I want to go ahead and make a post about my top 5 favorite programs to have on my Windows computers at home. This list will only go through what I use for Windows computers and maybe you will find something on this list you will like too. There isn’t really a standard for what these programs are classified under but these are basically what I use on a day-to-day basis on Windows. While these aren’t in any particular order, but I can honestly say that my ultimate favorite is number 1.
5. Wizmouse. Wizmouse doesn’t sound that cool of a name but it brings a feature that both Linux based operating systems have as well as Mac OSX, and that’s the ability to hover above windows and scroll without having to click on them. This is my most missed feature when I use Windows (as weird as that might sound).
4. CCleaner. Crap Cleaner is a tool which can clean the registry although I like using it for cleaning temporary files, clearing the DNS cache, and it’s a worthy replacement of Disk Cleanup, allowing the use of also deleting files securely from the Recycle Bin.
3. Codeblocks. This one can be debated on whether or not it needs to be listed here but as a C/C++ programmer I love CodeBlocks. However, on Linux I prefer a simple text editor with automatic text highlighting than an IDE (Integrated Development Environment).
2. OpenOffice. I recommend this and I find it as a worthy replacement of Microsoft Office. I don’t like Microsoft Office and all the proprietary….bloat which comes with all Microsoft products. There are some things Microsoft Office does better but OpenOffice is, from my experience, more stable and much faster (Are you surprised?). I don’t like when people have to pay for things when there are much cheaper alternatives (free is also good!). I’m also writing this using OpenOffice, but on Linux based operating systems I like to use LibreOffice (a lighter version of OpenOffice but pretty much the same thing in terms of functionality). This is usually the first program I recommend to people if they want a free alternative to Microsoft Office. Try OpenOffice out and it might be what you need (sometimes it isn’t, but what do you have to lose?). P.S. Have you seen Microsoft Office 2007? (Hint: Windows 8’s file manager, Explorer.exe, was inspired from it.) Let’s not also forget Activations and Product keys.
1. My ultimate favorite program is Cygwin. With a name like Cyqwin you’d think it would be like a Pokemon or something like Psyduck but instead it sounds like Psygwin (Psychic Penguin). I don’t know if Penguins have anything to do with the name but I like saying it (that is if I pronounce it right). Cyqwin is a very handy program. I decided to try it out on my Windows 98 computer and let me just say how much it puts the Command Prompt on steroids, but that might be an understatement. Even on XP it’s good, but 98 it’s like an awesome epic piece of software. All this does is allows you to have a familiar environment of Linux on your Windows computer. Don’t know DOS but know Unix or Linux? Cygwin is perfect for you! It uses the same commands and even gives you a list of things you can install and run within Cygwin such as nano straight from Cygwin without making any changes to the Windows Command Prompt environmental variables. While it isn’t a “Linux Terminal” replacement to run any kind of Linux software of your choosing (that requires compiling from source to a Windows executable), it does provide a lot of flexibility to the Command Prompt.
Do you have any favorites of software you must have on your computer? Post in the comments which ones you like. This is a good way to share software others don’t know about. Stay tuned for next week, we start talking about kernels.
NOTE: This is an older post.
Computer Tech Team 