Amiga Essential PD Tools
Every well-configured Workbench has the same public domain tools. Here are the 20 programs we ourselves would call indispensable — sorted by category, all with Aminet references.
File & Archive Management
1. Directory Opus 5 (Magellan)
The legendary file manager — today as Magellan II Open Source. Dual window, scripting, archives as directories. Feels modern.
github.com/kas1e/DOpus5 →2. LhA
De facto standard archiver. 99% of all Aminet downloads are .lha. Indispensable.
4. ReqTools
Nicer system requesters (file/font/colour selection). Many tools require this library.
aminet.net/util/libs →Workbench Enhancers
5. MagicWB
Modernised icon set with 8-colour 3D look. Turns OS 3.1 into a visual experience.
aminet.net/pix/mwb →7. MagicMenu
Pull-down menus via pop-ups, tear-off menus, icon menus. Small commodity, big impact.
aminet.net/util/wb →8. MCP (Master Control Program)
Huge system tweaking suite — screen blanker, mouse accelerator, patches. All in one GUI.
aminet.net/util/wb →System Utilities
9. MultiCX
Multi-commodity: screen switch, CycleToMenu, blanker, FastMenu — one program, 20 features.
aminet.net/util/cdity →10. BirdieBoot
Startup manager: selection menu right after boot (games/Workbench/shell).
aminet.net/util/boot →11. Snoopy
Shows what a program is doing on the hard drive — perfect for finding missing libraries.
aminet.net/util/moni →12. Scout
System monitor: running tasks, libraries, devices, memory. Like "top" on Unix.
aminet.net/util/moni →Editors & Development
13. GoldED
Programming editor with syntax highlighting, now as the open source variant "Cubic IDE".
aminet.net/dev/ed →14. CygnusEd (CED)
Classic text editor, now freeware. Lightweight, ARexx macros.
aminet.net/text/edit →Multimedia
15. DeliTracker 2
Universal module player: ProTracker, Noisetracker, TFMX, Delta Music — plays almost everything.
aminet.net/mus/play →16. HippoPlayer
Lightweight module player, playlist capable, good for AmigaOS 1.3.
aminet.net/mus/play →17. Personal Paint 7
Graphics program with ANIM support, Cloanto has released version 7.
aminet.net/biz/cloan →Networking
20. IBrowse / AWeb
Amiga web browser (modern: OWB/iBrowse 2.5). For retro browsing on Classic Amiga.
aminet.net/comm/www →reqtools.library, asyncio.library). Put them in LIBS: — many programs will complain otherwise. Aminet has them all under util/libs.