Free 3rd Party Software, such as "PDF Mac Master": Opinions on methods to address safety and compatibility? Anyone??

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Free 3rd Party Software, such as "PDF Mac Master": Opinions on methods to address safety and compatibility? Anyone??

I have a general question about free 3rd Party software. I was researching a technical question about Exel for Mac, and a site answered it beautifully, perfectly. The site/company offered a "handbook": a free one. Just download the app "PDF Mac Master" by a company called "New Media Holdings". Then in researching compatibility and safety for this app, I found an article about many free mac-friendly apps that seem extremely useful.

I found a forum non-answer answer to a question about the safety and compatibility of "PDF Mac Master". The advice:

Look it up in "Roaring Apps". PDF Mac Master is not listed in "Roaring Apps", and given THAT'S NOT AN APPLE SITE, I'm not going to download any 3rd party software not specifically blessed by Apple.

So my question is two-fold:

01. Again, where do I go to figure out if "PDF Mac Master" by "New Media Holdings" is compatible and safe with my mid-2009 macbook pro running on Yosemite, yes Yosemite? Call Apple Support? Maybe it's a very new application.

02. I assume this forum is the best way to check on FREE 3rd applications, and it was a forum answer that led me to "Roaring Apps", which did not answer my question (#1 above) whatsoever, and I thought "is there not a similar "tool" in Apple Support like "Roaring Apps"? Why not? So question #2 is there an on Apple-site chart or tool that provides safety and compatibility for major free 3rd Party apps? Yes, I have an anti-virus program, Bitdefender for Mac. And I don't think I made the best choice in selecting it, except I thought I was simply upgrading the free anti-virus software Apple Tech Support endorsed, so . . . I'm still devoted to Apple and Macs, but again, what is Apple offering in terms of pre-screening FREE 3RD PARTY APPS? AM I BLIND?

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5), Free 3rd Party Software

Posted on Mar 10, 2018 9:42 PM

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Answer 1

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Eric Root

Level 10

684,027 points

Mar 18, 2018 11:46 AM in response to jesseneuro

1. There is no where that I am aware of that contains a listing of safe 3rd party software. I don't thinking calling Apple Support would help.

2. You aren't blind. Apple doesn't have a web page listing safe software.

I would uninstall Bitdefender. It tends to interfere with the computer's operation while providing minimal to no benefit unless you work with Windows files. Most long time posters recommend not using antivirus software or cleaning software such as CleanMyMac.

Bitdefender uninstall

Bitdefender uninstall (2)

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Answer 2

jesseneuro Author

Level 1

9 points

Mar 18, 2018 12:00 PM in response to Eric Root

Thank you; but . . . the only reason I even installed the original version (a free anti-virus program) was via Mac Support, about 1+ years ago. However, Bitdefender DOES interfere with operations, and I do work with Windows files, if that means downloading an Excel spreadsheet, for example (and I'm on a very old version of Excel for Mac).

What's your opinion on Sierra? I haven't researched it. I decided not to upgrade to El Capitan, but I can up my OSX to Sierra (free of cost) on my ancient macbook 2009 (with new potent memory cards + new hard drive and I don't back-up: I clone). I'm keeping my Snow Leopard partition . . . (for my 17th Century version of Pro Tools).

On a side-note, since a Mac Support specialist compelled me to install an anti-virus program, I know there's ambiguity now about whether it helps or not. I'm no I.T. expert. What happened? (rhetorical question to which I don't want the answer). Because I just advised a friend to pick an anti-virus program because his old mac actually DID get a virus, but it may be fixed already . . .

THANKS

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Answer 3

jesseneuro Author

Level 1

9 points

Mar 18, 2018 12:05 PM in response to rccharles

Interesting. Thanks. As a mentioned in another reply, I wound up with Bitdefender thinking I was upgrading from a free malware program which an Apple Support specialist recommended (what my issue was at the time? I forgot. But he wan't a fake Apple Support specialist, and actually, THAT was my issue. Something led me to contact an imposter Apple I.T. company that charges $$.

Thanks for replying!

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Answer 4

rccharles

Level 6

12,957 points

Mar 18, 2018 12:45 PM in response to jesseneuro

Apple Support specialist

Who was this specialist. Maybe he was not as special as you thought.

Office macros can have malware. Many do not work on the mac because they assume a windows environment. Some will work on the Mac and cause problems.

Seems like bitdefender declares all documents with a macro in the as bad. Can you not turn off macros in Office?

R

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Answer 5

rccharles

Level 6

12,957 points

Mar 18, 2018 12:00 PM in response to jesseneuro

The Apple builds in malware detection into macos. Their detection leaves out some adware software. The only utility software recommended around here is:

malwarebytes and

etrecheck

R

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Free 3rd Party Software, such as "PDF Mac Master": Opinions on methods to address safety and compatibility? Anyone??

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