should an app get one star for stability because it costs more than you want to pay? This "review" is absurd and should be deleted.  
(Version 1.2.2)

ROBOTANK  Nice little utility. Takes pictures on lock and unlock of the screen, and allows you to set a time for it to refuse further input after failed password attempts. It can be activated by a global keyboard short cut, allowing for very quick locking. One thing worth noting is that it doesn't use the OS X screen lock (what you'd get if you set your computer to require a password to wake from screen saver), so it requires its own password to be set. Anyway, I prefer it to locking my screen the old fashioned way, and I didn't much mind paying the $2.40 (Canadian) for it.  
(Version 1.1)

ROBOTANK  For some reason, my Safari preferences reset every so often with this new version. It seems to happen after a restart but doesn't happen every time. I guess it could be one of the add-ons I have installed (Glims, Safari Cookies). Anyone else have this issue?  
(Version 4.0)

ROBOTANK  Very nice. It's not nearly as versatile and QuickSilver and Launchbar for local operations, but it excels with its web page and search suggestions. It also has some other nice little touches, like displaying dictionary definitions in the search box or in large type. For me, QSB won't replace LaunchBar (especially since I already paid for the version 5 upgrade), but I will use it for certain functions it performs better.  
(Version 2.0.0.1447)

ROBOTANK  Great little add-on. Safari's lack of site-specific preferences is one of the main reasons I generally prefer OmniWeb. With the release of Safari 4, however, I wanted to give it a spin for a while, because I find it generally outperforms OmniWeb. Safari Cookies gives me improved control over cookies, something I consider essential. This along with Glims and GlimmerBlocker make Safari useable, something I find it isn't out of the box.  
(Version 0.6.3)

ROBOTANK  I agree that PPC support in general should continue where practical, but for a G3? Come on. You can't ask developers to keep supporting hardware that old.  
(Version 2.2.3.7)

ROBOTANK  Sometimes Transmission takes a long time to quit for me. After hitting command-Q, I'll have to wait maybe 10-20 seconds before the program fully quits. Have you tried just waiting for a minute and not trying to do anything?  
(Version 1.71)

ROBOTANK  Is this add-on compatible with the latest Camino 2.0 beta and/or 2.0 nightly builds?  
(Version 1.2)

ROBOTANK  I guess I was mistaken. I didn't realize that it was only a local network check. I thought that it was verifying the serial with the developer's server every time I launched it. I suppose that a local network check is reasonable to prevent people from using one licence on multiple machines simultaneously. In any case, thanks to everyone who corrected my mistake. I think it's only fair to mention, since I made an undeserved negative comment about the app, that I think Notebook is a great program. I've also been in touch with Circus Ponies support, and they were very prompt and helpful in replying to my question.  
(Version 3.0v355)

ROBOTANK  That works, but you have to delete "ftp://ftp." so the link goes to http://download.videolan.org...  
(Version 1.0rc2)

ROBOTANK  I had some problems with the archive I downloaded for this app. First of all, BetterZip encountered an error and couldn't extract it. Second, ArchiveUtility was able to extract the archive, but the version of the app and folder extracted showed as 1.3.1. Strangely, the contents of the archive when displayed in BetterZip before extraction showed a folder numbered 1.4. I tried redownloading in case the file had become corrupt, but I had the same issue. Anyone have any suggestions?  
(Version 1.4)

ROBOTANK  I just got this app with the MUPromo bundle, and my first impressions are very positive. However, I can't say I'm a fan of the way the app handles licenses. It requires you to have Bonjour enabled so that it call home and confirm that no other copies of the application are running _anywhere_ with the same serial number. I'm fine with initial online verification of a serial number, but this level of monitoring is excessive. Despite the app's quality, this monitoring scheme probably would have been enough to stop me from purchasing the app if it wasn't in the bundle. Software developers need to have a little faith in their users. Restrictive licensing schemes and Microsoft-style verification don't reduce piracy, they just alienate paying customers.  
(Version 3.0v351)

ROBOTANK  I tried this out for a bit, and I found it to be fairly useful. I had some minor issues with preferences not sticking, but it's still in beta, so that's excusable. I eventually decided to uninstall it simply because it just wasn't quite useful enough for me to justify the purchase price. With the uninstaller (included in the installer application), I ran into problems. First of all, it couldn't find one of the application bundles contained within the iClock preference pane (!) and popped up a menu asking me to locate it. Second, it didn't delete anywhere near all the files installed by iClock--about the only thing it did manage to trash was the preference pane. Third, when I checked the trash, I saw that it had trashed my entire ~/Library/Preference Panes folder along with its own preference pane. I think it's important to make the uninstaller work properly if it's going to be included and recommended for use. A careless user who didn't check his/her trash before emptying it could have done quite a bit of damage. So, if you try this app and decide to uninstall it, just do it manually or with a utility like Amnesia or AppDelete, then run a search of your hard drive to find the library it installs in /usr/bin or wherever.  
(Version 1.0b14)

ROBOTANK  CopyPaste Pro doesn't have a Dock icon. It runs as a background application with access to its features in the menu bar.  
(Version 2.0.8)

ROBOTANK  There's no need for another 5-star review for this app. Suffice it to say, I am, of course, extremely pleased with it. What I'd like to point out most here is the top-notch support that Agile provides. A quick look at their forums will reveal that the developers respond quickly, politely, and helpfully to every question and request. (They respond in the same fashion to email.) They are quick to address bugs and user requests in their regular updates, which keep on top of issues and introduce improvements. In my experience, Agile is one of the very best Mac shareware companies in terms of product dedication and customer support.  
(Version 2.9.16)

ROBOTANK  Very good overall. I think DockGone may be a little expensive for a simple app, but I've been wanting something that will get the Apple dock out of my face for a long time. There are far better alternatives to the dock out there (DragThing, A-Dock, Application Wizard, etc.), and being able to make the dock actually disappear is very handy.  
(Version 1.0b6)

ROBOTANK  I'm very impressed with this so far. There are so many application switcher and launcher utilities out there, but this is by far the most configurable and feature-rich contextual menu-based one that I've seen. I love the ability to map the menus to global hot keys. I use Steer Mouse to map these keys to extra buttons on my Logitech MX Revolution, so Application Wizard's menus can be brought up with a single click anywhere on the screen. Also, I really appreciate the way the developer has set up the trial version of this app. You can use it for 15 days with no restrictions and no nag screens. This is how shareware should be demoed--it allows you to really evaluate all the features of the app for a reasonable time period with the added bonus of not being harassed for money until you've had a chance to decide if you want to spend it. I'll probably buy this before the trial period is over.  
(Version 2.3.3)

ROBOTANK  This app looks like it could be very useful, but the demo is so limited that it's impossible to evaluate it properly--most document conversion types are disabled, including all the ones I'm interested in. I hope the developer will consider changing the parameters of the demo version--perhaps allowing all features of the program to be used a limited number of times, or something similar that actually allows evaluation of the app's features.  
(Version 3.3.3)

ROBOTANK  Having trouble with Software Update. It can't download the update itself (that is, it's downloading at an insanely slow speed; other downloading and network activity is all functioning normally). I guess I'll try the standalone updater. Maybe Apple's servers are overloaded or something. Anyone else have this issue?  
(Version 10.5.7)

ROBOTANK  I don't think that what's happening with Little Snitch is that big of a deal. When people like a piece of software, they tend to frown on negative comments simply because they don't agree with them, regardless of how fair the comments are. I can't see any evidence that the developer has anything to do with this. In the end, you can't really do anything to stop anyone from frowning on anything. As long as long as people's reviews and comments are getting out there, the frowns or smiles won't make much difference. For the record, I do like Little Snitch, but I wouldn't frown on a comment unless I felt that it was unfair or uninformed.  
(Version 2.1.1)

ROBOTANK  You must have downloaded the source code. Go to the web site and make sure you DL the installer package.  
(Version 1.4fc6)

ROBOTANK  DJMAC:

Maybe you should test it on an Intel Mac? I know on your web site it says you don't have one and you're trying to save up the cash. However, usually starting a business means making an investment, so please invest in an Intel Mac soon. Trust me, there are tons of issues. I'm sure it's easy not to be aware of them if you don't read customer emails (I reported a bug and never got a response). Seriously, there's no point in coming on here and defending VV like you do. You claim the issues don't exist, but I assure you that they do; most other user comments express a similar opinion.  
(Version 1.5)

ROBOTANK  Well, if the developers recommend waiting, that would explain why the update check in Things isn't showing 1.1.1 yet.  
(Version 1.1.1)

ROBOTANK  Well, yes I do feel like a fool for paying for VV, but it's not the fact that updates come out so frequently that makes the app bad. Many of the updates are betas, which MacUpdate probably shouldn't list. Consider the case of 1Password. It's an excellent piece of software that receives frequent updates. When MU was listing all of its betas, it made it look like it was being updated almost every day, but it certainly didn't make it a bad app. The problem with VV is simply that it doesn't work, regardless of how many or how few updates it receives. It's OK though: this app has generated so many negative comments that I doubt very many more people will buy it. The dev should pull this thing from sale altogether until he gets it working, if he ever does get it working.  
(Version 1.5)

ROBOTANK  The non-beta releases suffer from just as many problems as the beta releases. The last comment I wrote was based on version 1.4.4; maybe I should have specified that. In any case, I'm not slandering this app for my health. I really have had almost nothing but bad experiences with it since I registered. Please fix it! I want to like VV, and I'd love to see a something that could take the mantle from VisualHub, but so far, VV isn't making the cut.  
(Version 1.5b1)

ROBOTANK  That's right. The current stable branch is 3.0.x. Firefox 3.5 was originally going to be numbered 3.1, but due to the degree of changes from 3.0, they decided to bump the version number to 3.5, starting with beta 4, so it will better reflect the scope of the changes between the two versions.  
(Version 3.5b4)

ROBOTANK  Actually, there's something about the demo version of this app that maybe I should have mentioned in my review. I encountered a bug when attempting to convert a couple of PAL AVIs. It gave an error message after synchronizing the audio saying something about the length of the audio stream not being what it should (the error message was in French, which I can read/speak only moderately well). I assumed the problem was related to the known bug the developer mentions on his web site regarding certain types of movie files where the video and audio are offset. However, I tried the conversion again after registering the software, and it worked fine. Whatever the problem was, it appears to be confined to the demo version. I'll email the dev with this bug too, but I thought it may be useful to post it here in case anyone else encounters it.  
(Version 1.501)

ROBOTANK  Overall, I think this is an excellent application. It works as advertised, making the conversion and authoring process (with menus and chapters) quick and mostly automated. For those who want a little more control, you can tweak encoding quality and some advanced options, as well as add custom pictures and audio to menus. The default settings for encoding produce good results, and PAL to NTSC conversions look great. It does have a non-standard interface, which I realize is an issue for some people, but it's very intuitive and fairly uncluttered. The only quibble I have is a minor one: the appearance of the default DVD menus could be better (I don't like the way they always display 6 little thumbnail boxes even if there's only one title). Give this app a try; and don't worry: it's not one of the numerous scamware converters that have popped up over the last few months (Aimersoft, iSkySoft, Wondershare, etc.).  
(Version 1.501)

ROBOTANK  Avoid this app at all costs. The two-star review I gave it was far too generous. It does almost nothing right. I tried to convert a 45-minute TV show from MP4 to AVI. With the quality slider on best (which is the default setting), it produced a 5 GB (yes, that's 5 gigabytes for a 45-minutes show) file and changed the aspect ratio (from anamorphic 16:9 to 4:3). I ran the conversion again, this time limiting the file size to 500 MB in the advanced settings, and it produced a useless 96 KB file. This crap, on top of the numerous problems I had with its to-DVD conversion tool, has absolutely convinced me that the developer of this application doesn't have a clue what he's doing. I've never seen an application that appears this badly written. The dev releases updates all the time that add new features and allegedly fix bugs, yet the most basic features still don't work. I really don't know how he could be unaware of all the numerous problems with the app. This program is absolute rubbish--avoid it!  
(Version 1.4.5b3)

ROBOTANK  A funny and well-written comment. Thanks for that. I have no opinion on this software, but I always appreciate good writing!  
(Version 1.5)

ROBOTANK  I agree. I found the results of most of my tests to be less than stellar. IMO, HandBrake produces better results (in terms of quality to file size) using x264 advanced settings, and it's free. I've also been deterred from this company by negative reviews of its other products and allegations of dishonesty on the part of the developers.  
(Version 0273)

ROBOTANK  While testing this app, I looked into (on MacUpdate) another product by this developer called K-Kitchen. I was disappointed to find that one of the app's developers had unethically posted a review of his own product that was at some point deleted by MU Admin. There was also an accusation that the app violated the ffmpeg license agreement (I don't know if this is true or not). While neither of these things say anything about the quality of software this company produces, I suggest proceeding cautiously with a developer that has generated complaints of unethical practices.  
(Version 0272)

ROBOTANK  AppZapper is probably the worst of all theses programs. It's out of date (over 2 years since an update), overpriced, and doesn't work any better than anything else. If you like it because of the zapping sound, that's cool, but it's hardly enough to recommend it to anyone else.  
(Version 2.2.1)

ROBOTANK  Did you look at the bitrate of the original file? Unless you jacked up the bitrate on the JPDM/x264 conversion, I can't see how the file could have doubled in size. I've tried this app on a 1.6GB MOV file with an average bitrate of around 2000, and KLite reduced the file size by about 600 MB. The resulting file had an average bitrate of around 1300. There wasn't any discernible quality loss, though I can't really say there was an improvement. In any case, I'm not sold on this yet--I still need to test more of its settings, see what kind of results are achievable, and if they justify the purchase price (the introductory price is quite good if the app works well).  
(Version 0271)

ROBOTANK  Try using Pacifist to extract the application from the installer bundle. Then you can do what you wish with it, and you won't have to worry about the installer not working properly.  
(Version 1.6.1)

ROBOTANK  OpenOffice also has the ability to track changes. It's under the edit menu. I use it to record changes on Word documents and then send them back to my Windows/Word using client. So far, there have been no issues with compatibility (in the .doc format; .docx still creates some issues and OO can't save in it).  
(Version 12.1.7)

ROBOTANK  For whatever reason, CleanApp tries to delete a bunch of Apple preference files every time I delete an app. I've tried clearing its database, but it still does this every time. Currently unusable.  
(Version 3.0.6)

ROBOTANK  Those have got to be the most detailed release notes Apple has ever published! Personally, I was starting to like the "Improves the overall stability of ..." release notes that Apple provided with some recent iLife and iWork updates :)  
(Version 8.1.1)

ROBOTANK  I tried two different discs on the PS3 and my Mac, both created from the same MP4 file converted by Burn. One of them worked in the Mac and not the PS3, and the other didn't work in either one. For both of these discs I had used one of Burn's DVD Themes. Finally, I used Burn to convert the same file and burn a disc without a theme, and it worked properly in both the Mac and the PS3. The obvious conclusion is that Burn's DVD Themes create incompatibility with some devices. I have no idea one of the themed discs worked on the Mac and the other didn't, but there's definitely a problem with this feature, which is unfortunate, because it would be quite useful if it worked properly. Hopefully, this will be addressed in a future update. I'd love to have an alternative to Toast to create menus on DVDs.  
(Version 2.2u)

ROBOTANK  8.1.1 seems to have resolved the calendar sync issue. Yay!  
(Version 8.1.1)

ROBOTANK  I'm having some trouble with this latest version. Burned DVD video discs won't play on my PS3 (that's currently the only stand-alone player I have, but I'm assuming the issue isn't exclusive to the PS3). Also, the menus that Brun creates when authoring discs support chapter selection, but there doesn't seem to be a way to get it to create chapters. It also doesn't carry over the chapters from files it converts. Am I missing something here? I'd appreciate any advice or info anyone could offer on these topics.  
(Version 2.2u)

ROBOTANK  So because they didn't release a PPC update the same day, you post a one-star review? You understand that reviews are supposed to reflect the quality and operation of an application, not your frustration due to system incompatibility? A comment on the Intel only release, and perhaps a question about whether or not a PPC version is forthcoming, would have been appropriate in this situation, NOT giving a solid (and free) app the worst possible rating.  
(Version 0.9.9)

ROBOTANK  Actually, I prefer something that doesn't work by dragging to the trash. The only other app deleter I've seen (except CleanApp) that has a real edge on Amnesia is AppDelete--it has the ability to scan for invisible files (i.e. the caches that some apps bury inside the /usr directory). However, AppDelete costs money, even if it is only 5 bucks, and since I own the Koingo Utility Bundle, Amnesia costs me nothing additionally. Really, it's a matter of personal preference with these utilities. The only one I recommend against is AppZapper.  
(Version 1.0)

ROBOTANK  Are you missing anything? Copy protection???  
(Version 1.0.3.1)

ROBOTANK  Looks good so far. I gave this a shot, and it seems to be more thorough than most other uninstaller apps I've tried (except for CleanApp, which logs installed files so it catches everything, but has been more trouble to me than it's worth). I also like the ability to directly delete files rather than moving them to the trash. The backup and restore options look nice too, though I haven't tested them yet.  
(Version 1.0)

ROBOTANK  If I'm not mistaken, leaving the frame rate box blank causes it to carry over the existing frame rate.  
(Version 1.9.2)

ROBOTANK  Yeah, joke's on me I guess. It was still the evening of the 31st when I saw this pop up, so it really didn't occur to me. It looks like you're right though (I sure hope you are!). According to the Wikipedia page on the Gopher protocol, it was most popular in the early 90s. Though still apparently supported by some browsers, it looks like a fairly useless thing to be adding to any browser at this stage. I'm so embarrassed :)  
(Version 5.9.2)

ROBOTANK  This application looked hopeful, but things have not turned out well. I ended up buying it despite almost universally negative reviews for one reason and one reason only: it decodes MP4 (with H.264 video and AAC audio) files for conversion to DVD using ffmpeg instead of movtoy (like VH) and so does it in a tiny fraction of the time. Since it does manage to fulfill this one requirement, I'm not entirely displeased. Overall, however, I can't recommend this app. Its feature set is nice (or would be if it worked properly) and its price is reasonable, but its general level of buginess suggests an application that is either badly written or should still be in the alpha stage. For example, through the process of converting an MP4 to DVD I encountered the following issues: 1) The size estimator of the resulting DVD image doesn't work at all so there's no way of knowing whether the image will fit on a DVD-5. 2) Even though I had selected no change to the aspect ratio, it automatically converted the movie from 16:9 to 4:3. I had to select the 16:9 option just to prevent it from doing this. This function should work like VisualHub's option to force an aspect ratio, so selecting nothing should conserve the existing one. 3) The option to burn after DVD authoring didn't work because the image ended up being too big for a DVD-5. That would be fine except that the app never tells you there's a problem at any stage (neither before the conversion when you select a DVD size and the burn option nor after the conversion when it realizes it can't burn the image); it just does nothing. I think, for his own sake, the developer should pull this product from sale until he can work out the kinks. As it is now, the bad reviews are going to keep piling up and hurting his chances of future sales even if he does manage to improve the app. Check out HandBrake and/or MPEG2 Works 4 instead of this.  
(Version 1.4)

ROBOTANK  LaunchBar is probably the most useful application I've ever purchased. It makes routine tasks like opening applications and documents, moving, deleting, and copying files, creating folders, getting information on files/folders, etc. incredibly quick and convenient, eliminating the need to switch to the Finder and navigate a hierarchical folder structure. It also allows you to quickly send emails, go to URLs, access browser history and bookmarks, perform web searches, control iTunes, perform Dictionary searches, and access numerous other functions system wide. Although I don't use it because I slightly prefer CopyPaste Pro (and owned it before LB 5 came out), the clipboard history feature added in the v.5 betas is solid and probably good enough to eliminate the need for most users to purchase a separate multiple clipboard app. For me, LB is absolutely essential.  
(Version 5.0b7)

ROBOTANK  Strangely, this release doesn't seem to include the Safari 4 WebKit that has been in each of the 5.9.2 Sneaky Peeks, though it includes support for something I've never heard of called the Gopher Protocol. I think I'll stick with the latest Sneaky Peek for now.  
(Version 5.9.2)

ROBOTANK  I picked this up on the MU Promo and I'm very impressed. It works precisely as advertised and has a very easy to use interface. In addition, the developer was very helpful and quick to respond to my support request. Highly recommended.  
(Version 4.2.1)

ROBOTANK  Why is OmniWeb a monstrosity? Granted, Opera is ugly enough to deserve that title, but OW is neither ugly nor bloated enough to earn such a harsh epithet.

I like Camino as well. It's currently my second browser behind OW. I highly recommend using the current Camino 2 beta. It offers substantial improvements over the 1.6 series including a much needed up-to-date version of the Gecko engine (equivalent to Firefox 3.0.x) and drag-and-drop tab reordering. I've been playing with Camino 2 since the first alpha and haven't had any substantial stability issues.  
(Version 1.6.7)

ROBOTANK  Aye. I think that QS's perpetual beta state is a deterrent for some people. I use LaunchBar personally, and I don't think I could live without it. However, I'm sure there's a niche for something like these actions for people who don't want to pay for LB and aren't entirely comfortable with QS.  
(Version 1.2)

ROBOTANK  @ Shotgunweddings:

Let's see. Static image burning into your screen? How long is your menu bar displayed on the top of your monitor? Or your desktop icons or dock? I don't see any evidence of my menu bar being burnt into the top of my screen even though I work on my computer for several consecutive hours each day. Besides, I'm sure most people have their display set to sleep after a certain period of inactivity anyway (you should) and so aren't likely to have a screensaver running for hours at a time. Like the original reply to your comment said, screensavers aren't really necessary these days and are mostly used only for aesthetic purposes. I'm shocked that you would post a one-star review on account of a non-issue.

IMO, this screensaver looks awesome, and it has a funky twisted face clock to boot. That's about all I could ask for.  
(Version 2.6)

ROBOTANK  What a hilarious response from the app's developer. While I normally wouldn't suggest insulting customers, even in response to a stupid question, I think this was carried off with grace and style. +1 smile!  
(Version 1.61)

ROBOTANK  Very nice. Today I suddenly ended up with a rar that Path Finder's built in Stuffit engine wouldn't handle properly (the first time that's ever happened). unRarX expanded it no problem.  
(Version 2.2)

ROBOTANK  I really like Postbox. For me, mail folders are out and tagging and archiving à la Gmail are in. I love the ability to have message filters automatically assign topics after which I can archive with a single keystroke. Messages are then automatically sorted and easily accessible by topic via the Favourite Topics part of the sidebar. Also, the way Postbox separates links and attachments (and now even allows QuickLook previews of attachments) is just awesome. The only thing that would prevent me from using Postbox permanently is a high price once it comes out of beta. I've got my fingers crossed that it doesn't exceed the reach of my measly student budget.  
(Version 1.0b10)

ROBOTANK  Handy little app. Does precisely what it says, which is provide an instant field to enter a search or URL. It's even slightly faster than using LaunchBar or Quicksilver to do the same thing because you don't have to enter any letters for the search template. What would make this app really cool is drop down search results à la Glims or Inquisitor.

By the way, the default shortcut for this app is set to Option-Esc, which, if I'm not mistaken, is the shortcut for text completion in Cocoa apps. I recommend changing it to avoid conflict.  
(Version 1.0.3)

ROBOTANK  Leech is nice and lightweight and has a lovely, minimal interface. Though it's not as versatile as SpeedDownload, I tend to prefer it for the simple reason that it works properly with OmniWeb. SpeedDownload integration with OmniWeb has caused problems as far back as I can remember, while Leech is fully compatible. Also, Leech properly handles certain files from authenticated web sites (namely, my university's Blackboard site) that SD had problems with. On the other hand, SD does seem to generally achieve better speeds than Leech, so I still use it manually to download large files. IMO, both apps offer substantial advantages over any browser's built-in download window.  
(Version 1.1.4)

ROBOTANK  I think that LaunchBar's multiple clipboard functionality is only available in the version 5 betas. In any case, it looks like version 2.0.5 will stop that warning from popping up if you're still using LaunchBar 4.  
(Version 2.0.5)

ROBOTANK  This looks like a fine little app, though it certainly doesn't hold a candle to Scrivener. On the other hand, it's also less than 1/3 the price. This may be worth looking at for someone who wants an app oriented to writing longer works but doesn't need anything as extensive as Scrivener. Anyone using Scrivener, however, will find little reason to switch here.

Also, I'm wondering about the full-screen mode in this. It's not so much full screen as just a zoomed window. It doesn't hide everything but the text like full screen modes in Write Room and Scrivener. I think the appeal of full-screen writing is its ability to minimize distractions, which include not only other apps on the screen but even the buttons and toolbars of the writing program itself. I think this app would be more appealing if it had a true full-screen mode with typewriter scrolling.  
(Version 1.1)

ROBOTANK  There is a link on the bottom of the Smart Scroll page of the developer's site to previous versions. It could be more clearly marked, but it is there. Also, I just installed this beta version and it works fine, so I doubt it's broken. The problem is likely something on your end.  
(Version 3.0b1)

ROBOTANK  Dude, this is a beta release. If you're not prepared to risk instability and other problems, wait for the stable release before you update.  
(Version 3.0b1)

ROBOTANK  I agree the article doesn't seem suspicious on the surface, but doesn't it strike you as strange that this article, which claims to review "Three Best DVD-Ripper For Mac (sic)," references three basically unknown products with no comparison to or mention of the well-known ones (MTR, RipIt, HandBrake, etc.)? Is it not also strange that all three of these products turn out to be most likely made by the same company? What I'm suggesting is that this review was written by a representative of this company without acknowledging that he is such. Also, compare the writing style and content (bad syntax and grammar, promotion of obscure products) to the comment a little way down this MacUpdate page that promotes one of Aimersoft's other products. To me, this comment looks like it was written by the developer, or someone associated with the developer, again without acknowledging it. Anyway, I'm glad that MacUpdate is looking into this company (companies?). The evidence is pretty solid at this point to suggest something isn't quite right with them.  
(Version 1.8.2.4)

ROBOTANK  Thanks. You're obviously one of the developers, or at least one of the spammers who work to push this crap. Go away and take your bogus products with you.  
(Version 1.8.2.4)

ROBOTANK  This product is produced by a group of spammers who market identical (or nearly identical) products under dozens of brand names, write fake reviews, and fill up forums with bogus postings extolling the virtues of their software, while denying any connection between the different products. As a reputable software web site, MacUpdate should not be posting these products. How well they work is really neither here nor there when the company resorts to dishonest tactics to sell them.

See here: http://oncallnerd.com/blog-spam-hunt/

And here: http://ezinearticles.com/?Wondershare-ISkysoft-AimerSoft---Three-Best-DVD-Ripper-For-Mac-Reviewed&id=1507051  
(Version 1.8.2.4)

ROBOTANK  I'm glad to see that Shiira is back from the dead. It has a lovely interface and some excellent and unique features, particularly the floating bookmark and history windows, and the OmniWeb style tab thumbnail bar. I don't think Shiira is quite ready to be my default browser (it still needs some bug fixes and better control over cookies), but I will be keeping on eye on it again and hoping to see lots of improvements in the future. Also, Glimmer Blocker and ClickToFlash (neither one is an InputManagers hack) both work with Shiira, so ad and Flash blocking are now available for it, filling in what was for me a huge hole in Shiira's feature set.  
(Version 2.2b090216)

ROBOTANK  Transmission 1.4x took quite a long time to connect (though 1.3x didn't). The issue is now fixed in 1.50--it connects instantly. Also, how can you possibly get 2-5 times the download speed with uTorrent? With the port properly forwarded, Transmission will max out my download bandwidth very quickly if there are enough seeds. Well I'm just curious about that, but mostly wanted to point out that the connection issue has been fixed.  
(Version 0.9.1b)

ROBOTANK  After installing this and the Java update, I experienced some very strange behaviour when the computer restarted. A couple of my log-in items crashed repeatedly and one was using a huge amount of CPU for no apparent reason. I also noticed that the mdworker process was using about 50-80% CPU. Another restart seems to have fixed the problem. Anyone else experience a similar issue? (2.2GHz Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro, OS X 10.5.6)  
(Version 2009-001)

ROBOTANK  Read all the replies on the MacUpdate page for Aimersoft Video Converter: http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/30023/aimersoft-video-converter. These guys have some explaining to do.  
(Version 2.0.0.13)

ROBOTANK  This is some seriously sketchy stuff. Check out the article linked to by a previous poster: http://oncallnerd.com/blog-spam-hunt/ . Then look at the "review" linked to by another poster: http://ezinearticles.com/?Wondershare-ISkysoft-AimerSoft---Three-Best-DVD-Ripper-For-Mac-Reviewed&id=1507051. Note also the the "By Dev" post on this forum. It's all beginning to fit together.  
(Version 1.8.2.3)

ROBOTANK  I have to agree with you. The way in which MTR 3 is distributed is a joke. You have to sign up for a forum and jump through a couple hoops just to earn the privilege of giving the dev your money. Once you've managed to "make a gift" (no minimum required amount is provided--you have to guess), you will hopefully receive the app, but you will be pestered for more money, both within the app itself and on the forums. All this for something that's been in beta for years and hasn't seen an update since January 08. I can understand wanting to have a private beta run, but at this point it's just a sham. First of all, it seems to me that any shelter from possible legal issues is rendered moot by the common knowledge of MTR 3's existence and where and how to obtain it. Second, I don't think it's quite right for the developer of a beta app, who doesn't even provide regular updates, to continually demand more money from his customers (and threaten to halt development if he doesn't get it). He could have made a fortune if he had just sold the thing as shareware and held off on all the nonsense. Now RipIt has come along and made it possible to dump MTR altogether. Thank you, RipIt developers, for making this application and for making substantial improvements with each update. Thank you also for distributing it in a reasonable fashion.  
(Version 1.2.1)

ROBOTANK  RipIt hasn't failed to rip a single disc I've thrown at it. The changes in version 1.2 sound very promising--it will be nice to have more options with the finished product as far as burning and encoding go. IMO, this is the best ripper currently in existence for the Mac.  
(Version 1.2)

ROBOTANK  Just tried this out and found it to be ridiculously buggy. Every time I opened the application, it would ask to install the CM plugin and widget even though they were already installed. It also did some other weird stuff with my notes, such as showing them all in the trash and not properly saving new notes until I'd opened the app 4 or 5 times. Also, the process that runs the menu bar and drawer items froze up. I don't know if there was something else on my machine that had an influence on this, but for me this app was too buggy even to try for more than a few minutes.  
(Version 7.0.4)

ROBOTANK  This looks pretty decent. It's comparable to VisualHub in terms of features and the extent of possible customization. My only issue with the demo is that it's really hard to gauge the speed with the two-minute encoding limitation. This app may help fill the gap left by VH, but it will have to compete with the free alternatives: HandBrake (which now accepts many different input sources, though doesn't convert to DVD), and whatever the app is called that's being built on the open-source release of the VH code.  
(Version 1.2)

ROBOTANK  First of all you need a DVD ripper. RipIt or Mac The Ripper are the primary choices on the Mac. RipIt offers fewer options (it only does full-disc copies at this point) but is more easily accessible as shareware than the latest version of MTR 3, which has been in private beta for a couple of years (MTR 2.6.6 is freely available but badly out of date). After you've ripped the disk, you need to then use a remastering program like DVD2oneX or DVDRemaster. These will allow you to extract the movie portion only from a full disc copy, select audio tracks and subtitles, compress the movie if you want to fit it on a single layer DVD-R, and finally burn it. Toast Titanium will also compress and burn ripped DVDs, but it has a couple disadvantages: it can't extract the movie only, and it sometimes doesn't work with RipIt's output. That said, Toast does a ton of other things, but if you're looking for simple DVD remastering I'd suggest DVD2oneX. The reason that Burn isn't comparable to these other programs is that it lacks the ability to compress the DVD copy. As to why it won't let you select dual-layer discs I don't know, but in my experience a DVD that hasn't had its copy protection fully removed (RipIt occasionally leaves some behind; I don't know about the program you mentioned, Easy DVD Copy) will cause problems with some burning apps. However, I've never had that issue with DVD2oneX, which is why I recommend it.  
(Version 1.721u)

ROBOTANK  All of the recent updates have been beta releases. There are so many of them because they're trying to work out all the bugs before the release the next stable version. As to your question, you don't need to update to betas at all if you don't want to. You can simply wait for the next stable release in order to get all the improvements debuted in the betas. Now, whether or not MacUpdate should list all these beta releases is another question, but the 1Password folks aren't up to anything except testing their app.  
(Version 2.9.8b10)

ROBOTANK  I looked around their site and I couldn't find what I needed. Maybe I should have looked harder. Thanks for the link.  
(Version 3.0.0.255)

ROBOTANK  Sorry if this is a stupid question, but where did you guys find upgrade pricing? I have a licence for version 2, but when I install version 3 and use the store link, it takes me to their store page where the only related thing I can see is something called iWOW Premium which goes for $40. I've reverted back to v2 for now, but I'd like to give 3 another shot if I know I can upgrade for $10.  
(Version 3.0.0.255)

ROBOTANK  You can reinstall version 2, you just have to manually remove the components the uninstaller doesn't catch. I did this earlier today after trying version 3. Run a search of your hard drive looking for anything containing "srs" and trash it. After that you'll be able to revert to version 2.  
(Version 3.0.0.255)

ROBOTANK  That's useful information. I forgot to mention that PS3 could play VOBs (the MPEG-2 video files contained on video DVDs). I thought I'd add, on the subject of MKV containers, that HandBrake and VisualHub can handle MKV containers for conversion as well. Turning them into MP4s with H.264 will result in far smaller files than MPEG-2 VOB conversions. (VisualHub is now discontinued but going open-source as FilmRedux; see this MacWorld article for more info: http://www.macworld.com/article/138248/2009/01/filmredux.html?lsrc=rss_main)  
(Version 1.72)

ROBOTANK  I actually gave the price 3/5, but the average was obviously still over 4.5, hence the 5 star overall rating.  
(Version 1.0.1)

ROBOTANK  The PS3 can decode DivX/XviD and H.264/AVC. It can handle AVI and MP4 (or M4A) containers. I haven't tried but I doubt that MKV containers work. I'm not sure about the MOV container--I haven't seen that format used in quite some time. For QuickTime compatible video now the standard seems to be an MP4 container, preferably with the M4V file extension (this allows QuickTime to read chapter markers and decode AC3 audio). I suggest using HandBrake with the PS3 preset to encode your video (HandBrake now accepts almost any input format). The result is an H.264 encode in an MP4 container with additional settings optimized for PS3 playback.  
(Version 1.7)

ROBOTANK  I've only been using this app for a week or so, but so far I'm quite pleased with its functionality. It's extremely easy to use and far more convenient than using a USB stick to get data to my PS3. As far as streaming goes, it works perfectly with music and some video files. When I try to stream a larger and higher bit rate video file (most of my encodes are done using HandBrake's QuickTime or PS3 presets), the stream can't quite keep up with the picture. I'm not entirely sure whether MediaLink is to blame or whether my home WiFi network simply can't handle the bandwidth (wireless-G, 54mbps I think). In any event, it's not a big deal since MediaLink allows me to easily copy the files to the PS3 for viewing. While everything isn't quite perfect, overall MediaLink is very good software, and I would recommend it to any Mac/PS3 owner.  
(Version 1.7)

ROBOTANK  Being an extremely disorganized person by nature, Things has been of immense assistance in keeping on track this school year. I've tried several other GTD apps (though I'm no expert) but found Things to be by far the best for my purposes. It has a lovely interface, is very stable, and its features are intuitive. It makes it very simple to organize your responsibilities into several Areas, then break those down into Projects (for example, one area for school then each course has a separate project to which I can add to-dos). By adding tags, you can easily view upcoming tasks in the different time-oriented focuses (Today, Next, Scheduled, Some Day) by what area or project they belong to if you want to narrow the focus. I heartily recommend Things to students who, like myself, need a hand staying organized and don't have time to put much effort into the process. My only complaint about Things is that it is definitely a little pricey (especially here in the Frozen North). Even with the 20% coupon, it cost around $51 Canadian. I'm not terribly concerned about this--the last 5 months with the beta version convinced me I'll get my money's worth--but it would be nice to see the price come down $10 or so in the future.  
(Version 1.0)

ROBOTANK  I'm no expert on open-source licensing, but as far as I understand it, there's nothing wrong with using open-source libraries in paid-for software. Consider VisualHub (good quality and reputable software, though sadly discontinued now), which puts an excellent and easy-to-use GUI on top of several open-source codecs (though it doesn't include them in its disk image but downloads them during installation).

However, unless this application rips through advanced copy protection, like ARccOS and RipGuard (and I very much doubt that it does), there's nothing to justify paying for it, as HandBrake and FairMount will do everything it does for free. Interestingly, an app of a different name and by a different company, but with a remarkably similar description and nearly identical price, popped up on VersionTracker a couple days ago. I wouldn't be surprised if it also uses the same libraries this one does. This is all a little suspicious, and it looks like these companies may just be trying to make an easy buck by duplicating the functionality of freely available software. If anyone has tested this app on a disc with advanced copy protection, I'd be interested to know the result. Remember, DO NOT pay for any ripping app that doesn't cut through advanced protection. Basic ripping and conversion can be easily accomplished with free software.  
(Version 1.8.1.5)

ROBOTANK  I was way too nice about this app last time I posted here. It was sold as a MacUpdate promo in September. It's now December 14th and the app is still too unstable to use. It has been nearly 4 months since the sale, 2 months since I made my original post here about instability issues, and over 1 month since the dev responded to that; yet, there still hasn't been even a minor bug-fix release. In addition, I emailed the dev about a serious bug shortly after I bought this app and NEVER received a response. The developer talks like he cares but DOES NOTHING. As to the app itself, sure it has some nice features, but what good are they when half of them don't work? The dev has rightly stated that Conjure's demo gives plenty of time evaluate it before buying. The MacUpdate promo, however, does not, if you want to take advantage of its special pricing. MacUpdate should be responsible enough not to promote and sell apps that run like they're stuck in a permanent alpha stage. AVOID this application: so far, the dev has shown NO willingness to try to solve ANY of its numerous problems. Also, beware the MacUpdate promo: if they're willing to sell this crap, who knows what else may pop up (though MOST MacUpdate promos sell good quality software).  
(Version 3.0.2)

ROBOTANK  Would I pay $70 for this? Probably not, but that's not a reflection of its quality, only the necessity (or lack thereof) of Macintosh AV software in general. Since getting this app with the latest MacUpdate bundle I've been very impressed with it. The realtime scanner is completely unobtrusive: it uses no noticeable amount of CPU or RAM and doesn't slow down operation. I haven't picked up any viruses for it to detect, but the professional reviews all agree that its detection rules are thorough and up to date. As always in this tired debate, the question comes down to whether or not you need _any_ AV software on your Mac. You probably don't, but if you think you do, VB X5 is certainly worth a look.  
(Version 10.5.5)

ROBOTANK  This latest Opera preview release is impressive in its speed and advanced standards compliance. However, even with a new major version number, they've done nothing to fix the problem of Opera's revolting interface. It's ugly and hopelessly out of place on a Mac desktop. I know that appearance is hardly the most important element of a browser, but Opera looks so awkward, cluttered, and unattractive that I simply can't bring myself to use it for very long. (Maybe they could fake a native interface like Firefox does; that would at least make it useable.) Also, a couple recent posts have mentioned 1Password support. There is a posting somewhere on Agile's forums discussing this issue, and the conclusion is that due to Opera's architecture (I can't be more specific; I'm not a programmer), 1Password support isn't possible. That's an unfortunate blow for this browser, considering 1Password's popularity.  
(Version 10.0a1)

ROBOTANK  Another gem from the Iconfactory. Thanks for all the great freeware!  
(Version 1.0)

ROBOTANK  I liked some things about this app, but a couple things were aggravating enough that I won't use it at this point. Having said that, it's only fair to wait until this app is out of the beta phase before forming a final opinion. The main purpose of this post is to let people know how to properly uninstall this app, since I couldn't find this information anywhere on the developer's site or forums. This app installs a plugin called FolxNetscapePlugin.plugin (or something similar, I can't remember exactly) in both ~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins and in Macintosh HD/Library/Internet Plug-Ins to allow it to intercept downloads from any web browser. This is fine, except that the app doesn't tell you at any point that it's doing this. So, if you uninstall it without removing these files, you won't be able to download anything from a browser because the plugin will intercept it but the app won't be there to pass it on to. Simply delete these plugins and restart your browser to return to normal operation. I hope the developer will be more forthcoming with this information in the future.  
(Version 0.8b)

ROBOTANK  I revisited Camino for the first time in a while with this release and was very impressed overall. It's fast, lightweight, and has a nice feature set including ad blocking and Flash blocking built in. In addition, it's written in Cocoa, so it's genuinely OS X native, unlike Firefox 3 which fakes a native Aqua interface. There are numerous hidden preferences and a few add-ons to tweak its behaviour further. Where Camino comes up short is in its lack of drag-and-drop tab reordering and low standards compliance due to its using the 1.8 Gecko branch (like Firefox 2). However, Camino 2.0 looks set to solve these issues in the near future. Check out the official Camino blog and the Mozilla forums for more information.  
(Version 1.6.5)

ROBOTANK  I’ve been quite impressed with this app. It’s still very young, but the developers have made significant improvements with each update. In my experience, they are also responsive to customer concerns via email and MacUpdate postings.

In regards to a post below, comparing Fantasktik to DragThing isn’t reasonable. More important than DragThing’s age advantage is the simple fact that the two apps are intended to do completely different things. DragThing makes docks, and its process dock is not equivalent to Fantasktik’s all-windows + previews display. Both apps are excellent and, in my opinion, don’t really compete with each other.  
(Version 1.2)

ROBOTANK  Fantastic word processor. I've been using Mariner Write for a while, but Nisus Writer does several things better without becoming bloated or too feature-intensive. I also appreciate Nisus Software's offering excellent educational pricing on their software.  
(Version 1.2)

ROBOTANK  Ultimately, what word processor is best comes down to personal preference and needs; there will never be a definitive end to this debate. For my needs--taking class notes and writing short and medium-length papers--Mariner Write achieves the perfect balance of features and weight. It's quick to open and respond, and its essential features for my purposes are more easily accessible and intuitive than in any other word processor I've tried. My only real complaint is something that's come up several times on this page: improper spacing of characters. With some fonts, you end up with the occasional ugly gap between letters. This is a minor issue in the end, and no software is perfect. I’ve noticed that Mellel has come up a lot on this page. It’s also a fine word processor, and contains more advance features, though Mariner Write is still more streamlined. Also, if you use Spell Catcher, Mellel will not allow automatic replacement, which can create issues with bulleted lists since Spell Catcher has to backspace to make corrections.

The only way to choose the best word processor for your use is to try what’s out there. There are good options on the Mac platform besides the huge, feature-intensive office suites (though these are still essential in some situations).  
(Version 3.8)

ROBOTANK  I've quickly become a fan of A-Dock. On the surface it doesn’t look that much different from Apple’s dock, but it offers many features sorely lacking therein. Some of its best attributes include: 1) You can add folders to it whose contents can be viewed hierarchically and dragged out of the menu (including smart folders). 2) It’s far more customizable. You can tell it to show only favourites or tell it not to display individual running applications, so you don’t have to have background apps that don’t need to be displayed taking up screen space. It can also be freely positioned on the screen and its appearance can be altered with free themes. 3) You can select modules to add to the dock, including volumes and a System Preferences icon that expands into a hierarchical menu. 4) A-Dock can also display your trash (supports custom icons and can display the number of items within) on either the dock or the desktop and its contents can also be viewed in a hierarchical menu. There are numerous other little features in A-Dock, and as of 1.5.1, it’s properly displaying all animated dock icons (though no bouncing). Perhaps its only real weak point is an inability to display minimized windows. In terms of support, A-Dock’s developer is responsive and his website contains plenty of useful information. This app is well worth the $10.  
(Version 1.5.1)

ROBOTANK  You can easily get Transmission on a new computer to pick up where the old one left off. Transfer the data you have from each torrent exactly as it is. Next, redownload or transfer the identical torrent file. Open the torrent file with Transmission and in the add window, point it to the location of the existing data. (For example, if the torrent is a folder in ~/Movies, select the Movies folder and Transmission will detect the torrent folder; don't select the folder that is the download itself.) Transmission will veify the existing data then resume the download.  
(Version 1.40b1)

ROBOTANK  Chilton:

Thank you for replying to my post. I'll try to clarify a couple things here. I certainly have no problem with the capabilities of the demo mode of Conjure. What I was concerned with was the length of the MacUpdate promo. While Conjure's demo provides lots of time to try the app before buying, MacUpdate's promo provides very little, if one wants to purchase the it at the promotional price. I understand your point about desktops vs. workspaces, and I suppose you're right. However, since the two terms are often used synonymously, there's defintitely room for confusion in Conjure's description. As to the bugs, I look forward to the next update, and I'm optimistic that it will stabilize Conjure enough for regular use. I did email you once with a bug report, but I received no reply. This was at the time of the promo, so I understand that you may have been inundated with emails. If I encounter further problems that are worth reporting, I will email you directly. Thank you again for your response.  
(Version 3.0.2)

ROBOTANK  The new interface is highly irritating and filled with superfluous nonsense. As far as I can tell, it’s intended to be a combination of a social networking application and a “legitimate” torrent site like bittorrent.com. Fortunately, with the classic interface enabled, Vuze can still be just a torrent client, which it does a fine job of. Having said that, Transmission is far better—it has fewer advanced settings, but is faster, lighter, more stable, and is written in native OS X Cocoa (not in Java like Vuze).  
(Version 4.0.0.2)

ROBOTANK  Very nice. I haven’t used Firefox regularly in a while, but I’m impressed with this beta so far. It’s incredibly fast and scores a cool 88 on the Acid3 test. Most extensions don’t work with it yet, but the most important ones—AdBlock Plus, NoScript, 1 Password—do. It crashes quite a bit, but that’s not surprising in the early beta stage. I look forward to updates.  
(Version 3.1b1)

ROBOTANK  I bought this app when it was on promo because I really like some of its ideas. After using it for a few days, however, I came across numerous bugs that seriously detract from its usefulness. For example, my clusters come apart at random when I try to open them, properties of desktop items mysteriously change or don't save properly, text notes on the desktop suddenly get cut off half way down, and half the time clicking on items in the clothesline view doesn't work. Having said that, I think this application has a lot of potential if some of these debilitating bugs are dealt with in good time. Also, the description of Conjure as "unlimited virtual desktops" is somewhat misleading. Conjure doesn't create workspaces that can have specific windows associated with them (like Spaces); it's an application, not a true desktop.

It would be nice if these MacUpdate promos lasted longer to allow for time to really try an app out before dropping money on it.  
(Version 3.0.2)

ROBOTANK  I successfully ran Kameleon after updating to 10.5.5 and it seems to have worked normally. I was hesitant to do this after all the reports of Kameleon causing crashes on the new version of iTunes, but since I had a fresh backup, I gave it a shot. So, if anyone else was waiting to let someone else try it first, here you go.  
(Version 1.0.3)

ROBOTANK  I got this app with the latest bundle offering. I won't say more about the issues surrounding that, but I did give this app a try. Changing the Leopard theme posed no issues. It was fast and seemed to work perfectly well. The only downside to this aspect of the app is the lack of choice in different themes, which will hopefully be improved in the future. Now, as you may have already heard: DO NOT use this app on iTunes 8. There were numerous posts on the MacUpdate promo page and now one on this page warning against this. From what I've read the only way to fix iTunes after attempting to run Kameleon is to reinstall it.

Sometimes new versions of applications cause problems with older apps that try to modify them. This in itself is hardly a crime, but the developers should warn of this issue on their web site. As it stands, there is almost nothing at all on the web site, much less a warning about the iTunes issue. I'm not quite sure what to make of this app. I guess we'll see what happens when version 2.0 is ready.  
(Version 1.0.3)

ROBOTANK  Leo Spill:

Please provide examples of some of these alleged site problems and security holes.

I’ve had very few issues with pages rendering in OmniWeb, and in the problem cases it seemed to be an incompatibility with WebKit, as the same problems occurred in Safari. In some cases, simply changing the user agent in site preferences to something compatible will cause a page to behave better. If some sites are designed to work with IE and don’t work properly with WebKit, it is Microsoft that should be taken to task for refusing to adhere to web standards.

As for the security holes.... All browsers have vulnerabilities that pop up from time to time. I don’t see OmniWeb being very problematic regardless, since with its tiny market share I can’t see many malicious web sites making a point of attempting to exploit OmniWeb vulnerabilities. Furthermore, though it uses a version of WebKit close to that used by Safari 3.0, it’s not exactly the same, so old Safari WebKit vulnerabilities may not apply either.  
(Version 5.7)

ROBOTANK  I love NeoOffice. I started using Macs about 3 years ago and I mistakenly thought that Office 2004 on my PPC machine was the best possible option. I was aware of OpenOffice.org but I didn't like the X11 feel. After upgrading to a new Intel Mac, I was looking forward to Office 08 due to 04's sluggish performance on the Intel chip. So 08 arrives and I give it a whirl and then one day it crashes my MacBook Pro in the middle of a class when I try to save my document, causing me to have to force shutdown and lose what I had written. Granted, all new software has some kinks to work out, but I would think that a company with basically unlimited resources that charges insane prices for their software could release a product that doesn't cause system crashes with something as simple as as save-as command. I'd recently become aware of NeoOffice so I decided to give it a go.

After a day of using NeoOffice I dumped Office completely. NeoOffice does everything Office used to do for me, and does it more efficiently. NeoOffice feels far less bloated than its MS counterpart. It's faster to startup and respond to commands and takes up less hard drive space and system resources than Office. I can't speak to NeoOffice's usefulness for a business environment, but I highly recommend it for casual users and students (it certainly fits our budget). Also, NeoOffice's help documentation is thorough and easy to navigate, and there is an extensive wiki available as well. The transition was painless.  
(Version 2.2.2 patch 11)