Software worth mentioning (generally open-source/freeware)

[elootos]

My use of software has changed a lot over the past few years; rather than rely on expensive paid-for standards I now try and utilise as much freeware and cloud-based alternatives as possible. So I thought I'd start a thread for anyone to suggest or rave about anything they use which they think should be recommended to others.

My latest must-have is the email client Thunderbird. For anyone out there still using Outlook, Thunderbird is a great alternative. I've been helping someone recently with Outlook issues and been testing Thunderbird as an alternative. Open-source freeware it really does the job well, and if you also have GMail or Google Apps like me, then its IMAP synchronisation is fantastic. To top it off there's also an Add-on for Google Calendar to synchronise with the Thunderbird calendar Lightening. Brilliant.

So while I'm on the subject of email I really cannot recommend GMail (or Google Apps) enough. I was amazed recently that someone I know pays £1.20/month for their BTInternet email that only gives POP access, and in fact if you have a free Talk21 account then POP access isn't even available, WTF

Gmail however fires both barrels with IMAP access and SSL connections. If you have your own domain you can register Google Apps to control your email for you. Plus their advertising is slightly less obtrusive than Hotmail, sorry, Live.

So that's my first must-have setup: Gmail (or Apps) with Thunderbird. Class.

[northan]

(05-06-2010 04:50 PM)elootos Wrote:  So while I'm on the subject of email I really cannot recommend GMail (or Google Apps) enough. I was amazed recently that someone I know pays £1.20/month for their BTInternet email that only gives POP access, and in fact if you have a free Talk21 account then POP access isn't even available, WTF

Gmail however fires both barrels with IMAP access and SSL connections. If you have your own domain you can register Google Apps to control your email for you. Plus their advertising is slightly less obtrusive than Hotmail, sorry, Live.

So that's my first must-have setup: Gmail (or Apps) with Thunderbird. Class.

Gmail gives me the biggest headache.
I find a high percentage where it wont synchronise with win live or my iphone. Keeps telling me that my password is not accepted or the server is down or a various other made up things.
I'm sure Gmail works in alot of other apps, but as far as I'm concerned it doesnt work on the thing I want it to.

Hotmail on the other hand is great for me, its worked great for me for well over a decade and its always been free.
Keeping it real

[zacburgess]

(05-06-2010 05:10 PM)northan Wrote:  

(05-06-2010 04:50 PM)elootos Wrote:  So while I'm on the subject of email I really cannot recommend GMail (or Google Apps) enough. I was amazed recently that someone I know pays £1.20/month for their BTInternet email that only gives POP access, and in fact if you have a free Talk21 account then POP access isn't even available, WTF

Gmail however fires both barrels with IMAP access and SSL connections. If you have your own domain you can register Google Apps to control your email for you. Plus their advertising is slightly less obtrusive than Hotmail, sorry, Live.

So that's my first must-have setup: Gmail (or Apps) with Thunderbird. Class.

Gmail gives me the biggest headache.
I find a high percentage where it wont synchronise with win live or my iphone. Keeps telling me that my password is not accepted or the server is down or a various other made up things.
I'm sure Gmail works in alot of other apps, but as far as I'm concerned it doesnt work on the thing I want it to.

Hotmail on the other hand is great for me, its worked great for me for well over a decade and its always been free.
Keeping it real

I agree with you Northan I use Hotmail and have done for over 10 years.
Not had any problems at all.

---

(05-06-2010 04:50 PM)elootos Wrote:  My use of software has changed a lot over the past few years; rather than rely on expensive paid-for standards I now try and utilise as much freeware and cloud-based alternatives as possible. So I thought I'd start a thread for anyone to suggest or rave about anything they use which they think should be recommended to others.

My latest must-have is the email client Thunderbird. For anyone out there still using Outlook, Thunderbird is a great alternative. I've been helping someone recently with Outlook issues and been testing Thunderbird as an alternative. Open-source freeware it really does the job well, and if you also have GMail or Google Apps like me, then its IMAP synchronisation is fantastic. To top it off there's also an Add-on for Google Calendar to synchronise with the Thunderbird calendar Lightening. Brilliant.

So while I'm on the subject of email I really cannot recommend GMail (or Google Apps) enough. I was amazed recently that someone I know pays £1.20/month for their BTInternet email that only gives POP access, and in fact if you have a free Talk21 account then POP access isn't even available, WTF

Gmail however fires both barrels with IMAP access and SSL connections. If you have your own domain you can register Google Apps to control your email for you. Plus their advertising is slightly less obtrusive than Hotmail, sorry, Live.

So that's my first must-have setup: Gmail (or Apps) with Thunderbird. Class.

Has anyone tried open office instead of ms office?

[elootos]

(05-06-2010 05:10 PM)northan Wrote:  I'm sure Gmail works in alot of other apps, but as far as I'm concerned it doesnt work on the thing I want it to.

Hotmail on the other hand is great for me, its worked great for me for well over a decade and its always been free.
Keeping it real

I think Mr Jobs sits there with his finger on the 'bugger up all google products' button Surely you need a me.com email then to match the apple hardware

Hotmail definitely seems to be the defacto for email, but it has a horribly clunky interface with annoying ads and NEVER remembers my wifes password. Plus it's crap at filtering SPAM. I also seem to be getting hacked Hotmail spam emails from friends a lot recently as well which is troubling. However GMail with it's domain integration, flawless spam filtering and IMAP function makes it the daddy in my book. You'll come around to it one day

(05-06-2010 08:22 PM)zacburgess Wrote:  Has anyone tried open office instead of ms office?

Have so! Been using it at work and at home for the past year. If you don't spend all day on MS Office and only need Word/Excel type stuff a few times a day then Open Office can't be faulted. It does have its quirks though and is still no where near as polished as MS Office (free vs £250 never would be though!)

[northan]

(05-06-2010 09:44 PM)elootos Wrote:  Hotmail definitely seems to be the defacto for email, but it has a horribly clunky interface with annoying ads and NEVER remembers my wifes password. Plus it's crap at filtering SPAM. I also seem to be getting hacked Hotmail spam emails from friends a lot recently as well which is troubling. However GMail with it's domain integration, flawless spam filtering and IMAP function makes it the daddy in my book. You'll come around to it one day

I understand what your saying but it's only clunky if you use the web based side of it.
I rarely do so I don't get too upset. As far as spam goes, no problems their either. As far as hacked goes, is that not more a case of poor security measures from the hacked party? The srongest link in security is only the password and if they have a virus aboard that key logs hmmm.
I got hacked in my paypal once, still cant figure it out.

(05-06-2010 09:44 PM)elootos Wrote:  

(05-06-2010 08:22 PM)zacburgess Wrote:  Has anyone tried open office instead of ms office?

Have so! Been using it at work and at home for the past year. If you don't spend all day on MS Office and only need Word/Excel type stuff a few times a day then Open Office can't be faulted. It does have its quirks though and is still no where near as polished as MS Office (free vs £250 never would be though!)

Brilliant program, its a small wonder that its free.

The best program I have is google sketchup (free version)
Many other programs that are free in the cad world just suck, I certainly cant justify the horrific cost of any other programs.

[elootos]

(05-06-2010 10:05 PM)northan Wrote:  I rarely do so I don't get too upset. As far as spam goes, no problems their either. As far as hacked goes, is that not more a case of poor security measures from the hacked party? The srongest link in security is only the password and if they have a virus aboard that key logs hmmm.
I got hacked in my paypal once, still cant figure it out.

Sorry, going a bit from Thunderbird! But anyway.

No idea why certain accounts get hacked. But the Hotmail ones I was getting if from had only recently changed their passwords due to previous hackings. I once fell for an email ebay scam many years ago when it really started getting serious. I still feel an idiot now for falling for it

Coincidentally I see that Microsoft have now started pushing the next generation of Live mail but I still stand by my view that no one comes close to the features that Google offer in their email settings and functionality. So impressed by their free Apps package was I that I now pay £25/year for their premium Apps account for my works domain. This shows a small section of their settings available for your GMail. The current work inbox stands at 5Gb with 100+ folders across 2.5yrs of emails and 3 of us access it all at the same time from multiple machines from the web interface. Truly impressive stuff considering the server load it must take. Add to that the fact that document attachments can be opened in their sister Docs service from within the browser so whatever computer you're on you can view/edit PDF, DOC, XLS and you have the king of cloud computing services. (the free Apps package (inc. GMail) has the same functionality but without some of the more high-end settings for corporate usability.)


One more mention should be Gimp as an alternative to Photoshop. A bit clunky but just as powerful.

[northan]

lol off topic.

Are you getting sponsor money for mentioning google stuff?
Looking back at yer post I almost believe you could be a quasi millionaire by now with the mentions.

Gimp is good, just can't have it on my desktop without someone thinking I like rubber and chains.

I think it's great so many programs can be found free these days.
In the old days I used a lot of freeware programs when it came to converting DVDs and music, fortunately not the case now.
Windows 7 does a lot more too making it less likely for me to find some freeware program.
Anyway better stop there now before I get an off topic flag again

[elootos]

(05-08-2010 05:31 PM)northan Wrote:  lol off topic.

Are you getting sponsor money for mentioning google stuff?
Looking back at yer post I almost believe you could be a quasi millionaire by now with the mentions.

haha, not quite, but until someone comes along and betters what they do mainly for free then it's yay Google!

Would you have believed it if 5 years ago if someone had said that a company will offer aerials photos of the planet and 360deg views of all streets in Europe and USA for free?

Like I said earlier about someone I know paying Talk21 a monthly fee for basic POP email and there Google are giving a fully functioning IMAP/web-based domain controlled service for free. Any company that gives that kind of service for free gets my backing

I think the Hotmail overhaul will be interesting though, especially with Windows Phone 7 coming soon which I am really looking forward to...

(05-08-2010 05:31 PM)northan Wrote:  Windows 7 does a lot more too making it less likely for me to find some freeware program.

Here here, it does act more like an Apple OS these days, just without Steve Jobs telling its users what they can/can't do

[elootos]

http://aviary.com

Pretty neat online editors.