June 2022 eDVD

Digit Geek

2 years ago

Welcome to Digit’s “e” DVD. Instead of limiting ourselves to physical media, we’re attempting to curate the best content from the WWW for you, and give it to you in monthly instalments. By the 15th of every month there will be a new e-DVD made available to buyers / subscribers of the Digit Magazine, so watch our homepage for updates.

While most of the following is content for your PCs, if you’re reading this from a mobile, scroll to the Mobile section to get some interesting downloads, apps and games, all recommended by Team Digit.

As always, remember to send us feedback about this exercise, and suggestions on how we can improve.

Featured Distros

4MLinux: 4MLinux is a miniature Linux distribution focusing on four capabilities: maintenance (as a system rescue live CD), multimedia (for playing video DVDs and other multimedia files), miniserver (using the inetd daemon), and mystery (providing several small Linux games).
Batocera.linux: Batocera.linux is a minimal distribution dedicated to running retrogaming software. The distribution is able to run on most desktop computers, laptops and several single-board computers, including the Raspberry Pi.
SystemRescue: SystemRescue is an Arch-based Linux system on a bootable CD-ROM or USB drive, designed for repairing a system and data after a crash. It also aims to provide an easy way to carry out administration tasks on a computer, such as creating and editing hard disk partitions.
Plop Linux: Plop Linux is a small distribution that can boot from CD, DVD, USB flash drive (UFD), USB hard disk or from network with PXE. It is designed to rescue data from a damaged system, backup and restore operating systems, automate tasks and more.
Trisquel GNU/Linux: Trisquel GNU/Linux is a 100% libre Ubuntu-based Linux distribution. Its main purpose is to provide an operating system for varied audience, including home and office users, educational institutions, multimedia workstations, etc.

Essentials

7Zip: Do not want to pay for Winrar? Use 7-Zip. 7-Zip is free archiving software with open source. Most of the code is under the GNU LGPL license. Some parts of the code are under the BSD 3-clause License. Also there is unRAR license restriction for some parts of the code.
Adobe Acrobat Reader: To open all those PDF files. Well-rounded PDF reader that provides cloud sharing, carefully selected text reading options and a couple of handy editing features.
Avidemux: This is an easy to use tool that you can use to quickly cut and edit videos, without any fancy interface or extras. Avidemux is a free video editor designed for simple cutting, filtering and encoding tasks. It supports many file types, including AVI, DVD compatible MPEG files, MP4 and ASF, using a variety of codecs. Tasks can be automated using projects, job queue and powerful scripting capabilities.
Calibre: Calibre is a powerful and easy to use e-book manager. It’ll allow you to do nearly everything and it takes things a step beyond normal e-book software. It’s also completely free and open source and great for both casual users and computer experts.
Chrome: Google Chrome is a cross-platform web browser developed by Google.
CPU-Z: View detailed information on your PC’s CPU, memory, mainboard, caches, graphics, and more, with the help of an app that also works as a benchmark tool.
Deluge: Deluge is a lightweight, Free Software, cross-platform BitTorrent client.
Discord: All-in-one voice and text chat for gamers that’s free, secure, and works on both your desktop and phone. Stop paying for TeamSpeak servers and hassling with Skype. Simplify your life.
EasyBCD: A powerful bootloader/modification tool that enables you to run multiple operating systems on the same computer, as well as reset the BCD configuration or recreate and repair boot files.
FFmpeg: A complete, cross-platform solution to record, convert and stream audio and video.
File Splitter and Joiner: A simple yet efficient software solution that helps you split and join files, calculate the MD5 signature and encrypt data if necessary.
Firefox: Mozilla Firefox is a free Web browser. Firefox is created by a global non-profit dedicated to putting individuals in control online.
Foxit Reader: View, edit or create PDF files with this rich-featured application, which also offers support for drawing tools, signatures, full screen mode and more.
Free Download Manager: It is a powerful modern download accelerator and organizer.
Free OCR: Scan images or PDF files and extract the text the contain, exporting it to editable form, so you can work with it immediately after.
Handbrake: HandBrake is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs.
HDD Low Level Format Tool: Utility for low-level hard disk drive formatting, with support for SATA, IDE or SCSI hard disks, as well as removable drives of any size.
IrfanView: IrfanView is an image viewer, editor, organiser and converter program for Microsoft Windows.
K-Lite Codec Pack: Already contains everything you need to play all common audio and video file formats, along with ACM and VFW codecs for transcoding and editing. Bundled with Windows Media Player Classic.
LibreOffice: Complex productivity suite which enables you to create text document, spreadsheets and presentations, manage databases and draw, and offers compatibility with other major office suites.
Mouse Recorder Premium: Record the execution of repetitive tasks and automate them, to spare yourself the effort on a regular basis, by using a user-friendly and efficient application.
Notepad++: A source code and text editor for all programmers that comes with support for various languages, providing a wide range of productivity tools to ease their work.
Opera: Try the Opera browser with a free VPN, fast ad blocker, Web 3 support and get more control of your browsing experience.
PeaZip: PeaZip is free file archiver utility, based on Open Source technologies of 7-Zip, p7zip, FreeArc, PAQ, and PEA projects.
Power Defragmenter: Take advantage of the power packed in this lightweight utility that is able to flawlessly perform a defragmentation process on your files and disk drives.
Q-Dir: Choosing to manually clean your computer or sort out files of various types can be a pain and a time-consuming process. However, it all becomes a lot easier with the help of specialized applications such as Q-Dir. It gives you the possibility to manage files and folders from a single window, for a more practical approach on file management.
qBittorrent: The qBittorrent project aims to provide an open-source software alternative to µTorrent.
Skype: Skype is one of the best voice over IP services and instant messaging clients that comes bundled with a powerful set of calling, video, messaging and sharing capabilities.
SpeedFan: View and tweak settings for your computer’s fan speed, voltage and chip temperature using this lightweight utility with support for log files.
SpeedRunner: A powerful, yet highly intuitive multi-thread file manager that helps users get a clear overview of the files types they have in each folder.
TeamViewer: The new standard for remote control and remote support.
Universal Media Server: A highly configurable media server that supports devices which have received the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) certification.
VirtualBox: VirtualBox is a powerful x86 and AMD64/Intel64 virtualization product for enterprise as well as home use. Not only is VirtualBox an extremely feature rich, high performance product for enterprise customers, it is also the only professional solution that is freely available as Open Source Software under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2.
Vivaldi: We live in our browsers. Choose one that has the features you need, a style that fits and values you can stand by.
VLC: VLC is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player and framework that plays most multimedia files as well as DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols.
Winamp: After a leaked version of Winamp 5.8 appeared on the Internet, the team decided to make a version available for everyone. This is not an ongoing project, but there is news expected from Winamp in the future.

Software analysers

Advanced IP Scanner: Reliable and free network scanner to analyse LAN. The program shows all network devices, gives you access to shared folders, provides remote control of computers (via RDP and Radmin), and can even remotely switch computers off. It is easy to use and runs as a portable edition. It should be the first choice for every network admin.
Acrylic Wi-Fi Home: View the access point or wifi router of your home and neighbors.
WifiInfoView: WifiInfoView scans the wireless networks in your area and displays extensive information about them, including: Network Name (SSID), MAC Address, PHY Type (802.11g or 802.11n), RSSI, Signal Quality, Frequency, Channel Number, Maximum Speed, Company Name, Router Model and Router Name (Only for routers that provides this information), and more…
Homedale: With Homedale you can scan for Wi-Fi / WLAN Access Points and monitor their signal strength. The details windows shows all ‘Information elements’ and their decoded data.
NetSpot: NetSpot for Windows is finally here and it’s the first free Wi-Fi survey app for the rest of us. It is the only professional software for home and office Wi-Fi management, analysis, and visualization for Windows computers. NetSpot features two major Wi-Fi troubleshooting modes: Discover and Survey. You need just a few clicks to start your WiFi analysis in the Discover mode or your wireless network site survey in the Survey mode. Just point to where you are on the map and watch NetSpot WiFi booster app do the magic.
Vistumbler: Vistumbler is wireless network scanner written in AutoIT for Windows . The main purpose of vistumbler is to map and visualize the access points arount you based on the wireless and gps data collected.
Netstumbler: NetStumbler is a tool for Windows that facilitates detection of Wireless LANs using the 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g WLAN standards. It runs on Microsoft Windows operating systems from Windows 2000 to Windows XP.
Aircrack-ng : Aircrack-ng is a complete suite of tools to assess WiFi network security.
Kismet: Kismet is a wireless network and device detector, sniffer, wardriving tool, and WIDS (wireless intrusion detection) framework.
inSSIDer: Most of us have a love-hate relationship with our WiFi network. It is awesome when it works… and frustrating when it doesn’t. inSSIDer helps to remove that frustration by showing you exactly how your network is configured, how neighboring WiFI networks are impacting yours, and gives suggestions for fast, secure WiFi.
Wireshark: Wireshark is the world’s foremost and widely-used network protocol analyzer. It lets you see what’s happening on your network at a microscopic level and is the de facto (and often de jure) standard across many commercial and non-profit enterprises, government agencies, and educational institutions. Wireshark development thrives thanks to the volunteer contributions of networking experts around the globe and is the continuation of a project started by Gerald Combs in 1998.
TamoSoft Throughput Test: TamoSoft Throughput Test is a utility for testing the performance of a wireless or wired network. This utility continuously sends TCP and UDP data streams across your network and computes important metrics, such as upstream and downstream throughput values, packet loss, and round-trip time, and displays the results in both numeric and chart formats. TamoSoft Throughput Test supports both IPv4 and IPv6 connections and allows the user to evaluate network performance depending on the Quality of Service (QoS) settings.

Desktop Publishing

Scribus: Underneath a modern and user-friendly interface, Scribus supports professional publishing features, such as color separations, CMYK and Spot Color support, ICC color management, and versatile PDF creation.
Affinity Publisher Trial Edition: Use PagePlus Starter Edition to design professional documents for the home, office and classroom. It’s ideal for creating newsletters, posters, advertisements, business cards, labels and many other types of print documents.
MyPaint: MyPaint is a fast and easy open-source graphics application for digital painters. It lets you focus on the art instead of the program. You work on your canvas with minimum distractions, bringing up the interface only when you need it. MyPaint comes with a large brush collection including charcoal and ink to emulate real media, but the highly configurable brush engine allows you to experiment with your own brushes and with not-quite-natural painting.
MyPaint: MyPaint is a fast and easy open-source graphics application for digital painters. It lets you focus on the art instead of the program. You work on your canvas with minimum distractions, bringing up the interface only when you need it. MyPaint comes with a large brush collection including charcoal and ink to emulate real media, but the highly configurable brush engine allows you to experiment with your own brushes and with not-quite-natural painting.
Paper Label Maker: Paper Label Maker is a professional software for printing paper labels, such as address labels, letterheads, flyers, file brochures, software, and product labels.
Inkscape Portable: Inkscape Portable is an open source scalable vector graphics editor packaged as a portable application, so you can do your graphics work on the go. It has all the same great features of Inkscape including markers, clones, alpha blending and has a streamlined interface. It’s packaged in PortableApps.com Format so it can easily integrate with the PortableApps.com Suite.

Lectures

What’s eating the universe?: What are the unexplained riddles of the universe? Award-winning physicist Paul Davies talks you through the strange enigmas that have preoccupied cosmologists from ancient Greece to the present day.
Is time travel real?: We can easily travel back and forth in space, but can we travel back and forth in time? Colin Stuart explains why time travel is real and happening all around us.
Truly sustainable energy storage: Batteries and catalytic processes are key for delivering the green industrial revolution by storing the intermittent renewable energy and releasing it when is needed most.
Photovoltaic solar energy: For the last 60 years scientist and engineers have been striving to make electronic devices which convert sun light directly into usable electricity. These photovoltaic cells are now so efficient that over the last 10 years, the cost of producing electricity from sun light is now cheaper in some places in the world than the production of electricity from coal fired power stations.
3 ways to make flying more climate-friendly: Air travel opens our eyes to the world, but it also comes at a high cost to the environment. Piloting us into a future of green aviation, innovator Ryah Whalen shares three ways to lower the industry’s carbon footprint through smarter designs, eco-friendly fuel and new technology — so we can continue to explore the planet without hurting it.
5 promising factors propelling climate action: Given the scale of the challenge, the conversation around climate change is often tinged with doom and gloom. But climate tech investor Gabriel Kra thinks we need to reframe the crisis as a source of tremendous opportunity.

Relaxation Music

Ambi Nature Sounds: Ocean Thunderstorm and Rain
Zero Beat Zone: Biosphere – Dissolving Clouds
A Moment for Peace meditation: Lovely contemporary piano music with accompanying instruments and nature scenes by Aneal & Bradfield
Echoes of Time: Serene Native American flute music by C. Carlos Nakai from the Canyon Trilogy.
O Holy Night: by Peder B. Helland

Books on War

Sun Tzŭ on The Art of War: One of the oldest and well-known works on war and its motivations
Wings Over England: A fictional account of an English farm family near London during the Blitz of 1940.
Dave Dawson at Dunkirk by Robert Sidney Bowen: This is the holy grail for fans of classic wartime action-adventure.
The Diary of a U-boat Commander: Diary of a U-boat Commander, by Sir Stephen King-Hall, reads like non-fiction, but it is in fact the fictional love story about the commander’s infatuation with a very mysterious and beautiful lady, with the escalating World War I in the background.
Under Fire: The Story of a Squad by Henri Barbusse: The Story of a Squad by Henri Barbusse, was one of the first novels about World War I to be published.