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“A File-Browsing Tour de Force”

John Siracusa does it again with another comprehensive, entertaining review of Mac OS X 10.4 (“Tiger”), and after all of this time, he still likes us!

Even more painful for browser fans is the existence of an application like Path Finder. Path Finder is a browser-style file manager developed by a single person that absolutely embarrasses the Mac OS X Finder with its huge feature set. Version 1.0 of Path Finder shipped in 2001 after only 6 months of development. Today's version 3 is miles ahead of that, and the upcoming version 4 is like the Final Cut Pro of file management. It's a file browsing tour de force.

The Mac OS X Finder, Tiger's included, is none of these things, and it's a shame.

That's so cool. Read the entire review of OS X 10.4, and read the above quote in context on page 18 (about halfway down the page).

Macworld magazine gives Path Finder 4 & 1/2 mice!

MacFixit editor and Macintosh expert Dan Frakes, writing for Macworld magazine's Mac Gems, gives Path Finder 4 and 1/2 mice and says:

The Finder has been improved in each version of OS X, but some users -- including me -- still wish it had a few more features. If you're one of those people, Cocoatech's $34 Path Finder 3.2 may be just what you've been waiting for. Path Finder has so many features, I could fill a whole column with them -- if you think you might be in the market for more Finder functionality, check it out.

Check out the entire July 2004 Macworld Gems column for the full review!

TechTV's The Screen Savers loves Path Finder

Path Finder was highlighted on The Screen Savers on May 20th:

The OS X Finder is a work of art, balancing power with ease of use. But if you're an advanced user, you may be willing to sacrifice some of the Finder's elegance for more power. Dan Hendricks, my buddy and chat-room moderator, has saved the day once again. He turned me on to Cocoatech's Path Finder, a Finder replacement that practically gives your fingertips superpowers.

Watch the clip! (Quicktime required)

Also check out the accompanying Path Finder page on the TechTV site.

Ars Technica gives Path Finder Props

In an exhaustive and lovely detailed review of Mac OS 10.3, John Siracusa said these words about Path Finder:

... I do find it puzzling that a single third-party developer can create a browser-style file manager with a feature list that puts the Panther Finder to shame. Say what you will about the wisdom of including so many features in a single application, Cocoatech's PathFinder unquestionably tops Apple's offering when it comes to sheer functionality. (I know some Mac users who would kill to have the sortable column-view feature alone, nevermind the huge pile of other features in PathFinder.)

“One of the best applications for Mac OS X”

The respected OSNews.com recently reviewed Path Finder. They rated it a 8 out of 10.

Path Finder is one of the most interesting products that I have come across lately. It's a file manager, but with a lot of extras. It can reside happily next to Finder, or it can replace it completely, drawing its own desktop, by unloading the Finder altogether.

I truly like Path Finder. It has some very good ideas in it. I encourage all Mac users to download and try it, and developers to start developing small plugins for it… I find PF not only innovative, but a joy to use.

Apple “Legal” gives Path Finder 4.5 / 5

The rather ominously named Apple Legal web site has reviewed Path Finder 3, and found it worthy:

While Path Finder 2 has been a great Finder replacement, the version 3 is in a class by itself. People who count on the upcoming Mac OS X 10.3 to resolve issues of the underpowered Finder are only partially right to wait and see. Path Finder 3 is already exceeding the features that the new 10.3 Finder will have. Overall, this is a high quality and superior performance app that a serious and advanced Mac OS X user can not afford to miss.

MacUser UK: Path Finder = 4.5 out of 5!

MacUser UK magazine has posted a great review, where they bestowed Path Finder 2.1 with 4.5 out of 5. Besides accolades for Path Finder’s extensive list of features and its aqua-licious interface, MacUser UK’s review also said:

Verdict: Path Finder is great.

MAC OS X has brought major benefits to the Mac platform, many of them lifted lock, stock and barrel from the NeXTSTEP operating system. However, a few things didn’t quite make it through unscathed, one of them being NeXT’s superb File Browser, which has mutated into the Finder columns view. Luckily, for those who do and those who don’t know what they’re missing, there’s Path Finder, which supplements OS X’s Finder windows with pure interface joy.

Go to the MacUser UK web site and read the full review.

OSX Factor digs Path Finder: 5 out of 5

Overall, this is the single most important OS X system utility. For only $34 you restore just about every cool OS 9 feature OS X is missing, and you get a file navigator that Apple hasn't even begun to catch up to.

Read the full review.

ATPM reviews Path Finder

The venerable About This Particular Macintosh (ATPM) has posted a glowing review of Path Finder. In it, reviewer Sylvester Roque answers a question which some potential Path Finder users have asked before: Why use Path Finder, when Apple’s Finder works just fine?

When the call went out for volunteers to review software this month I don’t know why I volunteered to review Path Finder. I mean, I have tried a lot of software in the last few years but until now I have never tried one of the many Finder replacement programs available. I mean, the Finder works well; why mess with a good thing, right? Well, for once in my life, volunteering turned out to be a good thing.

Path Finder formerly known as SNAX is a comprehensive file management program that runs either in conjunction with the Finder or on its own. After a week of putting Path Finder through its paces, I can honestly say I am impressed.”

Check out Sylvester’s review, and then while you’re at it, check out the rest of ATPM - it’s worthy!

Versiontracker users say: 4 1/2 stars!

Some of the glowing reviews posted by Versiontracker users for Path Finder:

YYZ123: Wow! A lot of thought and work have gone into this major upgrade. What was once an excellent utility is now freakin’ awesome! It blows away anything else out there for managing files and folders in Mac OS X.

hkaufman: The best there is! I’ve been using Path Finder on and off since it’s earliest days and at this point the only thing I can really say is that it is the most incredible Cocoa application I have experienced. As a Finder replacement it is near perfect (as perfect as such a complicated app can be) and if you do any amount of work on a Mac it really is a “must have”!

ecammit: GREAT FINDER REPLACEMENT!!! Replaces my finder entirely. Eliminates all the bad things about the Finder and adds new, neccessary features. If there is something you don’t like, chances are you can disable it. It is possible to make it look and feel almost EXACTLY like Finder. You aren’t forced to try a different interface. All in all, great product.

Check out the Versiontracker feedback page for more reviews.

Tim Bray (co-creator of XML) on Path Finder

Tim Bray, whose pioneering work was partially responsible for the creation of XML, has said the following about Path Finder:

2003.05.07: “The [Apple’s] Finder: It really isn’t good enough and it’s kind of at the center of everything. Apple should hire the guy who did Path Finder, and listen to the gripes they’re getting, and do some basic rework here.”

2003.04.13: “Those of you in Mac-land should go have a look at Path Finder from Cocoatech, OS X specialists from LA. It’s advertised as a file browser, a better replacement for Finder. And indeed, it is better; absolutely, comprehensively, massively better.”

Mr. Bray does point out speed issues that he encountered while testing out Path Finder, which have been addressed in the more recent updates. At any rate, it’s humbling to have such influential people like one’s work. :)

HubbleMac gives Path Finder 4.5 stars

We can let HubbleMac’s conclusion speak for itself:

PathFinder 2.1 is - by a wide margin - the most powerful and flexible file management tool available for OS X. In my opinion the Finder is only competition because it comes pre-installed. Were both applications to be pre-installed I don’t think it would be much of a contest at this point.

This is a detailed, well-written review of Path Finder, and it’s good reading (in our opinion). Check out the review!

MacAddict postulates on Path Finder

If you think that the OS X Finder’s icon, List and Column views are sufficient, you haven’t tried Path Finder. This application gives you a souped- up version of the OS’s Finder views that’s easier to look at, uses less space, and provides snazzy features such as document previews in any view, resizable icons, viewing of invisible files, and Trash on the desktop. Plus you can perform tons of commands right from the menu bar. For power navigation and file management, we’d take Path Finder over OS X Finder any day.

— Andrew Tokudo

MacOSPlanet: “The Finder on Steroids”

Well, we would probably pass any doping tests with flying colors, but we like the sentiment espoused by MacOSPlanet in their review of Path Finder:

After playing with Path Finder I can’t help but wonder why Apple didn’t integrate these great features into their operating system from the get go. Since they didn’t build them in, I think that they should definitely consider purchasing the Path Finder program to replace their own antiquated Finder. If Apple did integrate Path Finder into their OS, they would have the easiest to use and most powerful computer file navigation system out there.

TechTV on Path Finder

Tech TV’s Brent Larson called Path Finder “a great Finder alternative at a low price.”

He also gave some tips on using Path Finder. Check it out!

Other Path Finder / SNAX links

Path Finder wasn’t always with us (hard to believe!). Path Finder was once called SNAX, and the core functionality of the application was the same: powerful, fast file browsing. Here’s some more links and reviews that cover Path Finder or its earlier iteration.

• Applelinks examines Path Finder
• l’esprit cuk Path Finder (en français)
• Forwarding Address: OS X likes SNAX / Path Finder
• Faut-il remplacer le Finder Apple? (en français)
• Tynsoe on Path Finder (en français)
• Not only does the highly-regarded troubleshooting site MacFixit use SNAX, they awarded it the Silver Award in the MacFixit Toolbox Awards 2001.
• The essential Mac OS X Hints liked SNAX, and then gave it the nod as a pick of the week.
• MacEdition on SNAX
• com-2-mac reviews SNAX (deutsch)
• ZDNet Japan on SNAX (japanese)