LicenseKeeper from Outer Level is one of those programs that everyone who has more than one purchased program can use. LicenseKeeper is a product key/license key manager, it stores lots of information on each license added to its database, you can attach emails and other documents plus information about an application’s developer.

LicenseKeeper will keep track of all your licenses in an easy to use application. When you first launch LicenseKeeper you’ll be greeted with the option to check for updates and send anonymous information to the publisher. To add a new application there are two ways, create it manually or import the application’s .app file to LicenseKeeper. If you use the second option LicenseKeeper will automatically add the version number, application icon and developer information. All this can be added or modified manually, and of course you’ll have to add the license key to the application record.

Outer Level has a trial version of LicenseKeeper available with a limitation on the number of entries you can have kept by LicenseKeeper, if you choose to buy a copy for yourself LicenseKeeper will set you back $19.95 USD from Outer Level’s store. If you’re like me and keep a plain text file with all your license keys, LicenseKeeper is an effective way to organize your license keys in a searchable database with some added bonuses like information about an application’s developer if the need for support arises.

Read more: LicenseKeeper from Outer Level.

Client Folder Maker is an application that will duplicate a folder and file structure in Finder. Once you setup a structure in your Mac’s System Preferences you can duplicate them as needed in Finder. Client Folder Maker consists of a System Preferences pane as well as an addition to the right-click contextual menu in Finder. Client Folder Maker is available for a single user at $14.75 USD, a three user license is available for $35 USD.

Client Folder Maker is geared towards people who need to create identical folder structures often. It allows for variables in the names of folder and file names. By placing text in braces {variable} you can assign a variable which you will be asked to assign when you initiate the creation process. 

The installation process for Client Folder Maker is easy, once you download the disk image and mount it, you’ll find two files: an installer and an uninstaller. The installer is a package and installs the contextual menu add-on for Finder as well as a preference pane in System Preferences. 

Setting up folder and file structures for Client Folder Maker is done in System Preferences and is easy. Add and drag the folders and files around, rename them and assign variables. Client Folder Maker does not sort new files or folders alphabetically, which can be annoying and confusing at first.

To create actual folders and files from your predefined structure in Client Folder Maker right click in Finder and choose More > Client Folder Maker > Your Structure. If you have any variables defined in your structure Client Folder Maker will ask you to assign values to your variables, see the image below for a screenshot of variable assignment.

Once the folders and files are created, all files will be empty. Some files have problems, for example files with the extension .png or .rtf cannot be opened by any editor, they must be overwritten (this happens to more than just PNGs and rich text files).

Client Folder Maker is only useful if you need to create the same file structure repeatedly, if you don’t need to duplicate a file structure then Client Folder Maker is not for you. For professionals Client Folder Maker’s price of $14.75 USD may be worth the saved time and ease.

More: Client Folder Maker and press release.

Speedy Mac is an application I came across the other day using a service called prMac. Speedy Mac was crated by Altomac, a software company that has three applications available on their site currently. From reading the press release Altomac sent out, Speedy Mac is described as an application designed to speedup your workflow, it is claimed that it will open documents, applications, folders and websites. Speedy Mac is sold by Altomac for a price of $27 USD, so I download the free trial of Speedy Mac and gave it a try.

What is Speedy Mac? Well it’s a program that adds an icon to your menu bar which lists recent and favorite documents, folders, websites and applications. Clicking on an item in menu will open it, Speedy Mac’s preferences allow you to add and remove favorite items. Speedy Mac is also available as a floating strip. In addition to opening files, folders and websites Speedy Mac also has a list of Tasks, which are an assortment of pre-installed and user expandable AppleScripts and Automator workflows.

Speedy Mac overall seems to be something I would have liked to know about when I first switched to the Mac, the best way I can describe Speedy Mac is that it’s a simplified Quicksilver. What I mean by that is that Speedy Mac aims to make simple tasks simpler and quicker. Quicksilver can be a little confusing to a new Mac user, and Speedy Mac seems to simplify some of Quicksilver’s most used features.

The install process for Speedy Mac is somewhat strange, in order to take advantage of all of Speedy Mac’s features you must enable assistive devices in System Preferences, something that caught me off guard and made me question the purpose of enabling this feature. When this is enabled, Speedy Mac will “watch” the websites and files you’ve recently opened and display them as recent items. Like Quicksilver, Speedy Mac launches an icon on your dock, but unlike Quicksilver, there is no option in the Preferences to hide the dock icon.

The two images above are the application icon and a screenshot provided by Altomac, below I have some screenshots of my own. I’m not sure that Speedy Mac is worth $27 USD, a lower price and I’d be more receptive of it, if you’re willing to learn a more advanced system, a free alternative is Quicksilver, otherwise checkout the free trial of Speedy Mac. I would recommend trying Quicksilver if Speedy Mac sounds like your type of app.

More: Speedy Mac on Altomac or Press Release.
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