What's Up Seop?

Anyone who got a mac for the first time wonders, 'How do I uninstall applications?'

In windows, user uninstalls programs using the windows' uninstaller in control panel, or 3rd party uninstallers that are supposed to clean out the registry better. But they carry greater risks of screwing up your computers.

However, in OS X, it is very different. You can think of each icon of application as a package. So, when you move that 'icon' to your application folder, you are actually moving the whole program.

Unless an uninstaller comes with the application, OS X users just move the package to the trash. It is very convenient indeed; however, it does not clean the traces that well.

When an application runs on Mac OS X, it creates .plist files (for preferences), logs, caches and sometimes adds items to your contextual menu (when you right click you see a list of tasks you can do).

This freeware, developed by freemacsoft is the Revo Uninstaller equivalent for the Mac OS X. It is a great freeware that is safe and easy.

For example, it gets rid of little traces from your Library, so you are not stuck with your old applications' contextual menu items when you right click on files.

<Figure 1>

Uninstalling is as easy as just checking the boxes and pressing 'Search'. Then, it searches all the files that are related (or linked) with the applications and gives you the option of deleting them all.

<Figure 2>

Like above, it found a .plist (preference file) that is related to the Journler.app, and let you delete that item. It would be very painstaking to find these files going through your Library folder.

This application not only lets you delete applications, but your widgets in your dashboard and others (such as perian icon on your System Preferences).

Here are some other uninstaller applications.

AppDelete used to be a freeware, but now you can get it for $7.99. It is like the Trash, you leave it on your dock and you can drag applications into this. It misses some files sometimes.

http://www.reggieashworth.com/

CleanApp is I'd say the best uninstaller right now. It is full of other features. You just have to try it out. But, it could be a bit over-featured to be used as a application uninstaller. It will cost you $13.00 for purchase.

http://www.synium.de/products/cleanapp/index.html

AppZapper is the one that's been around for the longest. It has a lot of users for that reason, and it is on par with CleanApp. It is available from the website for $12.95 per licence.

http://appzapper.com/