Best Friend Mac OS
Internet technologies and protocols have witnessed continued development revolutionizing the way we connect and communicate with others. One such technology that has helped millions to connect and communicate with each other is the Internet Relay Chat better known as IRC.
Our best experiences are shared. We are currently piloting Mac OS support for AltspaceVR. Please note, this pilot is intended to help us better understand the feasibility of expanding AltspaceVR to Mac OS.
- VLC Media Player for Mac. Compatibility: Mac OS X 10.7.5 or newer. VLC Media Player, an uncluttered, open-source and cross-platform program, supports DivX and MPEG streaming. It can play DVDs, CDs, VCDs, network streaming protocols, and various types of video files. The best video player Mac offers playlist for viewing multiple videos one after.
- Calling all Macs: Why OS X Yosemite is your iPhone's new best friend. Here's how Apple's new feature to field iPhone calls on the Mac will work, and why you should care.
Today, there are numerous IRC Clients across various platforms that enable you to chat anywhere and anytime. These are the applications used for interacting with IRC chat-rooms on Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux platforms.
If this sounds interesting to you, then you are in the right place as we have come up with a presentation showcasing 10 Best IRC Clients for Windows, Mac, and Linux. These best IRC Clients will have you chatting in a matter of few seconds.
So, get ready to explore these best IRC Clients which can make chatting a pleasurable experience for you. These are all capable IRC Clients, easy to use, extremely lightweight and heavily customizable.
They are loaded with powerful features. You need to put some basic details, and server information, and you’re instantly connected.
For those of you who are new to Internet Relay Chat (IRC) technology, let me quickly take you through its description.
Simply put, the Internet Relay Chat or IRC is a protocol that facilitates communication between multiple networked computers. It is a network of channels connected all across forming chat rooms.
These channels are hosted by servers which allow different individuals to talk with each other on common interests or current topics.
It offers numerous other features, including data transfers, chat rooms, and private one-on-one messages. IRC took the Internet scene somewhere around 1988 and reached its peak in the 1990s and the early 2000s.
IRC used to be a big thing in the past allowing communication with others. However, it still continues to command a big following. The fact that there are numerous IRC Clients for all platforms has made it popular with people from all across the globe.
So, let us look at the top 8 Best IRC Clients for Windows, Mac, and LinuxThe coffee shop (pre-alpha) mac os. which are popular nowadays.
10 Top IRC Clients for Windows, Mac, & Linux
1. WeeChat (Linux, Windows, Mac OS X)
WeeChat is yet another very powerful IRC Client. It’s a cross-platform chat client that runs on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X. So, if you are looking for a powerful and fast IRC Client for Linux, Windows, or Mac OS X, then you should surely check out WeeChat.
WeeChat comes as a “feather-light” (IRC) Chat Client that can be extended according to your needs.
In fact, there are numerous Plugins and Scripts available for it.
Moreover, WeeChat consists of the core features.
Its main power comes from the numerous plugins and scripts that support it. Plus, the plugins, as well as the scripts, can be loaded/unloaded dynamically in real-time (to the program).
WeeChat comes with the extensive feature set.
It includes full multi-server capabilities.
It has built-in support for seven scripting languages.
It offers incremental text search, robust script manager, and dynamic file filtering.
These are some of the core features of WeeChat.
It is even loaded with customization capabilities.
It allows you to tweak colors for nicknames that have been based on status, backgrounds and similar stuff.
Plus, there’s IPv6, SSL, and proxy support.
It is modular with multi-protocol architecture.
WeeChat is fully documented and an active project.
Lastly, it’s fully extendible with optional plugins.
2. Pidgin (Windows, Linux, Mac OS X)
Pidgin which was formerly known as Gaim comes as a multi-protocol instant messaging client for Windows and BSD. It is compatible with IRC, Yahoo, AIM (Oscar and TOC protocols), MSN Messenger, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, ICQ, and Zephyr networks.
Pidgin is easy to use.
It’s a cross-platform chat client that allows users to connect with several chat networks at the same time.
Pidgin is much more than just an IRC Client.
Pidgin functions as an all-in-one program for Internet messaging.
Pidgin supports multiple chat networks such as IRC, AIM, Google Talk, XMPP, Bonjour, MSN Plus, and many more.
The Pidgin users can log in to multiple accounts simultaneously on multiple IM networks.
So, with Pidgin, you can chat with friends on AOL Instant Messenger, talk to a friend on Yahoo Messenger, and can sit in an IRC Channel all at the same time.
Pidgin is based on a library named libpurple that can support many instant messaging protocols.
It is widely used for its Off-the-Record Messaging (OTR) plugin. It offers end-to-end encryption.
Pidgin supports the following features:
- It’s free software with active development
- It supports multiple chat networks
- It’s highly extensible with plugins
- Integrates with system tray on GNOME and KDE
Pidgin is a free chat client used by millions.
3. mIRC (Windows)
Undoubtedly, mIRC is one of the most popular IRC Client for Windows PC. mIRC comes loaded with powerful features. mIRC is easy to use. You are required to enter some basic details, and server information, and you are set to go with mIRC. It provides the option to connect with one of the many random global IRC servers that are preconfigured with mIRC.
It provides many robust features, including multiple configurable buddy lists, connections to multiple servers, simultaneous file transfers, customizable notification sounds, system tray notification, and lots more. Besides these features, mIRC offers a powerful scripting language for automating tasks. mIRC is available as a shareware program offering a 30-day trial.
4. HexChat (Linux, Mac OS X, Windows)
HexChat is a completely free IRC Client for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux systems. Its ease of use, customizable interface, cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux) makes it one of the most sorts after and highly popular IRC Client. Plus, it is multi-lingual, open source, and in active development. It is best for those who are looking for a simple yet efficient IRC Client.
With HexChat, you get a minimal dual column UI, making communicating over IRC a pleasurable experience. When you are connected to a server, you get to retrieve the channel list by using the Server menu option and can connect to the available channels.
Plus, you can access the list of active users and can trigger individual operations like file transfer, check user info, etc. HexChat is highly customizable as it features built-in Python and Perl scripting support. Other features in HexChat include direct file transfers, proxy support, spell checker, keyboard shortcuts, and network meters.
5. IceChat (Windows)
IceChat proclaims itself as “The Chat Cool People Use.” And it is a claim well made as IceChat is a very popular and extremely capable IRC Client. It lets you chat in a matter of few seconds. You just have to enter a nickname, choose an IRC server to connect to, and you are ready to chat with your friends.
It offers many pre-configured global servers that you can connect with. Plus, it allows you to configure custom server settings. Moreover, it’s completely free, so if you don’t wish to shell out money on IRC Client, then simply go with IceChat.
IceChat is highly customizable. It allows you to tweak everything, including chat fonts, background colors, global application themes, and the nickname lists.
Plus, you get other standard features as well as custom notifications; VBS based scripting, multiple server & channel support, etc. Another interesting aspect of IceChat is the availability of many plugins for it. These plugins allow you to run Google searches, follow Twitter feeds, and lots more.
6. Textual (Mac)
Textual has the status of being one of the leading applications for interacting with IRC chat rooms on Mac OS X. The best thing about Textual is the fact that it has been developed just for Mac, so there are no compatibility issues with it. You can download Textual from the App Store itself. Textual proves one of the most powerful IRC client applications for Mac OS X. It is a breeze to use.
Moreover, Textual has a stunningly designed multi-column UI having dark and light variants which makes it a pure visual delight on Retina devices. Textual has been studded with a stunning range of features which makes it suitable for any level of IRC user. There are basic options like Native Notification Center, Native Fullscreen support, many keyboard shortcuts, and a number of other basic features that make it a quality IRC Client.
Textual is very simple and easy to use. It is ultra clean and has features that make it suitable for both IRC newbie and power-users. It is lightweight yet powerful IRC Client having native IPv6 support, client-side certificate authentication, and full compatibility with IRCv3 specifications. Textual also offers full-text formatting, iCloud synchronization of preferences, ZNC integration, and auto-completion of nicknames and commands. Another very important highlight of Textual is its focus on user privacy which is catered to by using the Off the Record Messaging technologies.
7. XChat Azure (Mac)
XChat Azure is another very powerful, feature rich, and easy to use IRC client application on Mac OS X. It provides an easy way to connect via the IRC networks on Mac OS X devices. It’s certainly a quality IRC client application and the one that you should definitely check out if you use a Mac.
The best part being that XChat Assure is free to use. Loaded with various powerful features, XChat Assure makes it possible for you to connect with multiple IRC servers and channels thereby giving you the opportunity to have both general and private conversations easily.
Plus, there are many regular goodies such as robust SSL support, full support for file transfers, and many useful keyboard shortcuts. And that’s not all; XChat Assure is an open source application. The full source code is hosted on GitHub.
8. Quassel IRC (Linux, Mac OS X, Windows)
Quassel IRC has been built on the philosophy of “Chat Comfortably. Everywhere.” And it does exactly what it is meant for helping you to have a pleasurable and comfortable chatting experience on all major platforms including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and Android Smartphones.
Quassel comes as a modern, cross-platform, and distributed IRC Chat Client based on the Qt4 framework. It is also open source IRC client application. Being graphical, Quassel IRC works more than a simple screen and text-based IRC Client. It makes communication with your peers an easy and enjoyable experience. Quassel is distributed under the GPL and is free to download IRC Client.
9. ADIIRC (Linux, Mac OS X, Windows)
ADIIRC is a free IRC Chat Client. The best part is that ADIIRC is frequently updated, so you get added features in its every new release. It is loaded with a bunch of solid features which makes it one of the best IRC Clients for Mac, Linux, and Windows platforms.
ADIIRC is fairly easy to use IRC Client. Some of its notable features include dual column UI, multiple server connections, file transfers, proxy and SSL support, full message logging, MTS themes, spellchecker, monitor panels, IRCv3 compatible, and much more.
10. Colloquy (Mac)
Colloquy is another very popular Mac IRC chat client that has the look and feel which you expect in a standard Mac app. It comes as free and open source IRC Client. Colloquy supports features that are usually needed by advanced users, including file transfer support, and even support for mIRC colors. Scripting is also supported via AppleScript.
Simply put, Colloquy proves an excellent solution for communicating over IRC when you are on Mac OS X. Colloquy offers auto-completion for nicknames, emoticons, as well as IRC commands.
Colloquy offers organized Colloquies showing all your conversations in a glance. It can also be configured to highlight messages when your nickname or some specific words are used in conversations. Plus, it offers a number of other handy features which go on to make Colloquy one of the best IRC Client for Mac.
We hope that this list of 10 Best IRC Clients for Windows, Mac, and Linux proves immensely useful to you. So, what’s your choice of IRC Client? Do let us know your preferred IRC Client in the comments section below. We always welcome your comments and suggestions. If you liked the post, please go on to share it with your friends and colleagues.
Which Mac operating system is the best is a topic of numerous debates among Apple fans.
Since the mission of this blog is to refute myths and legends around Macs, it’s time for me to provide my 2 cents about the issue on hand. While everything below is just my opinion, as a long-time Mac user and veteran software engineer, I hope my opinion worth something.
The best Mac OS version is the one that your Mac is eligible to upgrade to. In 2021 it is macOS Big Sur. However, for users that need to run 32-bit apps on Mac, the best macOS is Mojave. Also, older Macs would benefit if upgraded at least to macOS Sierra for which Apple still releases security patches.
How to Tell Which macOS You Are Running
To find out which macOS is currently running on your Mac, follow these steps:
- Click on Apple logo in the top left corner of the menubar
- In the dropdown click on the first item: About This Mac
- The first line in the Overview tab is the name of the current OS.
What Version of OS Can My Mac Run?
Not all Macs can be upgraded to the latest OS version. For instance, old Macs powered by PowerPC CPUs cannot run OS intended for Intel-based computers. Also, some versions have hardware limitations.
For instance, Mojave cannot be installed on MacBook Pro earlier than Mid 2012 model.
Check below to know exactly what version of OS your Mac can run.
Which OS is Best for my Mac
Anytime someone asks me which OS is best for them I always suggested going with the latest. Things have changed recently, however.
Should I Upgrade to macOS Catalina or Big Sur?
While personally I like macOS Big Sur and have it installed on my MacBook Pro, it comes with serious breaking changes.
The first issue is compatibility.
Big Sur is a transition OS which is designed to help Apple to move from Intel processors to their own chips on ARM.
After I installed Big Sur on my MacBook Pro mid 2020 (pre-Silicon), most of my apps, including Microsoft Office, were working as expected.
However, my VMWare Fusion 11 does not start anymore, so I have to purchase a new license if I want to keep using it (or roll back to Catalina). Luckily, I took a full backup before the upgrade.
The second breaking issue is the lack of 32-bit app support.
macOS Catalina and Big Sur can only run 64-bit apps.
If you wondering whether you should upgrade to macOS Catalina or Big Sur, first verify that you don’t have any 32-bit apps. But first, take a back up, so you can go back in case something breaks after the upgrade.
For instance, I had to remove uTorrent after upgrade. And I didn’t know that uTorrent is 32-bit!
How to Know If App is 32-bit or 64-bit
To find out whether the app on your Mac is 32-bit or 64-bit follow these steps:
- Click on Apple logo in the top left corner of the Mac screen
- Click on About This Mac option
- Click on System Report button in Overview tab (first one)
- Scroll down to Software -> Applications
- Find the app and check Kind
Which macOS Should I Use
If you have an older Mac which is not eligible to upgrade with some latest software or hardware, I’d suggest upgrading at least to Sierra (or better High Sierra) for the following reasons:
- Sierra is still supported by Apple, and it gets security updates
- APFS file system is available
- It supports Siri
- Significant security improvements
The most important point when choosing the best OS is the ability to get security updates. While Apple generally does not announce the OS end of life dates, it is possible to know when they stop releasing security updates from this page.
For instance, according to the page, the last security update for OS X Yosemite was released on September 12, 2017. The last update for OS X El Capitan was in July 2018, and Carnegie Mellon University confirmed that El Capitan’s end of life date was August 2018.
Snow Leopard Myth
I know that some users on forums believe that the best OS version for Macs was Snow Leopard. But that is a myth. And I know how such myths get created.
Once I worked in the company, which was selling a 20-year old product. And customers were still using and didn’t want to switch to new versions, because the old one was rock solid.
I then talked to the engineer who worked on the project, and he revealed that the product was a total disaster when it was first deployed. Engineers had to work on-site for almost a year in order to fix all bugs.
After five or so years of polishing the product, it becomes virtually bug-free, and nobody now remembers how bad it was when it was first rolled out. A similar thing happened Snow Leopard, and it was recognized as best mac os version after some time.
How to Update to the Latest Version
There are two ways to update to the latest OS version on Mac:
- From the Software Update section in System Preferences
- Use a download link
Using Software Update
This is by far the best option, but it only available if you have Yosemite, or later OS installed already. If you enabled automatic updates, then Mac will inform you that the next macOS is available.
Just open System Preferences, go to Software Update and click on the Upgrade Now button.
This method is also best if wondering how to check if you have the latest version of OS installed on your Mac. Only the version compatible with your hardware will appear here.
For instance, my the latest version for Mac Mini 2012 is Mojave, I can’t install anything newer than that.
If you are having problems with updates or having issues post-upgrade check my post about troubleshooting macOS.
Using download links
For older systems or in case you need to downgrade, you have to download a standalone installer in DMG format. DMG stands for disk image, similar to ISO, just different formats.
After downloading the installer, just double click on it and follow instructions. Again, do not forget to take a backup before the upgrade.
Mac OS Comparisons: Requirements, Features, Compatibility, Download Links
Following is a high-level description of all Mac operating systems as early as Mountain Lion.
You can refer to those descriptions when deciding which operating system is best for your iMac, Mac Pro, Mac mini, or MacBook.
With each OS description, I included a list of Macs supported. However, you can use Mac OS compatibility checker for more detailed information.
macOS 11 Big Sur
macOS v11 (codename Big Sur) is the latest version of the operating system for Apple computers.
Release date: October 13, 2020
Hardware Requirements: RAM requirement 4GB. Big Sur is the first OS to support new Macs using ARM technology (in the future).
Features
- The biggest design refresh since macOS X.
- Support for new ARM processors.
- Safar improved performance and power consumption.
- Time Machine supports backup to APFS volumes.
- One-click translation for 7 languages.
- Redesigned maps
Software Compatibility Issues
Only 64-bit apps are allowed to run on Big Sur.
How to install
There are two ways to install Big Sur: enable automatic updates in System Preferences or download by using the following link.
Or check my post with tips on installing macOS on unsupported devices.
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Big Sur
- MacBook (2015 and later)
- MacBook Air (2013 and later)
- MacBook Pro (2013 and later)
- Mac mini (2014 and later)
- iMac models (2014 and later)
- iMac Pro (2017 and later)
- Mac Pro (2013 and later)
macOS 10.15 Catalina
Release date: October 7, 2019
Hardware Requirements: RAM requirement increased from 2GB to 4GB.
Features
- Introduced Sidecar, which allows for Macs to use an iPad as an external display.
- iTunes was replaced by separate apps: Music, Podcasts, and TV.
- Find My Mac and Find My Friends have merged into one app.
Software Compatibility Issues
macOS Catalina is the first Mac operating system that does not support 32-bit applications. Only 64-bit apps are allowed to run on Catalina.
How to install
There are two ways to install Catalina: enable automatic updates in System Preferences or download by using the following link.
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Catalina
- MacBook (Early 2015 or later)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or later)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or later)
- Mac mini (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac models (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac Pro (All models)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
macOS 10.14 Mojave
Release date: September 24, 2018
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 18.5GB free space on disk
Features
- The main feature of Mojave is “Dark Mode”
- FaceTime adds group feature which allows chatting with up to 32 people
- News, Stocks, Voice Memos, and Home apps were ported from iOS to Mac.
How to install
If your Mac is eligible to update to Mojave, then the easiest way to install it is by enabling automatic updates. Downloading a standalone Mojave installer could be a little tricky.
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Mojave
- MacBook (Early 2015 or later)
- MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or later)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or later)
- Mac mini (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac (Late 2012 or later)
- iMac Pro (All models)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013 and 2010-2012 models with upgraded GPU)
macOS 10.13 High Sierra
Release date: September 25, 2017 Build the oasis: city mac os.
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 14.3GB free space on disk
Best Friend Mac Os X
Features
- APFS (Apple File System) becomes the default file system in High Sierra. It’s a significant upgrade from the older HFS+ in terms of speed, size, and security
- iCloud support of Messages which allows sync messages of the account across multiple devices
- Mail app uses 35% less storage space due to optimizations
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS High Sierra
- MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
- Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
- iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
How to install
Here is a High Sierra download link.
macOS 10.12 Sierra
This is the first macOS version. Previous OS versions for Macs were called OS X (X stands for 10).
Release date: September 20, 2016
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Features
- Siri was introduced to Macs
- Optimized storage with iCloud sync
- Auto-lock feature allows unlocking MacBook with paired Apple Watch
- APFS preview available
- Disk Utility can manage RAID sets again
- Significant security improvements
How to install
Here is a Sierra download link.
List of Apple computers compatible with macOS Sierra
- MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
- Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
- iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
OS X 10.11 El Capitan
Last OS X version.
Release date: September 30, 2015
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Features
- System Integrity Protection – a security feature that protects even when the root user executes the process
- Performance improvements: open PDF files four times faster, Mail is twice faster, launching apps 40% faster
- Notes app similar to the app in iOS
Macs compatible with OS X El Capitan
same as OS Mountain Lion.
How to install
Here is El Capitan download link.
OS X 10.10 Yosemite
Release date: October 16, 2014
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Macs compatible with OS X Yosemite
Same as OS Mountain Lion.
Features
- Major user design overhaul
- Introduction of Handoff and Continuity features
- Photos app replaced iPhoto and Aperture
How to install
Here is Yosemite download link.
OS X 10.9 Mavericks
First free Mac OS. Previous OS versions vary from $19.99 to $129.
Release date: October 22, 2013
Hardware Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Features
- Compressed Memory feature automatically compresses inactive apps when approaching maximum memory capacity
- Timer coalescing is a feature that reduces CPU usage by up to 72 percent
- App Nap puts apps that are not currently visible to sleep
Macs compatible with OS X Mavericks
Same as OS Mountain Lion.
How to install
OS X Mavericks installer is not available on Apple Site. Follow instructions here to install Mavericks.
OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion
Must be purchased. Fixed many bugs introduced in OS X Lion.
Release date: July 25, 2012
System Requirements: 2GB RAM and 8GB free space on disk
Best Friend Mac Os Catalina
Features
- New apps: Notification Center, Notes, Messages, Game Center
- AirPlay mirroring allowed to mirror Mac screen to Apple TV
- Application updates automatically install from the App Store
List of Apple computers compatible with OS X Mountain Lion
- iMac (Mid-2007 or newer)
- MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
- Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
- Xserve (Early 2009)
Best Friend Mac Os Download
How to install
Mountain Lion installer is not available on Apple Site. Follow instructions here to install OS X Mountain Lion.
List of older Mac OS Versions
Following Mac OS versions are still running on older Macs, but Apple does not support them anymore, and there is no point to upgrade (or downgrade) to them:
- OS X 10.7 Lion
- OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
- Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
- Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger
- Mac OS X 10.3 Panther
- Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar
- Mac OS X 10.1 Puma
- Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah