Cyanogenmod (version 10.2.0, Android 4.3 Jelly Bean) on my Samsung Galaxy S3

In my case this wasn't so much about root access as getting rid of the Samsung bloatware.

The well documented part of the process is:

1. Heimdall method for installing ClockworkMod
2. Backup - I did it, haven't needed it yet, but I did it.
   • call history and text/sms messages are gone - I don't care
   • contacts are wiped - I back them up separately into XML that integrates with my telephony address book and can restore via this app too.
3. Install from cm-10.2.0-i9300.zip (I'm not interested in bleeding edge, or even vaguely up to date - I need the phone to work reliably and do what I need it to do).

Now I have a base Cyanogen with only it's defaults installed on my phone. There is no Market / Google Play. I definitely don't want that either.  All my installs will be from non-market fdownloaded APKs. I needed these additional items:

1. Contacts

   I don't sync my contacts, the phone is the only input and I regularly export them manually as an XML file that is used to provide a read-only source for other applocations

2. Email

   K9Mail from http://code.google.com/p/k9mail/ ‎

3. Remote Access
   1. RDP

      installed the 2X RDP from http://www.2x.com/rdp-client/download/

   2. SSH

      installed VX ConnectBot http://connectbot.vx.sk/

4. Calendar
   1. UI

      The FrontEnd that comes with Cyanogen isn't great, I'm experimenting with Business Calendar.

   2. Sync

      installed CalDAVSyncAdapter from https://github.com/gggard/AndroidCaldavSyncAdapater - need to compile to get an .APK

5. Text Editor

   Paul Mach's https://github.com/paulmach/Text-Edit-for-Android/

6. Telephony

   My own APK for Linphone

7. Maps / Navigation
   1. Google Maps

      I just installed the .APK and Google Maps mostly works.

   2. OsmAnd - maps & navigation
      

      The http://osmand.net/ mapping project is very good - maps are offline.