Linux has a fantastic selection of firewalls for securing stand-alone computers or whole networks. Although you can use IPTables to set up a firewall, the configuration is often the most difficult step. KMyFirewall offers a powerful, user-friendly, GUI-based approach.

The alternative Kbfx menu offers flatter navigation and some interesting extras.

A handy Firefox extension called ScrapBook lets you save, manage, and annotate web pages.

KAlarm is a lean alternative calendar program. You can use this handy alarm clock as an easy-to-use replacement for cron.

Mindmaps are useful for organizing ideas and data. Treeline is a promising mindmap tool for KDE.

If you have given up hope of ever finding your way around the mess of data on your desktop, a desktop search engine can help you penetrate the gloom. Kerry and KBeaglebar bring the Beagle engine to the KDE desktop.

To find files, music, messages, and photos in a single search, try this desktop tool with the power of an Internet search engine.

If the no-frills Metacity window manager doesn’t give you the functio nality you need, try the Metacity add-ons Brightside and Devil’s Pie.