Important software for Windows

Download from internet

1. Avast - Free antivirus.
   • Disable Web Shield:
     1. Menu > Settings > Protection > Core Shields > Web Guard and untick everything.
     2. Click MORE OPTIONS > Until I turn it on again > OK, STOP.
2. Dropbox - Sync folders across multiple devices.
3. KeePass - Password manager.
   • Change font:
     1. Tools > Options... > Interface (2) > Fonts and tick Custom list font.
     2. Change font to Hack.
     3. Change font size to 20.
4. Node.js - Runs JavaScript on the command-line.
   • Currently using v24.3.0.
   • Useful npm modules:
     1. npm i chalk@4.1.2 - colourise command-line.
        • Currently using @4.1.2.
     2. npm i cheerio@1.0.0-rc.6 - jQuery alternative for Node.js.
        • @1.0.0-rc.12 is problematic.
        • @1.0.0-rc.3 minimum version that worked.
        • @1.0.0-rc.7 starts breaking.
        • Currently using @1.0.0-rc.6.
     3. npm i console.table - console.table method for Node.js.
        • Currently using @0.10.0.
     4. npm i glob@8.0.3 - match files using patterns.
        • @9.0.2 is problematic.
        • @8.0.3 minimum version that worked.
        • Currently using @8.0.3.
     5. npm i jsdom@9.12.0 - DOM for Node.js.
        • @21.0.0 is problematic.
        • @9.5.0 minimum version that worked.
        • @10.0.0 starts breaking.
        • Currently using @9.12.0.
     6. npm install --global mocha - unit testing.
        • Currently using @10.2.0.
        • Location is %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\npm.
   • Useful command:
     • npm list -g - list all global modules for example mocha.
     • npm list - list all modules.
5. nircmd.exe - Speak text using command-line (programmatically).
   • Reference:
     • https://nircmd.nirsoft.net/script.html
     • https://nircmd.nirsoft.net/speak.html
6. Notepad++ - Text editor with syntax highlighting.
   • Initial setup:
     1. Settings > Preferences... > General > Toolbar and choose Fluent UI: large.
     2. Settings > Preferences... > Dark Mode and choose Dark mode.
     3. Settings > Preferences... > Margins/Border/Edge > Vertical Edge Settings and type 80.
     4. Settings > Preferences... > Language > Tab Settings and change Tab size to 2.
     5. Settings > Preferences... > Language > Tab Settings and tick Replace by space.
     6. Settings > Preferences... > Cloud & Link > Clickable Link Settings and untick Enable.
     7. Settings > Preferences... > Editing 1 > Caret Settings and set Width to 3.
     8. View and tick Word wrap.
     9. View and tick Document List.
     10. View and tick Folder as workspace.
     11. View > Show Symbol and tick Show White Space and TAB.
     12. View > Show Symbol and tick Show Wrap Symbol.
     13. Settings > Style Configurator... > Global Styles : Global override > Font Style > Font name : and choose Hack.
     14. Settings > Style Configurator... > Global Styles : Global override and tick Enable global font.
   • Acceptable theme (Settings > Style Configurator... > Select theme):
     • DarkModeDefault
     • Default
     • Deep Black
     • Plastic Code Wrap
     • Vibrant Ink
   • Plugins > Plugins Admin...:
     • Customize Toolbar
7. FastCopy - Sync folders, fast file/folder copier.
   • Change font:
     1. Option > Font Settings > Change Main Font.
     2. Change font to Hack.
     3. Change font size to 11.
     4. Click OK.
8. Mozilla Firefox - Web browser.
   • Initial setup:
     1. Right click Mozilla Firefox logo then Bookmarks Toolbar > Always Show.
     2. Right click Mozilla Firefox logo then Customize Toolbar... and tick Title Bar.
   • Useful extension:
     1. Hamburger menu > Add-ons and themes > Extensions > Find more add-ons and search for Video DownloadHelper then click Add to Firefox.
   • about:config:
     1. browser.ml.chat.shortcuts and set tofalse.
9. AutoHotkey - Automation scripting language.
10. WinSCP - FTP client.
11. Google Chrome - Web browser.
    • Initial setup:
      1. 3 vertical dots > Settings > Appearance and tick Show bookmarks bar.
12. Canon printer G2010 - Driver and scan utility.
    • When installing:
      1. Untick My ImageGarden.
      2. Untick Easy-WebPrint EX.
13. IrfanView - Image viewer and resizer.
    • To resize image: Image > Resize/Resample...
14. LilyPond - Create beautiful music sheet and MIDI file.
15. Foxit PDF Reader - View PDF file, screenshot whole page.
    • When installing:
      1. untick Plugin used to open PDF files inside browser.
      2. untick Show PDF files in browsers.
      3. choose Don't install a free 14 day trial of Foxit PDF Editor.
16. PDFtk Server - Combine several PDF files into a single PDF file.
    • To combine PDF files:

      MKDIR output
      pdftk *.pdf cat output output\combined.pdf
      REM PAUSE
      EXIT
      

      .
17. Greenshot - Screenshot editor with auto-crop, upload to imgur.com.
    • When installing:
      1. Untick Start Greenshot with Windows start.
    • If icons are too small:
      1. Taskbar > Greenshot > Preferences... > General > Icon size and set to 32.
      2. Click Ok.
      3. Taskbar > Greenshot > Exit and restart Greenshot.
18. K-Lite Codec Pack Mega - Video player.
19. VLC - Video player.
    • When running for the first time, untick Allow metadata network access and click Continue.
    • Change Video Output Module:
      • Tools > Preferences > Show settings and tick All.
      • Then Video > Output modules and choose OpenGL video output for Windows and then click Save.
20. MuseScore - Convert MIDI file to MP3 file.
21. Synthesia - Play MIDI file.
22. ShareX - Screen recording.
    • When installing:
      1. Untick Show "Upload with ShareX" button in Windows Explorer context menu.
      2. Untick Create a send to shorcut.
      3. Untick Run ShareX when Windows starts.
23. Mozilla VPN - VPN (Virtual Private Network).
24. GIMP - Image editor.
25. SeaTools - Display information about Seagate drive and test the Seagate drive.
26. Seagate Drive Detect (drivedetect.exe) - Display information about Seagate drive and find firmware/support page.
27. Everything - A very quick file/folder search (search by name) .
    • When installing:
      1. Untick Start Everything on system startup.
28. Icaros - Show thumbnail for video file in Windows Explorer.
    • When installing:
      1. Tick Activate Icaros.
29. FFmpeg Library for Audacity - Audacity needs this library to extract audio from video.
30. Audacity - Extract audio from video.
31. OpenShot - Video editor.
    • If you want to reset OpenShot to default settings:
      1. Delete this folder C:\Users\(USERNAME)\.openshot_qt.
32. gifsicle - Resize animated GIF.
    • Resizing:

      gifsicle.exe --resize-width 300 input.gif > output.gif
      

      .
33. Synthesizer V Studio Basic - Sing MIDI.
    • Lite Version Voice Databases
34. Zoom Workplace - Online meeting.
35. WizTree - Disk space analyzer.
36. Python - Python programming language.
    • To install, click View in Store > Install.
    • Useful Python packages:
      1. pip install gTTS - Google Text-to-Speech.
      2. pip install --upgrade wheel - required for playsound.
      3. pip install playsound==1.2.2 - playing sounds.
37. Rufus - Create bootable USB drives and download Windows ISO.
38. Shotcut - Video editor.
39. Apple Devices - Transfer file(s) to iPad.
    • To install, click View in Store > Install.
40. 7-Zip - Create ZIP file.