Toolbox

Tools, apps and sites I'd point a friend to. Each one has a line on why it made the cut. I add to it when I find something good.

Privacy & security

Privacy Guides privacyguides.org
Where I start when I need a private alternative to something. Opinionated, sourced and no affiliate junk.
- free
- guide
Objective-See tools objective-see.org
Free Mac security tools by Patrick Wardle. A firewall, persistence alerts and more, all open source.
- free
- open source
- macOS
BrowserLeaks browserleaks.com
Shows you exactly what your browser gives away. Humbling the first time.
- free
- web
- no account
Control D controld.com
DNS that blocks ads and trackers for every device at once, with real control over what gets through.
- web
mail.tm mail.tm
A throwaway inbox for sites that want an email before they'll show you anything.
- free
- web
- no account

G
Ghidra github.com
The NSA's reverse engineering suite, free and open source. The decompiler alone is worth the install.
- free
- open source
I
Input lag measuring tool basro.github.io
Film your screen with your phone and it measures your real input lag. Clever and tiny.
- free
- web
- no account

F-Droid f-droid.org
An app store with only free and open source Android apps. No tracking, no accounts.
- free
- open source
- Android
Morphe morphe.software
Patches YouTube, YouTube Music and Reddit on Android to block ads, skip sponsors and tidy the interface.
- free
- open source
- Android

Excalidraw excalidraw.com
A whiteboard that's great for sketching architecture. The hand drawn look means nobody mistakes a sketch for a final design.
- free
- open source
- web
- no account
T
Telegraph telegra.ph
Publish a page in ten seconds with no account. Good for sharing notes that are too long for a chat.
- free
- web
- no account
Blip blip.net
Sends files of any size between any devices, whatever they run. No more emailing things to yourself.
- free

NoxDrop noxdrop.com
An independent studio making careful little apps for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Worth a browse.
- macOS
- iOS

Desmos desmos.com
The graphing calculator I wish I'd had in school. Drag a slider and watch the maths move.
- free
- web
- no account
Xcas xcas.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr
A free computer algebra system from Grenoble. Does the symbolic maths most calculators can't.
- free
- open source
T
The Feynman Lectures on Physics feynmanlectures.caltech.edu
All three volumes, free to read online. Still the best explanation of most of physics.
- free
- web
- reading

The Library of Babel libraryofbabel.info
Every possible page of text already exists here, including this one. Hard to stop clicking.
- free
- web
The Evolution of Trust ncase.me
A 30 minute playable explanation of game theory and why people trust each other, or don't.
- free
- web
- no account

Z
Z-Library z-lib.sk
A huge library of books and papers. Domains move around, so check the link if it stops working.
- free
- reading