On software
12/08/2018: Why not take a look at some software that a multidisciplinary ninja uses in their everyday adventures? There is a really great way to look for just the right tool you need.Although it is slowly moving towards accommodating the dumbness of majority, everybody uses some set of software. While I’m mainly speaking about computer software that runs on Windows, i.e. the operating system I use on daily basis, even people who rarely touch traditional 105-key input devices have their core set of apps that must be installed on their devices, android or worse, before they get on to working with it.
And as long as live is and experience progressively accummulates, this set keeps extending and updating. Some apps go obsolete, new and better ones appear, your long-time favorites get crappy updates and so on. While it seems okay to install something new every now and then, and in the better cases removing the no-longer desired from the system and cleaning the registry afterwards, it might become tough and sometimes even storage-intensive to keep all the tools you need and looking up the suitable alternatives. Moreso, giving recommendations and picking the correct one from the sea of Windows desktop software gets tougher and tougher as you sail further astray.
This is where the Z-genners and geeky folk starts bragging about how Apple AppStore is awesomely structured and you always had that one screen with choice of multiple perfect options, and how Play Store gives you statistics on number of users who installed given software and even scans it for viruses. The Barons of Linux county will give both you and them skeptical look and laugh in the most creepy way before closing the gates and submerging into the matrix.
Well, what if I told you that there had been such thing for windows apps all along\? Ever since 2009! Its name is https://alternativeto.net/ and it is a chunk of pure awesome. While it does not provide you with one-click installation of the software of concern, you get app listing by categories and functions, you can check suitable replacement for whatever you feel is not quite meeting your requirements at the moment.
The recommendations and reviews are made by people just like you, who have some experience using given software. And if you think it’s shit, you can confidently state it and warn others. I’ve been using the website literally since it came to existence and became a registered user about three years ago. And I must say that it saved me tons of time.
Some contributors even compose lists of software they use on a daily basis and give you an insight into complementarity and substitutability of individual programs. And while you might take inspiration in someone’s way to be a pro, you can always turn to Affinity instead of using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, its most liked alternative. Why make the lists, though\? What’s in it for me, huh\? Well, imagine getting a new computer and trying to figure out what you need to install. You are probably not gonna manage it on day one. And then, you’ll be pissed when you find out that you forgot that minor app for manipulating PDFs when you most need it.
To prevent this is why I made a list. And while it seems quite bloated, it is actually not all that scary. I realized that 28 apps is all I need to accommodate my inner student, statistician, photographer, system administrator, illustrator, hobbyist web developer, traveler, blogger, and the omniskilled employee. Wanna have a look\? Here it is!
Mind that this is by no way a sponsored article. It is my personal recommendation to whomever I would consider a friend. In fact, some are already tired of me recommending this website. So I wrote a blog post, so that all I need to annoy them is to send over a link. What a smartass I am!!! :P
