Computer Programs You Like

[nChrist]

I've been wanting to do something like this for some time in hopes of getting some good ideas for computer programs to try. Here's a few from me:

Firefox for a browser - freeware and available from many download sites. It has hundreds of freeware extensions that do just about anything you can dream of.

Thunderbird for an email program - freeware and available almost anywhere.

RJ Text Editor for a small and fast replacement for notepad that has many additional features. It's freeware and you can get it at RJ TextEd - The Unicode source and text editor

Libre Office for a Microsoft Office Suite replacement. It's freeware and does just about everything that Microsoft Office does. Open Office is another freeware replacement for Microsoft Office, but Libre Office is much better in my opinion. You can get it at LibreOffice Fresh | LibreOffice - Free Office Suite - Fun Project - Fantastic People

Multi-Commander for a Windows file manager replacement. It's freeware and does at least 10 times what Windows file manager does. You can get it at Multi Commander |

e-Sword for a fantastic and free Bible Study program. I've used it for years and love it. There are literally thousands of free add-on modules for it. You can get it at e-Sword | Downloads

This ought to be enough to give us a good start. Thanks in advance for sharing your favorite programs with us.

 

[davedajobauk]

I like PaintDOTnet image/photo-processing software
simply because I could not afford PHOTOSHOP
and the ongoing cost of it's Supplementary Addons
I used PaintDOTnet with Windows XP and at the time of writing
they do not have an open-source version
I tried 'Gimp' when I had-to move my computer into Ubuntu
(open-source Linux based) with Zorin OS
I found Gimp to be clumsy and much less intuitive to use, than was PaintDOTnet

PaintDOTnet is available at www.getpaint.net
It is essentially 'free', but they make no secret of
re: how welcome a donation would be
with their Paypal link on the download page

When I received some arrears of pension, I obtained this Toshiba Notebook
running Windows 8.1 and also took almost immediate advantage
of the free update to Windows 10 and also, it's Anniversary Update
\o/ I have PaintDOTnet back
ie: it's latest version and several pages of tools, filters and tweaks are available, also, for-free

Microsoft Edge the highly-acclaimed browser
"specially built" for Windows 10 is (for me) a right royal pain (in the rectal area) with long page-loading times and far too-regular disconnections from GE (CF) and Facebook
and, it actually blames these sites, for losing the page I was visiting
Google-Chrome finds no such problems and is much quicker...
Microsoft denies my claim, that this is so, but then.... they-would

I might just keep Windows 10 for legacy software [offline]
because I feel that these delays and disconnections
COULD be the workings of in-built spyware, needing sole-access
to my internet bandwidth ~for, reporting purposes
(nothing that I could prove, but)
I just do not see the advertised speed claims, that my 4 GBs of RAM
is purported to-provide, to this PC

Yes, I would be interested to hear from others ~with past-experience of XP and now Windows 10
giving personal comparisons ??

 

[davedajobauk]

re: FIREFOX

:o

It has so-many THIRD-PARTY ADDONS ~available, that I wonder
where, trusted apps and hacking apps actually start and finish

I had no qualms using it in Zorin Operating System, for-reason, I was able to quickly recover my Dell with a reboot from scratch

My three (so far) complete re-installs of Windows 10
(since it's purchase)
# at around five hours for each occasion ( attended installs )
I found so very tiresome
and is when you find yourself TIED-UP for most of a working day
[? for each needed dump, download and reload ?]
So, I would not 'willingly' add Firefox to this Notebook / laptop

I have enough problems, supporting my online connections already

 

[nChrist]

Hello Brother Dave,

My wife has an HP laptop running Windows 8.1, and I have an HP PC running Windows 7. Both of us tried Windows 10 for a month with nothing but problems and crashes, especially with the updates. So, we both went back to the original operating system.

Re. Firefox: Both of us have used Firefox for years with no problems at all. We still have the Microsoft browsers installed on the systems, but we don't use them. We haven't tried Google Chrome, but we understand it's fast and stable. If I remember right, uninstalling the Microsoft browsers causes big problems.

 

[davedajobauk]

Tom Bro'

I do admit that I found Firefox to be very useful (back in the day)
of XP ?
and, with Internet Explorer, apparently so-vulnerable, that it seemed I was downloading CRITICAL UPDATES on an almost daily-basis, as Microsoft 'struggled' to keep pace with potential "exploits, that could allow a hacker to take-over your computer"


Now, it is far too-late for me to 'roll-back and recover 8.1
and I am stuck with something, I believe quite-possibly contributes to a Microsoft 'Net' with an open 'backdoor'
and also open-windows, for NSA supersnoops

I have nothing to hide here (?) but I paid for a 'fast PC'
and since Windows 10 was given it's licence
I feel like the clock has been turned-back to Windows Millenium Edition
It most certainly is not, FUNNY
~ I did not pay all that money
to allow Microsoft /others to share my Computer's Unused Memory Space and my Ram Memory (at any time)
ergo, my thinking, to take it OFFLINE completely
(standalone, virtual-private networking)
and to use 'other-protocols / operating systems'
for my internet-access / connections [more easily recovered / replaced]

Why would I even-think, they could be doing that ??
Because my PC (notebook)
now 'takes it's time'
killing a page and opening the next 'requested page'
(I mean, I see that little blue whirly-thing, spinning and spinning
for anything up to a couple of minutes) before, showing me the new-page ????
and then making me wait, until ALL of the adverts have been loaded...
~as if the whole-site is being downloaded again,
when in fact, it has just been visited and has been held in another tab, for my convenience and 'instant-access' (no joke)

Oh yes, and while I am here with this subject, let me also mention my experience with CLEARING BROWSER HISTORY
LOL, what a misnomer that 'BS' is.....
I also get a reply that tells me
"Some Items could not be cleared"
but also doesn't-explain what was retained
To the point of this >>> who needs to know what it contained ?
It is MY RUBBISH surely ?

Back to your Firefox Browser...
I do sincerely hope, your experience with it remains safe
and accomplishes, all that you require of it, ~in a trouble-free way
I simply viewed it's_ third-party app' contributors
to be additional risk-taking
ie: Not Firefox Apps /Updates _
but, all of those fancy-offerings from others (?) attractive click-bait (?)

your Bro'

dave

 

[davedajobauk]

Hello Brother Dave,

My wife has an HP laptop running Windows 8.1, and I have an HP PC running Windows 7. Both of us tried Windows 10 for a month with nothing but problems and crashes, especially with the updates. So, we both went back to the original operating system.

Yes Tom Bro'
I expect, that those of us that need WINDOWS
for some apps, that wont be operated within open-source programs, will have-to go with Microsoft's programming eventually anyway... when app-developers won't (or cannot) make open-source versions

Re. Firefox: Both of us have used Firefox for years with no problems at all. We still have the Microsoft browsers installed on the systems, but we don't use them. We haven't tried Google Chrome, but we understand it's fast and stable. If I remember right, uninstalling the Microsoft browsers causes big problems.

Just to underline 'my previous comment'
regarding Firefox
and say, that I do not wish to disparage Firefox (itself)
which was adequate, for it's purpose
But, that going offsite from Firefox site: to download and install from unknown websites the software Firefox advertised
provided a 'risk' that I did not wish to engage
Site spoofing, is a very real hazard in today's internet
and I have had several attempts (to date] to have me
(lure me) into SIGNING-INto, 'my' Bank Account
and (just in time)
I spotted the (This page made by Wixx) on the page....

With those offsite downloads,
being likewise vulnerable to 'spoofing' I could never be sure that I was downloading the required-software or, a hack-job

Safety First....

dave

 

[nChrist]

Hello Brother Dave,

Everyone has their own opinion and good reasons for that opinion. I'm glad there are choices people can make and not have one piece of software monopolize the market. Mozilla has been around for a long time and is a trusted source for Firefox, Thunderbird, and the themes/extensions for both of them. They also test the themes and extensions before making them available for download. I've never had a problem over the years. One of my favorite extensions for Firefox is uBlock Origin. It blocks ads and malware sites. It works very well, so I don't put up with advertising or sites known for malware.

To get Firefox: Browse Freely
Firefox Extensions: Add-ons for Firefox
Firefox Themes: Most Popular Complete Themes :: Add-ons for Firefox

 

[davedajobauk]

Thanks Tom Brother

I also like Microsoft's Onedrive....

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r...e.com/&usg=AFQjCNGo7n6lBsj8-am_R1JY59OhAY7HaA

In many ways, I suppose it is like Photobucket, but has a lot more going for it these days¬

Any device, at any time
OneDrive is pre-installed on Windows 10, and it works well on all your devices. Access and share files and photos on PC, Mac, Android and iOS.

Work together and share files and photos
Collaborate with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote from your desktop, mobile device and the web.

OneDrive for Business
Give your employees all the benefits of OneDrive for their work files backed by tools to allow IT to protect important company data.

Stay organised with OneDrive
OneDrive has some powerful features to help you find what you need, co-author documents and keep your files and photos organised.

OneDrive is pre-installed on Windows 10, enabling your documents and photos to be saved to OneDrive automatically.

Photos saved in OneDrive are automatically tagged based on visuals, and OneDrive albums help you to keep them organised and searchable.

PDF annotation on your iOS device allows you to highlight, draw and sign any PDF file in your OneDrive.

Real-time notifications let you know when a document is being edited and by whom.