If you're already into free software, this probably isn't the post for you. There are no huge surprises in this list. However, if you're the type that runs to a big-box store every time you need a new application, read on. There may be something in this list that will save you the trip!
#15 - Blackbox Password Manager -
This is probably not a unique idea or application, but it works well for what I need. You know all of those username/password combinations you've got to remember for various systems and websites? Enter them into blackbox and never click on the "forgot my password" link again. Blackbox stores your passwords in an encrypted file only accessible by entering a master password (you've got to remember that one). Once you're in, just find the website name or URL from the list and copy over your username and password. Blackbox will give you feedback on the strength of your chosen password, or will generate and store a random strong password for you. Very easy to use. Windows Only.
#14 - Emerge Desktop/Circledock
These are actually two separate apps, but I use them together so I'm going to cheat a little bit and call them both #14. Emerge Desktop is a replacement desktop shell for Windo
ws XP or Vista. Essentially, what that means is that it makes your desktop look and operate differently. Windows Explorer (the Windows shell you're used to) tends to leave shortcuts all over the desktop and the taskbar can be slightly annoying at times. Emerge removes all of the clutter and makes the desktop/start menu accessible by right-clicking anywhere on the desktop. It takes a little getting used to, but I've come to like it a lot. Circledock is what I use instead of desktop shortcuts. It's exactly what it sounds like - an icon dock in a circular shape. It's very customizable, too, as you can see by my screenshot. I've chosen the "Eye of Sauroun" for the center of mine. My wife rolled her eyes when she saw that one....#13 - Freecommander
Freecommander is a very handy file manager. I've heard it described as "what windows explorer should have been". While I'm not that harsh, I do think a lot of the features included in Freecommander would have made sense in a default in windows file manager. For example, when moving or copying files around o
n a windows machine, dragging the icon to the correct spot can get a little tricky. Sure, you can drag the icon up, down and around while folders expand if you hover long enough, etc...but wouldn't it just be easier to be able to split the screen to view both the "copy from" and the "copy to" sections? How many times have we accidentally dropped that bugger in an unintended folder only to realize that we have no idea where it went? Freecommander makes dragging and copying of files easier by splitting the screen so that we can view both the "copy from" and "copy to" locations simultaneously. It's highly customizable; I've stacked my screens horizontally in this shot. There is a lot of search filtering capability and even an icon that accesses the Windows control panel features.#12 - UltraVNC
VNC is a remote desktop protocol that allows you to control a computer from a different computer. Confused? Well, say you've got two computers in your house, one downstairs and one upstairs. If you're trying to configure or troubleshoot both of them at the same time (setting up a folder to be shared between them, for example), you could keep running from one to the other, trying this and that, until your knees give out and you lay in a heap on the steps wondering when your wife will be home from her jog and trying to keep the cat from licking your face...or you could install VNC. UltraVNC is a windows-only version that allows you to control your "downstairs computer" by clicking on an icon on the "upstairs computer", thus saving your time and your knees. Other versions of VNC will work on Windows, Linux or Mac.
** note: I actually prefer Windows Remote Desktop for remote connections. Unfortunately, Microsoft has unjustly decided that Remote Desktop will only be available on certain versions of Windows, and is typically not included in builds targeted at the home user. So, if you don't have XP pro, Vista Business or Vista Ultimate, you'll have to find an alternative. UltraVNC fills that void nicely.
#11 - iTunes/Firefly Client
iTunes is not a surprise winner in the media player category. Apple has long been on top of the multimedia trends, and iTunes is no exception. With iTunes, you not only play media, but you can also browse and buy music, movies, and TV, create pla
yslists, burn CDs, subscribe to podcasts, or get suggestions based on your library contents. In contrast, Firefly Client (pictured, right) is a very lightweight Java-based music player that allows you to stream music from a central location. It's interface is very iTunes-like and intuitive. I like to use Firefly Client on my netbook and iTunes on my desktop machines, which have faster hardware and more memory. iTunes is available for Windows and Mac, and Firefly Client will run on any machine that runs Java.#10 Paint.net
Want something more than Microsoft paint but not as heavy as Photoshop? Paint.net is a nice compromise for the right price. Crop, cut, remove backgrounds, re-color, or apply filters to your heart's content. I'm not exactly a graphic artist so I'm sure there's many, many more features that I've not even discovered. Paint.net allows you to work with layers just like the big boys.
#9 AVG Free Anti-Virus
Make sure you choose the free version of this software, AVG is notoriously tricky trying to get you to click on the pay version. Once you've got the free version installed, it works like a dream: Lightweight, unobtrusive, and easy to configure. AVG will run scheduled scans, scan your incoming and outgoing e-mail for viruses, scan web links and automatically update it's signatures at a scheduled time of your choosing.
#8 Pidgin
Pidgin is a universal messaging client that runs on Windows or Linux. With Pidgin, it is possible to combine multiple IM services (AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk) into a single client. Since Pidgin is open source, there are several great addons available if you're heavy into customization. My favorite is the Facebook addon, which allows you to interact with Facebook IM as well as the services listed above. The most difficult part of configuring Pidgin is knowing the correct server settings for your different IM services. I found all of the information I was looking for with a few quick Google searches.
#7 Thunderbird
Mozilla's e-mail client is free of charge, highly functional and highly customizable. Thunderbird is also open source and is as simple or as complex of an application as you want it to be. At it's simplest, Thunderbird can be set up to send SMTP and receive POP3 e-mail for a single e-mail account. I would not suggest stopping there, however. With addons, you can also snap in a calendar, new skins, "send later" features, IMAP, and my favorite, Google Calendar integration. I use IMAP and the Google Calendar extension to help with my movement between multiple PC's, to keep my e-mail and appointments synched. With the flexibility of addons, Thunderbird is the most adjustable, powerful free e-mail tool on the 'net. A word of caution, though. Since Mozilla spun Thunderbird off to Mozilla Messaging, it has been plagued by sliding dates and unsureity. The future of Thunderbird seems cloudy, which is a shame because it truly is a great product.
#6, 5, 4 and 3: Google Pack: Google Earth, Picasa, Skype, Spyware Doctor
These plus a few other apps can be downloaded via the Google pack software package. Google Earth is difficult to describe if you've never seen it. Essentially, starting with a moons-eye view of the Earth, you can zoom in anywhere to see satelite quality images. It's worth trying, just to experience it.
Picasa is my favorite photo-organization tool. Zip quickly through the hundreds of photos on your PC, and upload them to Picasa's online counterpart for easy sharing. Picasa also comes with simple photo editing such as cropping, resizing, and redeye removal, plus some more advanced features I haven't tried.
Video calls have never been easier than with Skype. If you've got a webcam and a friend on the other side of the world or the other side of town, there's no better way to communicate than with this simple tool.
PC Tools Spyware Doctor is a great little spyware scanner with an intuitive interface and scheduled scans. In addition to malware scans, Spyware Doctor also runs quietly in the background to detect against real-time threats from the browser, or against your file folders or network settings.
#2 OpenOffice.org
OpenOffice is an open source office productivity suite that includes word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software that is compatible with Microsoft Office 2003 and earlier file formats. I've had mixed reactions from people who have tried OpenOffice. Typically, if you are not a Microsoft Office power user, the transition to OpenOffice is relatively painless. Where you'll see a difference is when trying to open Microsoft files with heavy formatting, or, in the case of powerpoint, specialized transitions. If you have MS Office files with only moderate formatting, or are starting from scratch without the need to re-use old MS files, then OpenOffice is the suite for you. The only caveat about OpenOffice is that it does not support the newest MS Office XML file formats (.docx, .xlsx, etc.), and it's unclear if/when it will. Microsoft and the open source community had a knock-down, drag-out over which format would be "the" standard open source version of choice, and although both were accepted as standards, there may still be hard feelings. Despite that, MS Office does support ODF so there does appear to be at least some continued interoperability on the horizon.
#1 Mozilla Firefox Browser
Ironically, it was Microsoft's move to IE7 that prompted me to try out some o
ther browsers. Since I've got to switch anyway (thought I), I might as well switch to the one I like the most! I first tried Safari, which had recently been opened up to Windows users. It was ok, but not enough to make me switch. I reluctantly downloaded Firefox 2 thinking that it could not possibly live up to the hype I was hearing about it from the tech community. After all, how much different can a web browser be? Once I discovered the customization and the options the open-source developers were dreaming up I was hooked. Now, it's going to take several major developments on the browser front to get me to switch again. Just like Thunderbird, this browser can be as dead simple or as full-featured as your combination of addons dictates. In other words, you are in full control over what your browser does, so it can be tuned to your browsing habits. Installing and removing addons could not be easier, as long as you can click a button, and new ones are being developed every day. A few of my favorite addons include all-in-one statusbar, which groups your history, bookmarks plugins and more into a side-pane that can be auto-hid, Fireshot, which takes "snapshots" of web pages and either saves the picture to a file or to the clipboard, and noscript, which prevents any javascript from running on a page unless you specifically allow it. These three are a very small sample of the addons I have tried, and I'm sure there's more that I haven't discovered yet.I hope you've found something new and useful in this list. Like I said, there's nothing extremely bleeding edge here, but these are some solid, proven tools that may fill a gap in your workflow, or at the very least keep a gap from appearing in your wallet!
Got an idea for a topic? E-mail me at toptoad@techonadime.net.
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