Internet browser: Brave
Browser extensions:
Admittedly some of these extensions are redundant or their functionality could be implemented using uBlock filters but as of now I’m not familiar with the filter syntax and it’s just easier to install an extension.
uBlock is the most important extension, it is a content blocker (it blocks more than just ads) If you use uBlock, you should disable the built-in adblocking of your browser as it can interfere.
Brave is not fool-proof. Upon installation there are a host of different settings I change which should be covered in another article. The reason I use it is that once set up, it doesn’t bother you Firefox.
Cloud backups: MEGA
It is better to not use any cloud software, but if you do, encrypt everything. MEGA claims to have solid encryption by default. In my experience they have the most generous free-tier option and their GNU/Linux client just werks. This is my method for transferring files between my laptop and phone.
File sharing: Nicotine+ and TransmissionQt
Nicotine is deserving of its own article. It is a way you can make files available to anyone else on the internet using the Soulseek network. Nicotine+ actually installs on Linux compared to the official client which didn’t work for me. I’m sharing my entire FLAC collection, wallpapers, memes and whatever else I archive/datahoard on Soulseek with this client.
TransmissionQt is the most sane torrent client available today. There is a daemon mode and accompanying CLI interface if you prefer. I use the GUI, but then again I don’t do much torrenting.
Graphic editing: GIMP and Inkscape
Video editing: Kdenlive
Music player: Elisa
I don’t like Elisa much but it’s the go-to music player that fits in well with a KDE desktop.
Email: Protonmail, web client
I could host my own but I don’t think it would offer many advantages for me.
Search engine: Startpage
Startpage is slow but it seems to be the most usable privacy search engine. It is annoying when I create a new tab and search something that it takes so long compared to Google. Google’s “quick results” are also handy if you need to quickly convert units or want an answer on something.
Text editor: Vim
Need I say more? I’m still learning. There’s no reason to use anything else once you discover vim. It is popular enough that there are vim “bindings” or vim “modes” available in various IDEs and browsers. (qutebrowser, Vimium for other browsers)
If you haven’t played Nethack, go play it/learn to play it. The way you control your character is very similar to vim. You can append a number to an action, like throwing 4 coins to the left by typing “t4h.” In vim, you can delete 4 words by typing “d4w.”
Don’t Use Domain Registrars That Dox You.
Apple Hates Your Webapp and You Will Own Nothing
Computers