Freeware programs and applications

[MDesigner]

Oh ho!

SharpDevelop lets you write .NET apps... TOTALLY FREE.

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Just gave the BurnAtOnce ISO-burning software a run on some Linux distro ISOs . Worked perfectly on the first try for me, didn't have to tweak any settings at all.

 

[ParatoOptimal]

ANyone know of a freeware prog to animate gifs, make icons, avatars and emoticons?

Thanks

 

[FoBoT]

is there a DB for n00bs?

 

[udonoogen]

is there a good alternative to Microsoft Money or Quicken? im looking into managing my funds but dont know where to start. i dont want to dish out $50-60 on a program i wont know how to use either. recent college grad looking for help with the funds. thanks!

Don

edit: went out to best buy (gasp, not on a black friday!) to use a couple of gift cards i got for christmas. purchased microsoft money standard 2005 and h&r block's tax cut deluxe ... after rebate it comes out to $20 for the two ... not a bad deal

 

[SeannyB]

musicians looking for a (free) multitrack recording thing that supports ASIO and VST plugin effects -- Kristal Audio Engine http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/
Alternative to the commonly warezed Cubase and similar software. No MIDI/VSTi support yet tho.

 

[Bob151]

Originally posted by: udonoogen
is there a good alternative to Microsoft Money or Quicken? im looking into managing my funds but dont know where to start. i dont want to dish out $50-60 on a program i wont know how to use either. recent college grad looking for help with the funds. thanks!

Don

edit: went out to best buy (gasp, not on a black friday!) to use a couple of gift cards i got for christmas. purchased microsoft money standard 2005 and h&r block's tax cut deluxe ... after rebate it comes out to $20 for the two ... not a bad deal

Darn, I didn't see this in time....

I was going to suggest that, but I would have recommended the Deluxe version. MS now makes the standard product expire within one year or some predetermined date, whichever comes first. For example, Money 2005 Standard might expire on say April 30, 2006, if not sooner.

Occasionally, the Deluxe version can be FAR as well, but not as often as the Standard.

 

[udonoogen]

ultramon replacement?

 

[Winchester]

Originally posted by: udonoogen
ultramon replacement?

Just uninstall it, then reinstall it. Ive been doing that for over a year. I never upgrade or update it. If you need the setup file I am using let me know.

 

[Rauthoen]

Can anyone suggest a freeware that can combine ISOs or combine many VOBs into an ISO? Essentially I am trying to fit 2 DVD backups (ISOs) into 1 (burn on a single DVR-R disc. Have had no luck trying to do this with DVD Shrink, DVD Decrypter or Roxio Easy CD&DVD Ver6 (this is quite a useless bit of s/w btw) Thanks in advance.

GREAT POST OP and all other contributors, am trying out CDBurner XP Pro right now, Thanks

 

[igowerf]

Originally posted by: Rauthoen
Can anyone suggest a freeware that can combine ISOs or combine many VOBs into an ISO? Essentially I am trying to fit 2 DVD backups (ISOs) into 1 (burn on a single DVR-R disc. Have had no luck trying to do this with DVD Shrink, DVD Decrypter or Roxio Easy CD&DVD Ver6 (this is quite a useless bit of s/w btw) Thanks in advance.

GREAT POST OP and all other contributors, am trying out CDBurner XP Pro right now, Thanks

It seems to me that combining VOBs would require DVD authoring software. You MIGHT be able to do it with IFOEdit:

http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/mpg/ifoedit-dvdauthor.htm

 

[thecrecarc]

fro a wysiwyg editor addd frontpage express

 

[TP]

Originally posted by: Winchester

Originally posted by: Fatherof3

Originally posted by: TP
I run AVG free on windows server 2003 and it works fine.. Haven't used Bitdefender so can't comment about it.. AVG is pretty decent though... really good about udpating...

Exactly what I thought.

Then I uninstalled AVG Pro and installed AntiVir to get a second opinion on my HD.

The result was shocking: five viruses (viri? whatever). FIVE !

I have to calm down...

AVG free edition will not run on Windows Server editions.

I dont manage that server anymore but we had AVG free on it and it did catch stuff a couple times.. i didnt say it was great, as I have also found virii through other programs that AVG didnt catch.. but it is decent and will catch the common pests..

 

[TP]

i dont know if buzzaw and dirms are in this thread, but i have really been appreciating these two pieces of software lately and recommend them.. (defrag tools)

 

[Bob151]

Anyone know of a free program for Windows that will make ISOs. I want to stop swapping CDs for games. I searched and found someone, not in this thread, recommended ISOBuster. Its not free and I can't figure out how to make an ISO from a CD with it.

Thanks

 

[RocknRoland]

I am constantly looking for alternatives to expensive and/or bloated software that do their job as needed and nothing more. These programs have saved me a small fortune.

This list is fairly long but each and every item I still use so I can vouche for their effectiveness and stability. Most are relatively small applications that do not hog resources.

These items work well if you have an older system too, I am still on Win98SE w/128 mg RAM. They are all spyware and adware free.

PC Utilities-

Ad-Aware (well known)
AntiVir (self explaining name - a little slow on the DL and in updating the definitions...may need to try a couple times to establish a good connection...but well worth it in it's detection rate, which is far superior to other AV freeware and many payware)
CCleaner (removes all unnecessary items from PC)
Easy Cleaner (check out the website for info) *note* I run EC and CCleaner together to rid my system of crap...they work wonderfully in tandem just like Ad-Aware and Spybot.
EnditAll (allows you to easily shut down all non essential programs running on your computer to facilitate software installation, burning CDs or running your ScanDisk & Defrag programs, etc. without interruption.) Get it while its still free.
Kerio (my personal choice for freeware firewall)
Ram Idle LE (a memory management program that will keep your computer running more efficiently, faster, and longer. Perfect for older systems without a lot of RAM.)
Registrar Lite (an easy to use registry editor with an explorer style interface.)
Spybot S&D (well known)
Spyware Blaster (prevents spyware from installing in the first place plus works in conjunction with Spybot S&D)
Spyware Guard (provides real-time protection against spyware that is a good partner with SpywareBlaster)
TCP Optimizer (a Windows program designed to help optimize your Internet connection. The program makes it easy to find the best MaxMTU value, test latency and tweak all the important broadband related registry parameters.)
WinPatrol (sniffs out malicious "mysteryware" and parasites that may assault your computer...an extensive list of all it does)

Audio-

MP3Gain (analyzes and adjusts, at your choice of db level, mp3 files so that they have the same volume)
dbPowerAmp (great audio file converter and more)
Audacity (open source software for recording and editing sounds)
MP3Cutter (a simple utility that enables you to cut out pieces of a MP3 without having to decode that MP3)

Browser-

*note* I use both browsers because of certain limitations with Firefox

Firefox (well known)
Avant (a great alternative to IE...this is what IE should be...tabs etc. drawback...uses the IE engine so has the same security issues as IE)

Graphics-

Gimp (a superb open source image processor)
IrfanView (I think this is the best image viewer out there...small yet powerful with many add-ons for more purposes...it just about does it all...see site for more detail)
Easy Thumbnails (the name says it all..it was tough for me to decide between this one or Easy Thumbs but I already have Easy Thumbnails on my system)
Easy Thumbs (just for those who want to make their own decision)

Readers/Writers-

Jarte (a compact word processor...much better than AbiWord or others...very user friendly)
Foxit PDFReader (an excellent bare bones alternative to the ever increasingly bloated Adobe/Acrobat Reader)
PrimoPDF (convert to PDF from any application by simply 'printing' to the PrimoPDF printer)
T2T (converts CSV text files to HTML tables)
Sphygmic Software Spreadsheet (many many functions in a slim and fast alternative to Excel that can read and write Excel 4.0 files) *note* the first DL link is dead, use the second

Video-

Media Player Classic (this app will play RealPlayer, QuickTime, DivX, and Windows video files...you will need to DL QuickTime Alternative and Real Alternative, as well as the codec for DivX) *note* install one completely then install in the same folder the other without MPC, which is included with both DLs, then add the codec to the folder

Misc-

IZArc (handles numerous different zip files)
AceMoney Lite (a simple home/small business accounting app)


Worth mentioning- because choices are good (some I have not used but found in my searching and appear to be viable alternatives)

Easy Office a little confusing at their site about free and free trial but in essence it means free for personal use but it has a small nag attached to the toolbar...amazing at what comes bundled with it
Dog Waffle an amazing "paint" program...free version @ Downloads
Atlantis Word Processor
Futuris Imager a program to rival IrfanView???
XNView ditto
1st Page an HTML editor
TSW Webcoder ditto

Finally, to escape the bloat of newer programs or those that are incompatible with older systems one can find many free items here

 

[jonnyjack]

Originally posted by: Bob151

Originally posted by: udonoogen
is there a good alternative to Microsoft Money or Quicken? im looking into managing my funds but dont know where to start. i dont want to dish out $50-60 on a program i wont know how to use either. recent college grad looking for help with the funds. thanks!

Don

edit: went out to best buy (gasp, not on a black friday!) to use a couple of gift cards i got for christmas. purchased microsoft money standard 2005 and h&r block's tax cut deluxe ... after rebate it comes out to $20 for the two ... not a bad deal

Darn, I didn't see this in time....

I was going to suggest that, but I would have recommended the Deluxe version. MS now makes the standard product expire within one year or some predetermined date, whichever comes first. For example, Money 2005 Standard might expire on say April 30, 2006, if not sooner.

Occasionally, the Deluxe version can be FAR as well, but not as often as the Standard.

where did you hear this? my brother just installed money standard 2005 on his computer. i've been using money 2003.

 

[MrColin]

I can't belive foobar2000 isn't here, (maybe the search function failed to find it, I didn't read every single post) it rips & burns CDs, converts various audio formats, records audio, scans & generates playlists, and does almost anything you might want in an audio player. Get it here Also, it's open source :thumbsup:

They also have a pretty awsome support forum at Hydrogen Audio

 

[spyork]

Another good archive utility is filzip at http://www.filzip.com

 

[b4u]

Hi,

Don't know if anyone posted something about it, but I recently have found a nice piece of free software.

m0n0wall

If you have an old piece of hardware (like a pentium dropped on your basement), you can bring it to life as a router/firewall black box for your internet connection.

As a normal router, if your PC has 2 network interface cards, you can setup one as WAN and the other as LAN, and of you go, with maximum firewall security. It only took me 15 minutes of preparation and configuration (with the Quick Guide available online), to get it up and running. On a system with NO hard drive ... the OS was booted from CD-ROM, and the configuration saved on a XML file on a floppy disk. Couldn't me more clean.

The software is based on a stripped down version of FreeBSD, has a startup console for configuration of basic aspects (which interface is WAN and which is LAN, and also DHCP server and ranges if you want to, also the password for the web gui configuration), has a PHP server to deliver a nice web interface to all extra configuration, and you can configure many aspects, like Firewall Inbound/Outbound, NAT, DNS (forwarder & dynamic), DHCP, Wireless config, VPN config (protocols and stuff related), ...

All I can say is that I test it for a small period of time, and already I'm impressed with it. I have a small network to config and share a connection, and given an old piece of equipment, I'll create a "black box" that'll share my web connection providing many great security options and being easy to setup, config and maintain. And I'll just save some money on some router, and the process of choosing which one has the features I need now and will probably need in the future (like for example VPN).

Nice Software!

 

[benthepenguin]

I need program to get drums to my own guitar riffs. It doesn't have to be too great, just basic set of drums.

 

[b4u]

Here I am again, with another piece of software which I think it should be added to this awesome list:

I've notice the Pegasus Mail on the list, and in the same website, there is Mercury Mail Transport System, which is a free email server, with support for all the standard email protocols around.

I also has an optional integration with Pegasus Mail, but that's not a requesite, you can access your email account with whichever email client software you want.

 

[manno]

THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST RESOURCES ON THE NET... PERIOD.

Great post, and thaks to every one who submits programs I cant tell you how often I use this post. Awesome.

 

[The Green Bean]

Fresh download is another free full-featured download manager. Works great with firefox when coupled with flashgot.

 

[WannaFly]

Ive found one similar to ultramon, it has some of the same functionality but not all. Refer to this thread for it: http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...?catid=33&threadid=1534478&STARTPAGE=1

I figured it might be good for this list.