Take 2:What I add to Windows that helps make it better

(Updated 28/Aug/09 with Open Source Windows site)

Essentials to make Windows almost bareable « sinewalker

a list of what free software to install on top of Windows, and what adjustments to make, so that at least I don’t feel like I’m wearing a straight jacket

Some excellent ideas and suggestions from Sinewalker here and there are more at Open Source Windows. I posted my own list of Windows essentials back in 2002 and I’ve been thinking for some it’s time to tidy the list up a bit since the world has moved on, so here goes:

Software development related:

• Vim
• Eclipse
• VMWare Server for testing and building
• JDK (Java Development Kit)
• Strawberry Perl
• Cywgin (includes shell related stuff, X server, ssh et al, svn, git, etc). I use chere to add an “Open Bash Here” feature
• BOUML UML tool
• Apache James email server (for testing, not real email)
• WinSCP so I can access remote development systems

Desktop and Misc

• Pidgin IM Client
• Freemind mind mapping software
• GNU Cash for Windows (still testing this)
• CDBurnerXP
• Docbook
• 7-Zip
• Putty
• PDF Creator
• Firefox with the del.icio.us bookmarking and scribfire blogging extensions
• Launchy
• Filezilla (for ftp sites the login process is easier in Filezilla)
• OpenOffice
• Thunderbird email client with the Lightning plugin
• Open Workbench project planning — claims to be Open Source, but the important bits aren’t

Security

• Updated Nov/2008. Free AVG ClamAV anti virus
• Spybot Search&Destroy malware tool

All of these tools are free of charge and many are Free software, which helps with the budget. However please consider a donation if it’s asked for and you can afford it.

In addition I change the default XP theme and use Windows 2000 as it takes up less screen space (or least it feels like it does) but use the ‘modern’ start menu.