My quest for comparable Macintosh software continues as I prepare for my migration to Macintosh. After finding an appropriate replacement for Better File Rename; I set my sights on finding an alternative to Beyond Compare. This is another one of those utilities that once you have it you wonder how you ever did without it.
Beyond Compare from Scotter Software is an awesome application that will allow you to perform comparisons between directories, files, and pretty much anything else. It’s not just the comparing though; Beyond Compare will allow you to merge entities together. It is also great for synchronizing several sources to make sure things are all the same.
I think I can safely classify myself as a technology junkie and because of this I seem to have an abundance of computers at my disposal at any time. The great thing about that is that there is always a free computer around the house that I can log in and get some work done. The bad part of course is that I tend to have files spread all over the house and I never can seem to remember which one is the most current.
Currency is not necessarily date specific so what I really needed was a utility that would allow me to manage all of these files, compare the content, merge where appropriate, and synchronize the updated files across the various machines. Beyond Compare handled this with ease and as a result has become a critical part of my daily workflow.
I was hoping that I would go to Scooter Software’s web site and find a Macintosh version. I wasn’t that lucky. Beyond Compare is available for Windows and Linux but no Macintosh. Reviewing their support forums it does not appear that a Mac version will happen any time soon as Scooter Software does not have the resources necessary to do such a port. This left me drifting to find a solution.
I’ve gotten several recommendations for Deltopia’s DeltaWalker. On the surface from what I can read this might work. DeltaWalker does file and folder comparisons and synchronizes between sources. I was slightly disappointed to find that the standard version of DeltaWalker only supports two-way merge.
They offer an Oro Edition that will do three-way comparison and merges but that function comes at a price nearly twice the standard. Beyond Compare was a bargain with the pro version selling for $50 whereas Deltopia sells the standard version of DeltaWalker at $39.95 for a personal license of the standard version or $75.95 for the Oro edition. I’ll probably stick with the standard version for now and hope that Beyond Compare is able to find a way to port their software to the Mac.
From a functionality and usability perspective DeltaWalker looks very promising. The interface is very clean and the use of color coding is a welcomed aspect that even Beyond Compare didn’t do. DeltaWalker is also available not only for the Macintosh but also for Windows and Linux making it a true cross-platform tool. I’m definitely going to get this software. Once installed; I’ll be able to provide a more conclusive review of how it stacks up against Beyond Compare.
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