Favorite Programs

I use Windows XP Professional on my IBM Thinkpad T41. My server software is Slackware 10.2. The routing to my server is performed by a Linksys WRT54G running Tomato v1.07.

app_install_mb.bat
reg_tweaks_mb.reg
QuickLaunchShortcuts.inf
T41_drivers_install.bat
T60p_drivers_install.bat
chrome_preferences_url_restore.txt

music_app_install.bat
MusicAppShortcuts.inf

OS

• Windows XP SP2
  • Things To Do After a Default Windows XP Installation
    • Note: I've since converted to How to install Windows XP in 5 hours or less :).
  • TweakUI
  • mscomctl.ocx
  • tabctl32.ocx
  • 'Open Command Window Here' Power Toy
  • Windows PowerShell
  • Process Explorer for Windows
  • Creative Element Power Tools - Productivity tools for Windows XP. You know, things like 'Power Rename', 'Copy Folder Listing'.
  • TClockEx - Fri, 12 Nov 2004 8:53 PM. Enough said.
  • ISO Recorder Power Toy v2
  • Nero Burning ROM 5.5.10.56
  • ISOBuster
  • Windows Sysinternals

• Cygwin - GNU + Cygnus + Windows = Bitchen!

• Microsoft Outlook
  • Office XP Service Pack 3 - To ensure connectivity to GMail via POP. 'Send test e-mail message' dialog was failing without it.
  • Outlook 2003 Add-in: Personal Folders Backup
  • Update for Outlook 2002 (KB910619)
  • Visual Basic Contact Export Scripts
  • MySQL ODBC Connector
  • Newsgator Inbox - RSS Reader, allows for automatic downloading of enclosures.
    • FeedStation
  • Newsgator Online - Newsgator Synchronization so I do not have to keep Newsgator on all of my client systems.

• MindJet MindManager Pro 7 - MindMapping Software

Web

• Mozilla Firefox
  • Find-As-You-Type Bug: about:config - accessibility.typeaheadfind.autostart = false
  • IBM Thinkpad Navigation Keys Fix
  • Fasterfox - Firefox performance and network tweaks
  • Google Toolbar
  • https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1532/ - del.icio.us context menu.
  • YouTube To Me Greasemonkey Extension - Save .flv files from YouTube.
  • NewsGator Toolbar
  • CutePDF Writer - Save web pages as PDF files
• Google
  • Google Deskbar
  • Google Desktop - Looking forward to Gaim support, boys.
  • Cntl-Alt-G fix
• Multiple IE

Websites

• Reddit
• O'Reilly Safari Bookshelf
• Del.icio.us
• Flickr
  • Flickr Uploader

Text Editors

• vim
• Microsoft Notepad - In constant use.
• EditPad Pro

Scripting

• AutoHotKey - Automation. Hotkeys. Scripting. A humble and secret productivity weapon!
• Active Perl and Active Python - Similar to mescaline, the only way to fly!
  • PAMIE - Python Automated Module For Internet Explorer - Work gives me love, all because of you, PAMIE!
  • Python Win32 Extensions
  • py2exe - Convert Python scripts into standalone Windows programs. Niiice.
• Nullsoft Scriptible Install System (NSIS) - Everyday is Christmas!
• nmake - make for Microsoft.

Image/Video Editing

• The GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program - I can't believe this thing is free.
• Irfanview - Image Viewer. Creates .ico files and has a great fullscreen slideshow.
• Network Notepad - Network Diagramming Software
• flvconvert - Convert .flv (YouTube) files to MPEG.
• iriverter - Convert MPEG to iAudio X5 format.
• Microsoft Visio 2000

Fonts

• DejaVu fonts

Audio Editing

• CD Wave Editor - I record a lot of live shows with a Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox 3. To edit the final product, I couldn't live without this. You can calculate split points for a given wavefile and write each track out as an individual wave file.
• FLAC - I sure hope FLAC takes off! I'm tired of the portable MP3 players not supporting it!
• LAME - LAME Ain't An MP3 Encoder, shaw!?
• RazorLame - Frontend for the LAME MP3 Encoder.
• Exact Audio Copy (EAC) - Excellent CD-ripping program.
• Tag Frontend - Tags all kinds of audio files, including FLAC.
• MD5summer - generate and verifies md5 checksums
• Notmad Explorer - For transfering files to/from Nomad Jukebox. AudioMorph (conversion from FLAC to WAV) is ok, but all because of the tragedy of no FLAC support in the firmware.
• Burrrn - Burn CDs straight from FLAC files.
• CreateCD - Command-Line CD Recording Utility for Windows XP
• Perl Audio Converter
• ShnAmp - SHN Plug-in for Winamp
• mkwACT - Compress/Decompress SHN files
• CDBurnerXP Pro - free CD/DVD burning

Video Editing

• QuickTime Pro - Excellent cropping features

Audio Listening

• SlimDevices Squeezebox
  • Plug-ins
    • SlimServer LastFM Plug-in
    • SlimScrobbler
• WinAmp
  • AudioScrobbler WinAmp Plug-in
• Real Player - For AAC files.

X Windows

• X-Deep/32

Networking

• PuTTY - Simon Tatham is a god.
• PuTTY w/Cygwin Patch - SSH Client. Indispensible.
• PuTTY Tray - PuTTY w/ clickable links.
• TightVNC
• SmartFTP
• WinSCP
• GNU wget - Thank the Lord for Heiko Herold.

IRC/Instant Messaging

• irssi
• Pidgin - Multi-protocol instant messaging client.
• mIRC - Thanks to the guys at #perlhelp!

Blogging

• b2 - Yes, I know there is more advanced blogging software, but for me, b2 gets the job done in a very simple and straightforward way.
• blosxom - the zen of blogging
• kwiki

Financial

• Microsoft Money

Necessary Evils

• Adobe Acrobat Reader - Kudos to Adobe for 7.0. The dross is gone!
• The GIMP Toolkit - Although not inherently evil, due to the inherent evil in Microsoft, I have to download Open Source windowing systems!
• Spybot - Search and Destroy - To protect one's self against the wrongdoers of the world...
• Grisoft AVG Free - Nice, free, up-to-date anti-virus software.
• Microsoft .NET Framework Version 2.0
• CDBurner XP - for .iso

Palm

• Chapura PocketMirror Professional for Microsoft Outlook - Synchronize Tasks/Calendar/Notes.
• BlueSync - Sync SD with PC. Essential.
• Netchaser - Active access point scanner.
• PalmVNC 2.0 - Phenomenal VNC software!
• TuSSH - Excellent ssh client. Nice, small fonts!
• ptelnet - Telnet client.
• Opera Mini
  • Needs WebSphere Everyplace Micro Environment to function.
• RealPlayer for PalmOne v1.60 - Needs expansion card to work.
• Mobile High Speed for Palm OS - Establishes a wireless connection between a Palm and a cell phone. I was able to connect my Nokia 6230 to my Tungsten C, but Cingular necessitates that in order to use GPRS, you must first establish a data account with them. I didn't pursue this further.
• Sied - Text Editor for Palm. Nice font scaling.
• VS File Transfer - Transfer documents over Wifi using a URL.
• Tipsy - Tip Calculator.
• CFB Timer - No-nonsense countdown timer.
• Moon Phase - Display the phase of the moon for any day.
• FileZ - File Transfer Program
• Vagablog - Blogging Software. Perfect interface.

Devices

• Nokia 2630 running Nokia PC Suite - Awesome IR Sync to Outlook! Update: Recently switched to Verizon. I now use the 6256i, which is unfortunately a) a flip phone b) limited to 500 contacts.
  • Nokia HS-5 Headset
• Palm Tungsten C - No VOIP, No Bluetooth, suspect WiFi.
• Cowan iAudio M3L - Best MP3 player, bar none! Incredible battery life, incredible sound quality, and plays FLAC! Update: The folks at Cowan were kind enough to upgrade my unit to an X5 after they could not determine how to fix 'strange' problems I experienced with my M3L. BEST COMPANY EVAR!
• Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox 3 - Digital line-in for recording with a digital preamp!
• Creative Labs Nomad Muvo - Excellent for listening to podcasts on the go.
• Canon Powershot S200 - Good, until it was stolen.
• PNV Technologies USB Compact Flash Card Reader
• HP Deskjet 5850 Wireless Printer
• LaCie 52x CD-RW (Firewire)
• LaCie 48x CD-RW (Firewire)
• LaCie d2 DVD±RW with LightScribe (Firewire/USB 2.0)
• Primera Signature Z1 CD/DVD Printer
  • Software
• Seiko Instruments Smart Label Printer 100
  • SDK
• Pentax DBmobile USB Scanner
• AKG K-55 Stereo Headphones
• Sanyo Xacti CG6

Want List

• BitTorrent Client