Making a new page of "DonationCoder's Favorite Web Sites" - suggestions?

[mouser]

We used to have a page that we tried to keep updated, recommending some of the best sites on the web in different categories, and we used to give out awards to our "favorite" sites. I think it's time we brought back some version of that.

Note that I put "our" in quotes because I don't have in mind a really systematic way to choose these.  Thought I'd start with some that I think are kindred spirits to DC and go from there.  I'd be happy to hear recommendations, either posted on this thread or by email (mouser@donationcoder.com).


The new page of favorites is now online and you can view it: HERE.


Now I'd like to invite some suggestions for sites to include. What I'm looking for sites that are active (i.e. new content weekly), and deserve some recognition, and that you would include on a list of favorite websites to visit regularly. The first sites that come immediately to mind are ones like: TechSupportAlert, Ghacks, dottech, freewaregenius, etc.

[apogee22]

I have used almost daily for years Sourceforge, MajorGeeks, FileHippo and others such as
http://www.aplusfreeware.com/
http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/index.html (down today, oh no  )
http://portableapps.com/
http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/
Best Regards

[40hz]

Techdirt - staying on top of issues affecting us all.

Started in 1997 by Floor64 founder Mike Masnick and then growing into a group blogging effort, the Techdirt blog uses a proven economic framework to analyze and offer insight into news stories about changes in government policy, technology and legal issues that affect companies ability to innovate and grow.

The dynamic and interactive community of Techdirt readers often comment on the addictive quality of the content on the site, a feeling supported by the blog’s ~800,000 RSS subscribers, 45,000+ posts, 600,000+ comments and a consistent Technorati Technology Top 100 rating. Both Business Week and Forbes have awarded Techdirt with Best of the Web thought leader awards.

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HowtoForge - how to do it (in detail) with Linux

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Quiet Earth - The self-styled "UHF of the film world" (assuming you're old enough to remember UHF television stations and get the joke. ) One of the best review and news sites for movies you'd probably rather not admit you're into.

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Freecode Releases - looking for software?

Freecode maintains the Web's largest index of Linux, Unix and cross-platform software, and mobile applications. Thousands of applications, which are preferably released under an open source license, are meticulously cataloged in the Freecode database, and links to new applications are added daily. Each entry provides a description of the software, links to download it and to obtain more information, and a history of the project's releases, so readers can keep up-to-date on the latest developments.

Freecode is the first stop for Linux users hunting for the software they need for work or play. It is continuously updated with the latest developments from the "release early, release often" community. In addition to providing news on new releases, Freecode offers a variety of original content on technical, political, and social aspects of software and programming, written by both Freecode readers and Free Software luminaries. The comment board attached to each page serves as a home for spirited discussion, bug reports, and technical support. An essential resource for serious developers, Freecode makes it possible to keep up on who's doing what, and what everyone else thinks of it.

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Nerds in Babeland - "We're nerds. We're babes. Get into it." Good source for news and upcoming releases fo all the geeky lit, comix, and graphic novels we're not supposed to be still be reading and enjoying at our age.

Have a love of scifi, comics, novels, comedy, design, movies, online communities, tech, or crafts? So do we! In fact, everyone geeks out about something!

Here on NiB, you can rely on news, reviews, and updates from nerdy chicks that love what they write about. We started as a group of girls on an online community called The Node that wanted to talk about our fandoms. From a novel idea and an effort to make it happen, we’ve brought in a fantastic group of girls that want to do just that. We’re the ladies you see at cons (maybe in cosplay, or maybe getting a comic signed), played games with online, and probably talked to on that random Fringe forum that one time. We love our hobbies, and want nothing more than to share them with others.

So sit back, and let us tell you about some great new things that are coming out, or take you on a trip down memory lane to your favorite childhood movies...

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Aeclectic Tarot - are you into Tarot and other oracle card decks either as a collector, practitioner, or true believer? If so, Aeclectic Tarot is THE site for news, reviews, essays, and preview images for just about every tarot and oracle deck out there, including unpublished, limited edition collectible and rare decks.

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And...I better stop now. There are just so many really interesting and cool sites out there.

[paulobrabo]

Freeware Guide! 

http://www.freeware-guide.com/

[tomos]

Any recommendation for hardware?
- I mean with reviews, etc.

[Renegade]

Any recommendation for hardware?
- I mean with reviews, etc.

Tom's Hardware.

[Renegade]

Now I'd like to invite some suggestions for sites to include. What I'm looking for sites that are active (i.e. new content weekly), and deserve some recognition, and that you would include on a list of favorite websites to visit regularly. The first sites that come immediately to mind are ones like: TechSupportAlert, Ghacks, dottech, freewaregenius, etc.

http://www.techdirt.com/
http://www.torrentfreak.com/

But, those revolve around big picture issues.

http://www.codeproject.com/
http://www.stackexchange.com/

However, those are not really "user" sites.

Anyways, those are 4 of my favourites. I don't really have any favourites in the middle there  in "user-land" though.

[wraith808]

Any recommendation for hardware?
- I mean with reviews, etc.

Tom's Hardware.

Not as good as it used to be... but still a sight better than the rest.

[Giampy]

Sometimes I read this forum: http://www.kernelmode.info/forum
It's particular and limited but I find it interesting.

[cmpm]

Some good pictures for wallpaper or whatever you want them for.

http://epod.usra.edu/blog/

https://www.desktoppr.co/wallpapers

http://interfacelift.com/wallpaper/downloads/date/any/

Some of Interfacelift's pictures are a bit over photoshoped for my taste.

[mouser]

Keep 'em coming.

[tn_dang]

The Register @ http://www.theregister.co.uk/

[Renegade]

The Register @ http://www.theregister.co.uk/

BWAHAHAHA~!

They're funny! I used to really like The Register a lot, and read them every day. Not so much anymore though for a few reasons. But still, worth having in a bookmarks list.

And who doesn't love the BOFH?

[Shades]

For wallpapers you could also check: http://thepaperwall.com    Very varied. From what I have seen, practically all wallpapers have a resolution of 1920x1080 or higher. Some categories have a huge amount of wallpapers, computer games, for instance, has over 10.000 of them.

An example (as it is big I have put it behind the spoiler tags):

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[attach]

[Edvard]

My under-appreciated go-to site for almost anything 'under the hood' Linux related:
Nixcraft - http://www.cyberciti.biz/

They spotlight the newest utilities with solid examples, review books, software and hardware, post challenging admin quizzes in my facebook feed, have a fairly lively discussion forum, maintain an excellent Bash scripting wiki and not least they keep popping up in my searches with just the right solution to just about any situation I've encountered.

[40hz]

If you are at all into digital synths, samplers, workstations, or related software and plug-in, look no farther than:

Synthtopia the big portal. Read all about what they have (there's a lot!) here.

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KVR Audio News - a little overwhelming at first, but well worth the effort of exploring.

KVR Audio is the Internet's number one news and information resource for open standard audio plug-ins.

We report new releases, product announcements and product updates (major and minor) for all VST Plug-ins, Audio Unit Plug-ins, RTAS Plug-ins and AAX Plug-ins. Plus we report on mobile apps for iOS and Android and of course the numerous related soundware and hardware products.

We manage a fully searchable audio plug-in, application, soundware, hardware and app database (updated daily), and offer many free member services including user reviews, product update notifications and a very active discussion forum. We also host official forums for many plug-in and soundware developers.

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Want software? Check out:

Most i Want - getting fed up with GOTD? This is a good alternative for finding useful software giveaways.

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Are you a system administrator - or otherwise involved in Windows network support?

4sysops    - one of the best and most useful resources for those who are down on the trenches making sure the data flows and the servers stay up. Some very good admin software giveaways and special offers (that you won't often find elsewhere) get posted here from time to time too. If you do IT for a living, this site is one for your RSS feed list.

About 4sysops

On 4sysops, we are focusing on Windows system administration. You’ll find articles about Windows technology, reviews of useful admin tools, tips for your daily work, and news relevant for system administrators.

About Michael Pietroforte

I have 30 years experience in system administration. Before I started working as a full time IT journalist and editor for 4sysops, I’ve been heading the IT department at the University Library of the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich. With about 46,000 students, it is the biggest German university. Please note that English is my second language. I am trying my best here, but just in case you read an odd sounding sentence every now and then, I hope you will pardon me.

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Non-enterprise level network got you down?

SmallNetBuilder - got a home network? Setting up a SOHO? Buying a new router? Check out this site for good advice, product announcements, reviews, how-tos, hardware rankings, and other things related to the smaller and consumer-type networks most people need to deal with.


StorageReview - Got drives? Buying storage hardware? Check out their reference guide section. Good solid information all around. If it can hold data, they cover it.

StorageReview.com offers in-depth news coverage and detailed reviews for hard drives, SSDs, NAS units, other storage hardware, and software for enterprise and consumer markets. Storage support forums provide a user community ready to offer storage-related discussions, buying advice and technical support.

And...I better stop again. There's just so much good stuff out there. Small wonder I have a feed list with close to 150 or so entries.

[Vurbal]

For good reviews on PC power supplies I lean heavily on JonnyGuru.  You almost can't help getting an education on power supply performance and construction reading through them.

[dspelley]

I visit Libellules.ch pretty regularly. Often find software there that I don't see on other sites.

I think the site is in Switzerland and is displayed in French, but Google Chrome seems to do a pretty good job of translating.

[mouser]

I'm starting to add more favorites so keep the suggestions coming.

[MilesAhead]

  Excellent OS Support and Tutorials

Vista Support Forums

Windows Seven Forums

Windows Eight Forums

  Open Source Software

Source Forge

  Softpedia has always been helpful to me

Softpedia

  Funny Stuff - audio download archive and video clips

The Artie Lange Show

  In South Florida we have to keep one eye on this page for half the year 

National Hurricane Center

[rgdot]

The aforementioned Ghacks of course, outlinersoftware.com for good discussions on PIMs, outliners and lastly mine ..... kidding (even if good it's in hiatus)

[joiwind]

If you want to make something, build something - just about anything, then check

instructables

[Target]

I see Instructables just got a guernsey, so I have to throw http://hackaday.com/ into the ring.

Not quite the same as instructables, but lots of info and ideas on some truly amazing projects being done by ordinary (and not so ordinary) folk.

[40hz]

The official Raspberry Pi  website - http://www.raspberrypi.org/

Nuff said?

[TaoPhoenix]

Aeclectic Tarot - are you into Tarot and other oracle card decks either as a collector, practitioner, or true believer? If so, Aeclectic Tarot is THE site for news, reviews, essays, and preview images for just about every tarot and oracle deck out there, including unpublished, limited edition collectible and rare decks.

This one looks different.

I studied Tarot for a couple of years under the "conservative" school where it was just a system of metaphors, not some magical way to predict the future. Just recently I have undergone the "Crashing Tower" moment from the Major Arcana, so a bit of minor interest has been rekindled, though I'm now too pulled in many directions to give it the depth of study I once did. But it's worth a nice month's project!

The art was always huge for me, in Tarot work. So sorry to say for example "today's" deck picks, (in the web sense of Thurs 11-7-2013, not the "biz sense" spanning 30 years of "today") just look terrible to me. I am just about to get some stuff out of storage, and I think that includes about five Tarot decks.

I use variants of the "upside down card = modified meaning" systems. But I'm so rusty on my "interpretation systems", and actually having moved to NY City, there are "themes" that those old school books don't cover, so I might be due for a cutting edge new Tarot book medium soon!