Software I Buy
December 29, 2008 @ 7:36 am
Whenever possible I prefer to use open source software, but I don’t mind paying for software, either. Inspired by Alex Payne’s recent post, I’ve compiled a list of software I’ve bought over the years:
TextMate–By far the most used application I have ever owned. As a developer I spend countless hours inside text files, and TextMate helps make working with these files more pleasureable. It can extend to do pretty much whatever you want in that elegant sort of way. $55 for an application that I cannot live without seems like a steal. Absolutely no regrets.
Transmit–I don’t know anyone that uses plain old FTP much anymore, but Transmit is much more than just an FTP client. It has Amazon S3 integeration, which is a lifesaver for me, and works with other file transfer protocols (e.g. SFTP, WebDAV, etc.). I like Transmit over Cyberduck because of its S3 support and the elegance of its UI.
Things–Another life saving application. Between my personal and work life I have way too much going on to keep it stored in my brain. Things helps me organize tasks in a very GTD way, and helps me be a more efficient and effective person. The desktop version is free (for now), but the iPhone application is worth the $9.99. Although, I wish the iPhone version would sync over the cable or bluetooth.
Passenger/Ruby Enterprise Edition–Although these are technically free, I felt compelled to donate money because they are the lifeblood of many of my web applications. Even though Ruby isn’t always my language of choice, I wanted to do what I could to encourage further development.
Versions–A great Subversion UI for the Mac. Makes handling multiple SVN projects a breeze. Even though I use Git for version control these days, I still have a lot of projects on Subversion. As a terminal guy, it took me awhile for Versions to sell me on its utility, but now I can’t wait for a Git version.
Frenzic–An iPhone app by the folks at the IconFactory. A simple, addicting puzzle game that will help pass the time in those annoying queues.
GuitarToolkit–A Deck Ad sold this to me (I still can’t believe it). I play a little guitar and having a tuner and chord library in my pocket at all times is ultra-handy.
Decibel–A decibel meter for the iPhone. I’ve been to a lot of loud shows and consequently have some occational ringing in my ears. Having this handy utility helps me know what kind of noise my ears are being exposed to.
NewsFire–I have major regret that I bought this application. It did serve a purpose for a few months, but with NetNewsWire and Google Reader being free (better) alternatives I would not buy this again.