People sometimes ask me how I find out about new versions of the software I use. Since I use a Mac, there are several options such as MacUpdate, Version Tracker, and different Mac blogs. However, the best one isn’t any of those, its a site called I Use This.
I Use This is a very unique approach to software management, because it adds an element of social networking to it. Basically, when you create a (free) account, you go through the VERY comprehensive IUseThis application directory and select the software you use. To speed up this process, you can browse the list of applications by their popularity, and then search for the ones you didn’t necessarily find in the list. For an example, you can check out my IUseThis profile, here. You can even add friends, and browse the apps they use to see if there’s any new apps you don’t have.
That’s great Eugene, very nifty, but how do I get updates on the software I use? Well, once you create an account, and pick the software you use, IUseThis automatically generates an RSS feed for you that you can subscribe to, issuing a new post to you when there’s an update for one of the the apps on your list (see my post on RSS if you don’t know about it). Very cool. But it doesn’t just stop there, you can also subscribe to any member’s feed, so you can get updates even when you don’t have an account.
Although IUseThis is currently for Mac only, they are reportedly working on a Windows side, so stay tuned. Either way, check IUseThis out, and stay in the know!
Also, as a sidenote:
I wish I had a cool total number of posts posted to tell you about. I wish I had done this post a while ago, considering the anniversary is almost over. But, nonetheless, June marks the one year anniversary of Interesting Finds, and I am pleased to offer more than 50 posts (58 to date!) with tips for Mac, Windows, and everything in between. Hope you’ve enjoyed it, and as always, I’m always happy to receive feedback!