YOUKOSO!

While trawling all over the net quite a while back, I happened to come by the extremely comprehensive freeware list eConsultant has whipped up (450+ items, not counting the OpenSource entries, available on a seperate page). Its a bit old and countless other blogs/site have quoted it, but if you somehow missed it: YOU CAN FIND IT HERE.

While we’re on the subject of Freeware, contrary to common belief, freeware and open source programs are not at all crippled or not as useful when compared to Payware / Commercial programs. Some of them are real gems, that work just as, if not even better, then their commercial counterparts 

Here are my own personal freware/open-source recomendations (not as comprehensive as the one above though):

1. ANTI-VIRUS = Avast!- Free, and extremely reliable. Hasn’t let me down yet, although the full scan speed leans on the slow side (ok, extremely slow side).

2. BROWSER = Lolifox -  An optimized version of FireFox tailored for anime-loving web community members.

3. IMAGE EDITOR = The GIMP - A bit hard to configure and use, it seems. But in my opinion, anyone with a basic grasp of computing can get this thing running. Some research required to bring out its full potential though (which in my opinion, is close - if not equal - to that of PhotoShop or any other comercial product). Those migrating from PhotoShop should can also try out GIMPShop.

4. PICTURE ORGANIZER = Picasa - Easy to set up, use and blessed with a splendid user interface.

7. OFFICE SUITE = OpenOffice.org - The one, the only (and the somewhat bloated), Microsoft Office compatible free office suite. Impress (the PowerPoint alternative in the suite) could use some help though.

 9. MEDIA PLAYING = CCCP + RealAlternative, QuickTime and WinAmp - Technically, CCCP (and RealAlternative) is a codec pack and QuickTime/WinAmp are not freeware/open source.

CCCP, which only the codecs you need without installing other stuff you don’t even understand (subsequently ruining your computer; K-Lite and the others seem to do that sometimes) also comes with two of the most flexible media players on earth: ZoomPlayer and Media Player Classic. Add in the fact that Media Player Classic can even handle DVDs without any hiccups and (with the addition of RealAlternative) any RealMedia files, and you’ve got everything.

The inclusion QuickTime is to handle the various QuickTime streams you’ll find all over the web, and WinAmp, well, is WinAmp. The only MP3 player you’ll ever need. ‘Nuff said.

For those of you who prefer to have it all in one program can also try out VLC, which plays everything (yes, everything) under the sun.

There we go, my quick recommendations, which are, in my opinion, the  programs you NEED to get. I still don’t have the time to review all of them them yet, so why don’t you go check it out yourself?

Maybe I’ll cover some more programs on another post.

Till then, ja mata!