Tracking Down Cool Mac OS X Apps

First, I have to admit that it is true that I’m a bit of a geek. I enjoy downloading and installing just about any kind of application just to try it out. I probably end up keeping and using 2 out of every 10 that I install so finding a more efficient way of finding the keepers would be great. I have relied heavily on VersionTracker and a small handful of Mac blogs to get my daily download/install fix taken care of. While Version Tracker has plenty of choices, it still follows an old Web way of working and requires you to scroll through a seemingly neverending list to choose from, with little help other than the descriptions the authors provide. I Use This has taken the VersionTracker idea and combined it with the Digg concept to give you a better idea of what applications are more popular. The community of users helps to pre-filter the thousands of choices, which in theory if it worked would be great for people like me that have a slight problem with wanting to constantly try out the latest software.

So far I’ve mixed feelings about I Use This, but I think in the long run I’ll end up a dedicated user. Either there aren’t enough people using it (it’s only about a week old after all), or the guys that put it together haven’t quite got it all figured out yet. I think it’s a bit of both. With the way it works now it seems like apps that have been around longer are going to skyrocket to the top and bury any new and exciting apps. Honestly though, I haven’t quite figured out yet how I Use This determines what software to display on the home page, right now it just seems like whatever was recently added or has had a vote for it gets back on top. I’d like to see some filtering or maybe even a few columns of software in place of the single column. Word is they are working on more features so perhaps a better way of showing what is hot in different groupings is on the way. I’d like to see the software that 1000’s of people are using but I also want to see that in the past week fifteen people have all added some obscure new utility that I had never heard of.

Based on the URL I’m going to venture a guess that once the system is worked out we will see I Use This versions for Windows and Linux software as well. Being the Mac boy that I am I have to say I’m glad they started with the OS X goodies. Guess I know what I’ll be doing on my vacation.