Software for home computing
As I work in IT it falls to me to ensure that our technology infrastructure at home is appropriate. This means I have to get the systems configured securely and provide access to the Internet for key applications.
This page details the software that is used at home. At the moment the systems are all based on Microsoft Windows - at some point I'd like to move to an open standards platform but I need to test some of the applications first.
Infrastructure Software
Infrastructure software provides the basic platform for all the users. It includes "system" software and applications that are needed on all platforms.
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Software |
Licence |
Description |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use |
Word processing, spreadsheets, drawing and presentation software – fully compatible with Microsoft Office (MS Word, MS PowerPoint) |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use |
Support for Java, a popular Internet plugin. Often pre-installed on home systems. |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use |
Firewall software |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use |
Common document reader. Often pre-installed on home systems. |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use (single system only) |
Anti-Virus software. You only need this or Avast on each system that you have, but can only use AVG on one of them due to licensing restrictions. |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use |
Anti-Virus software. You only need this or AVG on each system that you have. If you have multiple systems then I recommend installing AVG on one of them and Avast on the remainder. |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use |
A great web browser, a secure alternative to Internet Explorer. My current favourite. |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use |
Thunderbird is Mozilla's e-mail client, a secure alternative to Outlook Express, that includes built-in newsgroup and RSS reader. My current favourite. |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use |
Removes malware and other spyware. |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use |
Available as component of Yahoo Toolbar. |
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Freeware |
Music and video playing software |
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Freeware |
Music and video playing software |
Key Applications
The following applications are available at home.
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Software |
Licence |
Description |
|
Freeware |
Quackle is a world-class crossword game artificial intelligence and analysis tool. Used extensively by the top Scrabble players. |
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Freeware |
Word study program considered essential for Scrabble players |
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Free |
Online Scrabble software for the Internet Scrabble Club. |
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Free |
Online bridge software |
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Free, licensed for personal use |
Professional HTML editing software |
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Free, licensed for personal use |
This software makes web albums of your digital images. |
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Free, licensed for personal use |
Skype allows you to make voice calls over the Internet. It uses P2P (peer-to-peer) technology to connect you to other users – not just to share files this time, but to talk and chat with friends. |
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Free |
Software for synchronizing your Sun ONE Calendar Server data with mobile devices and personal information managers (PIMs). |
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Freeware |
BIMP is a small and simple batch processor for image files, that allows you to perform various functions on multiple images. It can be used to create thumbnail images from your pictures, add a prefix/postfix, replace spaces in the file name with underscores, flip or rotate images and also apply anti-aliasing and beveling effects. |
Bridge Applications
The following applications are used for bridge-related activities.
|
Software |
Licence |
Description |
|
Free |
Online bridge software |
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|
Commercial |
The most powerful Deal Generator and Simulator available. Uses Deep Finesse double dummy analyzer for unique analyses. Super for creating deals for bidding and play practice and for convention development analysis. |
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Free |
An easy to use double dummy solver. |
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Commercial |
Computer bridge program. The strongest in its day but unfortunately development ceased a few years ago. |
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Free |
Lee Edwards' editor for ACBL and (unsupported) non-ACBL bridge convention cards |
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Free |
Editor for WBF bridge convention card |
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Free |
Automates the sending of repetitive keystrokes and mouse actions to other Windows applications in a flash! Originally designed for, and widely used by the on-line bridge community for explaining the meaning of conventional bids. |
Utilities
I use the following applications to help run the systems and web sites.
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Software |
Licence |
Description |
|
Freeware |
CCleaner is a system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. |
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Freeware, Open Source |
Cobian Backup is a multi-threaded program that can be used to schedule and backup your files and directories from their original location to other directories/drives in the same computer or other computer in your network. |
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Freeware |
Xenu's Link Sleuth checks Web sites for broken links |
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Freeware |
Prevent the installation of spyware and other potentially unwanted software! |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use |
Graphical file transfer (FTP) software written entirely in Java. |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use |
Tile transfer (FTP) software that runs in the Mozilla Firefox browser. |
Palm Applications
The following applications are on used on our Palm OS systems.
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Software |
Licence |
Description |
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Freeware |
Guide to more than 250 public transport systems worldwide |
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Free, Licensed for Personal Use |
Common document reader |
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Freeware |
LAMPWords is an anagramming and word-finding program and can be used for Scrabble®, Boggle®, crossword puzzles, and other word games/puzzles. |
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