Here are some freeware downloads and other useful odds and ends
Mac Applications
iBraille, a Braille translation program from Index of Sweden
Please note that this application has not been updated in quite some time and has only successfully ben used with Index embossers to my knowledge.
Spark, an application for creating keyboard shortcuts
This application can be used to assign user defined shortcuts for various actions, including launching applications and Apple scripts.
The Adium chat client for the Mac (version 1.3.10)
This is a chat client that will allow you to use AIM, .mac, MSN, Yahoo, Google Talk, Jabber and other chat services. It is fully VoiceOver compatible, and is easy to use. Audio and speech notifications can be easily customized by the user.
The Adium chat client for the Mac (version 1.4.1)
This is a chat client that will allow you to use AIM, .mac, MSN, Yahoo, Google Talk, Jabber and other chat services. It is fully VoiceOver compatible, and is easy to use. Audio and speech notifications can be easily customized by the user.
Growl for the Mac
This application can be used in conjunction with Adium, Skype and other applications to enable audio alerts and spoken notifications to enhance their use with VoiceOver.
Growl-1.1.4.dmg
Open Office for the Mac, a Productivity Suite
This is a suite of applications comparable to Microsoft Office, which includes a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation application and other features. It is, for the most part, completely or almost completely VoiceOver compatible. It is open source, and is a fantastic alternative to MS Office.
Components to enable the playing of FLAC formatted audio files in QuickTime
The following 2 items are components so one can play FLAC audio files in QuickTime Player. Please refer to the readme documentation for both components for information on where to copy the files.
flac_import_0.5b1_p0.1.dmg
RAR Expander for the Mac
RAR Expander is an application that will enable access to .rar compressed files on the Mac.
rar_expander_v084.dmg
Make Ringable
Make Ringable is a handy little application you copy into your iTunes script folder that will allow you to easily make ring tones. Please see the provided documentation for details on its proper use.
Workflows and Apple Scripts for the Mac
A work flow for moving files and folders in Finder
This work flow should be copied to your users/library/workflows/applications/finder/ folder and will then show up under the context menu in Finder.
A workflow in both workflow and application formats for saving mail attachments in Apple Mail
The Workflow can be placed in your users/library/scripts/ folder and be found if you have the Apple Script menu visible in the Status Menu area. Both the script or application versions can also be used in conjunction with Keyboard Commander to create a keyboard shortcut to run, such as shift-right option-s or something like that, as well as being used with an application like, Spark, for assigning a keyboard combination to launch it.
A workflow for copying webpages into text
This workflow can be places in your /users/library/scripts and will take the contents of a webpage and create a Text Edit text document containing it.
An Apple Script for Speaking Battery Status
Copy this Apple script into your /users/library/scripts/ folder. You can assign a keyboard command to it using the custom command option of the VoiceOver Keyboard Commander or use an application like, Spark, to assign a keyboard combination to activate it. It will speak the current battery status of your Mac Book, Mac Book Pro or Mac Book Air.
An Apple Script For Converting Alphabetic Telephone Numbers into Numbers
Copy this Apple script into your /users/library/scripts/ folder. You can assign a keyboard command to it using the custom command option of the VoiceOver Keyboard Commander or use an application like, Spark, to assign a keyboard combination to activate it. You simply enter a telephone number that is in alphabetic format and it will present the numeric form of that number. For example, 1800-mattres = 1800-6288737.
Vanity Script
Create To Do Workflow
Copy this workflow into your /users/library/services/ folder and then activate it in the Keyboard Shortcuts tab in the Services category in the Keyboard pane of System Preferences. You can assign a shortcut keyboard command there, though you will find it in the Services menus of your applications. By running it, you can create very quick and easy to do items for iCal by tabbing through the selections and customizing the event as to your needs, such as a title, a specific calendar (home, work, etc), a time and date and if you’d like any kind of audio or email notification, just as you’d do in making a new event in iCal.
An Apple script for showing the downloads window in OS X Lion
Since the downloads window in Safari is not shown by default when you start a download and it is not always easy to find the button to view your downloads, here is an apple script that can be used with a keyboard shortcut to toggle the downloads window to be viewed. You can assign a keyboard shortcut using Keyboard Commander or a third party application such as Spark. I would like to give credit to the person who wrote this script, as I got it from someone else, so if anyone knows, please contact me and I’ll add a note here.
Note that this script must be places in your ~/library/scripts/applications/safari/ folder, and when it is run for the first time, you will be asked to authenticate with your password to use UI scripts. Once you do this for the first time, the script will work with the keyboard command you assign to it.
Hi,
I tried to download move.workflow from the Downloads page, and received a permission denied error. I’d love to have this, as it seems a useful little utility.
All the best,
Zack.
The file Move.workflow has been corrected. It is now a ZIP file. It should download correctly now. Please forgive the minions that John keeps behind the scenes at MacForTheBlind.com!
-The MFTB Minions