Since it was first announced during last October’s Back to the Mac Event, consumers and developers alike have been alternately thrilled or worried over what Apple’s online Mac App Store would mean for the future of OS X compatible software. Would the advent of another Apple-branded walled software garden mean easier access to great software for Mac owners, or would consumers see their once-limitless purchasing options contract over time to what Apple felt was appropriate for their use on their hardware and operating systems? Could the Mac App Store be the brilliant distribution tool software developers have been longing for, or will Apple’s legendarily restrictive submission guidelines and often-times mysterious application process make it harder than ever for their creations to reach Mac users?

While such questions will most certainly be answered now that the Mac App Store has gone live, the fact that the store is now welcoming consumers to hand over their hard-earned money in exchange for a load of Apple-approved software will no doubt give life to new questions as well. Do I have to buy what Apple tells me to? Is this all the software that’s out there? Where can I sell my software if Apple doesn’t want anything to do with me?

We at Mac|Life are happy to tell you that the Mac App Store is not the only game in town. Not for consumers, and not for developers. To get you started, we’ve put together a short list of some of the best Mac software destination out there. Because no matter how great the Mac App Store may turn out to be, having options is great too.

i use this

Offering up an excellent combination of freeware, demos, and commercial applications, I Use This keeps a tally of how many visitors to the site actually use each piece of software. The site’s developers believe that this is a more democratic and accurate way to grade applications. After all, ratings don’t use software, people do. Does it work? We think so: a quick look to what’s offered on via the site’s Top Apps tab reveals some of our favorite Mac-based toys, including HandBrake, Quicksilver, Photoshop and 1Password. 

If that’s not enough, you can sign up for an account to create your own list of must-use applications, which gives you an easy way to redownload them when you get a new Mac or reformat your old one.

Cydia App Store

If you’ve ever Jailbroken an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, you’re already familiar with the Cydia App Store. Almost as soon as Steve Jobs announced the Mac App Storet, Cydia’s founder, Jay Freeman, made it known that his alternate marketplace for iOS applications would expand to welcome OS X-compatible software as well.

If you listen closely, you can almost hear all the teeth of Apple’s legal department grinding in unison.

While the Cydia Mac App Store isn’t live yet, Freeman promises it will be ready soon. We have high hopes, so keep an eye on MacLife.com for more news as it becomes available.

MacUpdate

MacUpdate is one of the best repositories for OS X software around, and for good reason: Since the mid-90s, the site has offered just about everything a Mac user could possibly want, from soup to nuts. MacUpdate, um, updates their site on a daily basis, making it a comprehensive database of new software and updates to existing apps. As an added bonus, paid members ($20/year) can use MacUpdate Desktop, a downloadable application that keeps your Mac's software up to date automatically.

Bodega

Taking a slightly different tack, Bodega requires that you download their stylish desktop app before you can sample hundreds of applications in the Bodega store. The application's user-friendly interface makes finding new Mac software a breeze. As with the Mac App Store, Bodega will also notify you of any updates to the software offered in their store. Now there’s no excuse not to keep your Mac up to date.

Download.com

What we now know as "download dot com," many old-school Mac users will fondly remember as VersionTracker. Originally, VersionTracker worked like MacUpdate, keeping tabs on software updates for Mac computers. As the site’s popularity grew, it also came to include updates for those strange non-Mac computers as well. Today, it falls under CNET’s Download.com banner but stays true to its roots as an excellent source of freeware and demo applications.

Steam

All work and no play makes Mac a dull toy! Steam’s website and desktop app are both great ways to discover, purchase, and download some of the best OS X-compatible games on the market today, plus classic titles from the last few years. Best of all, as with Iusethis.com, Steam will keep track of the games you own and allow you to download them again and again, as many times as you need.

Once those games are installed, Steam for Mac will make sure you’ve got access to the latest updates and expansion packs, as well as provide an easy method for chatting with and competing against your friends online. Steam also has a ton of Windos games too—not that any of our readers would be interested in that sort of thing.

Direct2Drive

Another excellent source for Mac games, Direct2Drive makes shopping for an downloading new games a breeze, and it will also keep track of the games you’ve purchased through their service, just like Steam. However, unlike Steam, Direct2Drive will let you rock the games available through their service without the need for a desktop client, or anything resembling a online social network. For gamers who prefer a hermetic lifestyle, this could be the site you’ve been looking for.

Now that we’ve given you a few our favorite sites to start off with, tell us: What online stores do you frequent for your Mac downloads, and why do you like them? By sharing your knowledge of what’s out there, you’ll be making the Mac computing experience that much richer for everyone.

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