[[favourite_software]]
 
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Table of Contents

Favourite Software

All software is free or has a freely available version unless otherwise noted.

Windows

Internet

Browsers

  • Mozilla Firefox
    • NoScript - NoScript's unique whitelist based pre-emptive script blocking approach prevents exploitation of security vulnerabilities (known and even not known yet!) with no loss of functionality.
    • Linkification extension for Firefox. Generates links from plain-text URLs. Great for TT in its non-HTML state.
    • Adblock extension stops those pesky pop-anywhere windows and will even remove Google ads.
    • Permit Cookies extension. Leave cookies off and enable them on the fly. Session only, add, remove, etc.
    • Bookmark Backup extension will back up all your treasured bookmarks, passwords, history, preferences and more on a daily basis. Highly recommended.
    • Internet Usage extension, which monitors how much of your quota you've used. Very useful if you regularly push the boundaries.
  • SeaMonkey - Web-browser, advanced e-mail and newsgroup client, IRC chat client, and HTML editing made simple – all your Internet needs in one application.
  • Opera - The coolest, fastest, and most secure Web browser available. Try it now to see just how great your Internet experience can be.
  • Flock - Flock - the browser for people who like to be connected

Download Managers

  • Getright (Shareware)
  • Fresh Download
  • FlashGet - Adware, but Extremely Good.
  • Star Downloader - Star Downloader is a download manager that accelerates your downloads by splitting the files into several parts and downloading them simultaneously.
  • Free Download Manager - Free Download Manager is a powerful, easy-to-use and absolutely free download accelerator and manager. Moreover, FDM is 100% safe, open-source software distributed under GPL license.

Mail

  • Mozilla Thunderbird
  • Eudora
  • The Bat!
  • Courier Great handling of multiple e-mail accounts and immune from all known e-mail viruses.
  • Opera mail - Built into the Opera web browser is Opera mail. Their built-in POP/IMAP E-mail client is a combined e-mail program, news reader, mailing list organizer and RSS/Atom newsfeed reader.
  • Mailwasher This free software allows you to check your email before you download it. You can then delete the ones you dont want and download the ones you do, great for culling spam and viruses before they even get to your computer. The paid version allows checking of multiple email accounts.

Instant Messaging

  • Pidgin - Pidgin is a multi-protocol Instant Messaging client that allows you to use all of your IM accounts at once. Formerly called Gaim.
  • Trillian - Trillian™ is a fully featured, stand-alone, skinnable chat client that supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC.
  • aMSN - aMSN is a free open source MSN Messenger clone.

IRC

Clients
  • mIRC - IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is a virtual meeting place where people from all over the world can meet and talk.
  • HydraIRC - HydraIRC is an open-source IRC client with an attractive and easy to use interface.
  • Trillian and Pidgin do IRC also.
Servers

Peer to Peer

BitTorrent

Configuring BitTorrent clients can be a little bit of a hassle the first time. See here for a basic rundown on how to configure it.

Internet - Network Utilities

  • Sam Spade - Sam Spade is a general-purpose Internet utility package, with some extra features to help in tracing the source of spam and other forms of Internet harassment. Features include: ping - nslookup - whois - IP block - dig - traceroute finger - SMTP VRFY - web browser keep-alive - DNS zone transfer - SMTP relay check - Usenet cancel check - website download - website search - email header analysis - Email blacklist - query Abuse address - And More…
  • Ethereal - Ethereal® is used by network professionals around the world for troubleshooting, analysis, software and protocol development, and education. It has all of the standard features you would expect in a protocol analyzer, and several features not seen in any other product. Its open source license allows talented experts in the networking community to add enhancements. It runs on all popular computing platforms, including Unix, Linux, and Windows.
  • Wireshark - Wireshark is an award-winning network protocol analyzer developed by an international team of networking experts. There are many reasons why you might want to capture the raw network traffic that is entering and leaving your system. This can be for diagnostic purposes when something has gone wrong, finding out if there’s a rogue program on your network, or if you’re just curious about what communications are going on.
  • Karenware Please note Karen Kenworthy died in April 2011 and her software will no longer be updated. RIP Karen. There are still good utilities available on her site and the site is still working.
  • Angry IP Scanner - Angry IP Scanner is an open-source and cross-platform network scanner designed to be fast and simple to use. It scans IP addresses and ports as well as has many other features.
  • inSSIDer - is an award-winning free Wi-Fi network scanner.

Line Speed Tests

Security

Firewalls

Anti Virus

  • http://www.clamwin.com/ Open Source AV. Doesn't perform real-time scans, you have to run a schedule and manually scan downloads and mail.
  • Avira Antivir Highest rated of the free AV software but the free version has a nag screen.
  • Avast - A multi-award winning solution to virus protection, with anti-spyware and anti-rootkit software built in for added security. It is available free for non-commercial and home use.
  • AVG 9 Free, is still free - AVG Basic antivirus and antispyware protection for Windows available to download for free.
  • Active Virus Shield (free powered by Kaspersky)
  • NOD32 - Smart Security and NOD32, ESET’s most renowned products, has redefined industry standards and received critical acclaim from the world's leading antivirus software testing organizations. The best antivirus protection that money can buy.

Password Managers

  • KeePass - KeePass is a free/open-source password manager or safe which helps you to manage your passwords in a secure way.

Test Sites

Anti Trojan / Anti Malware

Intrusion Detection

  • Prevx
  • WinPatrol - WinPatrol uses a heuristic behavioral approach to detecting attacks and violations of your computing environment.
  • ProcessGuard

Disk Encryption

  • TrueCrypt - Free open-source disk encryption software for Windows Vista/XP/200x/7 and Linux.

Compilers

Drawing

Desktop Publishing

  • Scribus - Scribus is an open-source program that brings award-winning professional page layout to Linux/Unix, MacOS X, OS/2 and Windows desktops with a combination of “press-ready” output and new approaches to page layout.
  • LaTeX - LaTeX is a high-quality typesetting system; it includes features designed for the production of technical and scientific documentation. LaTeX is the de facto standard for the communication and publication of scientific documents. LaTeX is available as free software.
  • LyX - LyX is a document processor that encourages an approach to writing based on the structure of your documents (WYSIWYM) and not simply their appearance (WYSIWYG). LyX combines the power and flexibility of TeX/LaTeX with the ease of use of a graphical interface.

Office Suites

  • Open Office - OpenOffice.org is a multiplatform and multilingual office suite and an open-source project. Compatible with all other major office suites, the product is free to download, use, and distribute. Compatible with Microsoft Office. Free. How to set up Open Office - Set up OpenOffice.org to work how you want it with templates and clip art, configurations, shortcuts, and more in a .pdf download
  • Star Office - Not Free. A full-featured office productivity suite that's also compatible with Microsoft Office at just a slice of the cost.
  • Calligra Suite - Calligra Suite (formerly KOffice), integrated office suite for KDE, the K Desktop Environment in Linux.
  • IBM Lotus Symphony - Richly-featured productivity tools that are intuitive to use and compatible with your files. Provided at no charge for your home, school or business. Documents, presentations, spreadsheets.

Image

  • Picasa - from Google
  • IrfanView - IrfanView is a very fast, small, compact and innovative FREEWARE (for non-commercial use) graphic viewer for Windows 9x, ME, NT, 2000, XP, 2003, 2008, Vista, Windows 7.
  • XnView - XnView is a free software to view, organise, convert graphics files.
  • The GIMP - GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed piece of software for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. It works on many operating systems, in many languages.
  • Paint Shop Pro (Not free)
  • Adobe Photoshop (Not free)

Music and Audio

  • Foobar2000 - Foobar2000 is an advanced audio player for the Windows platform. Some of the basic features include full unicode support, ReplayGain support and native support for several popular audio formats.
  • Winamp - The ultimate media player, allows you to manage and play audio and video files, rip and burn CDs, enjoy free music, access and share your music
  • Songbird - Play music. Play the Web.™ Songbird™ is a desktop Web player, a digital jukebox and Web browser mash-up. Like Winamp, it supports extensions and skins feathers. Like Firefox®, it is built from Mozilla®, cross-platform and open source.

RealPlayer Alternatives

CD Ripping

  • CDex - CDex can extract the data directly (digital) from an Audio CD, which is generally called a CD Ripper or a CDDA utility. The resulting audio file can be a plain WAV file (useful for making compilation audio CDs) or the ripped audio data can be compressed using an audio encoder.

(Potential conflict with Daemon Tools found by Nut - set Daemon Tools to zero drives to cure).

  • mp3gain - A mp3 utility that “equalizes” your mp3s so that they are all the same volume.
  • Exact Audio Copy - EAC is an audio grabber for audio CDs using standard CD and DVD-ROM drives.

iPod

  • EphPod - manage the music on your iPod.
  • Sharepod - share your iPod over a network.

Recording

  • Audacity - Freeware audio recording, Audacity is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems.
  • NVu WavePad sound editing software - Freeware audio recording, WavePad is free software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Windows XP 2000/2003/Vista/2008, Mac OS X 10.2 (or later), Linux operating systems.

Composition

  • OpenMPT - a tracker (wikipedia) allows you to create “module” files, which include the music, effects, and sounds needed. Nowadays, you may also use VST instruments and effects.

Video

Players

  • Media Player Classic
  • Zoom Player
  • VLC - VLC media player is a highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg, …) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. VLC Wiki

Ripping/Encoding

See Video Encoding and DVD Ripping for more information.

HD-DVD & Blu-Ray Ripping / De-Muxing / Re-Authoring

Video Editing

* Note: this software is primarily for the purpose of circumventing region code restrictions and is not promoted for the purpose of breaching Copyright in order to create infringing copies.

Video Utilities

Disc Image / Burning Utilities

  • ImgBurn - download the latest version here
  • CDBurnerXP - CDBurnerXP is a free application to burn CDs and DVDs, including Blu-Ray. It also includes the feature to burn and create ISOs, as well as a multilanguage interface.
  • DeepBurner - DeepBurner is an advanced and extremely powerful CD and DVD burning package.

eBook Management

  • Calibre - pronounced Ca-li-ber :)

Text Editors

PDF Tools

Readers

Creators

  • Cute PDF Take care with this one. It installs WhenU spyware as part of the bundle. You should get a notice about it but you may not.
  • PDFfactory (Shareware).
  • PDF995 - Printer driver. Free version displays a nag screen.
  • Bullzip PDF Printer Donationware.
  • SaM - A free open source tool to split and merge pdf documents.

Utilities

Backup

File Management

  • Total Commander - (Shareware)
  • Directory Opus - (Not Free). Directory Opus goes beyond the simple file manager metaphor, and offers you a complete replacement for Windows Explorer and many other utility programs for handling FTP, ZIP, viewing files and images, running slideshows and more.
  • Scanner
  • SpaceMonger
  • ZipGenius - File compressor/uncompressor that supports most compressed file formats you'll encounter.
  • 7-Zip - 7-Zip is a file archiver with a high compression ratio, and is open source software.
  • FileZilla - FileZilla, the free FTP solution.

Hardware Information

  • SIW - System Information for Windows
  • Everest Home Edition - (now not supported by Lavalys, but available from oldversion)
  • Sandra 2010
  • Belarc Advisor
  • CPU-Z - CPU-Z is a freeware that gathers information on some of the main devices of your system.
  • GPU-Z - GPU-Z is a lightweight utility designed to give you all information about your video card and GPU.
  • SpeedFan - SpeedFan is a program that monitors voltages, fan speeds and temperatures in computers with hardware monitor chips. SpeedFan can even access S.M.A.R.T. info and show hard disk temperatures.
  • LinX - Benchmark designed to measure performance on Intel CPUs in GFlops.
  • Speccy - Speccy is an advanced System Information tool for your PC.

Monitoring

Partition Management

Print Managers

  • Fineprint - A Windows printer driver that saves ink, paper and time by controlling and enhancing printed output. (Shareware)

File Recovery Software

Startup Control

Disk Management Utilities

  • MyDefrag - Formerly JkDefrag, a good alternative to Windows Defrag Utility.
  • Defraggler - It differs from other defrag tools on the market, by enabling you to quickly and simply defrag the files you want to, without having to process the whole drive.

Miscellaneous

  • nLite - Customise your Windows install disk the way you like.
  • vLite - vLite is a tool for customizing the Windows Vista installation before actually installing it.
  • Unlocker - Unlocker is a very useful Windows Explorer extension allowing users with a simple right-click on a file or folder to easily get rid of error messages such as error deleting file or folder, “Cannot delete folder: it's being used by another person or program.”
  • ERUNT and NTREGOPT - Erunt (The Emergency Recovery Utility NT) Registry Backup and Restore for Windows NT/2000/2003/XP/Vista. NTREGOPT (NT Registry Optimizer) Registry Optimization for Windows NT/2000/2003/XP/Vista. Erunt NTREGOPT
  • EasyBCD - EasyBCD is a tool to tweak the new Windows Vista bootloader. Setting up and configuring Windows boot entries is simple, and there is no easier way to quickly boot right into Linux, Mac OS X, or BSD straight from the Windows Vista bootloader - on the fly, no expert knowledge needed!

Password/Licence Recovery

  • ProduKey recovers MS software license details, AKA product keys.
  • Asterisk Key Recovers passswords hidden behind asterisks, e.g. Mail passwords.
  • Magical Jelly Bean an older product key finder.

Linux

Shells

GUI

  • KDE - KDE is a powerful Free Software graphical desktop environment for Linux and Unix workstations.
  • Gnome - GNOME offers an easy to understand desktop for your Linux or UNIX computer.
  • Enlightenment
  • Fluxbox

Audio

  • Rosegarden - Music notation and composition environment
  • Amarok - Amarok is the music player for Linux and Unix with an intuitive interface.
  • Hydrogen - Hydrogen is an advanced drum machine for GNU/Linux. It's main goal is to bring professional yet simple and intuitive pattern-based drum programming.
  • Audacity - Audacity is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems.
  • Ardour - Ardour is a digital audio workstation. You can use it to record, edit and mix multi-track audio. You can produce your own CDs, mix video soundtracks, or just experiment with new ideas about music and sound.
  • DeaDBeeF - DeaDBeeF (as in 0xDEADBEEF) is an audio player for GNU/Linux, BSD, OpenSolaris and probably other UNIX-like systems.

Video

  • MPlayer - MPlayer is a movie player which runs on many systems. It plays most MPEG/VOB, AVI, Ogg/OGM, VIVO, ASF/WMA/WMV, QT/MOV/MP4, RealMedia, Matroska, NUT, NuppelVideo, FLI, YUV4MPEG, FILM, RoQ, PVA files, supported by many native, XAnim, and Win32 DLL codecs. You can watch VideoCD, SVCD, DVD, 3ivx, DivX 3/4/5 and even WMV movies.
  • Xine - xine is a free multimedia player. It plays back CDs, DVDs, and VCDs. It also decodes multimedia files like AVI, MOV, WMV, and MP3 from local disk drives, and displays multimedia streamed over the Internet.
  • VLC Media Player - VLC media player is a highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg, …) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. VLC Wiki
  • Cinelerra - Cinelerra is the most advanced non-linear video editor and compositor for Linux.
  • Kdenlive - Kdenlive is an intuitive and powerful multi-track video editor, including most recent video technologies. Kdenlive is a free open-source video editor for GNU/Linux and FreeBSD, which supports DV, AVCHD (experimental support) and HDV editing. Kdenlive relies on several other open source projects, such as FFmpeg and MLT video framework. Our software was designed to answer all needs, from basic video editing to semi-professionnal work. The project is Free Software.

Imaging - Photo Management

  • GQview - An image browser that features single click access to view images and move around the directory tree.
  • The GIMP - GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed piece of software for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. It works on many operating systems, in many languages.
  • Krita - Krita is a painting and image editing application for KOffice.
  • Digikam - Digikam is a simple digital photo management application, which makes importing and organizing digital photos a “snap”. The photos can be organized in albums which are automatically sorted chronologically. An easy to use interface is provided that enables you to connect to your camera and preview, download and/or delete your images.
  • Gwenview - Gwenview is a fast and easy to use image viewer for KDE.
  • CinePaint - CinePaint is used to retouch feature films and in pro photography. CinePaint opens high fidelity image file formats such as DPX, 16-bit TIFF, and OpenEXR, and conventional formats like JPEG and PNG. It has a flipbook for movie playback of image sequences in RAM. It supports 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit color channels, HDR and CMS.
  • Kflickr - Kflickr is an easy to use photo uploader for flickr∞ written for KDE. Kflickr Tutorial Manage Your Photos with Kflickr.

Image - Burning

  • K3b - K3b - The CD/DVD Kreator for Linux - optimized for KDE - licensed under the GPL.
  • Brasero - Brasero is a application to burn CD/DVD for the Gnome Desktop.
  • GnomeBaker - GnomeBaker is a CD/DVD burning application for the Gnome desktop.

Monitoring

  • GKrellM - GKrellM is a single process stack of system monitors which supports applying themes to match its appearance to your window manager, Gtk, or any other theme.
  • KSensors - KSensors is a nice “lm-sensors” frontend for the K Desktop Environment.

Peer to Peer

  • Transmission - Transmission has been built from the ground up to be a lightweight, yet powerful BitTorrent client. Its simple, intuitive interface is designed to integrate tightly with whatever computing environment you choose to use. Transmission strikes a balance between providing useful functionality without feature bloat. Furthermore, it is free for anyone to use or modify.
  • KTorrent - KTorrent is a BitTorrent client for KDE and is released under the GNU GPL License.

Instant Messaging

  • aMSN - aMSN is a free open source MSN Messenger clone.
  • Kopete - Kopete is an instant messenger supporting AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, Jabber, IRC, Gadu-Gadu, Novell GroupWise Messenger, and more. It is designed to be a flexible and extensible multi-protocol system suitable for personal and enterprise use. Pre-installed if you have the KDE desktop.
  • Pidgin - Pidgin is a multi-protocol Instant Messaging client that allows you to use all of your IM accounts at once. Usually found in your Distro's repositories.

eMail

  • KMail - KMail is the email component of Kontact, the integrated personal information manager of KDE.
  • Evolution - Evolution provides integrated mail, addressbook and calendaring functionality to users of the GNOME desktop.

Distros

Live CD/DVD/USB

  • Slax - Slackware based Live CD
  • KNOPPIX - Perhaps one of the better known Live CDs
  • Ubuntu - Relatively new Debian-based distribution on a Live CD.
  • openSUSE 12.1 Live CD's for x86 and x86_64 platform come in two flavours, KDE and Gnome, visit the Download page for them and others. Or opt for the Unofficial KDE 3.5 Live CD for openSUSE 11.1 x86 x86_64 or Live USB openSUSE 11.1 KDE3 Live USB: Download and Instructions Then there is the S.O.A.D. Linux 'SuSE On Active Diet'. It is an unofficial Enlightenment LiveCD based on openSUSE-11.1, there are 'read me's' about graphic driver install and quick start guide at the SOAD download page.
  • Puppy Linux - Puppy Linux is Australian and free, a fast and small LiveCD Linux distribution. It is an operating system you can use in place of Windows. The live cd can be installed. Forum and Tutorials for Puppy and TEENPup - Beginners - Video Tutorials - Discussion Forum
  • Legacy OS - Legacy OS (formerly TEENpup Linux) is a distribution based on Puppy Linux. This release marks the moving away of Legacy OS from a teenager distro to a distro whose sole purpose is to rescue 5- to 10-year old PCs and laptops from ending up in landfill.
  • Damn Small Linux - DSL is a very versatile 50MB mini desktop oriented Linux distribution.

Full Distro

  • Slackware - Relitivly easy distro to work with, No fancy configuration tools, Great Manuals/Tutorials/HowTos available.
  • SimplyMEPIS - Recomended by some, Debian-based distrobution. SimplyMEPIS as a Live CD or DVD allows you to run the Linux operating system and all the programs from your CD or DVD drive before you install.
  • Ubuntu - Debian-based distribution. Ubuntu is a community developed, Linux-based operating system that is perfect for laptops, desktops and servers. It contains all the applications you need - a web browser, presentation, document and spreadsheet software, instant messaging and much more. Ubuntu Studio - Let Your Creativity Fly. Ubuntu Studio. A multimedia creation flavor of Ubuntu. Ubuntu Studio is aimed at the GNU/Linux audio, video and graphic enthusiast as well as professional.
  • Debian - Extremely powerful and stable distribution, often used for server systems, but just as capable on the desktop. Excellent package management system now used by several other distributions.
  • openSUSE - The openSUSE project gives Linux developers and enthusiasts everything they need to get started with Linux. The current openSUSE 12.1 is an excellent distribution (distro) very stable and easy to use with extensive package (software) Repositories and Additional Repositories which includes graphics drivers etc. Restricted Formats are just 1-click away. Microsoft Windows users should find the transition to openSUSE a breeze with a very simple layout, the KDE desktop will seem familiar, and Yast2 is the well known and excellent openSUSE package manager and set up tool. Zypper is the new command line package manager Zypper Tutorial There is also a useful online package search Software Search with 1-click Install. The support forum openSUSE Forums is well used and provides a wealth of information for openSUSE users, and the blog openSUSE Lizards provides further information. Documentation is available via downloadable pdf files or chat realtime on #suse IRC Download openSUSE. Install openSUSE to external usb hard drive or Network Installation/Upgrade Without CD/DVD 11.2 Installation Tutorial Upgrade from 11.2 to 11.3. Or some may like the previous 3.5 KDE installed on 11.3 in preference to the newer 4.x.x versions of KDE.
  • Fedora - Fedora is a Linux-based operating system, a collection of software that makes your computer run. You can use Fedora in addition to, or instead of, other operating systems such as Microsoft Windows™ or Mac OS X™. The Fedora operating system is completely free of cost for you to enjoy and share. What's new in Fedora 17
  • Kororaa Linux - It’s a Fedora Remix (KDE) with tweaks and extras to make the system “just work” out of the box for end users.
  • Linux Mint - Linux Mint's purpose is to produce an elegant, up to date and comfortable GNU/Linux desktop distribution. We have faith in the quality of our desktop and a lot of great ideas. If your computer is a PC and you have more than 512MB RAM you should try Linux Mint and see what you think about it. If you're running non-free operating system such as Microsoft Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 you should definitely be impressed. Started in 2006, Linux Mint is now the 4th most widely used home operating system behind Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS and Canonical's Ubuntu.
  • Sabayon - Home Computing to the Next Level. Get rid of Microsoft Windows. Install the Sabayon Linux Operating System and unleash the full potential of your Computer. Sabayon Linux features the most advanced Industry Open Source technologies: no hassles.
  • Gentoo - Gentoo Linux, a special flavor of Linux that can be automatically optimized and customized for just about any application or need. Extreme performance, configurability and a top-notch user and developer community are all hallmarks of the Gentoo experience. Online Gentoo tutorial called Linux sea by Sven Vermeulen.
  • PCLinuxOS - PCLinuxOS 2010.12 holiday the latest update is distributed as a LiveCD, and can also be installed to a local hard drive. LiveCD mode lets you try it without making any changes to your computer. If you like it, you can install it to your hard drive.
  • CentOS - CentOS exists to provide a free enterprise class computing platform to anyone who wishes to use it.
  • Mandriva - Mandriva Linux 2011 “Hydrogen” is the best way to start using Linux. A full Linux operating system on a single CD for both new and experienced Linux users, it is fast to download and install, and also safe to try with a live mode. One is really the one CD you need!
  • Arch Linux - Arch Linux is an independently developed i686/x86-64-optimized GNU/Linux distribution. Development is focused on a balance of simplicity, elegance, code-correctness and bleeding edge software. The Arch system and binary packages are compiled for i686 or x86-64 processors. Its lightweight and simple design makes it easy to extend and mold into whatever kind of system you're building. The Arch package system is based on a rolling-release model. Arch releases are therefore merely installation media containing a snapshot of the core repository and coincide with kernel releases. System upgrades are performed with one simple command, and keep your system on the bleeding edge. Arch also provides a ports-like package build system (the Arch Build System - ABS) to streamline and enhance source compilation processes. The ABS tree is synchronized with one command and the entire system can be rebuilt with one command as well.
  • aptosid - Formerly sidux? - aptosid is an operating system based on the Linux kernel, Debian's most modern branch (called “Sid”) and many free and open source applications.
  • VectorLinux - Speed, performance, stability – these are attributes that set VectorLinux apart in the crowded field of Linux distributions.The creators of VectorLinux had a single credo: keep it simple, keep it small and let the end user decide what their operating system is going to be.
  • Fuduntu - Fuduntu is a light hearted and fun Linux distribution that earns its name by its design to fit somewhere in-between Fedora and Ubuntu. It is designed to be asthetically pleasing, and is optimized for Netbook and other portable computers. Fuduntu isn't limited to portable computers however, it is a fantastic desktop distribution too!

Mac

Browsers

Chat

RSS and Atom newsreaders

Text Editors

CD/DVD Burning

Music

  • Airfoil - allows you to use your Airport Express for software other than Itunes (not free)
  • WireTap - records any system sound. No longer free, but for 10.3.9 and older the free one is findable.
  • Max - Max is an application for creating high-quality audio files in various formats, from compact discs or files. Max can read and write audio files in over 20 compressed and uncompressed formats at almost all sample rates and and in most sample sizes. Requires Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or later.
  • XLD - X Lossless Decoder(XLD) is a tool for Mac OS X that is able to decode/convert/play various 'lossless' audio files. The supported audio files can be split into some tracks with cue sheet when decoding. It works on Mac OS X 10.3 and later. XLD is Universal Binary, so it runs natively on both Intel Macs and PPC Macs.

Peer to Peer

  • mlMac
  • Poisoned
  • Transmission - Transmission is a fast, easy, and free multi-platform BitTorrent client with a focus on being lightweight yet feature-filled.

FTP

Video

Players

DVD Ripping

System Utilities

  • Quicksilver - donationware. Turns up the productivity a notch or three.
  • SuperDuper - Safety cloning for mere mortals
  • iStumbler - Is the leading wireless discovery tool for Mac OS X, providing plugins for finding AirPort networks, Bluetooth devices, Bonjour services and Location information with your Mac.

Maths/Scientific

Unix

  • Solaris 10 - Open Source, Enterprise level Operating System (the best!)
  • Solaris 10 Installation Guide by Bourkie
  • PC-BSD - PC-BSD has as its goal to be an easy to install and use desktop OS, which is built on the FreeBSD® operating system. PC-BSD uses the PBI system, which lets users download and install their applications in a self-extracting & installing format, similar to InstallShield® on Windows®.

Web Based

Feed Readers (RSS)

  • Bloglines - A very easy to use, reasonably well featured syndication service. Add all your XML feeds and read all your news and get all your updates in one place.

Bookmarking

  • del.icio.us - A place for you to store all your bookmarks online (so you can access them from any computer) in a way that makes them more easily accessible and organised.

Web Development

Mac Platform

All Platforms

Virutalization (Run multiple machines on your hardware)

  • XEN - Open Source - the best sort of software.
  • VMWare ESXi - The oldest and the most expensive if you opt for the paid version.
  • Microsoft Virtual PC - Runs on Windows, of course!
 
favourite_software.txt · Last modified: 2012/12/20 23:50 by paul
 
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