Essential Software Recommendations


I've been using computers for a really fucking long time, I guess, so I have had plenty of time to use various softwares, get fed up with them, use different software, get fed up with them etc etc etc. So I'd like to share with you what I personally use and what I think works well.

I'm going to split it up into 3 sections: Linux Software, Windows Software, Old Windows Software

For the windows software I'll try to provide links but for linux naturally you would just get all that stuff from your package manager





- GNU/LINUX -



OS:

Modern PC:
Arch Linux

Older/Strange architecture Computer:
NetBSD


BROWSER:

Firefox

For less intense browsing:
Palemoon
O̶p̶e̶r̶a̶ ̶ ̶(̶P̶r̶e̶s̶t̶o̶ ̶e̶n̶g̶i̶n̶e̶)̶ this browser is kinda contentious because the source was illegally leaked, but this is the only way you can run it on a Unixlike OS.


BROWSER PLUGINS:

uBlock Origin (ofc)

Ruffle (modern flash support)

Tree Style Tabs

Tampermonkey (user scripts)

Stylus (user styles)

Dark Reader (universal dark mode, I set it to a low contrast for my tired eyes)

TWP (web page translation)

SponserBlock for Youtube


SEARCH ENGINE:

Searx-NG (locally hosted)

wiby.me (oldweb/indie web)


MUSIC:

Audacious

Clementine

VLC (if im terribly desperate)


PDF VIEWER:

XPDF


FILE BROWSER:

Dolphin

PCmanFM (for lightweight use, although it has a tenancy to corrupt large transfers)

Ranger (CLI, very lightweight)


DESKTOP ENVIROMENT:

XFCE4

Enlightenment16 (lightweight/Retro)

i3WM (very lightweight/laptop use)

Theming: I use GTK, and when I have to use QT I use qt5ct to theme it like my GTK theme

Icons: Chicago95

Cursor: Hand of Evil


CHAT PROGRAMS:

Hexchat (IRC)

Pidgin (Everything else)

and I guess whatever dumb election app my freinds force me to use at whatever period of time


IMAGE MANIPULATION:

The GIMP (use to be on the photoshop train, but since I switched entirely to linux like 6 years ago Ive grown to love gimp)

ImageMagick

Converseen (ImageMagick front end for filetype conversion)

ezgif.com (this link might make you feel a bit nervous, but I assure you its a really good site with lot's of ffmpeg and imagemagick utilities for editing gifs, I use it all the time, and for a long time)


AUDIO MANIPULATION:

A̶u̶d̶a̶c̶i̶t̶y̶ (Use Tenacity or another fork now, Audacity was compromised)

VLC

ffmpeg


SCREENSHOT PROGRAM:

SLIMESHOT (A little scrappy screenshot program I wrote in python)


EMAIL:

Evolution

Thunderbird (when evolution shits the bed)


RSS FEED READER:

QuiteRSS

Thunderbird (not so much anymore)


TEXT MANIPULATION:

Sublime Text 2 (Hell YEAAAAA!!!!!)


FILE COMPRESSION:

p7zip

FileRoller

VIDEO PLAYER:

VLC


I will continue to update as I see fit




- WINDOWS (RETRO) -



OS:

Pretty much all versions XP and below, depending on the PC


BROWSER:

Retrozilla

Palemoon

Opera (Presto Engine)


MEDIA PLAYBACK:

Winamp (Version Depends on OS)


IMAGE MANIPULATION:

The GIMP (Old Versions)

MSPaint ;)

irfanview (viewing and simple editing)


DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATION:

MilkyTracker


TEXT MANIPULATION:

Notepad.EXE (Hell YEAAAAA!!!!!)


I will continue to update as I see fit. I need to add more here on retro windows in particular, once I get my file server and old PCs back




- WINDOWS (MODERN) -



OS:

Windows 7

Windows 10 (begrudgingly if I have to)

Windows Activation ;)


BROWSER:

LibreWolf

For less intense browsing:
Palemoon
O̶p̶e̶r̶a̶ ̶ ̶(̶P̶r̶e̶s̶t̶o̶ ̶e̶n̶g̶i̶n̶e̶)̶ Might be too too old now


MUSIC:

Winamp

VLC (if im terribly desperate)


IMAGE MANIPULATION:

The GIMP (My relationship with Photoshop is ova)

irfanview (viewing and simple editing)


AUDIO MANIPULATION /
DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATION:

FLstudio 11

MilkyTracker

A̶u̶d̶a̶c̶i̶t̶y̶ (Use Tenacity or another fork now, Audacity was compromised)

VLC


SCREENSHOT PROGRAM:

ShareX (haven't really bothered to port Slimeshot yet)


TEXT MANIPULATION:

Sublime Text 2 (Hell YEAAAAA!!!!!)


DEBLOAT:

Open-Shell

Anti Telemetry / De-bloat Scripts


FILE COMPRESSION:

7zip


VIDEO PLAYER:

MPC

VLC


I will continue to update as I see fit