# List your best computer programs **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 27, 2001, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298 "2001-08-27T08:50:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![therealblaze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@therealblaze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/therealblaze)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/1 "2001-08-27T08:50:25Z")
Here’s a list of the computer programs that I find the most useful and of good-quality. ACDSee - ACD Systems (image viewer/browser) Ad-aware - Lavasoft (ad/spyware remover) Audio Catalyst - Xing Technology Corporation (mp3 player/ripper) Eudora - Qualcomm (e-mail) F-Secure Antivirus mIRC - mIRC Co. (IRC client) Partition Magic - Powerquest (hard-disk partitioning software) Photoshop - Adobe (image editing software) PowerDVD - CyberLink (DVD player) WinZip - WinZip Computing, Inc. (compressing utility) ZoneAlarm - ZoneLabs (firewall) At this moment I use Internet explorer for surfing and Windows Media Player for viewing mpg/avi movies. So what are your favorites? ---
**Author:** ![Mann\_Slaughter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@Mann\_Slaughter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mann_Slaughter)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/2 "2001-08-27T09:06:57Z")
Forte` Agent (a newsreader) WinRAR; WinACE; WinZIP Any of my CD burner progs: CloneCD; Fireburner; EZCD5 To bad Napster had to go and die on me. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/3 "2001-08-27T13:55:20Z")
I’m getting kind of fond of VirtualDub (mpeg-1 to avi conversation tool). Getright (download manager), Cuteftp (ftp client) and Tinyweb (minimalist web server program) are all current favorites, too. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/4 "2001-08-27T14:05:40Z")
Nero Burning ROM WinZip WS FTP Homesite (HTML program) Opera (browser) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/5 "2001-08-27T15:20:08Z")
BUSINESS SOFTWARE FileMaker Pro Nisus Writer Microsoft Excel INTERNET SOFTWARE Eudora Opera\>I haven’t finalized my loyalty yet iCab\> “” Hogwasher NetFinder ART & MUSIC Photoshop SoundEdit 16 N2MP3 GraphicConverter Bryce SoundApp Acrobat EVERYDAY-USAGE UTILITIES MacLink Plus Toast Timbuktu Cisco VPN DAVE Script Editor Stuffit Expander / DropStuff QuicKeys INDISPENSABLE 3rd-party CONTROL PANELS / EXTENSIONS DefaultFolder FinderPop Open With (Contextual Menu Module) OtherMenu Flash-It Snitch Remember ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/6 "2001-08-27T19:45:11Z")
[ul] [li]Transmit - FTP server that’s quick, simple, and kicks ass.[/li][li]GraphicConverter - If GraphicConverter can’t read it, it ain’t worth looking at.[/li][li]iMovie - Absolutely essential if you have anything resembling a life. 😉 Saved my bacon one Thanksgiving, too.[/li][li]BBEdit - Text editor of the gods.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/7 "2001-08-27T20:12:51Z")
Ultraedit. Hands-down, kick-ass text/binary editor. Photoshop. Duh. Ultimate power over the two-dimensional universe. Pegasus Mail. An email client that doesn’t assume I’m a suicidal idiot. MS Access. I do all my role-playing stuff in a serious database of my own design. Makes DMing a breeze. Oh, other DM tools… Visio Treasure Generator Spellbook manager ---
**Author:** ![Natural-J-Bankie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Natural-J-Bankie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Natural-J-Bankie)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/8 "2001-08-27T21:46:58Z")
Favorites: Windows 2000 SP2 - OS Edit Plus - Text editor Photoshop - Photo and image editing Illustrator - Vector based 2d stuff SoundForge - Audio editing EAC - CD ripping LAME - MP3 encoding Winamp - MP3 MPTagger - MP3 tagging and renaming Nero - CD burning CloneCD - CD burning Audio Galaxy - P2P Morpheus - P2P Effective Desktop - Hides tray icons/customizes start button (not menu)/allows virtual desktops SmartFTP - FTP client Dreamweaver - HTML/website Flash - Flash animation WebWasher - Ad/pop-up/cookie blocker ZoneAlarm - Firewall Ghost - Backup InnoculateIT - Anti-virus WinZip, WinRar - Compression IrfanView - Image viewer/converter VNC - Java based remote access tool Word, Excel, Access, Outlook - Word processor, spreadsheet, personal database, email/address book/calendar Stuff I use anyway: Outlook Express (for news) - OK, but not great Quicktime, Realaudio, WMP 6.4 - They all kinda suck IE 5.5 SP2 - They got rid of support for plugins! Bastards! IIS (web and FTP server) - Too many security holes ---
**Author:** ![Baraqiyal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@Baraqiyal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baraqiyal)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/9 "2001-08-27T22:47:04Z")
[Wmainfo](http://www.abyssaudio.com/) – WMA tag editor. (WMA files are audio files, but much smaller than MP3s) [DBPowerAmp](http://www.dbpoweramp.com) – Music Converter [ThumbsPlus](http://www.thumbsplus.com) – Image organizer [Paint Shop Pro](http://www.jasc.com) – Image editor [SureThing CD Labeler](http://www.surething.com/ST/) [AI RoboForm](http://www.roboform.com/) – Web Form filler outer and password manager [WZebra](http://www.nada.kth.se/~gunnar/zebra.html) – Othello game ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/10 "2001-08-27T23:21:30Z")
rjung: > [@](#): > > BBEdit - Text editor of the gods. Oops, add that one to my list, too. I couldn’t live without BBEdit. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2001, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/11 "2001-08-27T23:47:04Z")
**ACDSee** - Image Viewer **Photoshop** - Image Editor, Creator **WinRAR** - Compression Tool **Password Safe** - Secure Password Database **PIRCh** - IRC Client **Ad-Aware** - System SPAM Cleaner **Internet Explorer** - Browser **Visio 2002** - Diagram Drawing Program. I have a love-hate thing going on with this one, but it doesn’t have much in the way of competition. **WinAmp** - MP3 Player **Token 2** - Telnet Client **Fruity Loops** - Digital Percussion Looper **Sasami 2K** - Media Player **Lotus Notes** - eMail and Collaboration Client. I hate it, but it’s for work. And I also use a bunch of products my company makes, but it wouldn’t be right for me to mention them here. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/12 "2001-08-28T01:19:44Z")
[http://www.printcharger.com](http://www.printcharger.com) has a nifty little program called “email stripper” – it takes the \<\<\<\>\>\> marks out of your forwards. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/13 "2001-08-28T02:47:54Z")
I think just about all of these have already been mentioned: WS FTP ACDSee Paint Shop Pro Netscape (for web, mail and newsgroups) Windows Media Player 7.0 File Maker Pro Creative PlayCenter 2 (used to rip CDs) WinZip MS Excel Wordpad Just about everything else on my PC is a game. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/14 "2001-08-28T02:59:53Z")
In addition to those listed, [Windows Commander](http://www.ghisler.com/): the ultimate Windows Explorer replacement. It’s a perfect gem of a program, reminding me of a well made pocket-knife with all the nifty things it does in additon to being an Explorer replacement, from batch-file renaming, to compressed file utility (you can treat .zip-ped or .rar’d or .ace’d files as directories, adding and subtracting or uncompressing files on the fly), a built-in FTP client which lets you treat FTP sites as directories, etc. It’s a _perfect_ program. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/15 "2001-08-28T05:06:18Z")
SecureCRT - powerful and versatile terminal program. WS-FTP Pro - nice FTP program. I used to use FTP Explorer because you don’t need to start over on a download when it is interrupted with it, but I started using WS-FTP Pro at work because that was all I had and I’ve come to prefer it’s interface. Netscape Composer - yes, I know there are much better web design programs out there, but this was the first I used and it’s the easiest for me, it’s so intuitive that I didn’t need to read any documentation or help files the first time I designed a page. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/16 "2001-08-28T05:07:55Z")
Oh, and TweakUI. I like to keep my system as simple as possible. I don’t know why it wasn’t included as part of the typical install of Windows, it’s very useful. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/17 "2001-08-28T05:16:29Z")
Sensiva is one I havent seen mentioned, it lets you use your mouse to issue comands by holding right click and drawing a shape, they dont have to be pretty to work and I was skeptical at first but I hate useing a pc without it now. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/18 "2001-08-28T06:27:03Z")
**Mac Software** Netscape BBEdit (The only game in town. I have 4.5. Is BBEdit 6.0 a big improvement?) SimpleText Photoshop 6 Illustrator 9 Dreamweaver 4 Fireworks 4 ImageReady 3 Outlook Express 5 IE 5 Gray Amp (low-end but useful MP3 player) Vicomsoft FTP (the best!) SoundJam (burning MP3s) Toast (burning CDs) **Windows Software** Netscape HomeSite 4.5 Cute FTP EditPad (Love it) CPU Cool (I have this weird thing with my PC overheating. This program fixes it.) Dreamweaver 3 Photoshop 6 Illustrator 9 Easy CD Creator Outlook Express Office Solitaire ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/19 "2001-08-28T06:59:49Z")
ZipMagic I run programs out of zipped files, import files from zipped files. I turn directories into zip files from Windows Explorer by changing the name of the stuff directory to stuff.zip. I make self-extracting zips, test and repair zips, and that’s when I don’t just ignore the entire phenomenon of zips, which are just folders named .zip from my point of view. This is the right idea about compression. It’s invisible, except that I don’t compress anything I don’t want compressed. Handles incoming files, and my virus scanner reads _through_ the compression. (So does everything else, though.) Great program. AXicons Icon editor. Extracts icons from DLL, and EXE files, imports images from files, screen capture, or devices. Save to ICL, or ICO formats, multiple size/color combinations. Pixel by pixel editing. ---
**Author:** ![JCThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dc4da7/32.png) [@JCThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCThunder)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2001, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298/20 "2001-08-28T12:00:42Z")
I’m surprised no one mentioned KaZaA - My new & improved Napster. Realy nice. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/list-your-best-computer-programs/78298.md?page=2)