The Useful Programs List

[Kaeliah]

First of all, if you download and use these programs it's up to you. These are hosted by parties not related to Mysidia, or myself at all. These are just some references to places where I've downloaded very useful programs to use for programming, art, or website management. Download at your own risk.


Free FTP Program: FileZilla (http://filezilla-project.org/)
I've been using FileZilla for years, it works great and it's not difficult to learn how to use it. It's the best free FTP software that I know of.


Excellent PHP Editor: Notepad++ (http://notepad-plus-plus.org/)
Notepad++ is amazing. It color codes the PHP like using the PHP tags here on the forum and also gives you tools to navigate, and mark the code. It doesn't debug it, but it's my favorite when it comes to editing code.


Free PHP Debugger: PHP Designer 2007 (http://www.mpsoftware.dk/phpdesigner.php)
Fully features, free for personal use PHP editor/debugger. I think it does other codes as well but I'm not positive. I only use it if I can't find the code issue on my own, because I think it's hard to work with, but others may think otherwise.

Free Art Program: GIMP (http://www.gimp.org/)
GIMP is a free art program that has lots of fans. It's not as good as some paid programs, but it's free which makes it very popular and well used so there are lots of tutorials.


Know of some other great programs? Post them!

[PTGigi]

Hey I use FileZilla too :colonu:

More free stuff:

Also Pixlr (http://pixlr.com) is similar to an online Photoshop (or so I've heard), no download needed :meow:
Scratch (http://scratch.mit.edu/) is semi-easy to use and allows you to make great interactive features like games (though I fail at it XD)

[Hall of Famer]

Very helpful list, thank you so much for posting this Kaeliah. I'd also recommend Paint.NET(not to be confused with Microsoft Paint, lol) as an alternative choice for artists who cant pay for Adobe Photoshop(damn PS is way too expensive even for college students).

[PTGigi]

Photoshop is expensive but there's a website called AcademicSuperstore that gives discounts up to 80% for students and teachers, :smile: it makes it that much less of a hassle to get those epical Adobe programs :meow: (I still had to save up for a year to get the programs I wanted but I'd say that's a great website for people who want to purchase programs, obviously it's only good if you're a student or teacher though D: )

[Tequila]

If you don't want to shell out for Photoshop or Illstrator you could go Gimp (http://www.gimp.org/) or Inkscape (http://inkscape.org/). :)

Also if you like 3D as I do, Daz|Studio (http://www.daz3d.com/) is a great free alternative to Poser, lots of freebies abound for both programs as well. :wiii:

Flash has a nice alternative in LiveSwif (http://www.liveswif.net/).

I've used all but Gimp and found them easy to adapt to. :smile:

[PokePets]

Thank you =D
My PC crashed & i didn't remember me the name of my PHP-edit program,
it was notepad++

Thankies ^___^

[Hall of Famer]

umm it seems that PHP Designer is not free, but I will give a try and see if it is worth paying.

[Kaeliah]

O.o I must find the website I downloaded my version on then... weird... Mine's free and it's not a trial...

[Hall of Famer]

Well I got it already, it wasnt really expensive though. It is really good to use though, since it automatically searches variables, functions and classes for you and detects errors whenever possible. Should be a good tool to use even when internet connection is bad or nonexistent.

[Kaeliah]

Yes, it's a nice tool. :) I need to reinstall mine though because it's glitchy.

[konzair]

I read something about PIXLR wich is a good ONLINE picture editing proramm.
Good things: no need to download and runs on nearly every coputer.
Bad things: the picture quallity isn't good and you're too limited with the available effects.

All in all it's great if you are lost in australias deserts, have a notebook with you and need to finish some work wich you havn't yet because .. well you're lost in a desert... otherwise i prefer photoshop. :)

[solskenn]

I use gimp as well! I love it, and I've heard some people refer to it as a "generic version of photoshop". After playing with a real photoshop program on a friends computer (via team viewer) I'd have to agree. From what I played with and done, there seems to be few differences between them, except I think Gimp is easier to use. Though that MAY be because I'm used to gimp and know how to operate it and not photoshop.

Also, I would recommend team viewer. It allows people to basically access your computer from across the world (if needed). I think it is a good tool for if someone wants to show you something, if you want to show them something, or if your not sure about letting them in your cPanel (or even how to let them into your cPanel without giving your account information). Your able to watch them while they work, so if they start to try to mess something up, you can interfere until you manage to close the team viewer window causing them to be kicked off. I find notepad or sticky notes is a good window to open up for talking to each other while this is running if they aren't on your messenger list.

I would also recommend Expressions3. Its a free drawing tool a friend told me about. Once you've drawn a line, if your not happy with it you can edit that line. Fixing unwanted curves, adding needed curves, widening/thinning it, making it longer/shorter. I don't like to do my coloring with it. I prefer to just draw the lines then do the coloring with gimp, but I have known of some also coloring (including shading) with the program. When your done drawing be sure to click "Save as bitmap" otherwise all that hard work is lost once you close it, and if you want it to be editable later on, save a copy for opening later. (I highly recommend doing this and with gimp as well!)

[SilverX]

Here are a few programs of my own that I like to use...

www.blender.org <-- Blender 3D software. Once you get the hang of how to use it, it's INCREDIBLE. I'm still learning and stuff, but I find it's really good, considering the fact it's FREE. (Yes, I had to bold, italicize, and underline that!)

http://www.humanbalance.net/gale/us/ <-- GraphicsGale. A great free to use pixel art software. I love it for whenever I make sprites and the like.~:OHSHITALION:

[Hall of Famer]

Well I recommend notepad++ to those aspiring programmers, but you also have other choices if you dont mind paying for commercial softwares.

[Bekki]

Please shoot me if I am posting this that if the thread is to old.

Of you are into making 3D imagery then the best free one is Blender. Tried it once and found it confusing.

Speaking of text editors, I use EditPad Lite and not a bad one if you are doing HTML/CSS.

[Tequila]

Please shoot me if I am posting this that if the thread is to old.

Of you are into making 3D imagery then the best free one is Blender. Tried it once and found it confusing.

Speaking of text editors, I use EditPad Lite and not a bad one if you are doing HTML/CSS.
I <3 EditPad. ;3 It's simple and easy to use. ;3

[Empress_Swanbottom]

Wow, some pretty nice free stuff here! If you wanna make games too, there is the online game builder mygamebuilder (http://mygamebuilder.com) and it isn't too bad. There is also Gamemaker (http://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker/studio). I downloaded GM, but I haven't tried it out yet, so I hope it's good...