Notepad++ is a code editor software that can also replace your MS Windows Notepad.

From the research I’ve done, it is one of the most used software for programmers working on a Windows machine. The list of features it has is pretty impressive, such as:

• syntax highlighting for C, C++, PHP, CSS, Java, HTML, XML, Javascript, Python, Perl, Ruby, and several other languages;
• auto-completion;
• a plug-in structure with several plug-ins for you to choose from;
• macro recording and playback;
• and the list goes on…

You can run Notepad ++ also from your USB drive through Portable Apps.

Launchy, our favorite application launcher which we’ve reviewed before has now been made to work with Linux!

The list of plug-ins has increased a lot since our last review making Launchy an even cooler application.

Download the application for Windows or Linux here.

Microsoft being smart again saw that Vista wasn’t being very accepted, decided to force people to have no other option. After July 1st, computers can no longer be sold with Windows XP (there are exceptions to the rules such as computer with low specs).

If you bought a computer today would you get it with Windows Vista like Bill wants you to? By the way, Microsoft is planning to release a new OS next year.

Our favorite IM client has just gotten a really cool plug-in, Facebook chat for Pidgin. So now we can connect to 16 different IM protocols with Pidgin. Pretty cool, right?!

The plug-in itself comes in a pretty easy installer for Windows and Linux. Tested and works very well.

Workrave is a Windows and Linux only program that can help prevent dreaded repetitive strain injuries. Unfortunately techies are quite familiar with RSI.

Once installed, Workrave runs silently in the background monitoring how much time you’re using the computer. In pre-set times of activity, the program gives you alerts on when breaks are needed. You’ll see three types of alarms:

• Micro-Pause of 30 seconds;
• Rest break of 20 minutes;
• Daily limit (to turn off the computer).

The times established for each alarm can be modified according to your preferences or, better yet, you can leave everything as standard.

For users who have already made the switch to Linux, first congratulations!!

Most likely you’re now familiar with something called GRUB, the bootloader that will manage your access to the different OSs you have installed. GRUB comes in when you have a dual-boot (or more) installation on your machine.

If you’re sticking with a simple dual-boot Linux install most likely you’ll not have to change anything after you’ve made the OS installation. GRUB should work well. But… in case you start messing around too much with removing or adding other Linux distros or even want to completely remove Linux, things start getting a little complicated.

Blender is an open source, cross-platform 3D content creation program. This kind of stuff is way too off my league, but if you’re in to creating images and want to do some 3D work, Blender will surely be for you.

I’ve heard a great many things about this software. First and undoubtedly that it is feature rich and extremely resourceful. I’ve seen a lots and lots of work done on Blender and they look amazing. But, there is the other side of the world who says that Blender is useless if you want to be a real pro, mainly because the UI and standards it uses will not be the same as those found in other proprietary programs.

Our favorite office app, OpenOffice has just released the OOo 3.0 beta version. My review can be summed up in two words: it rocks! Ok, now you can go back to your other activities.

Just kiddin, let’s dig a bit deeper. First, since this isn’t a stable release you might not want to install this version yet as your main office application. But, so far the tests I’ve done were without crashes.

Duplicate files finder will help you get rid of duplicate files clogging your hard drive. This program runs on Windows, Linux, and since it supports Unix it may work on MacOS X. Any one willing to make this confirmation?

The program is very simple to use:

• choose the directory you want to sweep;
• see the list of duplicates and where each file is stored;
• remove the duplicates you choose and create symbolic links when needed to fill file dependencies.

That’s it! Fast, simple, and easy.

[Windows] If you want to store your CDs into your hard drive, you can start ripping them using CDex. I always like to convert my audio CDs into files so I can listen to the songs easily on my mp3 player and even to guarantee I’ll always have a copy in hand if I lend the CD to someone or it gets lost somewhere around the house.

CDex streamlines well this process by extracting the audio from the CD and converting it automatically to mp3, ogg, or WAV formats while storing ID3 tags. Besides these main tasks, the software has even more features.