So you received a new Mac Computer for Christmas, eh? Well, before that “new Mac” smell goes away, here are 10 programs that the Tech Guy recommends you load up immediately! They’re FREE, of course, and did I mention handy? Don’t worry, I won’t recommend anything I haven’t tried myself. Here are my suggestions…in no particular order.

1. Mozilla Firefox
This one needs no introduction. Don’t get me wrong, I think Safari is a superb browser, but Firefox already had my heart when I switched to Mac. The extensibility of Firefox can not be matched!

2. Handbrake
Let’s not beat around the bush on this one…you want to rip DVDs, you want to convert video files to play on your iPod, why not install a great program that does it all? I’ve mentioned Handbrake before in my post about converting video for iPod using your Mac and I stand by my word.

3. Perian
Want to play more video file types on your Mac? Perian is the answer! Perian allows any Mac OS program that accesses Quicktime for video playback to now play an additional number of video formats!

4. Cyberduck
Cyberduck is a killer FTP client. I love this program, and use it almost daily. Drag and drop files right from your Mac into the Cyberduck window and they’re on their way to Cyber space! Doesn’t get much easier.

5. Transmission
If you download torrent files, you’ll love this simple, straightforward torrent client.

6. Dropbox
Sync computers, share files across platforms, and keep a handful of your favorite files accessible anywhere internet is available. Dropbox comes with 2GB of online storage! This program is great when collaborating on projects, or just keeping your personal files accessible!

7. Adium
Usually Instant Messaging software is at the top of anyone’s list when they get a new computer. Adium is fantastic for all of your IM needs! MSN, AOL, Yahoo, ICQ…you name it, Adium does it! Did I mention Adium also does Facebook chat?

8. OnyX
OnyX is a great system utility tool. It allows you to verify the Startup Disk and the structure of its System files, to run miscellaneous tasks of system maintenance, to configure the hidden parameters of the Finder, Dock and of some of Apple’s own applications, to delete caches, to remove a certain number of files and folders that may become cumbersome and more. I’ve used OnyX since I upgraded to Leopard (and now Snow Leopard) a year and a half ago. No problems to date!

9. Growl
Growl is a system notification software. It allows notifications from your system and software to display on the screen (in a really slick fashion I might add), be sent to you in an email, or even be spoken through the speakers!

10. Quicksilver
The king of productivity add-ons. Quicksilver keeps your hands on the keyboard, allowing you to launch files and applications with just a few key strokes. There’s a lot more to Quicksilver than I have time to mention here, but you’ll just have to trust me on this one and install it to see for yourself. No Mac Top softwares list would be complete without this software!

11. Open Office
If you aren’t in to dishing out $200 for Microsoft Office, why not try something that looks, smells, and acts exactly the same as Microsoft Office? Open Office is free and contains a word processor, spreadsheet, and a presentation software.

12. VLC Player
VLC player, I’ve found, can play just about any video file you throw at it! A must have for the digital video enthusiast.

Well, there we have it. The official Tech Guy Blog top 12 free Mac Programs. If you have a new Mac computer, or are thinking about reinstalling your OS and starting from scratch, this list should definitely get you started with the bare essentials of enjoyable computing!

Have a great 2010!

-The Tech Guy

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