Jun
30
My Favorite Free and Open Source Software Programs
Licensed, paid for software is great for large applications and complex tasks. But what about all the lightweight, small programs you use for simple, specific jobs? The amount of free and open source software available for download grows larger every day, and here is a list of some of my favorites.
1. Firefox
Hands down the most popular browser among the tech-savvy, Firefox combines speed, security, and unique features that you won’t find in other browsers. Add-ons are available for free from 3rd parties to help you customize your browsing experience. If you do any kind of web development, you know just how much better Firefox is than Internet Explorer. Firefox is a must download for anyone on any computer system.
2. WinSCP
This is hands down my favorite ftp client. It’s free, simple to use, and contains some great features. You gotta love open source software that does its job better than paid versions.
This lightweight media player can handle almost anything you can throw at it. It will play pretty much every type of media or streaming file. Want to rip CD’s or DVD’s? It can handle that. You can also convert your videos to iPod formats. VLC can do it all, without any bulky back end software.
Stardock Fences is a cool little program that organizes your desktop. Hide your desktop icons with a single click when you don’t need them so your amazing background shows it’s full potential. Organize all of your files and icons into labeled, shaded groups so you always know where to find your programs for quick access.
Trillian is the ultimate instant messaging tool. It’s what we use for inter-office chats here at SoftwareMedia. It supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC, all in one convenient location. Chat with all your friends and colleagues, no matter what service they use. There are tons of extra features as well, like file transfers and group chats that actually come in handy.
I know there are tons of great, free software programs out there, but these are the ones I seem to use most often. What are your favorite open-source apps?
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