What surprised me is how many essential applications and functions were missing from OS X (10.5.7), when compared to a default install of Ubuntu (9.04).

Here’s the list of essential software to bring OS X to the same level as Ubuntu 9.04:

• Adium multi-protocol chat client
• Growl desktop notifications
• MenuCalendarClock a better menu bar calendar
• GoogleNotifier gmail notifier for the menu bar
• iStat menus System resource graphs for the menu bar
• Transmission BitTorrent client
• VLC a video player that plays anything (almost)
• RealPlayer because VLC can’t play some RealPlayer content
• OpenOffice because Microsoft Office is too expensive

Whilst installing all this software, I noticed what a pain it was, compared to the simple ‘apt’ or Synaptic in Ubuntu. If only there was a package management system for OS X that would allow me to install all the software I want.

On top of the essential software above, I installed the following, to get me to my minimum machine specification:

• Tweetie Twitter client
• FruitMenu allows you to customise your Apple menu
• Firefox because Safari just doesn’t cut it
• MacVIM for editing code
• Netbeans for Java ME development
• Mpowerplayer SDK because Sun don’t produce an OS X version of the Java ME tools themselves
• Rubymine for Ruby development
• Git source control
• gitx superior gitk/git-gui clone for OS X
• FFXporter Free Flickr eXporter iPhoto plugin
• ffmpegx for all your video conversion needs
• Fugu SFTP/SCP client
• Facebook Exporter for iPhoto

If I ever need to rebuild this Mac, it’s going to be a real pain downloading and installing all those applications again.