DonationCoder.com - Our Favorite Websites

[mouser]

This is a locked thread for posting items to be added to our Favorite Websites page.

If you wish to suggest or discuss items for this thread and that page, do so on this forum thread.

[mouser]

Gizmo's Freeware / Tech Support Alert

No site does as good a job of helping you choose a freeware tool for a specific task than Gizmo's Freeware (otherwise known by us old-timers as Tech Support Alert).

http://www.techsupportalert.com/

The site is simply unrivaled in terms of recommendations for freeware, and if you ever find yourself asking what the best free windows utility is for a given task, it's *the* site to visit.

In each well-organized category, top alternatives are reviewed, rated, and ranked, and then discussed by all -- and reviews are frequently revisited and updated, which is a rarity.

In addition, Gizmo Richards himself has also long been a friend to freeware authors, helping to shine the light on new freeware tools, and a friend to us from the early days, helping to tell people about DonationCoder and our software -- and I am extremely honored to have had some of my tools recommended on the site.

I can't think of a better site to receive the first entry in our list of our Favorite Websites.  


To see other posts on the DonationCoder forum that mention the TechSupportAlert website, click: here.

[mouser]

MakeUseOf is one of the better sites offering daily articles on various technology-focused ideas for living.  Like the similarly-focused site Lifehacker, MakeUseOf covers a wide variety of eclectic topics, including software and hardware gadgets, and they have featured a few of our tools on their website over the years.

MakeUseOf seems to be producing new content at a very rapid rate these days.  While this may make it a little harder to find the real stand-out items -- it does make the site a great candidate for daily exploration.

http://www.makeuseof.com/

One of the nice new areas at makeuseof that we've written about before is their "guides" section, which has a ton of downloadable pdf guides on a wide variety of topics (free but you need to sign up).

To see other posts on the DonationCoder forum that mention the MakeUseOf website, click: here.

[mouser]

Over the last year I have found myself admiring the editorial staff at Ars Technica, more than once.

It's one of those rare news sites that manages to do a great job of balancing some lighter reading with some very informed and expert takes on breaking technology stories -- and they aren't afraid to step on some rather large toes when they need to.

It's one of the very very few sites that reports on business/industry issues without managing to come off like an unbearably obnoxious regurgitator of press releases.

What ArsTechnica seems to do better than anyone else is to combine general interest technology issues with an understanding of big business, and skilled writers who clearly know their stuff and are up on breaking news stories.

http://arstechnica.com

To see other posts on the DonationCoder forum that mention the ArsTechnica website, click: here.

[mouser]

Rock, Paper, Shotgun is my favorite website for reading about computer/video games.

It's a small site, run by just a handful of guys.  And what they do is written reviews of computer games.  They don't give out ratings and awards, and they don't have fancy multimedia stuff.

Explaining what makes Rock, Paper, Shotgun so great requires a bit of a exposition..

I have learned something about myself -- I don't really *ENJOY* playing computer/video games.  I used to as a young kid and I do sometimes still play them, but mostly when I do, one of two things happen.  Most often, I just don't enjoy it -- I just don't have the patience.  Occasionally I'll find a game that really captures me (Mafia2 for example).

However, while I don't actually enjoy playing video games much, I find I am fascinated by reading about them.

There are lots of reasons for this.  From a programmer's perspective, video games in many ways are the apex of pure coding challenges.  We're also at an amazing time where robust simulation is becoming a part of the core of game design, and where simulations are more and more treading on what was previously the domain of AI and Artificial Life research.  And it's becoming increasingly clear that video games can be genuine master works of fiction and art.

Which brings us back to the Rock, Paper, Shotgun website:

No other website does as good a job of writing so regularly and satisfyingly about the joys and failures and potential of video games (large and independent).

It's a bit hard to explain, but Rock, Paper, Shotgun is a reminder that some people just write well (and differently).  And that when you read reviews from people who have broader interests in the genre, you get insights that you don't get on a normal game review site.

It makes all the difference in the world if you are interested in reading game reviews not (just) to decide if you want to play it, but for the love of the idea of computer games and what they are capable of.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com

To see other posts on the DonationCoder forum that mention the Rock, Paper, Shotgun website, click: here.

[mouser]

For those who want to keep up with the intersection of technology and law/politics, Techdirt is the perfect website.

The site features original writing, updated multiple times per day, offering perspective on current legal and political issues that involve technology.  

The posts are written by people who know what they are talking about, but the writers don't take themselves too seriously, and write in a way that is accessible to the layperson.

The entire site is a testament to the value of presenting information in a clean, structured, no-nonsense way.

http://www.techdirt.com

To see other posts on the DonationCoder forum that mention the Techdirt website, click: here.

[mouser]

It's impossible not to love Instructables, the website where amateur do-it-yourselfers post visual tutorials on how to make just about anything you could imagine.

Now if you're interests are focused on a narrow domain -- for example if you're interested in knitting, painting, electronics, etc., then you're going to find better websites for tutorials in your chosen area with content created by people with professional-level skills.  That's not what instructables is about.

But if you're tastes are eclectic, and you like meeting fellow amateurs and dabblers, the charm and friendliness and sheer variety of the tutorials at Instructables is a joy to behold.

If you have kids, and they get bored -- get on the computer and go to the Instructables website, and you're bound to find something fun to make.

Visit Site: http://www.instructables.com

http://www.instructables.com/

To see other posts on the DonationCoder forum that mention the Instructables website, click: here.

[mouser]

There are a ton of websites competing to offer you a daily helping of new and unusual discoveries on the internet, but few can hold a candle to BoingBoing, which sets the standard for coming up with new interesting items every day that you won't find anywhere else.

BoingBoing is short on business, law, politics, and slapstick humor -- and instead focuses on under-appreciated artists and creators, and on bringing the obscure to the public.

Visit Site: http://boingboing.net

http://boingboing.net

To see other posts on the DonationCoder forum that mention the BoingBoing website, click: here.

[mouser]

gHacks is one of a handful of wonderful websites that has always been friendly to, and supportive of, independent software authors.

The site has been mentioned hundreds of times on our forum, and they've featured many of the software utilities made by the members here.

Truly one of our favorite sites for discovering software.

Visit Site: http://www.ghacks.net/

http://www.ghacks.net/

To see other posts on the DonationCoder forum that mention the gHacks website, click: here.

[mouser]

Freewaregenius is another one of our favorite websites for discovering new software.

The site has expanded its focus in recent years -- evolving from covering just freeware software to a variety of web and mobile technologies, but the site has remained one of the best places to discover new free software.

It's one of the most frequently linked to sites on our forum, and some of their more recent long comparative reviews of software have been invaluable.

Visit Site: http://www.freewaregenius.com

http://www.freewaregenius.com

To see other posts on the DonationCoder forum that mention the Freewaregenius website, click: here.

[mouser]

When I look back at the blog items I post linking to interesting developer essays and articles, many of them are originally from osnews.com.  OSNews is a frequently updated blog that posts lots of small items every day.  While nominally about operating systems, they really cover a much broader domain including websites and technology companies.  They do an outstanding job of bringing early attention to interesting technology essays that I don't see mentioned elsewhere.




To see other posts on the DonationCoder forum that mention the OsNews website, click: here.

[techidave]

Freewaregenius is another one of our favorite websites for discovering new software.

The site has expanded its focus in recent years -- evolving from covering just freeware software to a variety of web and mobile technologies, but the site has remained one of the best places to discover new free software.

It's one of the most frequently linked to sites on our forum, and some of their more recent long comparative reviews of software have been invaluable.

Visit Site: http://www.freewaregenius.com

[ Invalid Attachment ]

http://www.freewaregenius.com

To see other posts on the DonationCoder forum that mention the Freewaregenius website, click: here.

-mouser (November 06, 2013, 04:23 PM)

I am not seeing any post newer than Jan 2016.  Is this site still active?

[mouser]

No I suppose not, except in my heart 

[panzer]

No, FG is not active anymore. Samer made a guest article on Ghacks some time ago and that the last time I heard of him. I think he is still in Jordan with his wife ...

[wraith808]

No I suppose not, except in my heart 

-mouser (February 27, 2018, 06:45 AM)

Should this thread be checked and updated at certain intervals?  Or just left for posterity?

[mouser]

Yeah i suppose 2 years is long enough.. i'll leave the post up for posterity but remove the entry from our website "favorite sites" list, since that list is gets its info from this thread:
https://www.donation...ur-favorite-websites

[Edvard]

How many folks remember Shell Extension City?  That's where I first heard of DonationCoder, and after a reboot in 2013 they are still stumping along nicely.  They list DonationCoder in "Other Sites" and "Supporters", so I think they deserve a mention.  Lots of cross-platform and mobile tools nowadays, which is good to see.
http://www.shellcity.net/

[mouser]

Shell Extension City was the first site to acknowledge donationcoder and send people our way that appreciated us.  It was the earliest and most important nod of approval for donationcoder, and it meant a lot.

[IainB]

Shell Extension City was the first site to acknowledge donationcoder and send people our way that appreciated us.  It was the earliest and most important nod of approval for donationcoder, and it meant a lot.

-mouser (September 17, 2018, 09:58 PM)

Yes, and I think (not sure) that may have been how I first arrived at the DC forum. Shell Extension City is a great site, but they are not very active nowadays - they have made 10 posts so far this year; the last being Mar. 20th. I read the post titles via my BazQux feedreader and always go to the site if the post looks interesting.