Looking for good/helpful software for windows to get. Stuff that offers QoL improvements etc
And no I don’t care about Linux so don’t bother suggesting I switch to it.
Such useful features. They should be built-in. But I’m glad they’re serviced separately so we get updates outside windows update cadence.
And open source
Hwinfo
Windirstat
Ninite
Caffeine
VLC
Xnview
7-zip
Those go on every machine that I use, then you have your more specialized programs depending on industry.
Don’t use WIndirstat, It is needlessly slow. Use something like WizTree instead
It’s been many years since I had a windows desktop, but that list is right on. Great base software for your install.
7-zip
If you’re on Win 11, use NanaZip. It’s a fork with better integration with Windows 11’s crappy conext menu.
Caffeine
If you have PowerToys this is built in now.
+1 to NanaZip
- PowerToys - originally this was an internal set of utilities that MS engineers made and decided to publish, lots of useful stuff
- AgentRansack - For searching the content of files
- Everything - For searching for file names
- PUTTY - to connect to a more civilized OS (SSH client)
- Obsidian - one note but better and offline.
- Notepad++ - notepad but not shit
- HWInfo64 - detailed system infomation and sensor info
- WizTree - file usage analyzer, much better than the popular WinDirStat
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Something that isn’t Windows or MacOS. The BSDs for example 😉
Or to join some BBS.
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That’s an example, but you mentioned it yourself. The BSDs aren’t Linux.
perhaps WSL?
Chocolatey
If you have a huge media library, an organizer like Kodi or Jellyfin helps a lot.
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That’s a solid one too.
Even though I rarely setup Windows machines nowadays, here’s my usual Ninite package: https://ninite.com/7zip-everything-firefox-gimp-greenshot-inkscape-libreoffice-notepadplusplus-putty-qbittorrent-revo-steam-sumatrapdf-teracopy-thunderbird-vlc-winscp-wiztree
- 7zip is just the best archive tool on Windows
- Everything is insanely useful, specially if you get into the habit of triggering through a hotkey every time you need something.
- Revo Uninstaller used to be a must for properly uninstalling programs, not sure how useful it still is with Windows 10 and 11.
- Sumatra is an excellent and very fast PDF reader.
- TeraCopy has a bunch of nice utilities, though it’s copying/move graph is no longer relevant afaik.
- WizTree is a faster and nicer version of the old venerable WinDirStat, also very very useful to manage disk space.
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Ye, rallye useful to quickly set up Windows
Good list, I also use most of these. Cannot overstate how great Everything is for searching files. I have about 1tb of books and 3tb of comics and I don’t know how I’d find anything without it. Everything + Freecommander was a game changer. When I’m at work and have to use use the default windows explorer it’s painful.
+1 for Sumatra, it’s my favorite pdf reader by far
Haven’t used it in a long time, because I no longer use the OS, but I have good memories of it. Okular has been really nice as well.
Seeing lots of excellent suggestions for general (7-zip, Notepad++, etc).
Foobar2000 is a good music player
I don’t know if it’s good, but I guess there is now a Lemmy Desktop app https://webcatalog.io/en/apps/lemmy/
I saw you said you use Plex. I assume you use Steam for gaming?
Is there any specific feature/use you want QoL improvements for?
Foobar is the best ever forever. I still love you Winamp but FOOOOB
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Gotcha.
I know Mental Outlaw had a video about powershell scripts to help reboot Windows 10
That might help speed it up and stop Windows from doing unnecessary background stuff and using resources
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chocolatey
it’s a far cry from a package manager on an actually good operating system like openbsd ( it’s not linux ;) ), but it’s leagues better than cavemanning software off webpages with cancer like auto-updates to get around the lack of package management (or no updates, at all).
I’ll do one better: UniGetUI. It handles Chocolatey, Winget, Python system packages and even other managers. All in a neat UI, nice search, auto updates.
Process Explorer is still great.
System Informer is a nice, more modern take on Process Explorer. My favorite feature is the filter which supports RegEx and searches the process name, command args, path, etc. Really nice for monitoring a few important processes.
Sharex. The ultimate scree shotting utility. There are dozens of post capture tasks like upload to website, copy to clipboard, save to file, etc. You can do all of them at once, and it even caputes gifs!
I highly recommend trying out a tiling window manager. Yes, they exist for Windows. No, they’re not as good as on Linux or BSD, but it’s a completely different workflow and you won’t know if it’s for you until you try it. Komorebi seems to be a popular choice. I tried workspacer but it was a PITA to configure (I say that as someone experienced in configuring and using a tiler). The Komorebi discord seems to have a channel for sharing configs so you can check it out as a source of inspiration or as a base to build your own config onto.
Also, a package manager like scoop or chocolatey. If I had to return to Windows, this would be a nonnegotiable.
Also, Chris Titus’ winutil for debloating, removing spyware, installing good common software and running a range of tweaks (including disabling or delaying feature updates for better stability).
Vivaldi. Yes, it’s technically proprietary (if you care about that stuff) but it’s really good, if you’re a power user in the browser, or if you’re a tab hoarder. I can’t see myself living without workspaces in the browser now. And the panel is nice if you’re into it.
That’s about it.
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Copyq clipboard manager
Do you know how this compares to Ditto?
No, sorry. Copyq ist available for Linux+windows, previously I used Comfort Clipboard Pro on windows only.
No worries! Thanks for mentioning it, I might check it out!
If it came from an OEM then their tool that grabs driver/software updates. Lenovo Vantage for instance.
If it didn’t, then native apps that perform a similar task. Intel has one for their software/drivers, and another that’s only for their gpu. GeForce experience is another for their gpu cards. Likely others.
Powertoys. So many little apps that make things easier.
Monitor .inf files. I usually don’t notice an improvement but I like seeing my monitor in device manager instead of “Generic”
I used to say “Greenshot” but win11’s built in screenshot capture is good enough.
I go to the office website and make a PWA out of it. Makes it easy to open documents in their free web interface versions of office.
I make a PWA out of my gmail account web page.
Bitwarden or whatever password manager you use if not Edge.
