Mac software for scientists

In this page you’ll find links for software that I find particularly useful for my day-to-day work on my mac. I continuously update this page so add it to your bookmarks and come back from time to time ;-)

Editing

  • MacVIM is a very nice editor for coding, I use it every day, very efficient.
  • QtCreator is my favorite IDE for C/C++ code development. Very light, efficient and beautiful, it is also portable as it exists for Windows, Linux and Mac.
  • Fraise : Smultron is not free anymore, let’s use ‘Fraise’. I use it for quick editing
  • Texshop is my Latex editor

Version Control

  • Git is a very good version control software. Very useful to keep track of history changes and work in parallel on multiple branches of your projects, and collaborate with colleagues !
  • I use SourceTree as a graphical interface for my git repositories. It is very intuitive and greatly simplifies and enhances my (otherwise limited) usage of git. SourceTree comes for Mac and Windows only, I wish they would develop a Linux version for colleagues..

Terminal

Utilities

  • AppCleaner : Uninstall your applications and their conf files by just dropping the app in the garbage
  • Disk Inventory X : Tree Map of the files on your disk, great to quickly visualize your stuff when you feel it needs cleaning…
  • Onyx : Great tool for your mac maintenance
  • Macports is program that makes your life easy when it comes to install/upgrade open source software on your mac

Network

  • Chicken is a VNC client for mac, I use it almost every day
  • Filezilla : The best FTP client I’ve found so far

Productivity

  • MindNode : A great mind mapping software. I use it to organize my understanding of scientific literature on particular topics, and also to organize the hundreds of simulations I’m doing.
  • Notebook : I note everything here, from boring bash commands I can’t remember to physics stuff… Well… it’s my notebook!

Papers, talks…

  • Papers : Great app for managing your papers, books, etc. Synchronization with the Ipad App !
  • MacTex : the latex distribution and softwares, includes TexShop, bibtex and LatexIt among other stuff
  • Apple Keynote is the best tool I’ve used so far to make presentation slides.

Scientific tools

  • Gnuplot : Fast efficient plotting program
  • Wolfram Alpha is an amazing tool that I use make quick algebra, plots, and physical unit conversions.

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