Applications

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EarTrupet visible above the notification area showing different volume controls
EarTrumpet fixed my Windows volume controls by bringing every setting to the surface

A sleek volume overhaul surfaces per app sliders and instant device switching in a compact, uncluttered pop-up.

LibreOffice Calc open to a blank spreadsheet on a laptop.
Stop paying for Adobe, Microsoft, or Mathematica—these free open-source alternatives will get you through college

Discover budget-friendly apps that handle symbolic math, image edits, document compatibility, and video editing so you can focus on coursework.

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Working with a the terminal inside Debian via Gnome Boxes.
Debian 13 fixed my biggest complaints with Linux Mint, and I'm not looking back

Debian 13 is surprisingly beginner-friendly and my home lab is better for it.

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KeePassXC open on a computer screen, with several online accounts listed in the database.
3 self-hosted password managers every privacy enthusiast should try in 2026

If you're considering self-hosting your password manager, you ought to check these three options.

Audiobookshelf, Nextcloud, and Jellyfin open in a three-split Zen browser window.
4 Docker containers I'm setting up before the new school year

I ditched Google Drive and Trello for these 4 Docker containers before the new school year.

Mailspring, Portmaster, LM Studio, Syncthing, Zen browser, brave browser, Super Productivity, KDE Connect, running on a Windows 11 PC.
8 underrated free apps I always install on all my PCs

Some useful apps fly under the radar, but installing them can completely change how you use your computer.

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KOAssistant AI Assistant menu on Kindle showing options including Explain ELI5 Translate Summarize and X-Ray.
This free KOReader plugin is the best reason to jailbreak your Kindle

AI on a Kindle is surprisingly good.

Laptop showing Excel worksheet in the background and Power Pivot Diagram View in the foreground showing relationships between three tables.
I replaced hundreds of Excel lookup formulas with this single tool

I was drowning in XLOOKUP formulas, but Power Pivot gave me a cleaner way to build reports.

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Laptop screen showing an Excel table with various formats applied.
5 Excel formatting tools I use in every spreadsheet I create

From reusable styles to smarter number formats, these Excel tools help create cleaner and more useful spreadsheets.

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A closeup of a black and white cat image being edited in PenPot.
Penpot vs. Canva: Why I switched to a self-hosted alternative

I compared Canva and PenPot for design work and I have a few good reasons to stick to the open-source one.

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An image with a laptop on a countertop next to a stack a books and an apple. The laptop is running AutoCAD..
Students can get these 4 expensive apps for free

Being a student can unlock free access to Microsoft 365, professional design tools, coding software, and other premium apps.

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Tux, the Linux mascot, using a laptop in front of Cinnamon desktop mountains logo.
5 apps new Linux users should install on day one

Installing Linux is only half the job—you've got to set it up to accommodate your workflow as well.

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File Converter open in Windows 11 right-click context menu.
File Converter is the right-click menu upgrade every Windows user should install

File Converter makes a daily chore a two-click activity instead.

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How to geek as a doc running on Nextcloud
3 subscription services I killed by moving everything into Nextcloud

I killed Dropbox, Notion, and Google Photos with one self-hosted app.

Laptop screen showing a messy Excel worksheet and the Copilot pane open on the right.
I thought Copilot would clean up my messy Excel spreadsheet—it had other ideas

A simple prompt revealed Copilot's strengths as an auditor but its weaknesses as a spreadsheet cleaner.

proxmox
You're probably not getting the most out of Proxmox yet

Half the Proxmox tutorials assume you own hardware you probably don't!

The CLI for the rembg background removal tool.
I replaced Photoshop's AI background remover with this free open-source alternative

One more subscription service gone for good.

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A USB C cord on a table
You shouldn't trust gas station USB cables, and I tested one with this free app to prove it
USB

I tested a gas station charging cable with Ampere to show how the quality is worse.

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Laptop screen showing an Excel table being sorted by a customized list.
Years later, this is still one of my most-used Excel tools

Excel's old-school Custom Lists feature still solves modern problems by automating entries and customizing sorting.

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A Raspberry Pi in a case lying on top of a Beelink Mini S12 Pro mini PC.
These 5 self-hosted apps run great on your Raspberry Pi—until they don't

Before long, you're going to want to upgrade.

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