Ice – open source menu bar manager for macOS (github.com)

Article summary

Ice is an open-source menu bar management tool for macOS, currently in active development, that allows users to hide and show menu bar items, among other features. The tool is seen as an alternative to Bartender, which was recently sold to a new owner, prompting concerns about trust and screen recording permissions. Ice's development is ongoing, with a roadmap outlining planned features. The tool is available under the GPL-3.0 license.

Main themes

• Menu bar management
• Open-source alternatives
• Bartender acquisition
• Screen recording permissions
• Trust and reputation
• macOS development

What commenters say

• The sale of Bartender to a new owner has led to a loss of trust among users due to the lack of communication and transparency.
• Some users are switching to Ice as an alternative to Bartender due to concerns about screen recording permissions and the new owner's intentions.
• The requirement for screen recording permissions is a necessary hack to make menu bar management tools work on macOS, but it raises security concerns.
• The original developer of Bartender has damaged their reputation by not communicating the sale and changes to users, and by prioritizing financial gain over user trust.
• The new owner of Bartender may have requested that the sale and changes be kept quiet, which has contributed to the backlash from users.
• Some users feel that the criticism of the original developer is unfair and that the sale of a business is a normal part of the industry.
• The development of Ice is seen as a positive step towards creating a trustworthy and transparent alternative to Bartender.
• The lack of features and configurability in Ice compared to Bartender is a trade-off that some users are willing to make in order to avoid the security concerns and trust issues associated with the new owner of Bartender.