I have been trying to expand my software toolbox and I came across 2 really useful applications.

First up is k9copy, which is available for KDE 3 and 4.  It is a simple, easy to use DVD backup solution.  Basically put a DVD in, and it will ask you if you want to keep all the original menus, titles, etc. and even automatically recommend compression factors for the video information.  It makes backing up 8.5 gig to 4.7 gig DVD’s a breeze.  No obtuse command lines or hand calculating things.  It even shows a preview window as it works, so you can see where you are at visually.  Really, a nice, stand out program.

The second is a web browser, Midori available for Linux and possibly Windows, but I have not tried the Windows version.  It is based on GTK2 and the webkit redering engine (Like Safari, Konqueror, et al.)  It is a nice cross between Firefox and Opera, complete with the speed dial and add ons.  It is not perfect, but it is pretty quick and easy to use.  Flash rendering seems better and the memory footprint is about 90% smaller than Firefox running all the bells and whistles.

So if you are Linux and KDE user. give them a try.  Both programs are available for Mandriva and Ubuntu, so your distro should have an up to date version as well.