Favourite Software?

I thought it might be worth sharing with others your favourite programs, I think we have done this before but there are new members and times change. Personally I like free programs so these are all free ones with a brief description:

Thunderbird - a mail reader with a large number of really useful add-ons available including mail merge, archiving and even Google Calendar. Was originally developed by Mozilla but now independently worked as an open source mail reader. Handles all my email addresses very well.

Freemake - a wonderful video converter from anything to anything, also downloads Youtube videos. Not open source and you can buy additional facilities but excellent program no need to buy anything.

Calibre Ebook Manager - manages all your ebooks on and off your reader and converts from one format to another. Frees you from the tyranny of Amazon if nothing else.

ePUBee DRM Removal - remove that pesky DRM protection from your ebooks. After all you paid for them.

µTorrent - Bit torrent program for file downloading and transfer - I use an older version 2.2.1 no ads and small footprint however there are many free torrent programs that do the same job.

Bulk Rename Editor - If you have photos, MP3 or MP4 files, documents that you wish to rename en mass then this program is brilliant - changes cryptic names like IMG_3456 to something more readable like 20171225 001 Christmas Photos. You can save set up files for different uses. Definitely a 'I couldn't do without it' tool; I use it just about every day.

MP3Tag - manages your Mp3 files and enables you to add and/or edit the information contained within the MP3 File (Title, Artist, Album, Track No, etc etc. If you have an MP3 collection this program is essential. It is not at all intuitive to use at first but worth persisting with.

Audacity - terrific audio editing software very sophisticated does just about everything you will ever need yet free! A 'must have' if you do anything with audio.

IMGBurn - burns new and copied CDs or DVDs handy program to have around though less used these days.

GIMP - Photo editing software. Hard to believe that this is free, it does just about everything that the expensive Adobe Photoshop does. Brilliant program - not easy to start off with but plenty of tutorials on Youtube.

Picasa 3 - convenient photo organiser and (basic) editor - was bought by Google but has now been abandoned by them. Will keep using it until it stops working because I have got used to it. No where near as comprehensive as GIMP but for simple edits (contrast, brightness, blemishes, red eye etc) this is all you need.

Open Live Writer - if you have a blog then this is the tool for you, works with most if not all blog sites like Blogger, Blogspot, Wordpress etc. Used to belong to Micro$oft but they released it into the public domain (after removing proprietary code) - now open source software.

Handbrake - converts DVDs into MP4 or AVI video files - by inserting the codec from VLC it will do the same for your old protected (bought) DVDs. Very handy program. Not much used these days.

Firefox - What to say about this browser other than I have been using it since it was Netscape and it has gone from strength to strength. I use a number of add-ons including: Adblock Plus and WebRTC Control (stops leaking your IP address).

LibreOffice - full featured office program - open source - Writer, Spreadsheet, Database, Publisher etc. Unless you use VBA why buy M$ Office?

Foxit Reader - a PDF reader not open source but not bloatware like Adobe PDF Reader.

Most of my stuff I get from SourceForge or Tucows - the latter is OK but has a lot of shareware as well as open source. They are where I look first if I need a program before buying something. BTW Youtube is a great source of 'how to' videos for all this software though some videos are much better than others.

If you like the sound of any of the software named above just Google it perhaps with 'download' added after its name, they are all readily available. A few I donate money toward their development; they are that good in my opinion.

Anyway how about you? what are your favourites? Doesn't have to be free software.

Re: Favourite Software?

Calibre, ePubDRM - yep definitely extremely useful for anyone with Kindles/ereaders

VLC Player - simple free video player to use instead of Windows Media Player

Foobar2000 - simple free audio player for sound files

Stellarium - brilliant free planetarium for your PC.

Celestia - Another planetarium more focussed on planets

TeamViewer - Allows remote control of distant PCs and file transfers

Re: Favourite Software?

Thanks Bruce.

I might be interested in Gimp. I have had Photoshop CS for years but after a windows update it no longer runs and is no longer supported.

Do you know if Gimp features layer adjustment?

Thanks.

Re: Favourite Software?

My wife flimseys

Re: Favourite Software?

CorallDraw - Graphics package - brilliant.

Roxio12 Professional - edits photos, compiles videos and adds music, copies CDs and DVDs

MediaFace5 - labels CDs/DVDs etc, either on paper labels or directly onto the disc if your printer can cope with that.

Re: Favourite Software?

Gimp is built around layers and masking as far as I can see. It is a much more sophisticated program than I need normally

Try some of the Youtube tutorials.

I am definitely not an expert on it - just don't use it enough, perhaps three times a year, but I was able to separate my grandkids from their background using it. For someone who uses it a lot it would be easy I think.

Re: Favourite Software?

I have a video program called Corel VideoStudio X10 which I paid for, it is just about OK, basic but OK but I find for quick edits and joins I tend to use Freemake.

I had forgotten about printing on CDs and DVDs I used to do that too but can't remember the program I used. Still have the inkjet printer that prints on CDs etc but it just collects dust. On the rare occasions I make a CD/DVD now I just scrawl on it with a texta.

DVDs are going the way of the floppy disk and compact cassette aren't they?

Re: Favourite Software?

Have you tried Google Skymap on your phone? You just point it at a star or piece of sky and it tells you exactly what the stars are. Covers the whole visible sky no matter where in the world you are.

Apparently Google originally developed it but them made it open source.

VLC excellent program though I wonder why you need an audio player as well?

I do use Teamviewer occasionally but I think it is fraught with dangers. I keep a copy on my Ubuntu machine for my overseas visitors so they can run their businesses while on holiday (not something I would do I have to say but that's foreigners with a work ethic for you)

Re: Favourite Software?

Adobe Elements and Premier Elements

also one called System Mechanic which has sorted out problems in the past
There is another called Revo don't know about the free download version but it does help get rid of unwanted programs even down to registary level

Re: Favourite Software?

There is a free program called "PC Decrapifier" which is really handy when you get a new computer. Basically gets rid of all the stuff PC sellers load the system up with such as 'sample' versions of M$ Office, Mcafee etc

Offers you choices.