Endorsed Software

There are so many software packages out there, its hard to sift through them all to find out what works for you.

These are a few packages that I use all the time and find indispensable.

Operating System:

Ubuntu : One of the best versions of Linux I've ever used.  It installs easily, has very few issues, is easy to configure and download.  Stop paying money for operating systems that crash and make your life miserable.  Ubuntu just WORKS.

Software:

TMPEnc : I will very rarely recommend a windows software package, but this one is good.  TMPGEnc is the best set of video tools I have used.  Its simple and it works.  I use it mostly for taking commercials out of things I've recorded from my TV capture card.  It does not work under WINE however.

Virtual Box : VMware used to be a good solution for virtual computing, but Sun Microsystems has come out with their own virtual computing emulation.  Virtual Box is for the advanced user who needs to maintain two operating systems, but doesn't want to dual boot constantly switching between Operating Systems.  I'm running Virtual Box on my Ubuntu system, which hosts a real Windows XP installation on another harddrive.  I could boot directly into that WinXP system (if I wanted to), but why would I bother.  XP runs faster in emulation, I don't know how that's possible, but I swear that it does.  I only have a few software packages that I need XP for and this is the easy way to do it.

WICD Network Manager : This package is wicked!  It is the best network connection manager for Linux that I have used.  Gnome network manager is unstable at the best of times.  WICD seems to work much better.  The only thing its missing is a VPN manager.

Thunderbird : The best email client period.  Outlook stinks, Lotus Notes is the work of the devil, Eudora is ancient history.

DeVeDe : Need to author a video DVD or CD (VCD, sVCD or CVD)?  This program will do it for you.  Its simple and effective.  It will even create a menu for you.  WOW.  It only needs Mplayer, Mencoder, DVDAuthor, VCDImager and MKisofs in Linux.  You can even get it for Windows

SU Needle : Are you tuning some SU carbs?  What needle should you pick?  Well worry no more, this tool shows you how to choose a better needle graphically.

Audacity : This tool is the best software I've used for manipulating audio files.  Best of all its FREE and available for Windows, Linux, or even a snobby MAC.