- Browser – Firefox and Google Chrome – Free, customisable, stable, fast, portable, secure, cross-platform and more advantages. Firefox is becoming a lot slower these days. So, I am moving towards Chrome more often.
- Operating system – Ubuntu 12.04 – Free, fast, stable, secure (no virus!), frequent updates & upgrades, works even in outdated hardware, outstanding community support.
- Office Software – 1. Google Docs and Spreadsheets – simple, free, online. 2. Open Office – Free, updated always, better than MS office in many ways.
- Blogging Software – WordPress – Free, best in the trade, outstanding community feel and support, numerous themes and plugins.
- Mediaplayer – VLC – Free, plays 99% of the media files you would give it, cross-platform.
- Tamil Typing utility – eKalappai, Tamilvisai – Tamil99 keyboard – The best way to do it. Don’t go for anything else.
- Mail – Gmailย –ย Best search for mails, conversational view, integration with gtalk, no spam, 20 MB attachments, recent conversations, labels
- Chat – Google Talk – Integrated with Gmail, Clutter-free interface
- Photo sharing, viewing – Picasa
- Feed Reader – Google Reader
- Tamil news – Thatstamil – For Dinathanthi type masala news, updated often
- Encyclopedia – Wikipedia
- Dictionary – Dictionary.com
- Tamil Dictionaries – Madras university Lexicon, Tamil virtual University
- Search – Google