Mac

Software for Apple Desktop Devices

Spark

Spark is a free, open source IM client with a full complement of features and even plugin support. Developed by Jive Software, the program is Java based so any system that supports it will be able to run this application. Among the application's many features are voice calling, group chat, file transfers and more.

Vox for Mac

Vox is a small but powerful music player for Mac (OS X or higher). Published by AleNofx, the program supports a variety of media files; these include XM, MOD and WAV. Vox also comes with the support for AIFF, lossless, OGG, mp3, and FLAC files next to many handy features built in.

Lyx

Lyx is a free word document processor that takes the pain out of formatting your documents. Unlike other word processors that require you to do a lot of formatting, this word processor, created by the Lyx development team has taken care to make sure everything looks great from the start. Not only that, this program is also packed with some sweet features.

NASA World Wind

NASA World Wind is a computer program by NASA that can take you anywhere in the world without leaving your home. This program lets you zoom from as high as a satellite’s viewpoint to any location on planet Earth and see rich 3D images and high rest Land Sat images. While it is very powerful, you only need your mouse’s buttons to make it work.

Wings 3D

Mention 3D graphics and people think of programs that cost in the thousands of dollars. However, Wings 3D is a powerful modeler that is totally free. It was created by Björn Gustavsson, Dan Gudmundsson and the rest of the Wings 3D Development Team. It’s a sophisticated program, capable of modeling human figures, creatures, vehicles, and so on. The program uses a graphical interface instead of icons. You use the keyboard and mouse to change an object’s geometry. Four selection modes are available: Body, Face, Edge and Vertex. Make no mistake about it; Wings 3D has a lot of tools. Each mode comes with its own set of modelers and editors. Its auto-UV feature makes adding textures easy.

Tomboy

Tomboy is a note taking application available for Mac, Windows and Linux. Courtesy of the Tomboy development team, it provides an easy way to take down notes and reminders. While there are a lot of apps that can do this, what sets Tomboy apart is the fact that it uses a Wiki-like interface, making it easy to see and relate notes and ideas.

Focus Booster

Focus Booster is an app for Windows designed to help you manage time. What the program does is break down your work into 25 minute segments and add breaks. The purpose of all this is to help you stay focused. While aimed primarily at people working, it will also help students and anyone trying to balance time on their desktop.