The inflammatory Speed Download license issue for MacHeist users appears to be resolved. You can enter your MacHeist details at this page and receive a ‘free’ license to SD 5. You have until March 26th to do so.
Though I have gone ahead and entered my details and consequently have a license to SD 5, I have already ‘redeleted’ the app from my MacBook. I stand by my original opinion of Speed Download - it adds more clicks to my workflow and just plain gets in the way. I’d gladly donate my license to someone but I’m scared it’ll end up on Codez4mac (moreover, it’s in my real name…).
This is really too bad for Yazsoft. I think they made a big mistake by not handling the situation this way right out of the gates. As it stands, they received a couple of months of seriously bad press from the Mac community - a group which tends to go to extremes to express their love for their platform and deride the competition. Not a good business move. Worseover, their offering seems less than sincere. Their hand was forced.
I admit that when I initially switched to a Macintosh last year I pirated some applications. But coming from Windows where you’re just as likely to install spy/adware or worse by downloading apps online, my head was not in the right place. I don’t do this anymore.
The majority of Apple indie developers that I follow love Apple computers, and I like to think that, by extension, they love my computer, too. And when I spend 25 bucks on some application, it’s a good feeling to know that, in addition to having a new toy, I’m helping someone make a living at something they’re passionate about. I dig that.
So up with Indie MacWare! And learn from Yazsoft’s mistake…
Yes! I just discovered this option under the CSSEdit application menu:
What’s this? Turns out your taken to this page where you can drag a bookmarklet to your browser’s bookmarks toolbar. Thereafter, with one click you can open the page you’re viewing in CSSEdit - that is, open the page in the preview window and all of its accompanying CSS templates in the editor window! Really, really smooth. I love this application.
If you’re at all interested in web design, this app is a killer. It puts a lot of power into the hands of - well, people like myself. How useful the app is for those with an already substantial knowledge of CSS I can’t say, but, without even knowing what the acronym stood for, I was able to build this site up from the stock Minima Black Wordpress template. Again, such an accomplishment is relative, but I think it’s pretty sharp.
CSSEdit!
I purchased the MacHeist II bundle about a month ago. There has been a bit of a controversy surrounding the value of these application bundling schemes for developers (check out these two MacBreak Weekly podcasts), but it is difficult to deny the amazing value they offer to consumers. For 50$ US you received legit licenses for 14 Mac applications! Among the apps were Pixelmator, an image editing app that retails for 59$, and Snapz Pro, a 69$ screen capture/record tool. For anyone interested in either of these two apps the 50$ price of the bundle was a steal.
But there seems to be a catch: Speed Download was included with the bundle at version 4x and has now been updated to version 5, and there is no free upgrade for MacHeist licenses (my registration is dead cold). Hey, I know it’s just business, but seems a bit rough after less than a month to play with the app (I mean, they offer a 21 day trial with their application anyhow). If the inclusion of Speed Download in the bundle was a motivating factor for you…
But personally I don’t care. Of all the apps, Speed Download didn’t thrill me. In fact, I actually came to find it mildly annoying while I had it installed. To access a simple download requires a couple of extra clicks with the app running (or at least it felt like that), and, nice as the icon is, it took up valuable space in an already overcrowded dock. It did give me good speeds on downloads, but then again I live in South Korea and the connection here is absolutely blazing anyhow. I know some people swear by it, but on my machine it was a violation of minimalist aesthetics. To each their own.
On the other hand, there were some apps included with the bundle that I’m now ecstatic to have, above all CSSEdit (you can read a recent write up of the app at Macworld). (I say I love the app despite its being primarily responsible for the sorry current state of my blog (CSSEdit gives incredible power to someone with no knowledge of cascading style sheets and an drive to mess around with things.)) I would purchase an upgrade to this beautiful machine in a second.
So farewell to Speed Download! May your death by AppZapper be quick and painless.
This AppleScript takes the currently playing band in iTunes (or the selected band, if nothing is playing) and feeds it into the SkreemR mp3 search engine.
As with my last script, the code to retrieve the currently playing band in iTunes is based on one of Doug’s AppleScripts for iTunes (again, check out this site!).
I discovered SkreemR through the hybrid media player/web browser Songbird. The application has been around for a while, but is currently still in beta (v0.4), and it doesn’t seem as if a 1.0 is about to be released anytime soon. Nevertheless, Songbird has amazing potential - especially if you like mp3 blogs (which themselves are amazing for discovering new, primarily independent bands.) Straight away I’ll recommend 3Hive, Fluxblog and Swedelife. There are, of course, many, many more.
Technorati Tags: Apple, AppleScript, mp3, Songbird, SkreemR
Here is another AppleScript, based on my first, to search Google for mp3 and audio files of the currently playing band in iTunes.
Just run the script while you are listening to something in iTunes and Safari will pop open with results listing directories containing audio files matching the artist’s name. Sweet.
This is based on one of Doug’s AppleScripts for iTunes - a really amazing collection of iTunes add ons that every Mac user should check out. (I think it was this script in particular I used pieces from - excellent for guitar players!) (Come to think of it, I think I’ll write up a post of my favorites from Doug - stay tuned.)
The man pictured right is of course Leonard Cohen, easily one of the best songwriters on the planet. It is difficult to find the words to express my gratitude towards the man! His music does not age, and each sincere song is something of a classic for me, calling up both comforting and troubling memories from the past. Beautiful.
Technorati Tags: Apple, AppleScript, mp3
