Applications I Use and Do Not Use 2017

I cannot believe it has been three years since I blogged about the applications I use and do not use. After reviewing the list, it is surprising how many applications I still use, but it is clear that an update is due. Read on to see what remains and what has changed (removed versus new)!


I am an avid Macbook Pro and Android smartphone user. The combination influences the applications that I use. I figured I would share the applications I use most to possibly influence others, see what suggestions others have and to also see how my application landscape changes from year to year. So, what applications do you use?

Apple

• Caffeine – screen keep-alive
• Chrome (primary browser)
• Divvy – Window manager, demo mode or worth it
• Dropbox Synology Cloud Station
• Firefox (secondary browser)
• Flux – blue-light filter
• Franz – run multiple applications within one window
• GIMP – not my favorite app, but gets the job done
• HyperDock – Dock manager, not free but worth it
• iTerm2 – SSH client
• Little Snitch – not free, but worth the money
• MacPorts – apt-get like package management tool
• Microsoft Office, Remote Desktop
• Omnigraffle – Visio like tool – not free, but worth the money
• Sidestep – tunnel Internet traffic
• Skype – minimal usage currently Zoom.us
• Slack
• TextEdit – native, attempting to switch to Wunderlist
• Time Machine – native
• VMware Fusion, OVF Tool, View Client
• Wunderlist – task management

Some applications that I do not use:

• Alfred 3 – native Finder works well
• Blogo – prefer using native WordPress
• Calendar – native – way too many bugs
• Fantastical – Calendar replacement – way too many bugs
• GrandPerspective – only if I need to find big files quickly
• Mail – native – way too many bugs
• Safari – does not work with my VPN client, not enough extensions
• VLC – native works the majority of the time

I also leverage the CLI extensively, so I figured I would include some of my favorite CLI tools:

• BASH / awk / sed
• cURL / wget
• Git
• keychain
• locate
• NMAP
• ping / traceroute / nc
• Screen
• tcpdump
• Vim

Android

• Communication: Google Hangout, Skype, Slack
• Entertainment: Pandora, Spotify (rarely), YouTube (native)
• Fitness: Macros, SugarWOD (for PRs), Weight Up (convert kg to lbs), Wodify
• Games: Boom Beach, Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, Hay Day
• News: Flipboard, Google Play Newstand (native), Pocket (primarily use Social tools now)
• Organization: Calendar (native), Dropbox, Google Inbox, Nine (not free), Wunderlist
• Social: Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, Socialcast, Snapchat, Twitter, WhatsApp
• Home: Alexa, Nest, SmartThings
• Travel: Avis, Google Maps, Marriott, Starbucks, TripIt, United Airlines, Yelp
• Work: Concur, Microsoft Outlook, RSA SecurID, WebEx, Zoom
• Other: Amazon Kindle, Aviate, Chrome, Clock (native), Flashlight, Night Mode, WODBook

Chrome

• AdBlock
• Chrome Remote Desktop
• Cisco WebEx Extension
• Code Highlight
• Copy Without Formatting
• Firebug Lite
• HTTPS Everywhere
• Gmelius for Google
• Google Redesigned (deprecated…)
• Hangouts (use Franz now)
• LastPass
• Personal Blocklist
• RemoveCookesForSite
• Sexy Undo Close Tab
• The Great Suspender (disabled)
• TooManyTabs
• Turn Off the Lights (disabled)
• User-Agent Switcher for Chrome (disabled)
• Window Resizer (disabled)
• YSlow (disabled)

© 2017 – 2021, Steve Flanders. All rights reserved.