Looking back over 2012, there was a lot of software released — more than any one person could evaluate. So picking eleven applications — including everything from mobile apps to complete operating systems — and arguing that they’re more important than any other applications this year is largely an exercise in vanity.

Yet these eleven represent something significant, although there are justifications for other choices. Among the many important apps released in 2012, this group deserves attention. In some cases, they’re a sign of things to come; in other cases, they’re holdovers from the past. But they’re all worthy bits of code that underscore meaningful trends.

1. Mozilla Popcorn Maker
Mozilla is best known for its Firefox Web browser, but its most compelling release of 2012 was Popcorn Maker, a tool for altering, enhancing and adding interactivity to Web video. It’s important because it further democratizes video as a means of communication. It’s open source. Services like YouTube, Vimeo, and the like have lowered the bar for video distribution, but editing and altering existing video has remained a somewhat demanding task. Popcorn Maker makes altering existing video, particularly as a means of comment and critique, much easier. It should help enrich the visual vocabulary of those who aren’t yet video professionals.
Network Computing