Customizing utilities:
File management:
Hardware utilities:
Print utilities:
Screen savers:
System enhancers
A Bazillion Zipples
Category: System Utilities/Customizing Utilities
Author: Chris and Richard Friberg
Zipples, those little animated replacements for the Apple, Balloon,
and Application menus, have taken the online community by storm.
Small (and therefore easy to download), these multi-frame icons
are the final word in pointillistic art: masterpieces in a 16x16-pixel
frame.
And the Fribergs are masters of it, especially in its more violent
incarnations. This collection of 43 Zipples run the gamut from
gross to witty and back to gross again, with a side trip down
gory lane. Check out a few of my favorites: loser and loser 2,
in which our hapless hero is rained on, loses a head, and, umm..
gets dissed by birds. They tend to run long: "How Water Formed"
lasts a good 20 seconds, plus a 10-second title sequence. The
wit displayed in this collection -- and its size -- make it a
top choice of Zipples collections.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: ZIPPLE ANIMATION APPLE MENU BALLOON HELP bar icon freeware
Requires: Zipple
Price: Freeware
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Cal Script Zipple
Category: System Utilities/Customizing Utilities
Author: Brian Foster
Zipples, those little animated replacements for the Apple, Balloon,
and Application menus, have taken the online community by storm.
Small (and therefore easy to download), these multi-frame icons
are the final word in pointillistic art: masterpieces in a 16x16-pixel
frame.
Cal Berkeley partisans should like this one: it spells out the "Cal"
logo in blue, and then finishes it off with a touch of gold ("..just
like the Cal Band does in football games," according to its creator).
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: UCB Berkeley ZIPPLE ANIMATION APPLE MENU BALLOON HELP bar freeware
Requires: Zipple
Price: Freeware
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ChangeFind 0.95b
Category: System Utilities/Customizing Utilities
Author: Joseph Laffey
I side with Joe Laffey, author of ChangeFind: he used the ZiffNet/Mac
exclusive "Find Pro III" (in our Ziffware library) long before
Apple licensed and adapted it for use in System 7.5, and he prefers
our version better. As he says:
"Find Pro III is far superior to the new Find File. It allows
you to launch the found item, trash it, get info on it, move it,
copy, and much more. These functions were removed from the version
shipped with System 7.5."
Well, the point is not to gloat, although it *is* tempting. The
question is: how can users of System 7.5 keep Find Pro III as
the default application which appears when they press "command-F"?
The answer is ChangeFind, a tiny utility which "blesses" any application
to be called up when that key combination is struck, whether it's
Find Pro III or any other file-finding utility.
It's a one-trick pony, but Mr. Laffey has invested his time in
documenting it well: you are instructed at every step, and warnings
and notes are clearly written in the "Read Me" file. We're honored
that he's put together such a convenient way for us to continue
enjoying the special benefits we get from Find Pro III.
NOTE: This application is still in a "beta" (pre-release) phase.
The author states that it may be unstable: use with caution.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: change find pro iii 3 bill monk command key
Requires: System 7.5 or later
Price: Shareware $You decide
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ColorMaster 1.2.1
Category: System Utilities/Customizing Utilities
Author: Giuseppe Carnevale
ColorMaster is a nifty little control panel which fulfills a few
functions: (a) allows you to switch between screens of different
color depths with a predefined key combination; (b) provides pre-colorized
cursors which can be used in place of Apple's default black-and-white
cursors; and (c) lets you implement cursors which you've created
in ResEdit (or similar program).
Its first function is its primary one: using the keyboard to temporarily
switch between black and white and the many different levels of
color and grayscale. This is especially useful when you have a
program which doesn't require grays, but you'd like to run a bit
more quickly: by switching the monitor to black and white, displays
zoom by as the CPU devotes more energy to calculations. The cursor-importation
feature is ColorMaster's coolest feature, though: with it and
ResEdit, you can create a variety of icons and switch between
them with very little effort.
ColorMaster runs on any 68020 or better Mac. (Obviously, you need
a monitor with at least four colors or grays or what's the point
in using it?) Its slick and conservative programming will let
you dress up your desktop without heavily impacting your system,
and its clear interface (with Balloon Help!) lets you do so with
little fuss.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: COLORMASTER MONITORS COLORS CURSORS
Requires: 68020 or greater
Price: Shareware $25
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Desk Views 4.0
Category: System Utilities/Customizing Utilities
Author: Geoffrey Fink
There are literally hundreds of Mac "prettifyers" available: those
near-useless bits of code that have no purpose other than turning
your screen into a virtual fishbowl. What sets the wheat apart
from the chaff is that which separates the works of any art medium:
concept and execution. Desk Views 3.0, happily, excels in both.
The 105 "ppat" resources in this collection are colorful, intriguing,
and just plain purty. There are quite a few faux textures, including
various woods and marbles, along with gradients, spheroids, and
crystalline shapes. Unfortunately, the package doesn't include
an installer, so those users who are unfamiliar with System file
editing in ResEdit have to use a commercial ppat installer to
get a commercial installer to make use of it. But once it's installed,
it's a gem.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: wallpaper desktop ppat ResEdit resource
Requires: Desktop Texture Installer, Before Dark or ResEdit
Price: Shareware $5
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Jerry's Cursors
Category: System Utilities/Customizing Utilities
Author: Jerry P. Nairn
Jerry Nairn, the clever designer who created "eWorld Cursor Replacement"
(in the Networking/Telecom library) has put together a collection
of his best -- and what a collection it is. Included are 10 animated
cursors: Bloody Arrow, Boing II, Radar II, Dove, Flying Fly, Resting
Fly, Jack in the Mac, Rat, Tell Tale Heart, and the most extensive
of them all: Peace.
CursorAnimator (available in the "System Utilities/Customizing
Utilities" library) is the utility of choice to install these.
Or you can live dangerously and apply these animated icons to
your System or specific applications. NOTE: Editing System resources
can damage your system! Even if you're experienced, make sure
you work on a copy of your system and leave an unmolested copy
elsewhere.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: pointer icons animated acur crsr curs resource graphic fun
Requires: CursorAnimator, ResEdit, Resourcer or other resource editor
Price: Freeware
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KenIconSys 1.1
Category: System Utilities/Customizing Utilities
Author: Ken Long
Installing custom system icons is a great way to give your desktop
a distinctive look, and KenIconSys will lend just the right flair.
Unlike many of the alternate system icon sets available, which
differ so much from the ones Apple supplies that you forget what
they're supposed to indicate, these are subtle: a little extra
shading on the folder here, a clever embossed effect on text there
maintains the unified feeling of Apple's designs while diverging
from them.
44 icons are included, with the complete set of resources for
both color and black and white Macs. Surprisingly, even the black
and white versions manage to impart the sense of shading and design
that Apple might have given its icons had they spent more time
on them. It's not the most complete set--Hisham Icons includes
icons for dialog boxes, documents and popular applications as
well--nor is it the most flashy, but KenIconSys certainly qualifies
as one of the most understated improvements you can make to your
Mac's appearance. System 7 or later recommended.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: FOLDERS APPLICATIONS PICTURES GRAPHICS ICONs RESOURCES FREEWARE
Requires: Icon Artist, iContraption, or ResEdit
Price: Freeware
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Living Desktop Classic
Category: System Utilities/Customizing Utilities
Author: Mantis Development
If you'd like to dress up your desktop, there's no better way
than by installing ppats, the desktop pattern format that's quickly
becoming the standard. Living Desktop Classic is an application
which acts as an installer and controller of such patterns without
changing System resources. The use of an application -- as opposed
to an extension -- gives the program extra stability, and allows
it to run with a very small RAM footprint.
The main advantage of Living Desktop Classic over many similar
programs is that it allows "cycling" of the images loaded, so
that one minute you desktop displays dolphins, and the next, horses.
The delay between patterns is controlled through the Preferences,
with a range from a minute to a day.
The best part of this package isn't the controller, which is nothing
special, but rather the 25 included images. They are broken into
five sets: Animals, Flora, Textures, Sports, and Fine Art. (There's
also a "Why Register?" package, which implores you to send in
your fee for the full version.) Registering the package brings
your 75 additional, high-quality images: if they're as good as
those in this freeware version, they're worth the bucks. Other
than that, this freeware version is not disabled in any way.
Be sure to compare this program with the Ziffware utility "Backsplash
2": it's available in the "Ziffware" library.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: living desktop classic ppat custom pattern background tile tiles
animals flora art textures cycling cycle change
Requires: System 7 or later, color-capable Mac
Price: Freeware
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NEXT Kit
Category: System Utilities/Customizing Utilities
Author: Chuck Krimstock
So who needs to drop $4,000 on a machine that might not make it
'til NeXT year? Simply install the NEXT Kit, spray paint your
Macintosh black, and you're in business! Impress your friends!
NEXT Kit is a set of icons, instructions, and miscellaneous resources
to make your Mac look, feel, and smell like Steve Jobs' second
greatest creation, the NeXT computer, circa 1990. (In truth, it
doesn't affect the deeper functioning of the Mac at all: only
its appearance.) Windows, folders, and cursors all feel different
with NEXT Kit -- we'll leave it up to you to decide if this is
the way popular computing should have gone.
In-depth instructions (in MacWrite II format) guide you through
the ResEdit installation process. Oh -- and be sure to read the
"STR#" resource of the animated cursor for a chuckle. NOTE: A
more recent, System 7-compatible version of the WDEF resource
by Anthony Saxton is available to be downloaded separately under
the name "NeXT WDEF III 3.1" (in this library).
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: Steve Jobs RESEDIT CUBE CURSORS WINDOWS STARTUP SCREEN FOLDERS
FREEWARE
Requires: ResEdit, MacWrite II-compatible reader
Price: Freeware
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Reading Glasses 1.0
Category: System Utilities/Customizing Utilities
Author: FreeVerse
Remember the original Macintosh promise? "The computer for the
rest of us," the advertising read and, for throughout the machine's
history, it's been touted as the most accessible machine for people
with physical disabilities. To Easy Access, Zoom Lens and a host
of other enabling utilities, add Reading Glasses. It's a tiny
hack (18K) which does only one thing: allows the user to enlarge
or shrink the font that appears in the menu bar and in windows'
title bars.
Reading Glasses is actually two programs: one is an application
which changes the fonts to any size from 6 to 48 points, while
the other is a pre-configured "flash" application which automatically
sets the font to 14 points: this second version is intended for
placement in the "Startup Items" folder. It's useful, and what
makes it even better is that it's by Ian Lynch Smith, recipient
of a Ziff-Davis Interactive Shareware Awards Honorable Mention
for his card game "Hearts" -- so you know it'll be stable. (Which
is always a concern for any program which hacks your System file,
as this one does!) NOTE: May conflict with other utilities designed
to similarly affect the menu bar.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: vision enlarge reduce big small type text menus menu bar handicap
access
Requires: Mac Plus or better
Price: Shareware $15
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Ton of Zipples
Category: System Utilities/Customizing Utilities
Author: Ryan McDaniell
Zipples, those little animated replacements for the Apple, Balloon,
and Application menus, have taken the online community by storm.
Small (and therefore easy to download), these multi-frame icons
are the final word in pointillistic art: masterpieces in a 16x16-pixel
frame.
This collection contains a short ton, with five Zipples: Alien,
Mushroom Cloud, Rocket, Shark, and UFO. All are animated except
for "Alien," which makes a traditionally-rendered alien face stare
out at you (which is surprisingly creepy). Action is high in the
others: the UFO takes off, flies around, and then lands; the rocket
goes up in a blaze of glory; the shark ominously rides the waves,
and the mushroom cloud.. well, does what a mushroom cloud does
best. A quick download for a lingering smile.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: ZIPPLE ANIMATION APPLE MENU BALLOON HELP bar freeware
Requires: Zipple
Price: Freeware
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Alex's Encrypt 1.0 (Fat)
Category: System Utilities/File Management
Author: Alessandro Levi Montalcini
If you have a secret to keep or a file to protect, you'd do well
to download Alex's Encrypt, an encryption utility by prolific
Mac shareware programmer Alessandro Levi Montalcini. Its workings
are similar to the popular encryption package MacPGP in that encrypted
files depend on an external "key", randomly generated, to restore
the file to its original state. This method of encryption has
the security advantage of not being dependent on your memory:
there are no passwords to remember. Just don't lose that key file!
The documentation is terrific. It even includes notes on how files
are scrambled, with the note that "An encryption schemes safety
level should always be measured assuming that the cracker knows
everything except the key." Mr. Montalcini has clearly thought
about the typical holes in encryption schemes and designed to
make them absent from Alex's Encrypt.
I did find one bug: if you try to create a new folder in the open/save
dialog box, the program enters an (interruptable) endless loop.
This may be a conflict with Now Utilities (which I'm running):
still, I've not had this problem with any other program. Don't
let this scare you away, though: Alex's Encrypt, simply put, does
what it's supposed to do. It keeps your files secure, lets you
set how secure you'd like them to be, and does so in a friendly
and easy-to-use environment.
NOTE: All documentation is in the "About Alex's Encrypt" selection
under the Apple menu.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: Encryption data secret scramble unscramble decrypt fat ppc secure
security alex
Requires: Mac Plus or better
Price: Shareware $5
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Apple Menu Cleaner 1.1
Category: System Utilities/File Management
Author: John du Bois
We've gone AppleScript crazy! Yes, here at ZiffNet/Mac, we're
offering two, two, two scripts for the price of one! YOU said
you didn't like applications. YOU said you'd rather do your work
through automated scripts. YOU yearned for System 7.5. And we
at ZiffNet/Mac heard you!
*Ahem*. Actually, John du Bois heard you, and wrote one of the
functions of our own utility, "Clean Sweep" into an AppleScript
script. Specifically, his Apple Menu Cleaner removes alias files
that no longer have original objects, obviating the annoyance
of discovering that your neat system of aliasing useful files
was destroyed last time you cleaned up your hard disk. Simply
place this script (and its companion "Launcher Item Cleaner",
included) in the Automated Tasks folder, and watch the fur fly.
P.S. Clean Sweep is available in the Ziffware library. It's a
much larger download, but sports many related, nifty features
not found elsewhere.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: apple menu cleaner alias resolve unattached attach remove trash
clean sweep
Requires: System 7.5 or AppleScript
Price: Freeware
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Data Store 1.00
Category: System Utilities/File Management
Author: Mike Nudd, Copperhead Software
Many of us would like to have a simple backup program to give
us some security for the inevitable disk crash: the problem with
most of them is that they either (a) are large, complex and unwieldy,
(b) are overpriced, or (c) force you to backup all the files in
a folder or on a disk -- including space-consuming applications.
Data Store is a small, simple backup utility which duplicates
those files you'd like saved -- your documents -- while leaving
applications alone.
Data Store is the only backup utility whose archives are simple
text files, readable under TeachText. In addition to the files
themselves, a text "catalog" is created, allowing you to better
manage your files. The text format is quite efficient, and although
it's not a compression utility (like StuffIt or Compact), files
duplicated by Data Store enjoy a compression factor of about 10-20%.
Most of the process is automated, and the user has very few options
besides the source and destination folders. Multi-disk archives
are possible, are restoration is a snap: just double-click on
the archive icon and follow the program's prompts. While there
are other backup utilities which offer more options -- Compact
Pro, for example, has some good backup functions -- nothing is
as simple, clear, straightforward as Data Pro.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: BACKUP DOCUMENTS COMPRESSION
Requires: Mac Plus or better
Price: Shareware $10
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Encryption 1.5
Category: System Utilities/File Management
Author: Jeffrey Shabel
Encryption is a very basic text-encryption application. It uses
a simple algorithm, in which characters are offset according to
a numerical sequence that the encryptor enters. To decode the
text, the recipient must use the same numerical sequence. This
technique doesn't sound too secure, but you may find it sufficient
for casual, low-security purposes.
The Encryption application is very simple; via a standard Open
dialog, you choose a text file to encode or decipher. You then
apply a "key" number to it -- a seed around which it bases the
encryption. To decrypt a file, you must provide the same key:
in our tests, it worked just fine, but note: it may be that other
"keys" will unlock your text file, as such schemes (usually built
around checksums) are notorious for having "back doors."
Version 1.5 adds drag-and-drop capabilities, greatly increasing
the application's usefulness. In addition, the bugs which plagued
earlier versions seem to have been cleaned up, making this a servicable
tool for encrypting your sensitive text files.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: encrypt text cypher SECURITY privacy rotation scheme
Requires: System 7 or later
Price: Freeware
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Fat Free 1.2
Category: System Utilities/File Management
Author: Hubert Figuiere
When plans for Power Macs were first announced in 1993, word was
that developers would have two options in producing applications
to work on both the new and old chips: they could package two
versions of the same program, or they could create a "fat" application
which contained both 680x0 and PPC Native code. Due to the additional
costs involved in shipping two versions of a program, most chose
the latter: and now, a year later, hard drives on 680x0 Macs throughout
the world are choking on the extra space fat code requires --
but which can't be used by those older Macs.
Want to get rid of it? Use Fat Free, a utility which hacks all
of the PPC-native code from fat applications. It's quick and clean,
and the documentation is clear -- including caveats about hacking
applications and details of other uses for the program. Supports
drag and drop.
WARNING: As with any utility which hacks code, save an unmolested
copy of your target application before running Fat Free. Also
note that many fat applications require PPC-native code, even
if its not directly used, so removing it may cause devastating
results. USE WITH EXTREME CAUTION! (Or, as the author says, "Use
at your own RISC."
Version 1.1 adds extended file checking (non-fat applications
no longer modified). Version 1.1.1 fixes bugs that prevented proper
operation. Version 1.2 allows unfatted applications to run on
Power Macs (in emulation, of course), and adds balloon help and
menu bar.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: fat free fatfree hack ppc PowerPC strip native code emulation
Requires: System 7 or later
Price: emailware
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FileLift Demo 1.5 (Fat)
Category: System Utilities/File Management
Author: Donald Perreault, Jr
I have a pet peeve: SimpleText Read-Only documents. I can appreciate
that the author wants to ensure that the document remains in its
pristine state, but what if I want to copy something out of it?
That's when I use a utility like FileLift. By dragging that pesky
document onto FileLift's icon, I can change its attributes inside
a clear and attractive interface. Do I want to make it a changeable
SimpleText document? I just choose that option from the pop-up
menu and whoomp, there it is: the "ttro" file type is changed
to "TEXT".
FileLift is useful, but it's somewhat incomplete: far more options
are available in the shareware utility "File Buddy" (available
in this library). For example, FileLift won't do batch processing.
If you drop a bunch of files onto it, it will make you set their
new flags one file at a time, and there aren't any useful keyboard
shortcuts to speed the process. Still, it's fast and pretty. And
if you have trouble remembering the four-letter codes that make
up File and Creator types, you'll appreciate the popup "cheat"
it provides.
NOTE: Although the author calls this a demo, it is a fully functional
shareware product. You are permitted to try FileLift for ten days,
and then you are obligated to send the fee to the author. WARNING:
Changing file attributes is a tricky business. Let's be careful
out there.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: file lift type creator bndl bundle init visible flag drag drop
fat ppc
Requires: System 7 or later
Price: Shareware $10
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Fix Icons 1.0d4
Category: System Utilities/File Management
Author: Lawrence D'Oliveiro
Fix Icons is an experimental utility to fix desktop problems without
having to restart your Mac. Typically, when a the desktop database
becomes corrupted, errors start to appear in the links between
programs and their associated documents and when you click on
the document, the application fails to open. Fix Icons promises
to reestablish those links, without having to go through the time-consuming
process of rebuilding your desktop (by holding down command-option
as the machine restarts). To use it, drag and drop the questionable
application onto Fix Icons: within a second or two, you have either
received a message about potential problems (such as another version
of that application on the disk which may confuse matters) or
have been returned to the desktop. That's it!
Note that Fix Icons will only work with volumes that support the
Desktop Manager, such as network volumes, and disks larger than
2MB. It won't work with 800K and 1.4MB floppy disks: for those,
you'll have to copy the files to a hard disk to work with them.
Rating: 2 (out of 5)
Keywords: FILES APPLICATIONS DIRECTORY FINDER SYSTEM DESKTOP DATABASE
freeware beta
Requires: System 7 or greater
Price: Freeware
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Garbage Collector 0.1
Category: System Utilities/File Management
Author: Roy Wood
Garbage Collector is a file-management utility which restores
hard disks to a previously-defined state, moving errant files
out of the way and notifying the system administrator of files
which have disappeared. This is most useful to administrators
at computer labs who, besides dividing access within the (inevitably)
overwhelming demand, giving users useful tips, and keeping up
on the latest developments, always have to face the dreaded moment
which comes at the end of the week: checking out the machines
to see how users trashed them.
Garbage Collector works by allowing you to set up a master image
of the hard disk before users get their hands on it. Then, they
are free to copy, move, and delete files: Garbage Collector has
no run-time utility to prevent access. To restore the drive back
to its original state, you select a function which moves files
back to their original places, notes omissions in a log, and places
extraneous files into a folder labeled "Student Work."
In practice it seems to work nicely. The author has acknowledged
that this is a preliminary version, and lacks many of the niceties
a later version will have. But even in its present form, Garbage
Collector will be a great help to anyone who runs a publicly-accessible
Macintosh lab.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: CLEANING public HARD DISK DRIVE RESTORE MASTER IMAGE server
network
Requires: Hard disk
Price: Shareware $10
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Plug-In Manager 1.0 (Fat)
Category: System Utilities/File Management
Author: Jonas Wallden
If you've ever used Ricardo Batista's Extensions Manager, you
know how useful it can be in keeping your system extensions in
line. Now from Sweden comes Plug-In Manager, a utility built on
the same style of interface which organizes all the "plug-ins"
for your applications with modular attachments (such as Adobe
Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Quark XPress, Aldus PageMaker, Deneba
Canvas, Microsoft Word and so on).
As with Extensions Manager, files can be moved in and out of the
specified "Plug-ins" folder by checking and unchecking them in
an easy-to-view list. These "sets" of preferred plug-ins are mapped
to specific applications, so that launching Photoshop will bring
up a different set of filters than launching Fractal Painter will,
and so forth.
The benefits of this utility are more subtle than those of Extension
Managers: whereas Mr. Batista's organizer is useful in debugging
system crashes (and can be used to strip down a system for faster
startups), Plug-In Manager is mostly useful in cleaning up menus
in the affected programs, so that you'll only see those plug-ins
you use. Also, each plug-in takes a little time to load when the
program is launched: only a fraction of a second, it's true, but
when you have a folder with dozens of such extensions, those fractions
add up.
One weakness: when you first launch the program, you must choose
folders in which used and disabled filters can be found. This
dialog box lacks the "New Folder" button, forcing you to plan
your filter placement ahead of time. Also, it would be best if
plug-ins could be stored in more than one folder: after all, many
people have a handful of plug-ins in their Illustrator folder,
some more in their Photoshop folder, and others strewn about their
hard disks, and Plug-In Manager won't work properly unless they're
all in the same place. But these are minor complaints, and I expect
they'll be addressed in future versions (just as Extensions Manager
became more robust over time). With proper planning, Plug-In Manager
will shorten the launching time of all your plug-in-compatible
applications.
NOTE: Conflicts with Symantec's Directory Assistance.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: plugin manager plug in fat powerpc ppc photoshop filter extension
illustrator image organize quark word canvas xpress color-it
Requires: System 7 or later
Price: Shareware: $10
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PrefsCleaner 1.1
Category: System Utilities/File Management
Author: Luc Pauwels
One of the ways to cut down on a System Folder's bloat is to get
rid of unused Preference files. But looking through the Preferences
folder -- which often contains well over 100 documents -- can
be a chore. That's why PrefsCleaner is such a gem. This tiny utility
from Belgium looks through your System volume, identifies the
Preference files which lack matching applications (as would occur
if you used the program briefly and then threw it away) and presents
them in a list. From there, you select the ones you want to delete
and voila! Instant space. (This is similar to a function found
in our own custom utility Clean Sweep, in the ZDware library.)
In practice, the program works well -- to an extent. PrefsCleaner
features several well-chosen options, but I found that some of
them didn't work perfectly. For example, when scanning all volumes
for unattached preferences, PrefsCleaner seemed to hang after
a few minutes, probably confused by the presence of PowerTalk.
(The PowerTalk mailbox is often interpreted as being a discrete
volume by applications unfamiliar with its unusual structure.)
It proved its stability, however, by allowing me to regain control
after this error with little fuss.
I advise care in selecting the preferences to delete, as it marked
a few inappropriate files for deletion (such as QuicKeys files),
and *don't* use the "autodelete option. Follow these caveats,
though, and you'll find PrefsCleaner a handy timesaver. NOTE:
PrefsCleaner only allocates a pitiable 100K of memory to itself
when it launches, causing it to frequently demand more. You can
avoid these warnings by increasing the memory allocation to at
least 500K in the "Get Info" window.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: prefscleaner prefs cleaner preference system folder organize
delete trash remove slim
Requires: System 7 or later
Price: Shareware $15
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VersaTile Pro 1.0 (Fat)
Category: System Utilities/File Management
Author: Rick Christianson
VersaTile Pro (formerly known as OneClick) is a System 7 application
that allows you to put all of your favorite and most used software
items (applications, control panels, documents, desk accessories,
folders, disks, etc.) on user-configured palettes.
Clicking on the palette's tile will open that item automatically.
Of course, if the item is already open VersaTile will make the
selected item the active application. The program fully supports
Drag?, offers up to 48 tiles per window, and the new pop-up Action
Menu allows you to perform many major Finder operations such as
Open, Find, Make Alias, Duplicate, Print, and Get Info, directly
from a palette.
VersaTile's greatest strength is its ability to create as many
palettes as possible in available memory. Additionally, the palettes
are fully configurable. Different tile textures (background patterns)
may be created or imported into the program to make visual identification
of different palettes easier, and different palette formats may
also be created or imported to better match your work style.
Versatile Pro offers many enhancements over Versatile Classic
(also in this library). Some examples are:
- Drag-and-Drop is available for System 7.5 users- Special options
to show (and control) currently active applications- Launch of
multiple items at once- Built-in Tile Texture and Tile Format
editors..and other features. Also note that VersaTile Classic
costs $10, whereas Versatile Pro costs $20.
Unfortunately, this new incarnation of the old favorite is not
able to save any palettes until the registration fee is paid.
It does, however, give you an opportunity to try out all of VersaTile
Pro's nifty features. Make sure you also check out the custom
tile textures and formats found in the "System Utilities/System
Enhancers" library.
Version 1.0 enhances Drag? capabilities, including allowing users
to drag tiles among VersaTile pallettes, to the Finder, or into
any Drag? aware application. It also adds more complete AppleScript
support and corrects a number of AppleEvent bugs.
Rating: Not Rated
Keywords: versatile pro demo ONECLICK APPLICATION LAUNCH PALETTE one click
drag drop
Requires: System 7 or later
Price: Shareware $20
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XCat 1.4.1
Category: System Utilities/File Management
Author: Fritz Wuthrich
Most of us aren't very good organizers, especially when it comes
to our computers: multiple versions of TeachText, project-related
files in three different folders, and enigmatic compacted archives
are typical symptoms of our plight. XCat is a freeware utility
which may help us solve some of our problems by creating a catalog
of files on a disk.
XCat catalogs look much like a book index does: main sections
(disks) are shown flush left, with folders and sub-folders indented
by a few spaces. In this way, it's easy to see where exactly files
can be found. There are options to regulate the output--inserting
tabs instead of spaces, for example, and omitting certain fields--and
catalogs can be saved as either XCat documents or text files.
Where this program really shines, however, is in its ability to
catalog StuffIt and Compact Pro (Compactor) archives, an unusually
advanced feature for a freeware program. In addition, XCat will
search for duplicate files by name, size, type, or other criteria.
A German-language version is also available. NOTE: May act erratically
or crash when attempting to catalog a folder.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: catalog disk utility StuffIt compact pro FREEWARE
Requires: Mac Plus or better
Price: Freeware
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ADBManager 1.02
Category: System Utilities/Hardware Utilities
Author: Klaus Berkling
ADBManager is a simple, vital tool that takes care of a problem
more conveniently than anything else available: connecting and
disconnecting ADB devices such as joysticks, keyboards, mice,
and graphics tablets. "But why's that such a problem?" you ask.
"All you have to do to disconnect those devices is attach their
plugs, of pull them out." Well, yes and no: doing so without first
turning off your Macintosh increases the risk of system crashes
and freezes, as applications search for devices which are no longer
there. Also, some ADB devices "crash" with each other as they
fight for the same resource.
ADBManager puts an end to all that by allowing your to click on
check boxes to select and deselect devices--even while they're
active. (The author suggests daisy-chaining all of your devices
and then turning off the unneeded ones.) The controls, cunningly,
can all be controlled from the keyboard, which cannot be made
inactive. In total, ADBManager is a useful utility for artists
who own graphics tablets, gameplayers, or anybody using multiple
ADB devices.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: MOUSE KEYBOARD DISCONNECT TABLET JOYSTICK HARDWARE
Requires: Mac SE or later
Price: Shareware $10
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dataByDate 1.06
Category: System Utilities/Hardware Utilities
Author: Michael Buerkle
Backup, backup, backup: we've all heard it a thousand times. Whether
from trade magazines like MacUser, a local Mac guru or a friend
with horrifying tales of data-loss woe, it's advice everyone should
heed. But while many of us have good intentions, the lack of a
solid, simple backup program can make us forget our obligation
to protect our data. With this freeware HyperCard utility, the
task becomes a little easier.
dataByDate is a simple but effective tool which copies all files
modified until, from or after a given date to a single folder.
You can specify kinds of files (by creator or type) which should
not be included, and multiple source folders can be backed up.
While lacking some useful features (the ability to maintain hierarchical
file structure in backups, for example), fun sounds, a good help
text and a straightforward interface strengthen this stack's usefulness.
And it's free! NOTE: No warning is given when files are overwritten
with those of the same name, so be careful not to have two files
of the same name when you backup: only one will be written to
the backup folder.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: backup HyperCard date copy files FREEWARE
Requires: HyperCard 2.0 or greater
Price: Freeware
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Ejector 0.95
Category: System Utilities/Hardware Utilities
Author: Bert Seltzer
Ever since the very first Macs, the floppy drive featured a bonus
not found in any other machine: it automatically ejected your
disks at shutdown, obviating the need to start up the machine
again just to get your disk out. It also helped us forgetful folks,
who otherwise would have asked ourselves "where did I put that
disk???" many times a day.
Now your Apple 300 CD-ROM drive will behave the same way. Simply
install Ejector, a Control Panel with INIT code in it which tells
your CD-ROM drive to eject upon shut down. Actually, it's not
the only shareware doohickey which does this: John Stewart's CD
Ejector AppleScript does the exact same thing, when installed
in the "ShutDown Items" folder of System 7.5. But many of us don't
have AppleScript, let alone System 7.5 or later: for those of
us in the 7.x twilight, Ejector is a time- and sanity- saver.
Version 0.95 corrects a bug and makes minor interface changes.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: cd rom drive disk eject remove shut down shutdown tray
Requires: System 7 or later, Apple CD-ROM drive 300
Price: Shareware $7
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Restart DA 1.1
Category: System Utilities/Hardware Utilities
Author: Panic Software
Out of manure grow the most beautiful flowers, and out of malicious
practical jokes grow some pretty useful pieces of software. So
is the case with Restart DA, a tiny applet which is the antithesis
of the "Shut Down" utility included in System 7.5.
Originally, it was programmed as a practical joke: just drop this
thing in a naive user's "ShutDown Items" folder, and they could
never turn off their Mac! But somewhere during the programming
process, maturity struck the authors, and they suggest a few *real*
uses for the thing in their engagingly witty "Read Me" file (which
is almost worth the shareware fee by itself.) Make sure you compliment
the pretty, blue icon when you send in your money!
It's certainly a strange bird, and it's the only one if its kind
which does what it does.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: startup start up shutdown shut down apple menu system
Requires: System 7 or later
Price: Shareware $5
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LaserLabels PD 1.0
Category: System Utilities/Print Utilities
Author: Perimeter
Making labels on the computer is such a pain in the Avery that
many users keep an old manual typewriter around solely for that
purpose. With so many variables to calculate -- margins, gutters,
and width, height and number of labels per page -- it's just not
worth bothering. LaserLabels PD promises to take out some of the
bother by offering all of these controls within an easy-to-understand
dialog box.
LaserLabels PD takes all of the above-listed variables into consideration,
and then some: from within its main dialog, you can control line
screen (for labels with gray-scale effects), orientation and number
of records to be printed. Delve a little deeper into its options
and there is also control over borders, text import, and printer
behavior. This public-domain version is a bit old, and somewhat
dodgy -- your printer must be named "LaserWriter" or it won't
be recognized, some standard keyboard shortcuts are ignored--but
with a little practice, this can be a real time-saver.
Rating: 2 (out of 5)
Keywords: PRINTER AVERY STICKERS PAGE FORMATTING addresses ENVELOPES LASERWRITER
Requires: Laser Printer
Price: Demoware
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M & D's Easy Envelope Printing 1.5.2
Category: System Utilities/Print Utilities
Author: Stephen MacLean
If all you want to do is keep an address book on your computer,
a full-featured database is just too much. For you, there's Stephen
MacLean's charming utility, Mom and Dad's Easy Envelope Printing",
which has one purpose: to keep a list of addresses and print them
onto envelopes on command.
Surprisingly, the best part of this program is not its printing
capabilities (which are mediocre), but its database functions.
A user sets up "Mailing Lists" -- as many as needed -- and can
selectively print envelopes from the list, or print them all.
Your return address is stored (say goodbye to all those lick-and-stick
labels!), and mailing lists can be exported to tab-delimited text
files. But the best "feature" (and I use that term loosely) is
the silly set of startup sounds, sure to put a smile on your face
as it has on the faces of Mom and Dad (see photo, included!)
NOTE: Although the author claims compatibility with PowerMacs
(beginning with version 1.5.2), it crashed on my 7100. Use with
caution.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: mom and dad parents database printer address book city state
fields records
Requires: Printer and driver which can specify envelope printing
Price: Shareware $5
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Frank Black 1.0d3
Category: System Utilities/Screen Savers
Author: Pete Gontier
In the early days of personal computers, nobody thought of the
need for a screen saver. Since the closest visual analogy, television,
displayed constantly moving images, it didn't have the problem
of single images becoming dimming sections of the tube from overuse,
a condition known as "burn-in." Then around 1973, Atari noticed
that the CRTs in its "Pong" games were degrading visibly, having
displayed essentially the same image for months.
And the market for screen savers was born. In the Mac world, the
best-known is undoubtedly "After Dark," which fills the user's
screen with images of fish, fireworks, and flying toasters. But
what if you don't need -- or can't afford -- such a baroque solution
to such a simple problem?
For you, Frank Black does the trick, and at only 7K it's around
1/100th the size of its more versatile competitor. Unfortunately,
it only works on RGB monitors and, as the author points out, RGB
monitors aren't at a high risk for burn-in. However, having a
glowing screen in the room can be a distraction when you're trying
to do something else. So clear your head, clear your screen: take
a sip of Frank Black.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: EXTENSION SCREEN SAVER BLANK FADE FREEWARE
Requires: RGB Monitor, System 7 or later
Price: Freeware
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BootBlocker
Category: System Utilities/System Enhancers
Author: Paul D. Hart
It's one thing to encrypt archives. It's another thing to make
files invisible. But if you want to restrict access to your computer,
nothing beats a boot blocking system for system-wide protection.
BootBlocker is a simple utility which offers this sort of protection,
although in a limited fashion.
A boot blocker is installed as system software, so that it can
stop the "boot" -- that is, the startup code -- from becoming
completely active. On the Mac, all Extensions and Control Panels
are part of the boot code. BootBlocker (which is a Control Panel)
takes advantage of this fact, forcing you to enter a password
upon startup. If you fail three times, it shuts your machine down
before it ever reaches the Finder.
In practice, it works pretty well. There are some caveats, though.
For one thing, it forces a "shut down" sequence by actually crashing
your machine. That means that utilities such as Conflict Catcher
and Now Startup Manager will offer to turn it off the next time
you start up, defeating its purpose. And anyone can disable it
permanently by throwing the control panel in the Trash. (For added
security, you can make it invisible with the shareware program
File Buddy, also available through ZiffNet/Mac.)
As the author admits, it's not the highest-level security possible
-- the computer could still be started by using an external volume
with a System Folder on it -- but it will provide reasonable protection
against casual invaders.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: boot blocker block startup start security disable shift password
secure
Requires: Mac Plus or better
Price: Freeware
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CallingCard Pro
Category: System Utilities/System Enhancers
Author: Matthew B. Revenaugh
Ah.. back to basics. Calling Card is a tiny, self-contained PICT
holder which can be used to pass graphics, icons, or anything
that can be converted into a PICT between Macs. The program's
name suggests its primary use is to transfer contact information,
but Calling Card would work well as a simple viewer for various
other purposes: portfolio display, on-screen reference, or whatever
you can dream up. A useful button (added with the "Pro" release
in April of 1994) allows you to attach text up to 32K in size,
formatted as you wish, in a scrollable window. The file can be
irreversibly locked from within the program, making it truly a
one-way presentation. (Make sure that you've saved a backup before
doing this, or you won't be able to make changes or create other
calling cards.)
Basically, it works as a one-frame, resizable Scrapbook: graphics
are copied onto the clipboard using command-C (or cut using command-X)
and pasted into Calling Card's one window. There's nothing more
to say: it works without problems, conflicts, or choices. A cute
li'l utility. NOTE: Attempting to lock a file while the scrollable
text window is open locks the window: should this happen to you,
simply close it.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: CALLING CARD BUSINESS PICT CUT PASTE CLIPBOARD SCRAPBOOK GRAPHIC
IDENTITY
Requires: Mac Plus or better
Price: Shareware $30
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FKEY Display 2.0
Category: System Utilities/System Enhancers
Author: Cliff Harris
Mac savants know that Shift-command-3 will take a snapshot of
the screen and save it as a PICT file, and some shareware surfers
have gone a step further and created other "FKEYs" to automate
other useful functions. If you've installed one or more of these,
you know how easy it is to forget which keys are mapped to which
functions.
But fear not. FKEY Display is designed to display a dialog box
showing all the FKEYs installed in your System. This list will
remain on the screen for ten seconds or until you click the mouse,
giving you just the reminder you need to call up needed functions.
It can only be installed directly into your system through ResEdit
-- a dangerous proposition best left to true Mac gurus. Fortunately,
Mr. Harris has included step-by-step instructions, minimizing
the danger somewhat. Still, a simple installer program would have
been nice.
This FKEY was written to replace John Holders FKEY View, and corrects
some bugs and incompatibilities of that program. Look in this
library for other FKEYs and FKEY utilities.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: FKEY Display dialog catalog system resedit keyboard shortcut
Requires: ResEdit
Price: Freeware
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Glidel 2.4.4
Category: System Utilities/System Enhancers
Author: Gilles Berkovitch
Note: This is the English language version of Glidel: the French
version is also available in this library.
The ability to drag files or folders onto applications and have
them work together is one of the most exciting features of System
7. But have you ever tried dragging a file up to, say, the "Open"
menu choice? Nothing happens -- unless you've installed Glidel.
Glidel is a system extension which gives you access to selected
features in your File and Apple Menu.
When in the Finder, you can drag and drop files and folders to
open, copy, alias and move them. Using hot keys, you can directly
place an alias of an oft used application to a folder in the Apple
Menu. Glidel is also compatible with many hierarchical menu utilities,
so you can access sub-folders, too.
Glidel is so handy, that you will find a new gesture in your repertoire,
as you start dragging files up to the menu bar, to the amazement
of friends and onlookers.
NOTE: Glidel is not compatible with Finder 7.1.1 on PowerBooks,
or Now Utilities 5.0. Be sure to read the Read Me file for a list
of known compatibilities and incompatibilities.
Version 2.4 is compatible with PopupFolder, has better alias making
and has better File menu management. Version 2.4.1 adds compatibility
with System 7.1.2 (Power Macs) and better error messages management.
Version 2.4.2 has better error recovery and better memory management.
Version 2.4.3 has better resource management, better memory management
and adds compatibility with Macintosh Easy Open. Version 2.4.4
adds compatibility with System 7.5, Macintosh Drag and Drop 1.1,
has better alias making, and other miscellaneous enhancements.
Rating: 3 (out of 5)
Keywords: GLIDEL SYSTEM EXTENSION APPLE MENU BAR FILE OPEN DRAG DROP CLOSE
PRINT EDIT
Requires: System 7.0 to 7.5
Price: Shareware $25
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Kapu 2.1
Category: System Utilities/System Enhancers
Author: Coconut Info
One aspect most Mac users ignore is security. And that's too bad,
because something as important as keeping your data private is
really easy to accomplish -- with Kapu. Kapu (which means "keep
out" in Hawaiian) is a small utility program which you can't escape
or send to the background unless you know the password. As a result,
no other programs can be launched, menus are inaccessible, and
your documents are safe. Entering the password quits the program
and returns your Mac to normal operation.
There are a few aspects of Kapu which make it superior -- and
more reliable -- to most other shareware security programs. For
one thing, it's a simple application, and therefore doesn't have
the conflicts to which extension-based security programs are prone.
(The author suggests putting it in the "Startup Items" folder
under System 7, thereby giving it the functionality of an INIT.)
Its documentation is extremely thorough, especially for such a
small program, and gives you a good idea of its security level
and best uses. Best of all, it allows AppleTalk Remote Access
users to access your computer, even if the keyboard is locked:
as ARA has its own password protection scheme, your machine remains
safe.
Altogether, Kapu is one of the most solid and trustworthy simple
security programs, and you can trust it to stop all casual intruders.
Pay your registration fee, and you'll receive a copy of Kapu with
features not found here. NOTE: The default password is Kapu (case
sensitive). As with any security program, it's important that
you remember your password, or you may find yourself locked out
of your own computer. For added security, choose an unusual string
of characters as a password, as common words and personal information
(such as children's names) are easily guessed.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: KAPU SECURITY UNLOCK LOCK PASSWORD PROTECTION NETWORK ARA KEEP
OUT STOP
Requires: Mac Plus or better
Price: Shareware $10
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Peeping Tom 1.4
Category: System Utilities/System Enhancers
Author: Bret Olmsted
Peeping Tom is an excellent utility which monitors computer usage,
creating a log file which indicates (a) when the computer was
turned on, (b) program usage, and (c) the program's average CPU
drain. System administrators will love it as a debugging tool,
helping them to trace applications which cause problems; Mac service
bureaus (like copy shops) will find it an superb tool to precisely
bill users; and office administrators can use it to catch workers
who have been playing Tetris all day (yikes!). In addition, Peeping
Tom keeps a log which approximates characters typed, which can
prove invaluable when your system crashes, taking your doctoral
thesis with it: simply refer to the "character log," and recreate
it.
Peeping Tom writes to disk only every five seconds, lowering its
impact on your computer's speed. There are some customization
features, such as allowing you to temporarily turn off the logging
process. More features are available to registered users: paying
the low shareware fee gets you the passwords necessary to use
ResEdit to access the PREF resource, which contains code for enhanced
security.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: INIT BACKGROUND Recovery MONITOR LOG USAGE EXTENSION
Requires: System 7 or greater, ResEdit helpful
Price: Shareware $5
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TaskMan 1.2
Category: System Utilities/System Enhancers
Author: Paul Cunningham
TaskMan is an extension which adds the ability to switch between
running processes (applications) using keyboard shortcuts. PC
users will instantly recognize this as a feature of Windows, but
this Mac version carries the ball a bit further by presenting
the users with additional options, such as a handy process list.
No more mousing up to the pull-down application menu: simply press
command-tab and cycle through running processes.
You should be aware of possible incompatibilities with applications
which have mapped TaskMan's keystrokes for their own purposes,
as they'll no longer work as you expect them to. To the author's
two listed programs -- F/A-18 and HyperCard -- I add FileMaker
Pro, for which Command-Tab is mapped to "Next Record". Still,
the author promises that future releases will allow you to define
your own keystrokes for application switching.
As is also mentioned in the superb "Read Me" file, TaskMan is
similar to many existing shareware packages (such as Applicon
and ProSwitch, both of which are available in this library). But
TaskMan's interface is elegant, and allows for a variety of ways
of switching between programs. Besides, as the author writes:
"..if it suits your needs perfectly, then just smile because it's
FREE."
Version 1.1 fixes the icon drawing bug at startup, and converts
the code into Metrowerks CodeWarrior C++. Version 1.2 adds some
key combinations (option-tab hides applications, for example),
corrects icons for DAs and generally makes TaskMan more convenient.
Rating: 4 (out of 5)
Keywords: TASKMAN application switching task man invisible command keys
escape background keystroke extension freeware
Requires: System 7 or later
Price: Freeware
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This page was last updated on Monday, February 09, 2004 at 3:06pm CST.
All contents copyright 2005 by Tom Geller.
Writings by 
