Author

Syd Lawrence

I'm a visual artist and developer, and I make Vibresia, the free Mac app that turns whatever your Mac is playing into visuals, at Minith Labs. I write its code, its source is public, and I write the comparison pages on this site.

I've been building software for over 20 years. My visual work has been part of 41 number-one albums, for artists including Kylie, Calvin Harris, the Rolling Stones and One Direction, and I've worked with Tate Modern. I've built and sold two companies, and I've spoken at Web Summit, SXSW, Amsterdam Dance Event, Google I/O and Facebook's F8.

The parts of that which matter for these pages: I write shaders and real-time graphics, I've built software that listens to and analyses audio, and I've made and performed music and visuals myself. So when a page here talks about beat detection, GLSL or what a VJ needs on stage, it's from doing it.

Elsewhere: github.com · minithlabs.com · linkedin.com · x.com

How the comparison pages are written

Every fact about another app, its price, what it runs on, what it does well and where it falls short, comes from that app's own website, store listing, documentation or code. Each one is stored with the page it came from and the day it was checked, and the site won't build if a fact is missing its source or is more than a year old. When an app's own site can't be read, the facts come from named third-party pages, and the page says so.

Where I haven't used an app myself, the page says so and describes what its maker says it does. Prices are shown in the currency the maker uses, and left out when they can't be confirmed.

Vibresia is my app, so I have a reason to favour it. Each page says who the other apps are better for, and a list puts the better pick first when Vibresia isn't it.

Something wrong?

If a price has changed or a page gets something wrong, open an issue and I'll fix it.

Questions people ask

Who writes the comparison pages?

Syd Lawrence, a visual artist and developer who makes Vibresia.

Where do the facts about other apps come from?

From each app's own website, store listing, documentation or code, stored with the page and the date it was checked. When an app's site can't be read, from named third-party pages, and the page says so.

How do I report a mistake?

Open an issue on GitHub with the page and what's wrong, and it'll be fixed.