For everything else, there's...
They always say the best things in life are free. While I think this statement is supposed to apply to things like family and friends being priceless, I'm going to use it differently. So don't email saying I'm taking things out of context or manipulating the meaning, because I already know that.
For example, while drinking a mudslide might be deliciously yummy, it's always better if somebody else bought the Bailey's to put in it. Similarly, going to see Napoleon Dynamite is always flippin' sweet, but it's definitely better if somebody else rented the movie and bought the popcorn. This same principle applies to your computerized wanderings as well. A while ago I posted some links to free music. This time, it's free software that kicks butt.
1. Mozilla Firefox, a great replacement for Microsoft Internet Explorer. It has handy features like tabbed browsing (very slick), lots of free add-ins for enhanced functionality, and reduced operating overhead. Plus, unlike IE, it is standards-compliant and has fewer security vulnerabilities.
2. Mozilla Thunderbird. While you're busy transitioning out of Internet Explorer, you might as well dump Outlook Express too. Thunderbird is an email client that offers lots of functionality with a minimal bloat factor. It is pretty barebones, though, as it doesn't have a calendar function (although that is in the works). Still, if you want to add a level of protection against virus threats, T-Bird is a good alternative to the much-hacked Outlook.
3. OpenOffice.org, the free office suite. This program offers very similar functionality to that of Microsoft Office, as well as some enhancements. It has file converters that do a respectable job of reading and writing MS Office formats, and of course it has its own file formats. Nifty features include a PDF output option, smooth interface between components, and a drawing program. And for us enginerds, there is a nice formula builder for inclusion in documents. In the works is a database module (it can already read Access files). So instead of spending $700 on Office and Acrobat, just get OOo and pat yourself on the back for not supporting Microsoft.
Well, that just about does it. I would have written some stuff up about Winamp, Trillian, or Goldwave, but I wanted to keep it to free, open-source software. Hope you find this useful.
Edit - July 17: for Stephanie, here's a screenshot of Firefox in action. Notice the horizontal link bar at the top, tabbed browsing, and handy Google search bar on the right (not a spyware add-in either). That search bar is actually a drop-down, that gives you quick links to search Google, Yahoo, Amazon, Creative Commons, Dictionary.com, or eBay. Okay, click the tiny screenshot to see a huge screenshot.
in the player: Dave Matthews Band - Crash, Norm Stockton - Pondering the Sushi
For example, while drinking a mudslide might be deliciously yummy, it's always better if somebody else bought the Bailey's to put in it. Similarly, going to see Napoleon Dynamite is always flippin' sweet, but it's definitely better if somebody else rented the movie and bought the popcorn. This same principle applies to your computerized wanderings as well. A while ago I posted some links to free music. This time, it's free software that kicks butt.
1. Mozilla Firefox, a great replacement for Microsoft Internet Explorer. It has handy features like tabbed browsing (very slick), lots of free add-ins for enhanced functionality, and reduced operating overhead. Plus, unlike IE, it is standards-compliant and has fewer security vulnerabilities.
2. Mozilla Thunderbird. While you're busy transitioning out of Internet Explorer, you might as well dump Outlook Express too. Thunderbird is an email client that offers lots of functionality with a minimal bloat factor. It is pretty barebones, though, as it doesn't have a calendar function (although that is in the works). Still, if you want to add a level of protection against virus threats, T-Bird is a good alternative to the much-hacked Outlook.
3. OpenOffice.org, the free office suite. This program offers very similar functionality to that of Microsoft Office, as well as some enhancements. It has file converters that do a respectable job of reading and writing MS Office formats, and of course it has its own file formats. Nifty features include a PDF output option, smooth interface between components, and a drawing program. And for us enginerds, there is a nice formula builder for inclusion in documents. In the works is a database module (it can already read Access files). So instead of spending $700 on Office and Acrobat, just get OOo and pat yourself on the back for not supporting Microsoft.
Well, that just about does it. I would have written some stuff up about Winamp, Trillian, or Goldwave, but I wanted to keep it to free, open-source software. Hope you find this useful.
Edit - July 17: for Stephanie, here's a screenshot of Firefox in action. Notice the horizontal link bar at the top, tabbed browsing, and handy Google search bar on the right (not a spyware add-in either). That search bar is actually a drop-down, that gives you quick links to search Google, Yahoo, Amazon, Creative Commons, Dictionary.com, or eBay. Okay, click the tiny screenshot to see a huge screenshot.
in the player: Dave Matthews Band - Crash, Norm Stockton - Pondering the Sushi
jb blessed the web with this post at 2:53 PM
2 Comments:
So I've been using IE for, like, my entire Internet existence. Or something. If I switch to Firefox will it ruin the way I can see pages, lose my favorites, make me entirely disorganized? I am adverse to change...so is it worth it?
I'm sure there is some big FAQ on their website, but... When you first run Firefox, it has a little popup that says something about importing Favorites and things from IE. So I don't believe you'd have to lose it all. As far as changing the way you see pages, everything shows up the same in both browsers, except for the occasional page that is coded poorly or is not standard-compliant (then it's a crap shoot as to which browser renders it better). All the same plug-ins are available, plus extra "extensions" that you can download for ad-blocking, downloading, etc. In general, I think it's easier to use, especially with tabbed browsing (Ctrl+T is your friend). I'll post a screenshot of it, so you can see how it's laid out.
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