Note: This page is quite a bit out of date! You can be sure I'm using the latest Macintosh computers. I'll leave this page as is for a fun reference for the future. (As I'm writing this in March 2005 a Dual 2.5 Gig G5, 30" display, and a 15" Aluminum PowerBook.) Image ToolsAdobe Photoshop 4.0 || What else would a person want to use for image manipulation? Extensis PhotoTools 2.0 || PhotoTools makes using Photoshop a real pleasure. All of the custom images and logos on any of my pages were created with different components of PhotoTools. I can't imagine using Photoshop without it. SnapzPro || SnapzPro takes the pain out of getting screen shots from your Mac. Snapz makes short order of getting a screen element off the screen and into Photoshop by placing the content of any screen, window or portion of the screen on the clipboard for easy pasting anywhere you like.
HTML/Text ToolsI use a combination of WYSIWYG editors and text editors for creating each MacTip. Although I've done some in complete text (source html) I prefer to get the basic layout done in a WYSIWYG tool and fine tune it in BBEdit. Adobe PageMill || Although I'm not real pleased with PageMill I do still use it for basic layout of each MacTip. I'm currently looking for a new WYSIWYG editor. I've used DreamWeaver a bit and it has some cool features but it won't run on my Duo. BBEdit || Is wonderful for serious text editing. I use its batch search and replace features for making global changes to my whole site. TexEdit || Is a great basic text editor. I usually write the text of each MacTip in TE before adding links and images later. SpellCatcher || I mention Spell Catcher because it is the one thing that helps me to spell correctly no matter which application I am using. If I spell a word wrong, a little beep lets me know. A simple key command lets me choose the correct spelling.
Other ToolsClaris Emailer || Claris Emailer 2.0 has been a great part of managing the communication from my site. Not only do I use it for my day to day communication. I also use it to manage the signing up for the announcement lists for MacTips and EDSP. For example, if you send a message to the MacTips email address there is a mail action that will file that message in a certain folder, add your email address to a specific group, and reply with a message letting you know you have been added to the list. I've been tempted to move to using a list server but I like the control and personal touch this method provides. eMerge 1.5 || eMerge from Galleon Software has been a godsend for me. I use it to send out each announcement for MacTips and EDSP. Although I don't use all the capabilities of merging names and other information to construct individualized messages, it does allow me to easily see who I sent a message to if it bounces. Another cool thing about Emerge is that it can be configured to connect directly to the receivers mail server and doesn't burden your ISP with having to send the thousands of announcements I send every month. FileMaker Pro || I use FileMaker databases to hold all the addresses that are on my announcement lists. HardwareDuo 280c || I use a Duo 280c for the bulk of the work I do on TMG. I traded in my Duo 210 (which just got too slow) for the 280c and it meets most of my needs. Really the largest files I deal with are about 30k of text. I've found that I can use Photoshop and other demanding programs just fine with it. 7200/90 || My 7200 is currently the desktop powerhouse. I use this machine for things that require either a PowerMac or more hard drive space.
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