tsites
- Linux software
- Mac software
- Windows software
- (things you might find useful)
Software I've created to fulfil specific requests that I think other people may find handy. This software is free unless specified otherwise.
Android
Turn an old Android phone or tablet into a clock.
Linux
A small utility which allows you to backup any Firefox browser extensions you might have installed.
A simple font viewer and manager for any 64-bit Debian Linux distro - currently in beta version.
Wordsearch for Linux - create wordsearch puzzles from words you specify. Sample puzzle included.
quick-symlink for Linux and Mac - creates symbolic links to files and folders.
Flat-Remix-Red-Grey theme for Linux distros using the MATE desktop.
whichDisk is a disk catalog and indexing tool.
main-dock is a simple dock, currently experimental.
alert displays a glitch-art-style custom alert message
This alert displays a glitch-art-style custom alert message, with a more pronounced effect. Please note, if you are prone to epilepsy, you may want to avoid.
Re-booter restarts your debian-linux-based computer at a specified time.
timedrestart restarts your linux-based computer at a specified time.
alldepstodeb for Linux is a dependency to deb downloader.
alldepstodeb-gui for Linux: same as above, but with a GUI
BeOh xfce4 theme theme for Linux.
BeOh-orange xfce4 dark theme theme for Linux.
Batch-resizes a copy of images to make them smaller for emailing.
Helps you perform a screenshot of the entire screen or a selective area.
An alternative front-end to RetroArch, which is an emulator for many many consoles.
Check your network by computer hostnames, to see if they are connected
Generate secure passwords you might actually remember
A password manager that is free and not online.
A free, small calculator for debian linux that requires no dependencies.
Copies files mentioned in an xspf playlist into a folder of your choice.
A small utility for managing text lists, with sorting and combining options.
Mac (intel processors only)
(By the way, if you are using Mac OS X 10.7.5 or above you may have to right-click and choose 'Open' because you won't find the following Mac apps on the Apple App Store. Gatekeeper will block you from opening apps not from the 'App Store' by default.)
quick-symlink for Linux and Mac - creates symbolic links to files and folders.
Araposin is a utility to save and restore the position of your desktop icons.
Emufront is an emulation launcher using just a gamepad for the Mac.
DotOff deletes invisible files from a folder you specify.
FolderIcon10 is a mac program to create custom folder icons.
Cleave for Mac creates segmented DMG files and segmented ZIP files.
Generate secure passwords you might actually remember
A password manager that is free and not online.
ppcub3264 identifies the processor architecture for any selected App.
Tweaker customises hidden features of OSX and MacOS. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Batch-resizes a copy of images to make them smaller for emailing.
It builds WineSkin Engines.
Read on, you'll get it.
Helps you perform a screenshot of the entire screen or a selective area.
An alternative front-end to RetroArch, which is an emulator for many many consoles.
A script for connecting to SMB shares, but only when on a certain wifi network of your choice.
A small utility for managing text lists, with sorting and combining options.
Hide a running app from the Mac OS X dock.
Copies files mentioned in an xspf playlist into a folder of your choice.
Windows
Copies files mentioned in an xspf playlist into a folder of your choice.
force-closes browsers (or any exe) specified in the blocklist.txt file.
delayedlogoff logs a Windows 10 user off after 2 hours.
before and after for Windows lists changes to the Windows filesystem.
Helps you perform a screenshot of the entire screen or a selective area.
Generate secure passwords you might actually remember
A password manager that is free and not online.
A small utility for managing text lists, with sorting and combining options.
Why aren't these Mac Apps on the Mac App Store?
As good as the Mac App Store is, there are some drawbacks to it:
- App store app developers can’t offer demos or paid upgrades through the Mac App Store, meaning there's no option to try before you buy.
- Developers can't communicate directly with their customers if they have a problem.
- App store app developers have to pay a cut to Apple when the customer purchases the app.
- Apps listed in the Mac App Store run in a restricted 'sandbox' environment, which can be a good thing, but can also be too restrictive.
- Mac App Store apps can be pulled from the store at any time by Apple, or have their certificate revoked. Meaning if you have a business-critical app from the Mac App Store which you need to reinstall, you could be stuck.
What is my opinion of the Mac App Store?
My opinion of the App Store is that it's good for novice users - it's introduced people to Applications they never knew existed, without them having to look all over the internet for them. It's also reduced the risk of downloading something malicious (malware) and probably saved people multiple trips to the Genius Bar in Apple Retail Stores. It's also made App updates far far easier for people. It's also great for developers, because by using the App store, developers can reach billions of potential customers.
My program 'Tweaker' would never be allowed on the App Store as it can modify the behaviour of your system, and Apple would rather most people don't do this. They don't want people to have the ability to change their system settings to that degree.
Imagine you were working in an Apple Store, trying to tech-support a tweak that a customer had made to their system. You'd be unaware of what tweak they'd performed, so it'd be a very in-depth procedure to reverse it if you didn't know how.
(This is why they introduced System Integrity Protection after all. Although it's great at stopping malicious software, it also takes away the ability to customise). For those who appreciate the foundations of MacOs or OSX but would like more control over the interface, then Tweaker serves it's purpose.
If you are a developer using the App store, you reach billions of people, but you have to pay every year for an Apple Developer Certificate, plus around a 30% cut to Apple of your Application sales. Many developers have been accused of being tight... I mean, frugal, but some developers think these fees (sometimes termed the 'Apple Tax') is too high. Worse though is that customers with Apps downloaded through the App Store can't be helped without a fix being reposted to the App Store with the related delays.
Another aspect of the App store relates to self management of software, particularly if you are a business. If you'd purchased apps from the App Store, they aren't like normal apps. Apple can choose to revoke a developer's certificate or even remove the App from the store at any point. You'll not be able to reinstall it again if this is the case. With normal software you can back it up however you please and you have it for as long as you require. This is also better for businesses who have to deploy software to multiple computers, who don't need the software disappearing without notice when it may be critical to their business.
There's nothing wrong with downloading software from outside the App Store, and it'll still run if you right-click an Application and choose 'open', but be absolutely sure you trust the software or use it on a computer / device that doesn't matter to try it out first. And always have a backup of course!
One of the greatest strengths of Apple's App store is that they are vetted to a greater degree than the Google Play store on Android. There's always that doubt when downloading an android app that it can do anything behind the scenes, and perform tasks that aren't documented by the developer.
I should also add that being an official developer in the Mac App store, is quite frankly a ball-ache. There's a very in-depth and interesting article here (and archived PDF version here, just in case it disappears), and it pretty much confirms why I will always be an unsigned developer - at least on the Apple platform.