had an idea of making a list of programs that people could get instead of having to buy expensive programs. (or using bit torrent to get them illegally). note some of these original such as internet explorer or safari are free, i just thought i would put some alternatives
Windows
Original : Microsoft Office
Open source :
OpenOffice
Original:
Internet Explorer
Open Source/Free:
Firefox /
Opera /
Mozilla
Original: Microsoft Outlook / Outlook Express
Open Source:
Thunderbird
Original:
Msn Messenger
Open Source / Alternative:
GAIM /
Trillian
Original: Adobe Photoshop
Open Source:
GIMP
Original: Discreet 3d Studio Max / Alias Maya
Open Source:
Blender
Original: Windows Media Player
Alternative:
Winamp /
MusicMatch
Original: Visual Studio c++ / borland c++ builder
Open Source / Free:
Borland C++ free command line tools (click on compiler)
Dev-c++ MinGW Visual C++ free command line tools OpenWatcom
Original: Adobe Acrobat /
Reader
Open Source:
PDFCreator
Original: Norton Antivirus / McAfee Virus Scanner
Alternative / Free:
AVG Free Edition Mac
Original:
Safari
Alternative:
Camino
Original: MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, iChat, etc
Alternatives:
Adium,
Proteus,
Fire
Original: Photoshop
Alternative: GIMP with
GIMPshop. (Turns GIMP into as near-as-dammit a clone of Photoshop, skinning it to look and act like the real thing, and renaming tools to match Pshop ones. It's treading on pretty shaky ground as far as Intellectual Property goes, but what the hell).
Original: Finder
Alternative:
PathFinder Quicksilver is not strictly speaking a
replacement for anything, but it transforms how you interact with your Mac totally... so you could argue that it's another desktop replacement. Apple have started to integrate it's functionality into the latest versions of OS X (under the Spotlight tool), but it's a way off yet.
Some more, courtesy of Stew: 3dMark - Benchmarking tools
7-Zip - compression software (very high compression ratio)
Acrobat Reader - For reading PDF files
Ad-Aware - Anti-spyware
AnyDVD - Helps with DVD ripping (21 day trial period)
AP Guitar Tuner Apache - Worlds most popular http web server.
AudioGrabber - CD ripper / mp3 creator
Auto GK (Gordion Knot) - foolproof dvd to avi software
Autoruns - See what programs are configured to startup automatically when your system boots
Avast! Antivirus - Antivirus software
AVG antivirus - Free antivirus prog
AVG Email scanner plugin for use with Mozilla Thunderbird. Setup instructions
here.
Belarc advisor - a snapshot of your system details
BitDefender - Antivirus software
BitTornado - Alternative BitTorrent client
BitTorrent - Filesharing (There are other clients, this is the "original"[img]/vbulletin/images/smilies/wink.gif[/img])
Bloodshed Dev-C++ - Free programming editor
CDBurner XP Pro - great replacement for Nero
CDex - For Ripping CD's (also converts to compressed formats (e.g. MP3))
ClamWin - AV software to use in conjunction with AVG
CPUZ - provides some information on your CPU
cygwin - a Linux-like environment for Windows
Daemon Tools - For mounting ISO (and other) images
Damn NFO Viewer - .nfo file viewer
DBan - securely wipe hard drives
DC++ - Filesharing
Desktop Sidebar - provides lots of useful system / application information.
DeviantArt - Free wallpapers
Diskeeper - Shareware defrag utility
DScaler - best video picture quality from TV card
DU Meter - Upload/Download speed for Internet
DVD Decrypter - needed for AutoGK, also handy for copying single layer dvds
DVD Shrink - DVD Ripping program. Can also burn if you have nero installed.
EAC - For those who demand the highest quality ripping their own music collection
EphPhod - manage your iPod
Eraser - securely wipe files or free space
Ethereal - Packet sniffer
Filezilla - FTP client and server software
FilZip - compression software
Firefox - web browser
FLAC - Lossless (i.e. perfect cd quality) music compression
Flash and
shockwave players - For running flash and shockwave stuff inside your browser
Foobar2000 - Audio media player
Foxmail - Mail reader
Fraps - handy for taking screenshots of games and monitoring their performance
FreeReader - RSS and XML reader
G4u - Hard Disk cloning
Gimpshop - gimp with photoshop look and feel.
Godfather - MP3, Ogg, etc. tagging
GoogleBar - Google toolbar for Mozilla / Firefox
Gordion Knot - DVD backup software
GPGShell - Front endd to GPG
Hijackthis - lists all installed browser add-ons, other features
ID3-TagIT - manage your mp3 id3 tags
Incredimail - Email prog add-on (emoticons, etc.)
IrFanView - more graphics software
iso buster - Rescue lost files from a bad or trashed CD or DVD
isorecorder - Tool for burning iso files in XP
iTunes - Apple's itunes music player / purchasing tool
Java JRE - For running applets, or anything else java based.
JCreator LE - Free Java editor
K-Lite codec pack - every video and audio codec you could need (and media player classic)
Kerio Personal Firewall Lavalys Everest - Gives you lots of system information (like sisoft sandra, but completely free)
Limewire - File sharing prog
Mame32 - Arcade machine emulator
MaxLister - allows you to create virtual images of harddrives, floppy disks, CD-ROMs or other removable media
Microsoft regclean - Cleans your registry. COuldn't find a microsoft.com link. This one is for download.com.
mIrc - IRC (chat) client
Motherboard Monitor - Shows you lots of information from your motherboard...temperatures, voltage rails, etc.
NeoTrace Express - visual traceroute
NetStumbler - WiFi diagnostic software
NetTime - NTP client
nmap - Network security tool
O&O Defrag - Disk defrag tool
Object Dock - Customizable Taskbar like in AppleOS
Ogg Vorbis Codec - The new mp3 but free & apparently better (winamp plays ogg files)
OpenOffice.org - Microsoft office replacement
Opera - Web Browser
Outlook Express - Email tool. Nice for managing multiple hotmail accounts.
Password Safe - a password safe
PDF Creator Plaxo - program for keeping your Outlook (and Outlook express) address book up to date
Power Archiver - Compression utility
Powertab Editor - Best prog out there for tab editing/playback
Prime95 - Stress Tester to check stablility (also a distributed attempt at finding mersenne prime numbers)
Privacy Mantra - "cleans your computer from online and offline tracks"
proexp - Process Explorer - Alternative to task manager
PuTTY - SSH client
RBTray - allows you to minimise any program to the tray area.
Real Alternative - alternative to real player
Real VNC - An implementation of VNC. VNC allows you to control a computers desktop (or "x-windows" session) remotely.
Realplayer alternative and
Quicktime alternative Restoration - recover deleted files (better known as rest2514)
Sam Spade - network query tool
SiSoft Sandra - Information Tool for Checking your CPU,BIOS etc.
Skype - VOIP application
SmartClock - Clock tool
Smart FTP - Free for non-commercial use
SoulSeek - the best p2p for dance music
SpaceMonger - to see what's wasting space
SpyBot Seach and Destroy - Anti Spyware
Stinger - McAfee anti virus prog
Switch Off - Put your PC on switch off timer.
Sygate Personal Firewall - Firewall
Sysinternals apps - Various freeware apps available here
Teamspeak - Talk program. Useful for talking to mates, or gaming.
The Gimp - graphics software
The Open CD - A cd full of open source software for windows.
Thunderbird - email client
TightVNC - VNC client
Total Commander - Windows Explorer replacement
Treesize - For working out whats taking up space on your system
Trillian - multi IM chat client
TrueCrypt - encryption software
TweakUI - Allows you to change your windows UI in lots of ways. Link is for XP version. Google for others, or search microsoft.com
Various windows cusomisations VirtualDub - Free video editing tool
virtualdubmod - Virtual Dub alternative. Video editing software.
VLC - Video Player with lots of codec support
Volo View Express - views autocad drawings
WinAmp - Excellent music player
Winbar Winbond hardware doctor - a basic server hardware monitoring tool which alerts a system administrator if a hardware problem occurs on their SAI2 based server system
Windump - network sniffer
winhttrack - View websites offline
WinRar - (Shareware) Compression software
WinSCP - GUI based SCP client
Winzip - (Shareware) Compression software
WorkRave - RSI recovery software (break reminder with exercise suggestions)
XP Anti Spy - lets you disable some built-in update and authentication features in WindowsXP
Xvid Codec - Free video compressor codec
ZoneAlarm - Security suite
can any one think of any more?
