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One great thing about the Internet, is that you can shop for those last - minute gifts right up to Christmas Eve without having to brave your way through malls full of fellow procrastinators, finding that what you want is out of stock, and the problem of on time delivery. That is, if you have some Mac users on your list. While a gift of software or shareware might not have the same traditional "feel," as a physical gift that you can wrap up and place under the tree, surveys indicate that roughly one-third of those sort of gifts are unwanted by their recipients, and end up unused. You should be able to find a software gift for a computer user that will be appreciated and used long after the lights are taken down and the tree is a pleasant memory. And a nice card with a note explaining that the software license has been purchased along with a download URL can go still go under the tree or in a Christmas stocking. Here are my personal, totally arbitrary suggestions for downloadable software gifts in several price ranges. It is not meant to be exhaustive or comprehensive, but does only include titles that I would be interested in receiving myself. I have also tried to stick with general use software that will appeal to a wide range of Mac users. $0.00 - $10.00
SpellTools 1.3.3 This one is actually still freeware, although developer Craig Marciniak says"I am releasing this version on the honor system with the hope you will pay for the forthcoming update. Of course, I certainly wouldn't mind if you wanted to send me $10.00 via snail-mail now." SpellTools is a freestanding spell checker and text correction tool that is ideal for use with e-mail applications, and for folks like me who prefer to use light, nimble, text editors for word crunching chores rather than big, full fledged Word processors. SpellTools gives you a suite of text tools available to virtually all your applications, like Prooflistening, rubber stamps, and text cleanup and editing tools in addition to a powerful spellchecker engine. A small floating palette appears when it the program active, and contains all the Text Tools. I'll have to take their word for it, since I can't get the palette to appear. I really like SpellTools, and save for its lack of a thesaurus, I prefer the way it works to the more expensive SpellCatcher (see below). SpellTools 1.3.3 (supports up to OS 8.6) can be downloaded here: http://www.newertech.com/software/spelltools/index.html The OS 9 updater for SpellTools is available here (along with details on where to send that ten dollar shareware fee if you are so inclined):
Style 1.8 Speaking of text editors, Style is a very nice scriptable text editor for the Macintosh that picks up where SimpleText leaves off, adding some powerful formatting capabilities that make it an ideal mini-word processor. Style handles formatted text, in which each character can have its own font, size, style and color, and each paragraph can have its own alignment, line spacing and margins. It also lets you embed pictures and sound within the text. Unlike SimpleText, Style documents aren't limited to 32K but only to available memory. Style is also fully scriptable, so you can add your own commands by writing scripts (or having Style write them for you). Scripts can be used to automate basic actions (like capitalizing bold text) or to accomplish complex tasks (like turning any document into a web page). Style is $10 shareware , and can be registered online. For more information, visit:
To read my full review of Style (version 1.6.1), visit:
$10.00 - $20.00
Znippetizer 1.2.4 Instant Drag And Drop Database Tool Totte Alm's Znippetizer is a drag and drop tool that stores all your code or text snippets, in an organized way in a database. The database is searchable, and you will always have your "must have" code/text/FAQ just a mouseclick away. 
System requirements:
Znippetizer is $15.00 shareware. For more information, visit:
To read my full review of Znippetizer, visit:
Tex-Edit Plus 4.0.3 Tom Bender's Tex-Edit Plus is the text editor that I personally like best and use for about 95 percent of my word processing and HTML editing. Indeed I'm using it right now to write and prepare this article for Web publishing. Tex-Edit Plus is a scriptable, styled text editor that fills the gap between Apple's bare-bones SimpleText and a full-featured word processor. It's fast, efficient, and has a clean, uncluttered interface. It's also great for cleaning up text which is transmitted over the Internet. Tex-Edit can also be customized into a powerful, mission-specific, text-cruncher and HTML editor through the use of its superb AppleScript implementation. Tex Edit Plus just keeps getting better and better, but my flat-out favorite Tex Edit feature is its wonderful implementation of AppleScript. There are many other Mac programs that support AppleScript, but I have not yet encountered one that does it with the simplicity and elegance of Tex Edit Plus, which is scriptable, recordable, and uses a fantastically well executed AppleScript menu. Consequently, Tex Edit plus is the benchmark by which I judge all other Mac OS text editors and word processors. You can write or record your own AppleScripts, or visit Doug Adams' AppleScripts For Tex-Edit Plus Archives http://www.malcolmadams.com/te/ and choose from hundreds of free AppleScripts posted there (including some written by me :-) ) System requirements:
Tex-Edit Plus is $15.00 shareware For more information, visit:
To read my full review of Tex-Edit Plus, (older version), visit:
MP3 Strip 1.0.3 CSM To Play Audio MP3 Files Kanex Group Inc.'s MP3 Strip is a Control Strip Module that lets you play audio MP3 files. The MP3 Strip application is very small, perhaps the smallest program of its kind (about 100KB). Having installed it you won't have to browse across the windows on your desktop to change songs, play or stop it.  Some MP3 players may play back MP3 files with a stammer, which Kanex claims never happens to MP3 Strip. Anyone on your Christmas list who plays MP3 s on their Mac, would appreciate a gift of MP3 Strip. System requirements:
MP3 Strip is $15.00 shareware. For more information, visit:
TypeIt4Me 4.8.1 TypeIt4Me is quick, easy, and intuitive to configure, and rather than getting in the way, it streamlines operations remarkably, especially for folks who suffer from typing pain. If you know anyone like that who doesn't already have TypeIt4Me, I know we would be a much appreciated gift.  TypeIt4Me 4.8.1 is a Control Panel that allows you to define a set of abbreviations for specified words or phrases that they represent by copying them to the Clipboard and then choosing "Add An Entry" from the TypeIt4Me menu on the Finder's menu bar (you can also create entries directly in the "Edit Entry" dialog box). When you type the abbreviation (or select it from TypeIt4Me's pop up menu) and hit the assigned trigger key, the Mac expands the entry as you continue typing. For example, I frequently type my name, so with TypeIt4Me I have assigned it the abbreviation "ch." Now when I type "ch" and stroke the spacebar, the two letters change to "Charles W. Moore. When I want to sign off an email message, I can just type "ce" and the Mac will type: Charles W. Moore
And so on. TypeIt4Me entries can be as short as a single character (they can be even be shorter than the abbreviation) or as long as a boilerplate paragraph. Once you define an abbreviation, it is available anywhere text can be typed -- in word processors, Web browsers, paint programs, the Finder, address books, email clients, or any application. The latest TypeIt4Me version 4.8.1 supports MacOS versions 7.0 through 9.0.4. TypeIt4Me is shareware/demoware and sells for $27. For more information, visit:
To read my full review of TypeIt4Me, visit:
SweetMail 2.0.3 SweetMail is an e-mail client for the Macintosh with a very attractive, customizable interface, and works a lot like Eudora Light -- high praise coming from me -- only modernized and enhanced with a slew of appearance and efficiency features.  SweetMail supports multiple email accounts and threading, and is also very fast, small, and has low RAM demands. It saves messages in a text file that you can open with SimpleText. I've been using SweetMail for several months now, and have encountered no cause to alter my original very positive assessment of this little application, whose name is accurately descriptive. If you know someone on your Christmas list who hasn't ventured beyond Eudora Light or the bloated Outlook Express, SweetMail would be a revelation to them. System requirements:
SweetMail is $18.00 shareware. For more information, visit:
You can read my review of SweetMail (ver. 1.9.3) here:
TextSpresso 1.8 TextSpresso is an intuitive, powerful text filtering application for Mac OS with over 180 built in filters and 9 user editable filter types. Use TextSpresso to clean up E-mails, downloaded Web pages, PC text files, and more. TextSpresso also includes filters which prepare text for publishing and can replace publishing tools costing up to $100. TextSpresso can even filter text from within other applications! Why buy a half dozen different text cleaning utilities when one will do it all? TextSpresso is $29 demoware. For more information, visit:
Pepper 3.5 Pepper is another text editor -- one that is especially oriented toward users who are interested in programming. With Pepper, you can use the full Perl syntax to do regular expression searches, you can make rectangular selections and cut/copy/paste them. You can have your HTML/C/Pascal/etc files syntax styled. This not only means that you can select which color you want each syntax element to be colored, but also the font, size and style to be used.  Pepper's developer Hekkelman Programmatuur says that Pepper tries to be as comfortable as possible. No modal dialogs, no desktop-cluttering floating windows, no wise guy who is going to tell you how your keys should be configured, no System 7 look-and-feel, etc. The claimed goal of Pepper was to create a very powerful editor, which would still feel natural in use. One Pepper innovation is the Accelerator, although he idea of having a way to enter pieces of text easily by typing some keystroke or clicking a button isn't a new one. What is new is the fact that the Accelerator combines these both actions in a user configurable way. Just use the Accelerator Editor to add your favorite pieces of text, optionally assign a shortcut to them and bind them to a language. When you need these items you can access them quickly by typing the shortcut for the Accelerator and a translucent menu-like pane will scroll into view and gives you instant access to all the options. Pepper is $45 shareware For more information, visit:
You can read my review of Pepper here:
Audion 2.0 Audion is a single software tool that handles all your audio playing needs, now rebuilt from the ground up. with Audion you can play Audio CDs, your MP3s, and your streaming network audio, and now encode, edit, mix, sort and manage. Features:
System requirements:
Audion is $19.95 (player; $32.95 w/ encoder) shareware. For more information, visit:
Eudora 5.0.1 Eudora is the Great Granddaddy of all Mac e-mail clients, and in my opinion it is still unsurpassed for serious, heavy-duty e-mail management, but still small and nimble enough to be a great choice for the average user as well.  Eudora has every feature you are likely to need in an e-mail client, and a lot more besides. There is too much to address adequately in this capsule format, so if you are not familiar with Eudora, please check out my full review here:
Eudora is available in three modes, a partially disabled free "light" mode; a full featured advertising sponsored version; and a paid commercial software version. If you have someone on your Christmas list who is using Eudora in the light or sponsored modes, I'm sure they would be delighted to have the registration fee paid and eliminate the streamed advertisements and periodic solicitations to upgrade to the paid version. The registration fee for Eudora is $49.95 For more information, visit:
Spell Catcher 8.1 The Cadillac (Mercedes/Lexus) of freestanding spellcheck programs is Casady & Greene's powerful and feature-laden Spell Catcher 8 for Macintosh v8.1.
Spell Catcher 8 is much more than a spell checker, and its user interface facilitates looking up definitions, pronunciations, thesaurus entries, spell checking, and more. Spell Catcher 8 has spelling dictionaries that support 8 different languages including US English, UK English, French, Canadian French, German, Swiss-German, Italian and Spanish. It is extremely convenient to have a permanent spell check menu that works in all applications. The program includes Modify Selected modules, such as Strip Characters, Strip White Space, and Word Count for quick and easy text manipulation. You can combine these modules into powerful and speedy Macros to handle such tasks as email cleaning and formatting text copied from a Web browser. With Spell Catcher 8, while typing in English, you can look up words in both a thesaurus and dictionary. Spell Catcher 8.1 For Mac System Requirements are as follows: Mac OS 8.1 or higher At least 3 MB of available memory At least 15 MB of available hard drive space. Spell Catcher 8.1 has a suggested retail price of $49.00. For more information about Spell Catcher 8.1, visit:
You can read my review of Spell Catcher 8.1 here:
GraphicConverter 4.0 Lemke Software doesn't release full version upgrades of its spectacularly popular do-all graphics editing and file type conversion software every day. GraphicConverter 4.0 is a shareware Graphics conversion and editing product that can facilitate the handling and translation of over a hundred different file formats (see list below). My guess is that probably something less than 5 percent of people who own Adobe Photoshop actually need the incredible power it offers. For the rest of us GraphicConverter or Color It! (see below) are much more sensible solutions. As my friend Chris Long observes:
Well said, Chris. Key features of GraphicConverter:
System requirements:
Graphics converter is $35.00 shareware For more information, visit:
Color It! 4.1 While Chris Long Means to GraphicConverter, which is a superb program, my favorite image editing program for general use is Color It! 4.1, which is sort of like a much smaller, radically less expensive, slimmed down, but still very powerful version of Photoshop. Color It! Even supports Photoshop plug ins. Of course it is not nearly as powerful as Photoshop, but it will do with everything that I would ever want to do with Photoshop, and substantially more besides. I have been using Color It! for about six years, and I love it.  Color It! opens a wide variety of file formats, offers 16 levels of undo, and supports pressure-sensitive tablets and Photoshop-compatible plug-ins for scanners and filters. A customizable tools palette, animated GIF and image map creation, clipping paths, levels, curves, CMYK four-color separations, and a bevy of built-in filters including ones to remove scratches, dust and red eye are just some of the powerful features. Ideal for smaller RAM configurations, Color It! 4.1 requires any color-capable Macintosh or Power Macintosh (68020 processor or greater, or a PowerPC chip) running MacOS System 7.0 or later with at least 3MB of RAM and a hard drive with at least 5MB of available space. Color It! 4.1 is available in both shrink-wrapped CD-ROM and Web download versions for a mere $49.95. For more information, visit:
Nisus Email 1.0.9 Nisus Software says: "See why critics such as Charles W. Moore of Applelinks.com says 'I'm giving Nisus Email a Moore's Views & Reviews Rating of five stars out of five ... it works as advertised, and the way it works makes me smile.'" It's still making me smile, and the quick send feature just rocks. Nisus Software currently has Nisus Email 1.0.9 on sale for 15% off the regular price of $29.95 here:
You can read my full review of Nisus Email 1.0.9 here:
$50.00 - $100.00
Nisus Writer 6.0.1 Nisus calls its Nisus Writer 6.0.1, which now supports older 68K Macs as well as PowerPC. "the number one multilingual word processor for the Macintosh," which is an accurate description. Along with the Apple Language Kits (found on the Mac OS 9 CD) and Nisus's own Dictionary Collection CD, Nisus Writer gives you a complete multilingual writing solution. Features in Nisus Writer 6 include;
System Requirements
Nisus Writer 6 sells for $99.95 US, or $49.95 for an upgrade from any previous version of Nisus Writer. A competitive upgrade price of $69.95 US is also available. You can also download a 30-day demo of Nisus Writer 6.0.1 from the Nisus Website or download an older version of Nisus Writer (4.6.1) for free. For more information, visit:
You can read my full review of Nisus Writer 6 at:
iListen 1.0.1 Dictation Software Macintosh speech recognition specialists, MacSpeech, Inc., have released their Mac-only iListen 1.0.1, its long-awaited next generation speech recognition program. I am a heavy user of dictation software, and since I installed my copy of iListen 1.0.1 I have not started up ViaVoice even once. iListen is designed to be the speech recognition software for the rest of us," said MacSpeech Chief Evangelist Chuck Rogers. "Its ability to stay in the background and allow the user to dictate into virtually any Macintosh application will set a new standard for the industry." iListen utilizes " TalkAnywhere" dictation technology, which converts spoken words into type written text and characters anywhere a Macintosh user would normally type. iListen 1.0 is being sold for the introductory price of $99 without a headset, and includes a free upgrade to the next version, which is promised for sometime in the first half of 2001. The software is available from MacSpeech's web site. It can be downloaded immediately. The minimum system requirements cited for iListen are:
For more information or to download, visit:
You can read my full review of iListen 1.0.1 at:
Merry Christmas!
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