These are just a few of the many useful freeware programs you can get online. I highly recommend trying them all and figuring out which you like.
Music/Media
Songbird- This user-friendly music library is reminiscent of iTunes circa 2005. It works in much the same way, and while there isn't much to differentiate the two, Songbird shines through with its ability to sync any device. There is also an app for it for Android OS. Congratulations, Songbird, you just eliminated the reason for having an iPod. Why buy an iPod to listen to your music if you can now sync your Evo 4G just as easily?
VLC- VideoLAN is a cross-platform media player. As you can see from the site, it can play DVDs, CDs, and you can even set it up to stream live from the net. Big deal, right? Windows Media Player does all that. So, you skip downloading VLC, open up Windows Media Player, and you try to play a video that your friend recorded of you at a party, wanting to know if he should edit your face out, or if it's something you can deal with. You try to open up the .mkv file and... it won't play. Well, that's a bummer. Now what will you do? Well, you could go back up to that link, click it, and download VLC. It will play (as far as I know) literally every format of media there is on the internet.
Media Editing
Gimp- Photoshop is expensive. It has many, many features that most image manipulation suites do not. Gimp, however, has a leg up on Photoshop. Gimp is entirely Open Source. So, let's say there's a hypothetical tool that you need to make your retouched photo perfect. But wait! Photoshop doesn't have that tool! Sure, you could find a way to make the effect work. Or you could download Gimp, and ask the open source community to help you create the tool that you need.
SmoothDraw- I like to think of SmoothDraw as a simpler, though not technically as capable version of Gimp. It has an easy learning curve, and you can start creating beautiful works of art.
Audacity- This program screams simplicity. It has features like auto-tuning, vocoding, and overlapping, but you wouldn't guess that from the start-up screen. Everything about it is intuitive. If you need to add a new track, you simply do so. I can't even describe how you do so, because it's like taking a breath, or catching a baseball. You will it, and it is done.
Operating Systems
Ubuntu- In a later post, I will go over how to make a very good desktop computer for under $400. One of the key ingredients to this cheap, reliable computer is this operating system. Ubuntu is a completely open source system that allows you to customize, tweak, and adapt it to whatever your needs may be.
Debian- This is another software with which I have limited hands-on experience. What little I have seen speaks to the exquisite simplicity that is often the key element to Linux-based operating systems. I have plans in the future to try this out, and I will update this post when I do.
___________________________________________________
That's all I have for now. Keep these programs in mind whenever someone asks you, "Hey, do you know where I can get a program to do..."
Next time, I will explain step by step exactly how you build a reliable computer for less than $400!
Music/Media
Songbird- This user-friendly music library is reminiscent of iTunes circa 2005. It works in much the same way, and while there isn't much to differentiate the two, Songbird shines through with its ability to sync any device. There is also an app for it for Android OS. Congratulations, Songbird, you just eliminated the reason for having an iPod. Why buy an iPod to listen to your music if you can now sync your Evo 4G just as easily?
VLC- VideoLAN is a cross-platform media player. As you can see from the site, it can play DVDs, CDs, and you can even set it up to stream live from the net. Big deal, right? Windows Media Player does all that. So, you skip downloading VLC, open up Windows Media Player, and you try to play a video that your friend recorded of you at a party, wanting to know if he should edit your face out, or if it's something you can deal with. You try to open up the .mkv file and... it won't play. Well, that's a bummer. Now what will you do? Well, you could go back up to that link, click it, and download VLC. It will play (as far as I know) literally every format of media there is on the internet.
Media Editing
Gimp- Photoshop is expensive. It has many, many features that most image manipulation suites do not. Gimp, however, has a leg up on Photoshop. Gimp is entirely Open Source. So, let's say there's a hypothetical tool that you need to make your retouched photo perfect. But wait! Photoshop doesn't have that tool! Sure, you could find a way to make the effect work. Or you could download Gimp, and ask the open source community to help you create the tool that you need.
SmoothDraw- I like to think of SmoothDraw as a simpler, though not technically as capable version of Gimp. It has an easy learning curve, and you can start creating beautiful works of art.
Audacity- This program screams simplicity. It has features like auto-tuning, vocoding, and overlapping, but you wouldn't guess that from the start-up screen. Everything about it is intuitive. If you need to add a new track, you simply do so. I can't even describe how you do so, because it's like taking a breath, or catching a baseball. You will it, and it is done.
Operating Systems
Ubuntu- In a later post, I will go over how to make a very good desktop computer for under $400. One of the key ingredients to this cheap, reliable computer is this operating system. Ubuntu is a completely open source system that allows you to customize, tweak, and adapt it to whatever your needs may be.
Debian- This is another software with which I have limited hands-on experience. What little I have seen speaks to the exquisite simplicity that is often the key element to Linux-based operating systems. I have plans in the future to try this out, and I will update this post when I do.
___________________________________________________
That's all I have for now. Keep these programs in mind whenever someone asks you, "Hey, do you know where I can get a program to do..."
Next time, I will explain step by step exactly how you build a reliable computer for less than $400!
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