Please help me choose a plain text editor

Hello!

I always write my drafts in Drafts and my longer texts in iA Writer.

Every now and then, I need to open the .txt files I create in the project folders in Finder (supporting materials and task descriptions).

I’d like something more visually appealing than the native TextEdit.

I found an app by Sindre Sorhus, whose SuperCharge helps me create text files in Finder, called Plain Text Editor.



Description from the website:

How is the macOS version better than TextEdit?

\- Editor padding

\- Optimal line spacing and length

\- Word count

\- Hide the title bar

\- Translucent background

\- Window can stay on top

\- Force dark/light mode

\- Brain dump mode



Will this app settle the matter of a plain text editor?

I really like the programs from the esteemed Sindre and really want to support him with a purchase. At any other time, I would buy it without hesitation, but things are a bit tight right now, so I’ve decided to play it safe.



P.S. If the esteemed Amerpie has tested this app and could provide a brief comparison with TextEdit and, for example, Drafts—which I’m already quite familiar with—I’d be doubly grateful.

Please help me decide.

Thank you!

https://redd.it/1taxi8j
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Zip & Rar files handling

Coming from Windows, Winrar and 7z are the best in the platform but when i got a Macbook, i still suffer from extraction or compressing files. I tried keka and peazip but still not get that snappy and easy way of doing this simple task.

Can you recommend me any other app beside these or tell me how to get the best of them in case i am using them wrong ? thank you

https://redd.it/1taznx0
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Snaply - Free and Private AI app for your Mac

https://redd.it/1tb0c03
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SideNotes 1.6 is here: folding notes, pinning notes & folders, new settings, and lots of other improvements

https://redd.it/1tazw1w
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I built a private journal for the people in my life. not personal crm or something. kinda a life archive - feedbacks will be helpful.

https://redd.it/1tb25ws
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Bartender Enters a New Era with Top Shelf

For the past few weeks, I've been beta testing a new release of Bartender; an app with an interesting, and at times slightly controversial, history. Despite that, it's a utility I've relied on for years. I recently did a deep dive into the problems macOS changes have created for menu bar managers and what those changes mean going forward. Even with a few lingering issues in the category, I still came away viewing Bartender as the best overall option for serious Mac users.

The new release, called Bartender Pro, expands beyond traditional menu bar management with a feature called Top Shelf. The idea is simple: turn the MacBook notch into something genuinely useful instead of leaving it as dead space. The developers are entering an increasingly crowded area occupied by apps like Droppy and DynamicLake Pro, both of which are also trying to claim that piece of Mac interface real estate.

Top Shelf supports temporary file storage, clipboard history, AirDrop access, widgets, media controls, live weather, calendar views, and what Bartender calls "live activities." One particularly interesting addition is support for displaying the status of running Claude Code or Codex sessions directly from the notch area. That puts Bartender Pro in direct competition with Droppy for AI-focused workflow integration.

I'm fortunate to have a small home lab with several Macs available for testing. I've been running Bartender Pro on my M2 MacBook Air with the latest version of macOS, and overall the implementation feels thoughtful and mature. The developers have integrated the new functionality cleanly into Bartender's existing settings architecture rather than bolting on a second interface.

The Top Shelf interface itself is polished and visually cohesive with macOS. More importantly, it offers enough customization that power users should be able to shape it around their workflow instead of adapting to someone else's idea of how the notch should work. Enabling or disabling features is straightforward, and the configuration process never feels overly complicated.

One feature Bartender Pro offers that I have not seen handled as well elsewhere is its dynamic interaction with the Bartender Bar itself. The app intelligently avoids hiding menu bar items behind the notch interface, which sounds minor until you actually start using multiple notch utilities and discover how messy that problem can become.

Importantly, none of this replaces the traditional Bartender experience. The new functionality is strictly additive. Bartender 6 is still available as a standard one-time purchase for $20, and the company has been explicit that core menu bar management is not being moved behind a subscription wall.

For users interested in Top Shelf and the broader Pro feature set, Bartender Pro is available as a $15/year subscription. That includes Bartender 6 along with all upgrades released during the subscription period.

The Bartender team has clearly invested serious effort into getting this release right. During the beta period, updates arrived constantly, feedback was actively incorporated, and bug reports received prompt attention. That responsiveness matters, especially for utility software operating this deeply inside the macOS interface.

If you are evaluating notch utilities or trying to build a cleaner AI-oriented Mac workflow, Bartender Pro deserves a serious look.

https://redd.it/1tb494r
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Iconed v1.14 - Easily create personalized app and folder icons from images, with support for multiple format conversions.

https://redd.it/1tb5n0i
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TK-mac 1.2 - A beautiful, intuitive alternative to Activity Monitor!! Now with Phone Remote Control & CPU Power Limits

https://reddit.com/link/1tbakzj/video/yqjeu5sb2r0h1/player

# The Problem:

Most Mac monitors just throw raw data at you. When an app freezes or my fans get loud, I just want to see what is wrong and fix it without digging through a massive list of obscure background processes.

# The Comparison:

While macOS's built-in Activity Monitor is incredibly powerful, its interface is cluttered, and most third-party menu bar tools or dashboards only offer passive observation. They tell you your Mac is struggling, but they don't give you the tools to fix it. TK-mac completely changes this by being action-first which is by bridging the gap for Windows switchers and power users alike. Instead of a massive, confusing list, it cleanly separates apps from background processes. Instead of just watching stats, you can actively pause, resume, restart, or force quit apps, set hard CPU power limits, or hit the "Panic Button" to kill all apps in one click. Add in per-app network tracking, 60-second performance sampling with CSV exports, and Phone Remote Control (manage your Mac directly from your phone's browser), and it bridges the gap between simple monitoring and absolute system control.

# The Solution:

TK-mac is designed to completely replace your Activity Monitor workflow, heavily inspired by the straightforwardness of the Windows Task Manager to make managing your Mac easier and more intuitive. It is lightweight, quick to use, and accessible right from your menu bar or as a full dashboard.

Thanks to the amazing support from early adopters, we've already crossed 40+ active users! Version 1.2 officially makes TK-mac the ultimate system companion.

Here is a quick look at what TK-mac can do:

Phone Remote Control: Manage your Mac from any phone on your local Wi-Fi. Force quit apps, eject disks, or shut down from your browser.

App & Power Management: Pause, resume, or restart apps. Apply CPU power limits to stop apps from hogging your battery.

Clean Interface: Clearly view apps vs. background processes (grouped to reduce clutter, just like you're used to).

Deep Analytics: Track network usage, run 60 second app level samples, and view full diagnostics. You can export your logs as CSV files, or download your system specs, app samples, and full diagnostic reports as PDFs.

Panic Button & Shortcuts: Kill all apps with one click, or use custom hotkeys to instantly clear your workspace.

# Pricing and Link:

TK-mac comes with a fully unrestricted 7-day free trial so you can test out all the remote and power-limiting features.

Price: $9.99 USD one-time (Single device) | $15.99 USD one-time (2 devices)

If you are a student or educator, please reach out to me to get a student/educator discount or email taskmacos@gmail.com for any assistance or enquiries.

To view more about the product hit the link down below: 👇

Link: https://tk-mac.com/

# Transparency:

Notarization and distribution: TK-mac is natively built for Intel/Apple Silicon, fully Apple notarized, and distributed directly.

Privacy Policy / Offline First: Your data is yours. TK-mac runs 100% locally and never collects, transmits, or sells your personal or system data. The only external connections made are to check for software updates and to securely validate your license using an anonymous, hashed device ID. All payments are handled securely by our payment processor.

Happy to answer any questions! Would love to hear your feedback and ideas for future updates.

Github Profile: https://github.com/akshjoha

https://redd.it/1tbakzj
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