There is a great tradition in technology journalism of writers creating public lists of products that they use every day and can’t live without. Michael Arrington at TechCrunch does it, Paul Thurrott does it at his SuperSite for Windows. And now it’s time for Delimiter to do it.
In the list below you will find the products that I (Delimiter publisher Renai LeMay) use every single day and love using. I’m not being paid by anyone to produce this list, nor does Delimiter have any special relationship with any of the companies included. I’ll produce a new list with joint staff recommendations when the company gets some more headcount.
These are literally just the products that I’ve chosen as the best I can currently find to get my job done of conducting journalism and producing content online.
Email
Gmail (Google Apps for your domain version): I prefer Gmail because its user interface is the best on the market, and it offers myself and other staff the ability to access all of our email (for our entire history of employment) from any device at any time. To be honest, it would be cost-prohibitive to implement the same solution with any other vendor. And I trust Google to back up our data in a trustworthy manner.
Content management system
We use the open source WordPress platform for all of Delimiter’s normal publishing needs, because it is trivial to setup, add new features to and customise, and it has a thriving developer community that will continue to support it. Most importantly, using WordPress means that we minimise the time we spend fiddling around with our content management system and maximise the time we spend actually creating great content. We use phpBB and MediaWiki for our forum and wiki needs respectively, for similar reasons.
Hosting
We use MediaTemple for our hosting needs for Delimiter, and plan to eventually migrate our other sites across to the hosting provider (some are currently with BlueHost). MediaTemple simply offers better support than we have seen other providers offer, and we’re a fan of its ability to transparently and automatically scale up the server power behind your site as it grows.
Operating system
I use Windows 7 (x64 edition) for all of my desktop O/S needs. While I like the openness of Linux and the stability of Mac OS X, ultimately Windows provides the best combination of flexibility, openness and stability — as well as being able to run on any x86 desktop PC. Windows 7 is a vast improvement upon Vista and I prefer the x64 edition for its ability to handle more than 4GB of RAM.
Instant messaging
I use Digsby for all my instant messaging needs because it’s able to interface with multiple IM accounts with just the one application — MSN, Yahoo, Google Talk and so on — and even handles LinkedIn updates just fine. The platform is stable and just works. I use Adium when I’m on my MacBook Pro laptop.
Telephone
We use Skype for all of our telephony needs (in and out), because it provides unified communications functionality (click to call, presence and so on) at a SME-level price that we can afford. Plus, many other people that we know also use Skype, so we can call them for free and avoid calling costs altogether.
Mobile broadband
I use Telstra Next G for mobile broadband, because I’ve found the network more reliable and faster than competing 3G networks run by Optus, Vodafone and 3. If you’re in a technology conference full of thousands of people with laptops, all Twittering away via 3G cards, there really is usually only one carrier whose connection won’t get flooded — and that’s Telstra.
Fixed broadband
We use iiNet for all our fixed broadband needs, for two reasons. Firstly, they have excellent customer service — much better than Telstra, Optus and so on. Secondly, I like the fact that they are a staunchly Australian company and are investing heavily in technology infrastructure in Australia. I’ve been supporting iiNet with our custom right throughout the period where they were investing in ADSL infrastructure and so on. If we weren’t using iiNet, we’d be using Internode.
Web browser
I prefer to use Google Chrome as our web browser, because it’s fast and extremely stable when you have dozens of tabbed windows open. Over time I have found that Firefox has grown too bloated, Opera has grown too complicated, and Safari has too many hooks into other Apple software products for our liking. And don’t even mention IE. I like Chrome’s ability to synch bookmarks between the three PCs I use on a regular basis.
Image editing
I use Photoshop Elements for all of our image editing needs, because it provides most of the power of the full Photoshop suite without all of the cost. I’ve found the package ideal for the sort of lightweight daily photo and image editing that goes on in a web publishing company.
Music playing
I prefer Winamp as our music player because it just works, has a clean and simple interface and doesn’t have any of the bloated overhead that other major suites like iTunes do. Winamp can play lots of other multimedia, but I like to just use it to play MP3s. It uses minimal system resources and I’ve loved it for a decade now.
Online backup and file sync
I love Dropbox for its cloud storage solution that gives users 2GB of storage free. I use it on a daily basis to transfer documents between multiple computers — between home, the office, and when I’m on the road using our laptop.
Twitter
I prefer to use TweetDeck for accessing Twitter because it is the best tool for following the conversation as it happens live. Creating new columns for new hashtags is a breeze, as is using multiple accounts (we have three). If you’re not using Tweetdeck for Twitter, you’re not getting the full experience of just how powerful Twitter can be. On the mobile platform I use the official Twitter client (formerly Tweetie) on iPhone.
Mobile phone
Currently I use an Optus iPhone 3G to make calls, browse RSS feeds, use Twitter and consume multimedia on the road. However, due to Steve Jobs’ increasingly restrictive policies on what software customers can run on their iPhone, as well as the poor performance of Optus’s 3G network, I am planning to shortly move to the Android platform, likely a HTC Desire, on Telstra’s Next G network.
Desktop PC
I have two desktop PCs — one for home and one for work. Both are based on Intel CPUs (because at the time of purchasing, Intel CPUs were the most powerful available), and both have ATI Radeon graphics cards, because of the excellent price to performance rating. Brands of hard disks, monitors and other peripherals vary, but I do tend to prefer cases and power supplies that emphasis a quiet computing environment.
Laptop
I use a 13″ Apple MacBook Pro for one reason, and one reason only. Battery life. Reviews I have read have shown that Apple’s MacBooks have better battery life than any other full-powered laptops on the market, and I put this down to better efficiency of the Mac OS X operating system. When I’m at a conference for seven hours straight editing text, photos and videos, battery life matters.
Technology retailer
I prefer AusPCMarket for buying technology. They’re a little more expensive than others, but their customer service is without compare and they tend to get the newest hardware releases faster than many other outlets. I particularly love the speed of their delivery — several times I have ordered a part after midnight, only to receive it delivered the next morning.
Video camera
I’ve just started using a Flip UltraHD video camera to record video when on the road. For a good example of the sort of stuff we’re recording, check out this video of the Apple iPad launch in Sydney, or this video of the user interface on Telstra’s T-Box set-top box. I love the Flip because it’s so easy to shoot and upload video — literally, there is only one button to press on the device, and then you flip out the USB connector and plug it into your PC, where it appears as a standard USB device. The audio quality is also great — no need for a specialist microphone.
Office suite
Although I still use Google’s Apps suite and the open source OpenOffice.org suites for various small tasks, I just can’t go past Microsoft’s Office 2007 suite for usability (2008 on the Mac). It’s been criticised a lot, but I find the ‘ribbon’ user interface friendly and the whole package light and customisable. The exception is Outlook, which I only use for a few legacy PST files, with Xobni to make it more usable. Outlook is still a memory hog with a poor user interface, and I don’t like it for those reasons. I don’t even use Outlook’s calendar — I prefer the one in Google Apps.
And yes, I save our written documents in .docx format. It’s the default and I’m finding more and more businesses use the format these days. Standards in this space isn’t something we have thought a lot about — maybe something for future consideration.
RSS reader
Every other RSS reader has dropped away over the years, and now I — like everyone else — prefer to use Google Reader. It’s quick, light, and accessible across every device. It can also handle the hundreds of feeds that we read on a daily basis, and it’s easy to back up your OPML file.
Do you know of a product which does a better job than one of the products on this list? Let us know!
Image credit: Billy Alexander, royalty free
Renai,
Lovely list which I will promote to my Twitter followers. You forgot to mention what security software you use. Since I work for AVG I thought I would plug AVG for anti-virus, anti-spam, privacy and link scanner protection. The unique thing about AVG is that for home use the AVGFree version is used by more people in Australian and NZ than any other security software – and when we say free we mean free – for ever!
Cheers Chris
Cheers Chris! I actually don’t use any security software … there is obviously some built in to Windows 7 but I don’t really pay attention to it any more. I don’t click on dodgy links and I haven’t had a virus or a piece of malware for an age.
Try Microsoft Security Essentials http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
It’s had great write-ups, it’s light, free and integrates with Windows Updates.
Yeah apparently it is quite good — although I remember at the time that the security vendors (Symantec, McAfee etc) came out slamming it, which they obviously have a vested interest in doing.
Yes, I know of 4 close friends who have ditched NOD32 for MSE. I love it — especially the integration with Windows.
Good list. I’d throw this couple in
Backups – I use dropbox as well, but I do find mozy.com a very good hands off backup solution for SOHO environments. It’s more of a classical style backup and restore. I think it’s best features are it’s incremental backup algorithm. It really is very efficient with it’s bandwidth, which means the storage at the other end is very efficient as well.
AntiVirus – Avast. It’s super trim, super low on CPU usage.
OS – Ubuntu of course!
Hmm Mozy does look good. I think I shall give it a try and see how it goes. I have used Avast on various machines, but I don’t really feel the need for much in the way of security software right now.
As for Ubuntu … it is definitely my favoured O/S normally, but I try out too many review devices and have to do too much that just has to work right there and then to be able to use it as my main desktop O/S for work. I need something that is very much industry standard, and while Ubuntu is infinitely more powerful and flexible than Windows, it just isn’t standard enough at this point.
If I ever retire rich and become a full-time novel writer I will definitely be shifting to Ubuntu.
Windows 7 fixed most of my Windows problems.
Now that Feedly works on Chrome, I’d recommended it highly to you as a Feed Reader. It provides a much more beautiful UI for your Google Reader Feeds including excellent previews and recommendations.
It’s awesome social integration with Posterous, Twitter, Instapaper Ping.fm, Evernote, Facebook etc. also makes it an essential part of my day. It’s been my home page for about 18 months now.
If there’s one thing I love about tech sites, it’s the great little finds you see in a random comment entries that will go on to change the way you use your PC!
I remember checking out Feedly in it’s early days and thought it looked cool, but it didn’t suit my needs at the time. Wow has it changed! I just clicked the “install Feedly for Chrome” link, and suddenly a little extension takes my Google Reader feeds/Twitter updates and presents them all in a sexy intuitive layout that is without a doubt my new start page. Super impressed and just had to say “thanks” :)
Oh and great list too Renai. Good to see businesses embracing Gmail and Google Docs. I see so many small businesses running on antiquated Microsoft systems that could transform the way they operate by switching to Google. Senator Conroy can slam Google with inaccurate privacy breach claims all he wants, but personally I love everything about them and can’t wait for them to take over the world.
I’m also an Optus iPhone 3G user and have been considering the switch to Android (and like you, in the process, Telstra) and if it wasn’t for the thriving jailbreak community I’m hesitant to leave behind, I would have done so already. I guess I’m just holding out for the unveiling of the new iPhone (what’s left of the unveiling since the Gizmodo leak anyway) before I’m 100% sure it’s the way to go. Jobs will have to pull out something pretty amazing to stop me from switching now, but it wouldn’t be the first time… Speaking of which it’s now 45 minutes to go till WWDC begins. Any other geeks staying up to watch the hype? :)
Simon,
Yes. I was unimpressed when I first used Feedly about 2 years ago. But within about 6 months it was well on its way to becoming what it is today. The beautiful thing is it just keeps improving. Next up? Mobile devices. Its been a long time coming, but I can’t wait for it to happen.
Gavin
My equivalents in Renai’s categories:
Email
Gmail (Google Apps for your domain version)
Content management system
WordPress
Hosting
Various depending on site requirements
Operating system
OS X Snow Leopard
Instant messaging
Adium
Telephone
Skype
Mobile broadband
Optus
Fixed broadband
Internode
Web browser
Chrome for OS X for most things.
Image editing
Pixelmator. I really miss some things about Photoshop, but Pixelmator is like, 5% of the price.
Music playing
Itunes
Online backup and file sync
Amazon S3
Twitter
Tweetie for Mac, Twitter for Iphone (same developer)
Mobile phone
Optus Iphone 3G
Desktop PC
24″ Imac running OS X Snow Leopard and virtualised Ubuntu 10.04 and Windows XP SP3
Laptop
13″ Macbook
Technology retailer
store.apple.com.au :)
Video camera
n/a
Office suite
Google Apps for most things, Microsoft Office 2007 for Windows for serious spreadsheeting – Excel is still the daddy.
RSS reader
Google Reader
Just to reply :-)
Email
Gmail / Thunderbird
Content management system
N/A
Hosting
Jumba / GoDaddy
Operating system
WIndows XP
Instant messaging
N/A
Telephone
Freshtel
Mobile broadband
Optus
Fixed broadband
TPG
Web browser
Firefox / IE
Image editing
Gimp
Music playing
Winamp
Online backup and file sync
N/A
Twitter
Twitter.com / Motorola Blur
Mobile phone
Motorola Quench
Desktop PC
N/A
Laptop
Dell Inspiron 6400 with external 21.5″ LG HD LCD
Technology retailer
Whoever gives the best price
Video camera
JVC
Office suite
MS Office 2007 / GoogleApps
RSS reader
Google Reader
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