My favourite desktop open-source software

Ubuntu

Ubuntu usually uses the debian package format. But firefox is pre-installed and provided as a snap package. On the one hand, you don’t need to install it manually. On the other hand, snap-packaging breaks printer integration.

VLC is provided both as a debian package and as a snap package. But the deb package will be left outdated with security issues (unless you register for Ubuntu Pro and allow Ubuntu to send all your data to chinese government authorities).

So installation of the remaining favourite packages is:

sudo apt install -y thunderbird libreoffice gimp
sudo snap install vlc

Raspberry Pi OS

Raspberry Pi OS uses the debian package, too. So installing my favourite open-source software goes like this:

sudo apt install -y firefox-esr thunderbird libreoffice gimp vlc

MacOS and Homebrew

On Apple’s macOS, you can use homebrew for package management: https://brew.sh/

After installing homebrew, we can install OSS software like this:

brew install --cask firefox
brew install --cask thunderbird
brew install --cask libreoffice
brew install --cask gimp
brew install --cask vlc

Additional note to self: When installing a brew package from a git repository, it needs ssh. But homebrew cannot deal with passphrase-protected ssh keys. The easiest workaround is temporarily changing the ssh passphrase to an “empty” string. After installation, we can change it back to the real passphrase. https://www.unixtutorial.org/changing-passphrase-to-your-ssh-private-key

Windows and Chocolatey

Setting up the computer for a friend was always a long way of work. I had to download all the software and install it. Recently I have found https://chocolatey.org/, where I found all my favourite packages. Next time I will only have to install Chocolatey and then:

choco install firefox thunderbird libreoffice gimp vlc

Update 2024-02-20/2024-03-01

Upgrade all software

You should update your software regularly.

Ubuntu

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo snap refresh

Raspberry Pi OS

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

Homebrew

brew update && brew upgrade

Chocolatey

choco upgrade all -y

Windows users usually don’t like the command line. So with the help of https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1894967/how-to-request-administrator-access-inside-a-batch-file I’ve created a script:

@echo off

:: BatchGotAdmin
:-------------------------------------
REM  --> Check for permissions
    IF "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%" EQU "amd64" (
>nul 2>&1 "%SYSTEMROOT%\SysWOW64\cacls.exe" "%SYSTEMROOT%\SysWOW64\config\system"
) ELSE (
>nul 2>&1 "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\cacls.exe" "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\config\system"
)

REM --> If error flag set, we do not have admin.
if '%errorlevel%' NEQ '0' (
    echo Requesting administrative privileges...
    goto UACPrompt
) else ( goto gotAdmin )

:UACPrompt
    echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) > "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    set params= %*
    echo UAC.ShellExecute "cmd.exe", "/c ""%~s0"" %params:"=""%", "", "runas", 1 >> "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

    "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
    exit /B

:gotAdmin
    pushd "%CD%"
    CD /D "%~dp0"
:--------------------------------------    
    choco upgrade all -y

Copy this script into a text file and save if as update.bat on your desktop. Then for updates, you just need to double-click on the icon.

more packages

There are two more programs, that I recommend:

Although Bitwarden is legally open source software, there’s a company that dominates the development process. Still in its domain, it is probably one of most mature free software solutions that you can find.

Chocolatey:

choco install drawio bitwarden

Homebrew:

brew install --cask drawio
brew install --cask bitwarden

Any comments or suggestions? Leave an issue or a pull request!