Last flog - the alternatives

All good things come to an end, and so does this flog (I will write a summary shortly). For now, the last digital nugget for the flog readers: the alternatives.

There are many alternatives for the popular software on the web. Everybody has heard about Linux being an alternative to Windows, and I have already blogged about Mozilla/Firefox being the alternative for IE, and Open Office being the alternative for M$ Office.

Inspired by what we have seen in class today, I'd like to tell you about small, user-friendly, add-free and open source alternatives for viewing RealMedia and QuickTime files (*ram, *qt, and such). Instead of downloading the large, cumbersome, ad-and-spyware-filled offical softs, go for the alternatives, appopriatly named Real Alternative and Quick Alternative. Instalation takes just a few seconds, and your computer will get the ability of playing those formats without the need to install/load the offical large monstrosities.

And of course if you are still using the deamoninc invention that is the Windows Media Player, do yourself a favour and get something that works. I personally use Winamp (which is not open source, but I still like it :p) for music and mplayer for video. Remember: the only reason so many people use the M$oft soft is beacuse 'it's there'. It doesn't mean that is the good choice, especially when you can get better alternatives completly free and legal. Go ahead and try them. Once you try them, you won't even think of going back to M$oft virus-friendly, user-antagonistic crapware.

To utilse the full potential of the web, you need the right tools!