Keep Grinding

The Least Worst for Unix-like Systems

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1. Productivity
2. Scripts
3. Utilities
4. Security
5. Networking
6. Multimedia
7. Which distro?

Productivity

• Git tracks changes in documents.
• LibreOffice is a productivity suite that can not only replace Microsoft Office and Apple iCloud, but also read files from them! If your system is weak, try Pandoc and sc-im instead.
• LXTerminal runs a shell.
• NeoVim is an advanced text editor.
• sdcv handles dictionaries.
• Zathura displays documents.

Scripts

• Bedrock Linux combines *Linux distributions.
• lockdown.sh protects Debian-based distributions.
• me_cleaner partially disables Intel's reviled Management Engine.
• Spectre & Meltdown Checker
• swerc is an anti-framework.
• ufetch displays information about your installations alongside ASCII art.
• vpnfailsafe prevents OpenVPN from leaking an IP address.

System Utilities

• BleachBit is an easy way to free space on the internal storage.
• Exiftool and exif handle metadata.
• p7zip compresses and encrypts directories.
• Redshift reduces a display's blue light. If you use xrandr to change brightness, run that first.
• rsync is a simple backup tool.

Security

• fail2ban blocks IP addresses that attempt to brute-force SSH.
• Firejail sandboxes a program to weaken any vulnerabilities. If a program does not co-operate, restrict it with AppArmor instead.
• signify is an easier alternative to GNU Privacy Guard.
• slock, well, locks the desktop until you enter your password.
• VeraCrypt creates near-bulletproof safes.

Networking

• Claws Mail is one of the most secure e-mail clients out there. It even deflected the EFAIL attacks.
• gmid
• I2P is an alternate internet. i2pd runs better on servers.
• irssi is an IRC client. Bitlbee connects it to other forms of instant messaging.
• Lynx is a text-only browser for HTTPS and Gopher.
• mitmproxy reveals which servers a program connects to.
• Newsraft reads RSS feeds.
• OpenVPN reroutes your connection to discourage trackers on your LAN.
• qBittorrent is the perfect BitTorrent client for desktops. On servers, use Transmission for better performance.
• qutebrowser is a lightweight graphical web browser.
• shadowsocks is a SOCKS5 proxy.
• Tor is a psudonymizing proxy and an alternate internet. Just don't use it for BitTorrent.
• Ungoogled Chromium is an improved version of Google's Chromium, the basis of Google Chrome.
• vsftpd is a file server. If you want to access remote files through Android, use SyncThing instead.

Read the linkroll for recommended extensions.

Multimedia

• HandBrake converts videos.
• MakeMKV extracts files from DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs.
• mpv and treason are audiovisual players.
• Pinta is a clone of Paint.NET.
• scrot takes screenshots.

Emulators, Engines, and Hypervisors

• Arx Libertatis is for Arx Fatalis.
• BigPEmu emulates the Jaguar.
• Dolphin emulates the GameCube and the Wii. If a game lags, try it in Ishiiruka-Dolphin instead.
• DOSBox-X emulates Microsoft's DOS.
• DuckStation emulates the PSone.
• EasyRPG Player runs games made with RPG Maker 2000 and 2003.
• Exult is for Ultima VII.
• FinalBurn Neo is an arcade game emulator that performs better than MAME.
• Flycast emulates the Dreamcast and Windows CE.
• The Force Engine is for Star Wars: Dark Forces.
• FS-UAE emulates Commodore's Amiga line.
• Gopher64 emulates the Nintendo 64.
• Jazz2Resurrection is for Jazz Jackrabbit 2.
• jzintvImGui emulates the Intellivision.
• MAME emulates arcade games, plug-and-play consoles, and oddball systems.
• melonDS emulates the Nintendo DSi. Don't forget your touch-compatible monitor!
• mGBA emulates the Game Boy Advance.
• OpenGOAL is for Jak and Daxter.
• openMSX emulates the MSX line.
• OpenMW is for The Elder Scrolls III.
• Perfect Dark
• Phoenix emulates the 3DO.
• pokemini emulates the Pokémon Mini.
• PPSSPP emulates the PlayStation Portable.
• QEMU emulates other computers.
• Raze is for One Unit Whole Blood.
• RetroArch organizes emulators of the following machines: 32X, Amiga CD32, Atari Lynx, Game Gear, Master System, Neo Geo Pocket Color, NES, PC Engine Duo/Turbo Duo, PC-FX, Saturn, SG-1000, Super NES/Super Famicom, Twin Famicom, Virtual Boy, WonderMega, and WonderSwan Color.
• Rigel Engine is for Duke Nukem II.
• rottexpr is for Rise of the Triad.
• RPCS3 emulates the PlayStation 3.
• SameBoy emulates the Game Boy Color and the Super Game Boy 2.
• ScummVM is for old adventure games.
• Stella emulates the Atari VCS/2600.
• Tsugaru emulates the FM Towns.
• Wine is a compatibility layer for Windows programs. A game-tailored variant called Proton comes pre-compiled with Batocera.

For games recommended to emulate, read My Favorite Games.

"But which distro should I use?!"

• OpenBSD is definitely recommended if your computer supports it. It lacks the security and design problems of other systems.
• Batocera is an excellent entertainment center. Be careful when installing it, because it will try to take up an entire disk.
• 9front can make underpowered hardware useful again.
• If everything else doesn't work for you, try Alpine.

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