Gaming World Forums
General Category => Technology and Programming => Topic started by: JMickle on April 26, 2009, 07:14:16 pm
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Right so i just got a mid to low spec laptop and its completely bare apart from XP and Firefox atm.
I haven't started from scratch in a LONG time so i'm kinda behind what shit i should get.
Is AVG still free?
What programs can i not live without and so on.
I'll e using the laptop for internet, GMing, GWing, Makking music (recording and sequencing), a bit of gaming (but not much).
So yeh can i get suggestions on what softwares and games to grab?
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oh and how do i take off that goddamn 'ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO OPEN THIS PROGRAM NOT MADE BY MICROSOFT COZ ITS GONNA DESTROY YOUR COMPUTER IF YOU DO?' resolved
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Get Malware Bytes and CCleaner. They never screwed me over.
Other than that, I dunno. I just have that and some games on this computer.
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7-zip
daemon tools lite
k-lite codec pack
probably office 2003 lite if you're not going to do much office stuff on there (it's tiny, and just in case)
nod32 (antivirus)
these are the programs i always install. the more often you format the shorter the list becomes
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hey can we make this for NEW MAC too??
i would assume the list is different. halp!
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just download all the mac specific programs and you'll be sorted. both of them.
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good stuff so far, keep 'em coming
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you know... sometimes less is more
probably want mirc and utorrent
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completely forgot those ^
i forgot winamp as well. i was thinking 'hmm it seems to be kinda quiet here i wonder why'
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I use VLC for movies and stuff
Uhh.... gimp
???
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got both of them, ta
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tuneup utilities
chatzilla (plugin for firefox to irc)
Audacity?
adobe reader
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whats tuneup?
got audacity
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Also if you want to know absolutely EVERYTHING bout your system, hardware and software infos.. get Everest
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hey can we make this for NEW MAC too??
i would assume the list is different. halp!
go ahead and download Toast now, you'll be glad you did when you end up needing it. it'll handle all your dvd burning, ISO stuff, all that business
also get Caffeine, it's a program that will keep your macbook from dimming or falling asleep when you don't want to, you'll find this very helpful when your laptop is plugged in and especially if you're watching videos on it, it's just a little icon in your bar that lets you turn it on or off
Quicksilver will let you assign a key combination to bring up a box where you can start typing the name of a program or file and hit enter to open it.
I use Openoffice for all of my text-document work, but I've also recently found Writeroom which basically blacks out your screen leaving you to type without distraction.
Besides that, just get your normal stuff. VLC, Firefox, Audacity, etc. A lot of major programs have Mac releases too, but you can pretty easily find alternatives to most programs with no Mac release by just googling for them, there will always be results from forums or articles about "(name of program)-like program for the Mac".
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make sure you've got the latest generation IM smilies and the coolest screensavers
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make sure you've got the latest generation IM smilies and the coolest screensavers
oh you bet i got dems b4 ne1 ls init
i saw this ad and klikd it ina flash i didnt wana mis out
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install weatherbug to let you know what the weather will be like outside
install bonzai buddy in case you get lonely
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hey can we make this for NEW MAC too??
i would assume the list is different. halp!
MS Office - if you're using this computer for school or work, don't bother with any of the 'alternative' office suites like openoffice or iwork. MS Office is something you will need.
Firefox - da web
GIMP(or photoshop if you're going to be doing any PRO IMAGE shit)
Roxio Toast - CD burning software, if you ever deal with CD image files at all, you'll want this
Parallels with a copy of Windows XP - There'll be times when you need windows, using this in combination with spaces will allow you to instantly switch over to a windows environment by pressing the F8 key. I'd recommend 3-4 GB or ram for this though.
VLC - This will play almost any video file you come across
Fetch - FTP software
Transmission - Bittorrent
UnRarX - for RAR files
Everything else pretty much comes with the computer: Mail, iLife, iTunes, etc.
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I don't know why but I liked Virtual Box better than Parallels. I liked not running XP on my Mac at all a lot more though. The only things I need Windows for are a handful of games which tended to not work well through virtual OSes anyway, so...
MS Office - if you're using this computer for school or work, don't bother with any of the 'alternative' office suites like openoffice or iwork. MS Office is something you will need.
why, what's wrong with openoffice? it's done me well for two years of college already, i've never had any sort of issue with this
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I think just use plugins for firefox that does the same as other applications.. say for example chatzilla as sub for mi2rc and Fireftp for well any other ftp softwarre
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I use FireFTP too, it's a lot simpler than having a separate FTP program. I use a separate IRC client though.
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Really, you'll get surprised at how FF could be so convenient..
Also I am with having Microsoft Office as well, I mean openoffice does saves to word while word doesn't saves to openoffice but it's just so you would get used to what i think is the most used software for these things.. Say for presentations I'm not sure how open's software works but Microsoft powerpoint seemed to be better.
I also can't get much sense or advantages with the other openoffice sofware as compared to similar products that are in the microsoft office.
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I'm pretty sure that anyone capable of using a message board is capable of using Office when they normal use Openoffice. I don't think there's a lot of getting used to between them for anyone who is even halfway decent at using a computer!
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I searched google for comparisons of the softwares and well:
http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/software/page4765.cfm
2006, a little outdated with the newer versions of the softwares but I guess the core idea remains..
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why, what's wrong with openoffice? it's done me well for two years of college already, i've never had any sort of issue with this
Mostly formatting issues and spreadsheets. Depends on your program of study i guess but I encountered a lot of issues of compatibility with some more elaborate spreadsheets I had to work with before I broke and got ms office
Use the alternatives if you can get away with it though!
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I guess I've never really had to deal with spreadsheets in my major, so I guess if you're using it mostly for writing papers you'll be fine.
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They should just sell excel cause its the only one worth buying except for maybe outlook in a workplace setting
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Bill wants you to buy it all
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how about you just use your computer and when you need something you haven't gotten yet, you get it? i use this tactic and it works pretty well.
See you Later,
Gabriel
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i'm talking mainly about programs i should get FIRST, IMPORTANT SHIT like firewalls and spyware shit.
and other stuff
:welp: i'm easy
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do you really not know?
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kinda.
right, i'll have a go:
AVG
Spybot: Search and Destroy
Ad-aware
Zone Alarm
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Getting a firewall when you're behind a router and windows already has one built in is kinda dumb for a home computer.
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kinda.
right, i'll have a go:
AVG
Spybot: Search and Destroy
Ad-aware
Zone Alarm
don't get any of this.
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don't get any of this.
see this is what i mean i have no idea
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you only really need an AV program if you're downloading programs unless you don't know how file types work (BATMAN REAL NOT FAKE.avi.exe) and you only need anti spyware if you're downloading the dumbest stuff imaginable (free screensavers! your very own bonzi buddy! desktop strippers! your computer might be at risk, download this to solve it!) and zone alarm is useful for eating up ram. pretty much the only reason you'd need that stuff is if you're constantly getting stuff like that.
if the laptop is primarily for internet browsing you want to limit your system resources to prolonge battery and increaser performance.
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well my laptops for running a few apps out and about, like Reason and Game Maker, but yeah its for web browsing when i'm at home, so that doesnt matter.
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See you Later, Gabriel
talking to yourself again golden rati? XD
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you should be more sensitive Mark ~_^
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It is a good idea to have antivirus software. Especially when there's all those crazy worms and shit out there that turn your computer into a zombie for some jackass to use for attacking servers or sending out dickpill spam. I encountered conficker by just plugging in a friends usb drive, so antivirus is a good thing to have. Spyware is not a huge issue if you're not installing bullshit
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also theres not reason not to get antimalware stuff like spybot/ad-aware, since they are generally on-demand scanners (unlike antivirus which monitors all filesystem/network activity in real-time) and wont impact performance. firewalls are almost always completely worthless.
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yeah unless you are using like NORTON CORPORATE or something like that, an anti-virus program won't do anything to the performance of your computer, and its kind of dumb based on this to not have one then. Even if you're smart enough to avoid spy-ware, every once and a while you get some anways, so it is nice to have a program around to sweep up the mess on the few chances that you would have to do some cleaning around the corners anyways.
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I love Tweak XP, gives you very fine control over not only Xp interface, but many performance increasing tweaks like system caching and such.
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Kaspersky and Webroot Spy Sweeper, works hand in hand, and really that's essentially what is needed.. except for some great flash drive viruses.. you should learn how to clean them manullay.
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Oh and if you play a lot of fullscreen games, RefreshLock (http://www.pagehosting.co.uk/rl/) will help you set custom refresh rates for each resolution.