For me, Google video search, Google books (Internet Archive is good, but doesn’t always have the same stuff), Adobe InDesign (but in the process of learning LaTeX), and Typewise. As for the Google stuff, I liked Whoogle a lot, but almost all their instances seem to have been blocked or shut down. Also, apologies if this is repeating an earlier post.
Steam
Google Earth and Google Street View.
Even after all these years of using them, I’m still amazed.
What proprierary Javascript is needed for core functionality? 😅
Any reason you prefer noscript to unlock Origin?
I find it easy to use and use both, Noscript for Javascript (all opt-in), UBlock for adblock (badness enumeration) and “cookie autodelete” (on mobile, for opt-in keeping cookies and deleting the rest)
I don’t understand why we spend so much time praising proprietary software in these communities.
As to your question, I have a separate Windows machine for gaming, but that’s it. I keep one foot in the free world and one in the proprietary. As for productivity tools I can’t think of a proprietary tool I “can’t quit” or that I would pick in favor of a free tool.
Fans of proprietary software have this weird belief that free software users choose inferior tools for purist or idealist reasons. This is offensively ignorant. No one chooses bad tools on purpose; we just consider freedom to be part of the criteria of a good tool.
This. Freedom is part of the quality of a program.
Most of the times -for me anyway- not only are the tools free (as in freedom) and free (as in beer) but also simply vastly superior to paid alternatives. I never get why people pay and then put up with shit, or use some SaaS platform where they are the product and get spied on and still put up with so much shit that they would be double better off by switching to something open
That sounds like an idealist reason to me lol
A tool with fewer features that is harder to use is by definition an inferior tool.
we just consider freedom to be part of the criteria of a good tool.
You just described choosing an inferior tool for ideological reasons.
Well I have separate computer for music production which I don’t think has any FOSS software on it, so everything that has to do with that.
Reaper DAW, and I have no plans on replacing because I like it. Also Reason, which I do have plans on replacing, but with what I haven’t a clue. Unfortunately, audio continues to lag way behind on Linux and open source. Additionally, VST is unfortunately THE standard for audio plugins, and they are indispensable in audio production.
I also run a lot of proprietary stuff like Discord or Instagram due to peer pressure but I let it slide and put my hopes on Android sandboxing the apps and GrapheneOS tweaks. In my opinion, making sure that proprietary app can’t reliably access your data and never giving it anything sensitive yourself is a decent risk model.
The only proprietary software I use and somewhat trust is Obdisian. Honestly, it’s just excellent and I can’t see myself moving away from it anytime soon.
Just a comment – for InDesign-type work, I find something like Inkscape (or Scribus) easier to work with than LaTeX. I usually only use LaTeX for things where the layout needs to be pretty but not customized. Its possible to use it for design, but not a good use of time.
I feel LaTeX is not a replacement for inDesign. It would be a replacement for something like word. maybe try scribus?
Discord. As a chat platform, it is by far the most user-friendly one out there despite its proprietary nature and lack of respect for privacy.
Messaging platforms are so hard to replace since there’s a social traction aspect. I can pick out the most secure and private messaging service, and then have no one to message on it
Sublime Text, Google Photos, Google Maps (partially)
I’ve found Cudatext a good alternative for light editing tasks.
I really wanted to switch to Cuda, but there are a few small features missing which is super infuriating to me.
I can’t think of any off the top of my head right now though.
Sublime Text? What’s missing in other editors that you have in that?
Some combination of things like performance, non distracting presentation, the minimap, multi cursor that works how I like, some plugins I like, no web browser, the way every open buffer is always safe and saved in some cache without necessarily saving to the edited file, the UX for split view across tabs, minimal fuss to get UI text and colors legible for my bad eyesight, etc.
Hmm… dunno if you’ve tried it, but maybe Kate would be a good replacement? It’s pretty powerful.
Discord, Steam and Obsidian.
I’m really liking Logseq. I started on it instead of Obsidian since Logseq is FOSS. I understand it’s not too hard to switch over since they both use markdown files, granted some scripts need to be run to convert markdown differences between the two.
Logseq’s business model is to charge $5/mo for syncing on their (fully encrypted with a private key) server, but you can use a FOSS syncing solution (or a property one) if you prefer. I pay to support the project and to simplify sync on work devices I don’t have administrator rights on (so most other sync solutions wouldn’t work well.)
I started on it instead of Obsidian
This is the way. I started on Obsidian, and Logseq is painful in comparison. It’s a good product, but I got accustomed to too many nice conveniences over the past couple of years.
I love logseq conceptually but constantly use org-roam because logseq is prone to performance breakdowns on my hardware
I tried Logseq, but it was slower than Obsidian and it’s section/block oriented and I want it to be note oriented (Obsidian). It is a decent alternative tho.
Rhino for CAD.
However, I have been using OpenSCAD for parametric design more than the Grasshopper extension.
Thankfully, skipped ArcGIS entirely for QGIS and Python GDAL wrappers.
Clip Studio Paint IIt was way ahead than any commercial or FOSS alternative. Especially if you’re illustrator or comic artist working in specialized workflow (East Asia and SEA industry).
Tried Krita back then, but still lacks a lot of major important feature and customizable UI layout.
TotalCommander.
I was using Norton Commander in DOS in the 90s, then WindowsCommander in Windows 3, which was renamed TotalCommander. Using this for maybe 35 years. I don’t know how to use Windows gui to copy/paste or explore multiple folders etc.
Krusader and Double Commander immediately come to mind.
Solidworks - A reliable FOSS 3D CAD package would be amazing… Parametric Blender? Photoshop/Illustrator - I know how to do 50% of what I need to in GIMP/Inkscape, but I lean on Adobe usually!
FreeCAD is the best FOSS program I know for solid modeling. Librecad works for 2D.
I would agree that FreeCAD is the best, but it’s not slick and doesn’t feel particularly robust. Don’t get me wrong, I have no rose tinted glasses on when it comes to Solidworks, but it’s generally very usable and very powerful.
Actually Solidworks is consider low to mid market. NX and whatever PTC calls their high end now are the main stream CAD systems as far as I know.
I worked with Creo for years, and ProE before that. I still have nightmares about the cascading unresolved reference screens. I’ve never used NX, but my understanding is it is AAA, though not super user friendly by default. I’ve pretty much exclusively used Solidworks for over a decade now, and I have to say that it’s generally pretty well behaved, and I’ve never really found I couldn’t do what I wanted to in it. Thus it has become my crutch.
Nice thing about Solidworks is I think is used the ACIS kernel. Means it is directly compatible with a lot of other software.
Man, I tried to learn FreeCAD, but coming from the Inventor/Solidworks paradigm it was hard.
I used to use Solidworks and NX some. I think there are similarities. That is sketch based. I admit though, not really learned FreeCAD either. On my list some day.
There is also ondsel, which is basically freecad with some polish maybe. It looks the same to me. But one day when they solve the topology renaming thing and when they have an interface that’s not openly hostile I’d love to try it
Solvespace is a FLOSS light weight 3D CAD alternative. Although it lacks the advanced features of Solidworks works really great for most of my 3d designs.
