I thought I’d post a list of the best open-source utilities (at the present time) for performing various tasks. This isn’t necessarily a list of the “best” tools, but just tools that have worked the best for me.
- OpenOffice.org – Word processing, spreadsheet, presentations, etc.
- Firefox – Web browser.
- Xine and/or MPlayer – Play DVDs and various video formats. (Linux only)
- VideoLAN – Play videos, DVDs, and streams.
- XMMS – Audio player (Linux only). Requires a special plugin to play MP3 and WMA files.
- The GIMP – Drawing and image processing
- The Paint.NET – Simple yet very powerful image editor.
- dvd::rip – DVD ripping and transcoding (Linux only)
- CDEx – CD ripping (Windows only)
- Audacity – Audio track recorder and editor
- VirtualDub – Video capture/processing utility
- FileZilla – FTP client and server (Windows only)
- WinMerge – File and directory compare (Windows only)
- 7-Zip – Archive utility (Windows only)
- gaim – Instant messaging client
- Wireshark – Ethernet packet analyzer (formerly Ethereal)
- Metasploit – Framework for testing exploits
- HxD – Hex editor
Miscellaneous open-source (or otherwise free) things that are nice to have:
- bochs – PC architecture emulator
- DosBox – DOS emulator
- zsnes – Super NES emulator
- VisualBoyAdvance – Game Boy Advance emulator (Windows)
- Basilisk II – 68k Mac emulator
- Project64 – Nintendo 64 emulator (Windows)
- gnuboy – GameBoy emulator (Linux)
- ePSXe – Playstation (1) emulator