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The three apps named in Dibakar Ghosh’s September 12, 2026, How-To Geek opinion piece, republished by Yahoo Tech, are VLC media player, Google Chrome (or Chromium), and Steam. The case for each is category-specific: media playback, web browsing, and PC gaming. Calling them the greatest is an editorial judgment, not the result of a measured ranking or comparative test.
Why these three apps stand out in the article
Ghosh’s argument is about how useful each app became in its own corner of Windows computing. VLC is presented as a practical answer to playing media; Chrome as a browser that helped shape familiar browsing habits; and Steam as a convenient place to obtain and manage PC games. The article does not establish that these apps outperform every alternative, or that they are the best fit for every user.
Why VLC media player makes the list
One player for many media files
Ghosh recalls the hassle of trying to play downloaded media in the early 2000s and credits VLC with making the task feel simpler: the author’s case is that users could play many files without first hunting down separate codecs. That account explains VLC’s appeal, but the article does not provide a current format-support audit or a reliability test.
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The piece also points to conversion, streaming, and audio or video effects as additional uses. These features broaden the author’s argument beyond “it opens a file,” though the article does not assess how they compare with specialist tools or describe their current limits.
#1 Best Overall
Why Chrome or Chromium makes the list
A familiar browsing workflow
Ghosh credits Chrome with popularizing a combined address-and-search bar and describes browsing as feeling faster. Those are the author’s historical and experiential claims, not benchmark results or a current comparison of browser speed.
Chromium’s wider influence
The article distinguishes Google Chrome from Chromium, the open-source project it identifies as Chrome’s foundation, and notes that Brave and Microsoft Edge are Chromium-based. It uses that connection to make a broader influence argument: Chrome’s significance is not limited to one browser installation. The piece does not independently verify browser architecture, market share, or current feature differences.
Rank #2
Why Steam makes the list
A convenient route to PC games
Ghosh argues that Steam helped make digital PC game distribution convenient. The article also credits discounts, achievements, cloud saves, and library sharing with helping Steam grow from a store into a broader gaming platform. These are the author’s descriptions, not a current feature-by-feature audit; availability and details can depend on the games and account circumstances involved.
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A library with relevance beyond Windows
The piece connects Steam’s game library to gaming beyond Windows, pointing to Valve’s investment in Linux and naming the Steam Deck as context. The device is mentioned to illustrate that argument, not as a buying recommendation or a claim that every Steam game works on every platform. The article does not assess compatibility, performance, or specific hardware models.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What “greatest of all time” means here
The phrase is a judgment about impact and usefulness, not a universal verdict. The article offers a case for three apps across different needs rather than comparing like with like:
- Media: VLC is the pick for the author’s argument about accessible playback and extra media tools.
- Browsing: Chrome or Chromium represents the author’s case about a familiar browser workflow and influence beyond Chrome itself.
- PC gaming: Steam represents the argument for convenient game distribution and platform features.
No named statistics, benchmark results, or systematic comparisons with alternatives are offered in the article. A reader choosing an app should weigh their own needs—such as media formats, browser workflow and platform support, or game catalog and library features—rather than treating the headline as an objective ranking.
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