Personal computing discussed

Moderators: renee, Flying Fox, Ryu Connor

 
VTNC
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Help me make a Windows freeware list

Sun Sep 26, 2004 12:22 am

A few rules:
  1. NO ADWARE. This includes Opera.
  2. No explicit limitations. Anything that's a "limited functionality demo" or has an expiration date is not acceptable. Lite or free versions are OK, e.g. Winamp
  3. Be picky. Don't list crap like IE because it is free. I'll just reply "thanks for nothing" then call you a dumbass. This include WMP and any other bloatware that is poor at doing all the excessive unnecessary functions built into it.
  4. Please add a category, preferably in boldface, to the software you are listing.
  5. If possible, add a link to it.
  6. If some freeware was better in an older version, like Adobe Acrobat, explicit the version
  7. Nagware's OK, as long as it mantains its complete functionality


Off the top of my head (and then some, thanks guys! 8) )

Browser
Mozilla Firefox

Download Manager
Star Downloader

E-mail/Newsgroup Client
Thunderbird

Spam Filter
POPFile

Spyware Cleaners
Spybot Search and Destroy
Adaware SE personal

Instant Messaging
GAIM
Trillian

Personal Firewall
Kerio
Sygate Personal Firewall

Search tools
Google toolbar - the best there is, with even better plug-ins created for Firefox here and here!

FTP Client
FileZilla
AceFTP Freeware¹

FTP Server
FileZilla Server
GuildFTPd

IRC Client
BitchX

Remote Connectivity
RealVNC
SSH
PuTTY

Video Players
Media Player Classic
BSPlayer
VideoLan (and streamer!)

Video Editing and Utilities
VirtuaDub
DScaler

Codecs
Real alternative
Quicktime alternative
XviD

Audio Players
Winamp

Audio Editing
GoldWave
[url=http://bim.km.ru/gap/view.asp?id={039D5BBB-8B77-4930-8859-1C48806E663C}]GAP[/url]
LAME

Audio Encoding
OGG

Optical Media Authoring
Feurio

Image Viewer
IrfanView

Image Manipulation
The GIMP

Office Productivity Suite
OpenOffice

PDF Reader
Adobe Acrobat 5.1

Anti-virus
AVG Free version
Avast! Antivirus
AntiVir Personal Edition

Computer Maintenance
SiSoft Sandra
MemTest86
Prime95

Paranoia
IANAG Security Tweaker
XP Antispy
Secure Hard Drive Deletion

Macro / Automation / Scripting
AutoHotKey

File Compression
7-Zip
WinRAR

Virtual Drive Emulation
Daemon tools (find it yourself)


Edit > BIG UPDATE

¹ Adware

EDIT: now stickied for your pleasure (mattsteg)
Last edited by VTNC on Mon Sep 27, 2004 11:13 am, edited 4 times in total.
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FireGryphon
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 12:34 am

Last edit: 2:00 AM eastern time, Sunday Sept. 26


Sound Utilities
8) GoldWave

Every once in a while you have to save, exit, and restart the program unless you purchase it, but I have found this a minor inconvinience considering that it is a fully functional and very powerful program.


8) [url=http://bim.km.ru/gap/view.asp?id={039D5BBB-8B77-4930-8859-1C48806E663C}]GAP[/url]

Extracts audio from files and converts to WAV format


8) LAME

MP3 encoder


8) OGG


Video Editing and Utilities
8) VirtuaDub

8) DScaler



Optical Media Authoring
8) Feurio


Office Productivity Suite
8) OpenOffice

Writer, HTML editor, spreadsheet, presentations, etc. etc.


FTP
8) FileZilla


Computer Maintenance
8) SiSoft Sandra


8) MemTest86


8) Prime95


Remote Connectivity
8) RealVNC

For remote Linux GUI


8) SSH

Remote Linux command line


I will edit this post when I think of more.
Last edited by FireGryphon on Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:11 am, edited 15 times in total.
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Convert
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 12:36 am

Excellent idea.

Spyware Cleaners
Spybot Search and Destroy
Adaware SE personal

Emulation
Daemon tools

**EDIT BY MOD: links to d-tools (or other CD emulation programs) aren't allowed. -Kevin**
Last edited by Convert on Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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FireGryphon
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 12:48 am

Do game console emulators count?
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Illissius
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 12:50 am

Instant Messaging
GAIM
Trillian

Image Manipulation
The GIMP

Download Manager
Star Downloader

Personal Firewall
Kerio

p.s., with the current restrictions, you're missing out on the best file manager, period, Total Commander, as well as one of the best browsers (and no doubt lots of other stuff); why not just have seperate categories for 'freeware', 'adware', and 'shareware'? (Personally, I can stand a few less intrusive ads if the software is excellent.)
Last edited by Illissius on Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:29 am, edited 2 times in total.
Work is punishment for failing to procrastinate effectively.
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LJ
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 12:58 am

Ironically, most of this freeware -- and indeed the best of it -- such as Firefox, The GIMP, Open-Office and GAIM are all open source and mostly Linux-first projects.

There are currently something like 50,000 software packages available in Gentoo's portage. They're all free.
 
FireGryphon
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:00 am

LJ wrote:
Ironically, most of this freeware -- and indeed the best of it -- such as Firefox, The GIMP, Open-Office and GAIM are all open source and mostly Linux-first projects.

There are currently something like 50,000 software packages available in Gentoo's portage. They're all free.


True. It's still interesting (and useful) to have a list for Windows use.
Sheep Rustlers in the sky! <S> Slapt | <S> FUI | Air Warrior II/III
 
Gandhi
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:05 am

Here are my contributions - most culled from friendly posters and wonderful advice on these here great TR forums:

Media players

Real alternative

Quicktime alternative

Anti-virus

Avast! Antivirus - free for home use, say buhbye to Norton bloatware

DVD stuff

(Removed - but I remember couple of programs that allow me to "shrink" DVDs and "decrypt" DVDs as well - can't remeber what they are called though :wink: )

Search tools

Google toolbar - the best there is, with even better plug-ins created for Firefox here and here!
Last edited by Gandhi on Sun Sep 26, 2004 10:13 am, edited 3 times in total.
 
Alanzilla
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:08 am

Remote Connectivity

puTTy

Compression

7-Zip

Video Codec

Xvid

Bayesian Spam Filter

Popfile

E-Mail Customization

Quotefix for Outlook or Outlook Express
 
Dirge
Gerbil Jedi
Posts: 1620
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:36 am

For security I use

Free Version on Sygate Personal Firewall
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download3356.html

Currently use AntiVir Personal Edition updated regularly
http://www.free-av.com/

Last But not least Ad-aware for spyware detection/removal
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download506.html



For the paranoid

IANAG Security Tweaker
http://www.iamnotageek.com/a/116-p1.php

XP-Antispy
http://www.xp-antispy.org/

Secure Hard Drive deletion:
http://staff.washington.edu/jdlarios/autoclave/
 
VTNC
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 1:44 am

Illissius wrote:
p.s., with the current restrictions, you're missing out on the best file manager, period, Total Commander, as well as one of the best browsers (and no doubt lots of other stuff); why not just have seperate categories for 'freeware', 'adware', and 'shareware'? (Personally, I can stand a few less intrusive ads if the software is excellent.)

Yes, I thought of that, 'tis sad indeed. Unfortunately I am commited to being a nazi (j/k :D ) and keeping it as free and unrestricted as possible. We could have another thread or an exception for really good programs. Since TC is fully functional and doesn't contain adware, it's cool.

FireGryphon wrote:
Do game console emulators count?

They do, unfortunately they break forum rules, and that takes precedence over my made-up rules :(
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Gershwin
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 2:16 am

Macro / Automation / Scripting Utility

AutoHotKey

FTP Client

AceFTP Freeware - See Warning below.

FTP Server

GuildFTPd

IRC Client

None that I like more than mIRC Shareware/Trialware :( Admittedly, I do need to spend some quality time with BitchX.

---
Warning: Free version of AceFTP is nagware and does display ads for Ace products. Must navigate to Freeware on website--not talking about AceFTP Pro. It is only Freeware FTP client that does server side "move" or copy & paste en masse unlike FileZilla which is also top-notch in its own right.
 
eckslax
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 3:54 am

Maybe one of the mods should make this thread a sticky?
"God created man. Samuel Colt made them equal."

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FireGryphon
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 9:26 am

eckslax wrote:
Maybe one of the mods should make this thread a sticky?



That would be a good idea. It woudl also be good if VTNC would copy all of the freeware entries into his first post to make thme easily accessible.
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FireGryphon
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 9:28 am

VTNC wrote:

FireGryphon wrote:
Do game console emulators count?

They do, unfortunately they break forum rules, and that takes precedence over my made-up rules :(


Actually, they are legal if you own the ROMs that you play, so they are not off limits on this forum.
Sheep Rustlers in the sky! <S> Slapt | <S> FUI | Air Warrior II/III
 
kvndoom
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 9:49 am

For file compression

WinRAR. It's nagware after 40 days (pop-up window), but you never lose complete functionality. Dunno if that counts the same as adware for you or not, but we all know that WinRAR rules the roost...

http://rarlabs.com/

Gandhi, posting links to any software that contains DeCSS code (DVD Shrink does, as does SmartRipper) is gonna bring down the wrath of the MPAA. Ya might want to edit that post a little...
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Gandhi
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 10:14 am

kvndoom wrote:

Gandhi, posting links to any software that contains DeCSS code (DVD Shrink does, as does SmartRipper) is gonna bring down the wrath of the MPAA. Ya might want to edit that post a little...


Done! :wink:
 
VTNC
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 4:46 pm

FireGryphon wrote:
eckslax wrote:
Maybe one of the mods should make this thread a sticky?



That would be a good idea. It woudl also be good if VTNC would copy all of the freeware entries into his first post to make thme easily accessible.


Good idea. I'll do that later, right now I gotta go. When I get back I'll put it all together :D


NEW RULE (clarification actually)

7. If this is your first night at fight club, you have to fight.


no wait, that's not it...

7. Nagware's OK, as long as it mantains its complete functionality.
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redeye
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 4:49 pm

VideoLan: A free video playing and streaming utility.
"I am too old to die young, and too young to grow up," - Marty Feldman
 
Kevin
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 5:34 pm

FireGryphon wrote:
Actually, they are legal if you own the ROMs that you play, so they are not off limits on this forum.

It isn't quite so clear cut. If the linked site doesn't contain any ROMs (or where to get them and what not) then it would probably be fine.
Being right doesn't matter if no one listens.
 
David
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Sun Sep 26, 2004 5:49 pm

Virus Protection

AVG Free version

E-mail/Newsgroup Client

Thunderbird

Chat

Aim+ for AOL AIM 4.x (does not work with 5.x)
Xbox Live = narcon / Steam = narcon / PSN = Pontifex
 
Illissius
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Mon Sep 27, 2004 2:33 am

Wait, so nagware's OK, but adware isn't? Considering that with most nagware, you aren't even legally allowed to use it after X days... (sadly even Total Commander falls under this category, though it doesn't try to disable itself or anything)

Also...

MP3 encoder
OGG

That's not right, somehow.
Work is punishment for failing to procrastinate effectively.

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Klyith
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Mon Sep 27, 2004 11:36 am

I'm the king of freeware - at this point the only non-free software that I have installed on my computer is photoshop, games, and windows itself. I'm also a minimalist, which means I'd rather have three programs that each excell at a specific task than one program that does three functions badly. Thankfully a lot of previous posts have covered some of the stuff I use, or my list would be even longer!

Utilities - Metapad I use every day, the others are things that I keep around becuase they can be very useful
Metapad is a great notepad replacement. Simple but very functional.
Keynote is a tabbed interface notepad, with RTF support. Kinda ugly, but it does the job well.
Rename Master for mass rename of files. Wacko interface, but lots of wildcard support.
Flexible Renamer is less powerful than rename master, but easier to use. It can also do renames based on mp3 tags.
PowerPro is kind of an marco / automation program. I've found it works well with both windows apps and games.
HFFR (handy file find & replace) and SRhtml (search & replace HTML) for all your automatic find and replace needs.

Audio & Video
Audacity is a good audio editor, but it's main purpose is a multitrack recording studio.
Foobar2000, the best audio player in the history of the world.
MusePack is the proven best audio encoder, as long as you don't need portability.
MP3Gain: equalize the volume of your mp3s. No more fiddling with volume dials. It is lossless.
guliverkli, misc stuff from the guy who writes Media player classic.
Matroska should replace avi everywhere. AVI is Evil.
Rarewares has binaries of Lame, Ogg, AAC, MPC, etc. Also Debian APT packages of same.

Images
XnView is like acdsee, but free. Plus it can do bilinear resize in slideshow mode for much nicer zooming.

CD Burning
BurnAtOnce does iso buring very well, but can do mastering adequately as well. DVD support is limited and poor.

Internet
Getleft is a website downloader / archiver, not a getright replacement.
WackGet is a getright replacement. Very minimalist.
SmartFTP is user friendly, but not extremely powerful.
YahooPops - I've kept my yahoo mail accounts in prefrence to gmail only becuase of this program.

Office
OpenOffice. Why would anyone bother to pay for MS office anymore?
PDFCreator is a virtual printer which makes pdf files out of anything you can print.
GhostScript + GSView means you don't have to put up with shenanigans from Acrobat Reader.

http://www.TinyApps.org is a good place to look for more freeware.

EDIT: Uh-oh, HFFR is no longer free. I've got the freeware version saved if anyone really needs something like this. PM me.
Last edited by Klyith on Mon Sep 27, 2004 11:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
 
random gerbil
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Mon Sep 27, 2004 11:52 am

CDBurnerXP Pro (CD and DVD burning...not sure if it supports dual layer or not...will try it out later in the week)

DVD Decrypter (read/write iso images, and supports dual layer DVD discs...wont say any more and wont post a link unless Kevin says its ok)

DVDShrink (same as above)

dbpowerAmp (Music Converter, CD Writer, and Audio Player)

DVD Codec

**EDIT BY MOD: removed link to the DVD codec. I have yet to find a DVD codec that was free and legal. I didn't see anything regarding that particular one to convince me otherwise. -Kevin**
Does anyone remember laughter?
 
Kevin
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Mon Sep 27, 2004 12:23 pm

random gerbil wrote:
wont say any more and wont post a link unless Kevin says its ok

No links to stuff with DeCSS in it. Thanks.

Kevin
 
Gershwin
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Tue Sep 28, 2004 11:37 am

Hex Editor

XVI32
 
Klyith
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Tue Sep 28, 2004 4:10 pm

Gershwin wrote:
Hex Editor
XVI32

Huh, that ain't half bad. I'm using an ancient version of AXE, from back when it was freeware. The thing that I like a lot about AXE is the find function, it has a lot of options to search based on ascii, integar, float, hax, etc. If XVI32 gets a better search it will be the hex editor for me.

More Freeware!
Virtual VCR A small but effeceint video capture program. Not as good as virtualdub for general purpose capture & edit, but good for vcr-like functions. Timed & scheduled capture is fairly easy, and it is also a good program for watching tv on the computer.

Synergy a VNC program that works like a software KVM!

AviSynth - If you invest some time into learning Avisynth + VirtualDub, you can do everything that really expensive programs like Final Cut do for free. Plus you look like a f'ing genius to your friends when you pound out an avisynth script and then get an edited video from it.

Hamsin Clock is my favorite clock + alarm app. I like to have little alarms so I don't miss MNF or Nova because I'm playing a game or something.
 
primitive.notion
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Sun Oct 10, 2004 12:08 pm

<b>Text editor</b>:
<a href="http://www.context.cx/">ConTEXT</a> - programmer's text editor. Loads as fast as Notepad, has 95% of the Textpad's features, including syntax highlighting and a very cool side-by-side file diff. (<a href="http://www.context.cx/sshots.html">screenshot</a>)

<b>Word processor</b>:
<a href="http://www.rssol.com/en/html/download/nova.htm">Atlantis Nova</a> - Reads/writes RTF. Reads and opens DOC files faster than Word. (<a href="http://www.rssol.com/en/html/snapshots.htm">screenshot</a>)

<b>Spreadsheet</b>:
<a href="http://www.byedesign.freeserve.co.uk/" title="both PDA and Win32 versions of Spread32">Spread32</a> - Excel97 without the bloat (<a href="http://download.chip.pl/image/18429_zrzut.jpg">screenshot</a>)

<b>More:</b>
alt.comp.freeware's <a href="http://www.pricelessware.org/thelist/index.htm">list of pricelessware</a>

edit: add actual links to software instead of just a link to the big pricelessware list, correct typos in context description, add atlantis description
Last edited by primitive.notion on Sun Oct 10, 2004 12:38 pm, edited 3 times in total.
 
beyoku
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Sun Oct 10, 2004 12:19 pm

my favorite word processor -
Abi Word.
http://www.abisource.com/
 
TheDVDMan
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Sun Oct 10, 2004 1:27 pm

How can you all forget this:

CD Ripping
http://www.cdex.n3.net/ - CDex, best CD ripper EVER.
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