Software I Use
Like most technology enthusiasts, I have strong opinions about the software I use on a daily basis. Before installing anything, I look at screenshots, read reviews and discuss the software with friends on forums. As a software engineer, I understand what makes great software, and it’s amazing how a well-written app can change how you use your computer.
So, in case you’re interested, this is my setup:
Hardware:
Clevo laptop, Intel Core i7-2720QM, 8GB RAM, GeForce 555M, 256GB SSD
Browser: Chrome
Freeware & Open-Source
For me, Chrome is better than any other browser is almost every way. I was a die-hard Firefox user, but Chrome is so much faster and easier to use (the address bar particularly).
Email: Google Mail
Scheduling: Google Calendar
Twitter: DestroyTwitter
VOIP: Skype
Freeware
The original and best.
Streaming: Spotify
Adware
Spotify will change the way you listen to music. It’s incredible. I’m still trying to understand how you can jump around a track and not ever have to wait for anything to bugger. It’s some serious wizardry. The £1 per day ad-free option is a very clever monetisation option.
Video: GOMPlayer or VLC
Freeware
GOMPlayer is amazing. Equal (if not better) codec support as VLC, smaller install and it looks great.
Photos: Picasa
Freeware
Picasa is great for managing my large (and growing) photo library. The image processing tools are fantastic, and it just works well. Pity there is no direct Flickr compatibility.
Media Server: TwonkyMedia
Commercial
One of the few bits of software I’ve needed to pay for, Twonky is worth it. I used TVersity before, but Twonky was far more responsive when connecting from my XBOX360.
NAS: NetGear ReadyNAS Duo (2x1TB Western Digital Caviar Black drives)
Commercial
I made the move to a dedicated storage solution this year, and it’s definitely the way forward. All my data is now mirrored on the NAS, and I installed the TwonkyMedia Add-On (with my desktop licence) so I have a 24/7 streaming solution. Highly recommended!
Video Conversion: WinAVI
Commercial
Man, I ran the gauntlet before finding this gem. I used Videora iPod Converter until the lack of batch transcoding (and the terrible web-based GUI) drove me nuts. All the freeware tools out there have encoding issues (out of sync sound, etc) and are a pain in the ass. WinAVI is simple, fast and supports batch operations. Worth every penny. If you don’t have a penny, Handbrake is not bad.
Windows File Operations: TeraCopy
Freeware
TeraCopy takes control of your Windows native file copy and move operations. Instead of trying to perform operations in parallel (like Windows does so ineffectively), it queues up file transfers from any number of folders to any number of destination folders and processes them one at a time, which is usually faster than attempting to thrash your hard disk with parallel copy operations. It also allows for pause and resume, speed throttling, error detecting and recovery, and claims faster copy speeds.
Anti-Virus: Microsoft Security Essentials
Freeware
I was a huge AVG fan until this came along. It seems a bit lighter and less naggy, and it’s apparently very good at catching stuff. Otherwise, AVG is pretty decent.
Keystroke Launcher: Launchy
Freeware & Open-Source
I had to think hard about the “Keystroke Launcher” description above, because there really is nothing else like Launchy, so it’s hard to categorise. Launchy indexes your Start Menu, QuickLaunch shortcuts and browser bookmarks (and any other folders/files you specify), and allows you to quickly launch applications and files through a simple dialog that appears when you press Alt-Spacebar. You have to try to understand how cool it is. Plugins provide additional functionality.
Hotkeys/Timesaving: AutoHotkey
Freeware & Open-Source
AutoHotkey (AHK) is a geek’s dream utility. Some things I’ve done with it:
- created global hotkeys for Spotify
- made a Skype push-to-talk system for gaming
- stopped spelling weird as “wierd” (it now auto-corrects me)
- typing @@ generates my full email address (major time saver)
- strip formatting from copied text by pressing Win-V to paste
The possibilities are incredible.
Text Editor: Notepad++
Freeware & Open-Source
While I use Notepad for quick and simple reminders and notes, when I need to do any serious text editing I use this. UltraEdit is amazing but I can’t justify the expense since I don’t have that great a need for a text editor at home. PSPad is not bad either.
JavaScript Development: Sublime Text 2
Sublime Text: Nagware/Commercial
I used to use Notepad++ for all my JS development, but I recently gave Sublime Text a bash and it’s pretty great. The JSHint plugin and auto-trimming of line endings is great.
ActionScript Development: FlashDevelop & FlexBuilder 3
FlashDevelop: Freeware & Open-Source, Flex Builder: Commercial
I’ve just started moving over to Flex Builder from FlashDevelop now that I’m involved in larger AS3-only projects. FlashDevelop is lightweight and very fully-featured, and I still use it for quick jobs or AS2 projects.
Torrents: uTorrent
Freeware
uTorrent is a miracle of Windows software development. The install size is tiny, it consumes very little resources, and works fantastically well. I can’t believe people actually use the hulking Azureus over this.
Remote Desktop: LogMeIn
Freeware (basic features) or Commercial (full features)
LogMeIn is the best remote desktop client I’ve used, because it only requires a Java-enabled browser. The screen scaling is a great feature you don’t see everywhere.
Password Management: KeePass
Freeware & Open-Source
KeePass offers installable and standalone versions, and is very secure. Because it’s open-source, there is client software for many platforms.
