Release Notes: My 5 Favorite Apps & Utilities, the Early 2009 Edition
Posted 09/01/09 at 04:45:11 PM by Will Smith
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We computer nerds all have our favorite applications and utilities—you know, the software we absolutely cannot live without. You’re certainly already familiar with many of my personal faves (I always install Firefox, Digsby, and Dropbox), but developers are constantly releasing new software, so my list is always evolving. And so, without further delay, I give you my favorite apps and utilities, as selected during the first half of 2009.
5. The Magic Folder
This Vista and Windows 7 widget will keep a constant watch over any folder and automatically sort the files in it based on extension. It’s an incredibly simple concept with a ton of killer uses. I set it to watch my Downloads folder and sort out media files, photos, and applications for maximum effect. http://gallery.live.com/liveItemDetail.aspx?li=0ed6a06a-6782-41a7-b68c-2753fad412a5
4. Zune Player
I’ve been an iTunes user since it launched, but as the years have gone by, the Windows version has gotten slower and less responsive. Today, it takes roughly 16 weeks to launch iTunes, and starting playback of a single track can take a fortnight. Lucky for me, the Zune player (which requires neither a subscription to the Zune music service nor a Zune hardware device) is totally rad. Fast search, good browsing, killer visualizations, and it will watch my music folder and automatically add new tracks as I add them. That’s awesome. www.zune.com
3. Remember the Milk
As a person who’s chronically disorganized, Remember the Milk gives me a universally accessible task list that helps me keep my priorities straight. RtM is web-based, so I can add to and update my task list from all my devices—laptop, desktop, and iPhone—without worrying about sync problems. www.rememberthemilk.com
2. Enso
Given the choice, I’d much rather start an application or run a command using the keyboard than the mouse. Moving your hand to the mouse takes time, and using the mouse increases the likelihood of developing repetitive stress injuries. Enso lets you do everything—opening apps or recent documents, performing simple calculations, or anything else you’d like (it’s customizable)—at a convenient command line. www.humanized.com/enso
1. Synergy
I have two computers on my desk, but only one keyboard and mouse. How do I manage it? Synergy. Synergy lets me share the keyboard and mouse with multiple PCs (or Macs, or Linux boxes) using the power of the network. It’s a little bit of a hassle to set up, but once it’s running, it’s OK by me. http://synergy2.sourceforge.net
That’s my current list. Let me know what your favorite apps are! Email me at will@maximumpc.com or shoot a message to @willsmith on Twitter.
Wa-wa-wait. There's another
Submitted by gendoikari1 on Sun, 09/06/2009 - 5:19pm
Wa-wa-wait. There's another person that uses the Zune player? I thought I was alone.
See Also:
Submitted by nekollx on Tue, 09/08/2009 - 10:49am
Barack Oboma
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
Submitted by gendoikari1 on Thu, 09/10/2009 - 1:25pm
I meant the software.
Good suggestions, but...
Submitted by techparadox on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 7:58am
A little bit of editing would have cleared up some confusion in the article here. Number 5 is a bit unclear. The description given here makes it sound like Magic Folder just arranges the files by type instead of its actual function of automatically moving them to user-specified locations. Also, Number 1 neglects to mention that Synergy requires the user to have a monitor plugged in to each PC, which does us users no good if we just have one monitor to share amongst the multiple PCs - we'd be better suited by using a KVM at that point.
While I agree that don'tforgetthemilk is very useful, it quickly turns into a moot point if you don't have a smartphone with web access. I personally get by with a small notepad and a pen, but maybe that's just the luddite in me.
I also note that "Enso Launcher" is a closed-source app. While I'm not an open-source zealot, I'd definitely have to agree with the earlier comment posted advocating Launchy. It's open-source, has the same functionality, and is infinitely customizable.
@ Upsidedownpants...
Submitted by ghot on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 7:46am
...uh, yeah my mouse does THAT too...aka....right click, Send to... :)
But hey, why use your brain when you can let MS do your thinking for you...I guess its a good thing that Newton and Einstein, didn't need "Magic Folders". The brain is like a muscle...don't use it and it gets fat and lazy.
From some of the incredibly simple spelling mistakes I've seen in these articles, I think it may be time to start relying on our good old noggins a little more, than we do now. But that's just me :)
Take an OS, and edit out all the efficiency, and what you have left is a post-XP Microsoft operating system :)
Submitted by UpsideDownPants on Mon, 10/05/2009 - 11:17am
This tool is for AUTOMATION, which is for SAVING TIME. It has nothing to do with using your brain or not. Save your agenda for when it is applicable. Thanks.
Oh yeah, and you win, you have definitely proven that you are the smartest "guy" in the room. (Despite your OWN common and frequent mis-spellings and gramattical errors, somehow.) You can troll somewhere else now, your work here is complete, guy.
My favorite musts
Submitted by yuri61 on Fri, 09/04/2009 - 1:52am
Tanks for your suggestions. I may use some if not all...
Here are my must use apps:
1. Everything
http://www.voidtools.com
::makes searching for files in your machine as easy as...well there is still no comparison. On the first run it takes a little longer but then it keeps track of new files and as soon as you begin typing the filtered files begin to appear. You can even use multiple strings with spaces.
2. My Dropbox
http://www.getdropbox.com
::enables you to have (for free) at least 2GB of files everywhere you go, syncronizing a folder in your PC with a site on the net (register needed) and with any other PC in witch you install the app. You can even share a subfolder and do some colaborative work. My pen drive has been very lonely ever since....
3. XMarks
https://addons.mozilla.org/pt-BR/firefox/addon/2410
::addon for Firefox that enables fluid sync of your browser favorites over all the computers you use. A very interesting side effect is that when you install Firefox in a new machine with zero favorites, you can recall all your favorites in a breeze after installing the addon.
4. Bulky Rename Utility
http://download.cnet.com/Bulk-Rename-Utility/3000-2248_4-10174242.html?tag=mncol;lst
is a small app that renames a bulk of selected files changing whatever you want in whatever place in its names you can possibly imagine. Sometimes you just want to remove repetitive parts off the names of your mp3 collection or whatever...
5. Stamp Photo Renaming Utility
http://www.klingebiel.com/tempest/hd/stamp.php4
does the renaming of your photos using the information the camera put in them. After renaming you have your photos named by the date and time they were taken. Ever wanted to have a slideshow of your holliday in the right order?
Submitted by Vladislav_Draculva on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 3:20am
You know...I tried synergy and it is okay...but to be terribly honest in the long haul it makes me want to slap babies...I have found Input Director to be much more versatile than synergy...Not to mention there is a lot more support on their webpage...not sure if I am allowed to post links...but pretty much you can add a dotcom to the end of that and come to the site...I recommend that if you are synergy user and you like to give input director a try...you might just be amazed...
Submitted by ghot on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 1:47pm
I just right click ANY folder in XP and tell it arrange icons by "type" and then click "apply to all folders" in Tools/options.....silly me :/
Take an OS, and edit out all the efficiency, and what you have left is a post-XP Microsoft operating system :)
Submitted by UpsideDownPants on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 3:20pm
You figured out the right mouse button! Magic Folder actually MOVES files (as in to a different location) automatically based on their extensions. (Among other things)
Submitted by lien_meat on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 1:44pm
I've been running an equivalent list of products in ubuntu(I use it more often then windows) for a while actually.
If you are curious what the apps are:
5. Folderview screenlet gives approximately the same functionality, but magicfolder sounds better.
4. Amarok is my favorite media player of ANY platform. In my opinion there is no equal.
3. Avant window navigator has a remember the milk plugin...but I recently decided I don't like avant, so I don't use it anymore. There is probably another app that does the same thing, just haven't looked yet.
2. Gnomedo is phenominal. It does the same thing, and has pluggins for posting to twitter, searching google, and I can't even remember what else. I love it.
1. I don't have the need right now...but like he says...it's cross platform.Another app that I cannot give up in ubuntu: Tomboy notes. Very powerful and simple note making too. (does anyone know of an equivalent windows-based product?, I'm curious.)
### I'm an idiot, and I approve this message ###
Submitted by orca11 on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 5:48am
I'm not familiar with TomBoy, but I use Freemind on Win to keep notes. It takes a bit to get used to, but basically supports building heirarchy trees. You can even encrypt particular nodes (for keeping account numbers etc). I use it to keep game notes at home, general information like City office addresses and numbers, to do lists at work, server names and logins, names of other teams' members I work with (I'm horrible with names and work with an average of 6 different groups at a time, and just about anything I need to be able to browse through and find quickly. Definitely worth checking out.
Pretty sure it was a MaxPC recomendation, but it's been so long I don't remember for sure.
http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
Submitted by orca11 on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 8:17am
Double posted... sorry!
Question!
Submitted by 1337Goose on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 1:31pm
When I read the article here, it says it's by Will Smith (which I know it is), but when I go to track the article, it says it's by "jamor" . What gives?
~Goose
Submitted by nekollx on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 2:27pm
that's his common name, all the editors have their real name and a psydonym
IE if i became a MPC blogger it would read "Micheal Jordon" up top there but NekoLLX is tracking.
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
Submitted by 1337Goose on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 2:47pm
Are you sure that's right? Because this article is tracked as Norm, and it's written as Will Smith. Also, clicking Norm's name in the tracker brings up Norm's page. Clicking Jamor brings up a different page.
Somebody confirm if this is right, but I think Jamor has posted this article on behalf of Will, that's the only plausible reason I could think of. Is that correct?
~Goose
Submitted by UpsideDownPants on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 3:22pm
I'm just trying to decide if it EVEN MATTERS.
LAWLERCOPTERZ
Submitted by DBsantos77 on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 4:45pm
LAWLERCOPTERZ
Submitted by 1337Goose on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 1:29pm
Damnit, I've been trying to get Zune player working ever since I read this "Ed Word" in the magazine, but for some reason, it always gets to the same spot in setup, and then decides that it doesn't want to go any further.
Also, for some reason, I've always liked Launchy better than Enso. I think it's because Enso has more of a verbose syntax whereas in launchy you can be a little more terse.
~Goose
zune player install problem
Submitted by tim_hilton on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 4:59am
I had the same problem with my zune setup. If I remember correctly, all I had to do is update my Microsoft .NET framework (.NET HERE) and it worked perfectly after that for me.
Submitted by 1337Goose on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 6:40am
Thanks for the tip. It's strange, I always expected the .Net runtime to be updated automatically through automatic updates. I think having old versions of the .Net programming languages installed may have screwed me over a bit, and I usually run Linux anyway, I only occasionally jump to XP.
Anyway, thanks again. I installed Zune Player, and it's not as great as I thought it'd be. I have media strewn all over my hard disks, thats why I like WMP: it seems to find it all.
~Goose
Submitted by UpsideDownPants on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 3:22pm
Launchy! FTW
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