XMenu adds up to six new menu items to the Apple menu bar. These new menu items contain five defined categories (Applications, Developer, Home, Documents, Snippets) and one free-form category that lets you create your own menu items.

XMenu

For long-time Mac users, XMenu is the reincarnation of the old Apple menu from System 9 and earlier. Back then you could easily add files, folders, and applications to the Apple menu, and quickly launch your favorite items with a click or two of the mouse.

XMenu automatically populates predefined categories with all of the items from the associated location. For instance, the Application menu will be filled with all of the files and folders in your Applications directory. But it’s the user-defined menu option that I like the most. You can build your own menus of just the items you want, as well as sub-menus to help in organization and retrieval.

XMenu is simple to use and has plenty of options. It includes a PDF that explains how to create your own menu system.

XMenu is free and available for downloading from the DEVONtechnologies web site.

See other software choices from Tom’s Budget Software Picks.

I haven’t had a drive failure or data issue in quite a while (knock on wood), but I sometimes field questions from About: Macs readers who are looking for pointers on how to back up their data.

Most people don’t think about backing up their Mac until after disaster strikes; by then, it’s too late. Don’t let this happen to you. Instead of waiting for that sinking feeling when you realize your Mac isn’t going to boot, or the terrifying sound of your hard drive screeching to a halt, be proactive. Check out all the possibilities, make a decision, and then back up your data.

To help to get you in the backup habit, here is our guide to Mac Backup: Mac Backup Software, Hardware, and Guides for Your Mac.

Intuit has once again announced a delay in the release of Quicken Financial Life, the next generation of the product formerly known as Quicken for Mac.

© Intuit

In 2007, Intuit said that the newest Mac version of Quicken would be released in early 2008. At Macworld 2009 in January, Intuit said the wait was almost over; Quicken would be released later this year. Now Intuit says sometime in 2010, maybe. We can’t commit to a date, but not to worry.

The last version of Quicken for the Mac was released in October of 2006, and was called Quicken 2007. If Quicken Financial Life actually makes an appearance in 2010 (and I’m not holding my breath), that will be a four-year delay between editions. Truly a lifetime, whether measured in financial terms or software terms.

What financial software are you using on your Mac? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Apple has released Safari 4.0.2 for Tiger, Leopard, and Windows. This latest version of the browser addresses two security issues found in the underlying WebKit framework.

Safari

CVE-2009-1724: Corrects a weakness that could result in a cross-site scripting attack if you visit a maliciously crafted web site.

CVE-2009-1725: Could cause Safari to unexpectedly terminate, or execute arbitrary code, if you visit a maliciously crafted web site.

Safari 4.0.2 also offers improved stability, with its new Nitro JavaScript engine. The Nitro engine is one of the keys to the speedier performance you should notice from Safari when visiting web sites that use JavaScript.

Because of the security concerns, Safari 4.0.2 is a recommended update for all Safari 4.x users.

You can download the Safari 4.0.2 update directly from Apple’s web site, or by using the Software Update feature in the Apple menu.