they used to be called programs...

chappy · 2012-08-09, 21:49

but Apple tricked the kids into calling them Apps.

So, I purchased a new laptop ahead of Nanowrimo. (and before you ask I won't be running Prime95 on it regularly :)

I installed Scrivener and Chrome and Waterfox, Calibre, 7zip, Tweetdeck, iTunes, Winamp, prime95 (because I couldn't help myself), and some music and etc...

It got me to thinking. What 'must have' programs do you guys (and gals) load on your computers right away?

Do you think it is oddly fun like I do?

Do you run a benchmark first thing because you want to know what an i7-3615QM chip will do?

Anyway what awesome programs am I missing out on?

TObject · 2012-08-09, 22:25

Word, Excel, XNUMBERS (multi-precision floating point computation and numerical methods for Excel), ImgBurn, CPU-z, GPU-z, CPUID Hardware Monitor, Adobe, Capture NX, Visual Studio, Delphi, Mobipocket, Calibre, Sybase Anywhere, SD Formatter, Google Earth…

Dubslow · 2012-08-09, 22:32

LibreOffice Writer/Spreadsheet...

chalsall · 2012-08-09, 22:58

Linux....

Xyzzy · 2012-08-10, 04:39

Linux (Ubuntu), with only "Free" repositories.

Then "gmp-ecm", "openssh-server", "pdftk" and "screen".

Everything else is already there.

LaurV · 2012-08-10, 05:24

A psychologist could easy spot what character you are, from those lists

The first thing I ever install after windows, is my favorite antivirus (eset), firewall and all the tools I use for system protection, my favorite file browser (total commander, because windows explorer is THE worst written and the stupidest program I ever seen! I am still norton commander nostalgic

), my favorite compression/encryption programs (winrar, etc, encryption refers to putting a strong password on a zipped file containing materials which should not be accessible to my children/wife/colleagues/restoftheworld, or to to encrypt/decrypt some existing files using a weak personal-designed encryption method, and not to some complicate numerical encryption stuff). Same of the tools mentioned before are personal production. Then come my favorite tool to mock up with the windows registry and system events, which registry I regularly maintain in shape, to avoid the so-infamous "registry accumulation" process which makes windows terrible slow in time. I use to backup/restore the registry parts, before/after doing strange things with the computer and/or accessing strange internet barracks/furnaces/lumbermills/etc. I frequently do reverse engineering on viruses (still own a "small" collection with over 3000 families of little bastards, and I have gained tremendous knowledge

The second layer consists of usual applications, from which the first is my favorite virtualization program, mt favourite browser (no, not I/E!), my favourite spreadsheet (yes, Excel, the only good program Microsoft ever did

), (I don't use Word so much, in fact I almost never use it, but I have to install it, for reading work-related stuff). For work there are plenty of other things, CAD software (solidworks, autocad, protel, etc), DevEnv's (Visual C, winavr, code warior, code composer studio, some disassemblers/decompilers), pdf reader/writer, bla bla bla. For home I have some more stuff like my favorite trading package (yes, MetaTrader from Metaquotes), vlc player, winamp. There is plenty of other stuff too. Usually for the most things I do, I use a virtual box with all things installed into it, which can be destroyed and replaced very fast when something goes wrong, so I don't need to repeat all this laborious installations very often.

davieddy · 2012-08-10, 08:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by chappy

but Apple tricked the kids into calling them Apps.

There used to be a clear distinction between "system" and "application" programming.

I suspect the late Jobs had something to do with any confusion subsequently generated.

D

chalsall · 2012-08-10, 13:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by davieddy

I suspect the late Jobs had something to do with any confusion subsequently generated.

Naw... It was good old M$, who blurred the lines between OS and browser trying to avoid Antitrust laws...

"Let's make the browser part of the operating system!" A great idea (not)....

Dubslow · 2012-08-10, 17:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by chalsall

Naw... It was good old M$, who blurred the lines between OS and browser trying to avoid Antitrust laws...

"Let's make the browser part of the operating system!" A great idea (not)....

Google: "Let's make the browser the entire operating system itself!"

ewmayer · 2012-08-10, 17:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubslow

Google: "Let's make the browser the entire operating system itself!"

Pre-Linux Gnu: "Let's make the text editor the entire operating system itself!"

chalsall · 2012-08-10, 17:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubslow

Google: "Let's make the browser the entire operating system itself!"

Marc Andreessen: "[Netscape will soon reduce Windows to] a poorly debugged set of device drivers."

That's about when Microsoft shat themselves, and realized they needed to force their user-base to use their browser rather than anyone else's. Even today you can't apply security updates to Winblows without using Internet Exploder...

They almost were broken up under antitrust laws because of this, but then the government changed, and Bush gave them a "get out of jail free" card....

2012-08-09, 21:49	#1
chappy "Jeff" Feb 2012 St. Louis, Missouri, USA 485₁₆ Posts	they used to be called programs... but Apple tricked the kids into calling them Apps. So, I purchased a new laptop ahead of Nanowrimo. (and before you ask I won't be running Prime95 on it regularly :) I installed Scrivener and Chrome and Waterfox, Calibre, 7zip, Tweetdeck, iTunes, Winamp, prime95 (because I couldn't help myself), and some music and etc... It got me to thinking. What 'must have' programs do you guys (and gals) load on your computers right away? Do you think it is oddly fun like I do? Do you run a benchmark first thing because you want to know what an i7-3615QM chip will do? Anyway what awesome programs am I missing out on?

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2012-08-09, 22:25	#2
TObject Feb 2012 625₈ Posts	Word, Excel, XNUMBERS (multi-precision floating point computation and numerical methods for Excel), ImgBurn, CPU-z, GPU-z, CPUID Hardware Monitor, Adobe, Capture NX, Visual Studio, Delphi, Mobipocket, Calibre, Sybase Anywhere, SD Formatter, Google Earth…

2012-08-09, 22:32	#3
Dubslow Basketry That Evening! "Bunslow the Bold" Jun 2011 40<A<43 -89<O<-88 3·29·83 Posts	LibreOffice Writer/Spreadsheet...

2012-08-09, 22:58	#4
chalsall If I May "Chris Halsall" Sep 2002 Barbados 2×3×1,567 Posts	Linux....

2012-08-10, 04:39	#5
Xyzzy "Mike" Aug 2002 2·11·19² Posts	Linux (Ubuntu), with only "Free" repositories. Then "gmp-ecm", "openssh-server", "pdftk" and "screen". Everything else is already there.

2012-08-10, 05:24	#6
LaurV Romulan Interpreter Jun 2011 Thailand 10001110111011₂ Posts	A psychologist could easy spot what character you are, from those lists The first thing I ever install after windows, is my favorite antivirus (eset), firewall and all the tools I use for system protection, my favorite file browser (total commander, because windows explorer is THE worst written and the stupidest program I ever seen! I am still norton commander nostalgic ), my favorite compression/encryption programs (winrar, etc, encryption refers to putting a strong password on a zipped file containing materials which should not be accessible to my children/wife/colleagues/restoftheworld, or to to encrypt/decrypt some existing files using a weak personal-designed encryption method, and not to some complicate numerical encryption stuff). Same of the tools mentioned before are personal production. Then come my favorite tool to mock up with the windows registry and system events, which registry I regularly maintain in shape, to avoid the so-infamous "registry accumulation" process which makes windows terrible slow in time. I use to backup/restore the registry parts, before/after doing strange things with the computer and/or accessing strange internet barracks/furnaces/lumbermills/etc. I frequently do reverse engineering on viruses (still own a "small" collection with over 3000 families of little bastards, and I have gained tremendous knowledge The second layer consists of usual applications, from which the first is my favorite virtualization program, mt favourite browser (no, not I/E!), my favourite spreadsheet (yes, Excel, the only good program Microsoft ever did ), (I don't use Word so much, in fact I almost never use it, but I have to install it, for reading work-related stuff). For work there are plenty of other things, CAD software (solidworks, autocad, protel, etc), DevEnv's (Visual C, winavr, code warior, code composer studio, some disassemblers/decompilers), pdf reader/writer, bla bla bla. For home I have some more stuff like my favorite trading package (yes, MetaTrader from Metaquotes), vlc player, winamp. There is plenty of other stuff too. Usually for the most things I do, I use a virtual box with all things installed into it, which can be destroyed and replaced very fast when something goes wrong, so I don't need to repeat all this laborious installations very often.