The best FREE software thread

Minkey

Minkey

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I often get asked by friends and colleagues "Do you know of any software for or does .....etc" so I though I'd share with you what I regard as the best and most importantly FREE software available.

It by no way a definitive list obviously there are loads out there but these are one I have either personally used or have had recommended to me. (All marked with * are ones I currently use) I also like to hear of any you've got that might be useful.

Enjoy :D

SECURITY

Firewalls (Only use one and turn off windows firewall)
Outpost Firewall * - clicky
Zone labs ZoneAlarm - clicky
Kerio - clicky

Spyware/ adware remover
Microsoft anti-spyware * (or defender as it will be known) currently beta - clicky
Spybot search and destroy * - clicky
Lavasoft Adware * - clicky

Anti-Virus
Grisoft AVG * - clicky
Avast - clicky
Hijackthis - clicky (scroll down)

Anti-Phishing
Earthlink - clicky

Privacy cleaner
CCleaner - clicky

Browsers
Mozilla Firefox * - clicky
Opera - clicky

E-Mail client
Mozilla Thunderbird - clicky

Online security check
Shields up * - clicky
Symantec - clicky
Security space - clicky

Process analyser
Itty Bitty Process Manager - clicky (scroll down)

Wireless network defence
AirDefence - clicky

VIDEO AND AUDIO

Video players
VideoLAN VLC player * - clicky (plays almost anything)
Winamp * - clicky (also audio player)

File convertors/ re-encoders
eRightSoft SUPER * - clicky (superb video and audio convertor - packaged with Adobe Premier Pro!)
Avi2Dvd * - clicky (converts avi files to DVD compatable formats)

Video and audio capture/ edit
VitrualDub - clicky
Camtech MediaJoin * - clicky (combines individual video/ audio file into one single file)
CamStudio * - clicky (screen recorder - capure all audio and screen activity on your pc to avi to flash)

RIPPING, BURNING and GENERAL DVD TOOLS
DVD Decrypter * - clicky (the DVD ripping daddy will also burn very well)
DVD Shrink * - clicky (DVD backup in one package, can also shrink images to fit DVD's etc.)
Daemon Tools * - clicky (virtual CD/DVD emulator - run your CD/DVD images without the disk)
Alcohol 120% - clicky (ripping, burning and emulation software - registration after 30 days required but still free)

OTHER SOFTWARE
OpenOffice - clicky (why pay a fortune for MS Office ?)
SiSoftware Sandra * - clicky (system hardware anaysis tool)
Handy Recovery * - clicky AND clicky (recover deleted files works to at least 80% - 2 links as the free 1.0 version is not available from the manufacturers)
Konfabulator * - clicky (now know as Yahoo Widgets - cool little apps on your desktop check the gallery)
Google Earth * - clicky (do I need to comment on this ? - THE web app of the '00's)

OPEN SOURCE
Sourceforge - clicky (huge database of open source, sometime specialist, software)
 
Nice list. I love DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink. Too bad DVD Decrypter was forced to shutdown so it will never be updated and DVD Shrink has not been updated in a long time.

I would like to add IrfanView as one of the best and yet free utilities to view and edit any graphics file. Check it out for it does too much to list here.

I must also mention NoNags as one of best and most trusted sites to download freeware software programs. NoNags tests and rates all files before they are posted.
 
Dvd Decryptor makers were never forced to stop development, they just chose to move on in light of the action the p2p scene was seeing. They couldn't afford to fight Big Brother on that one, even if they were right, considering their software is free. The good thing is the software can't get much better for the time being than it is, especially when combined with DVD Shrink.
 
Minkey said:
Privacy cleaner
CCleaner - clicky

Browsers
Mozilla Firefox * - clicky

OTHER SOFTWARE
SiSoftware Sandra * - clicky (system hardware anaysis tool)
Click to expand...

I like these spefically , although I didn't know Sisoft Sandra was freeware.

Did you know that some professional programs are free as well, like :
Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition, v 1.4.2 (J2SE)

Check this :
http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html


Forgot to mention Knoppix :
http://www.knopper.net/knoppix-mirrors/index-en.html
 
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XNview (powerfull image viewer): Link
Foxit (Very small and fast PDF viewer): Link
Powerpoint viewer (view Powerpoint presentation without powerpoint): Link
Word viewer: Link
Excel viewer: Link
 
Too bad there isn't an efficient Access viewer out there. ;)
 
Vassago said:
Too bad there isn't an efficient Access viewer out there. ;)
Click to expand...
Yes there is Base which is part of the Open Office suite :p It supports most common databases natively ;)
 
Minkey said:
Yes there is Base which is part of the Open Office suite :p It supports most common databases natively ;)
Click to expand...

I'll have to have a look when I get a chance, last time I checked it out, it was in early developement stages and didn't look promising, but the features on the page state newer functionality.
 
Graphics - TheGIMP - works great as a photo editing program for me, without the cost of Photoshop.

Office Suite - OpenOffice.org, definitely. Works very well as my home office suite for me (though it becomes very boorish onn a giant database of all US FM stations I sometimes load).

Operating System - Probably SuSE Linux
 
Update ! :)

I've downloaded a few new bits of software recently but the following one in in particular was excellent:

Video conversion tool

AutoGK - clicky Yep another video conversion tool but this one is particularly good one. The reason I'll recommend this is because it can convert many file formats even direct from ifo or vob files to avi's (using either DivX or Xvid codecs) and you can define the output size to fit on a particular medium but most importantly the quality of the conversion if fantastic (though it does take quite a long time). There are hidden options as well to improve specific aspects of the video conversion eg:

Cartoon Mode - (a direct quote) "enables some mechanism in the motion estimation which drops (instead of encoding them) more macro blocks. The result is a more stable, a little less detailed image. Exactly what you need for cartoons like Futurama or the Simpsons."
Basically it will not encoded any video that doesn't change :cool:

Credits - It can cut the end credits (or reduce their quality if you want)

I recently got a Creative Zen M :cool: and am now happily watch 24 on it and boy does it look good (even on a 2 1/2 inch screen) thanks to Auto GK
 
Minkey said:
Video players
VideoLAN VLC player * - clicky (plays almost anything)
Click to expand...
Another good one is MPC - MediaPlayer Classic

File convertors/ re-encoders
eRightSoft SUPER * - clicky (superb video and audio convertor - packaged with Adobe Premier Pro!)
Click to expand...
I can't get this to install on my PC, don't know why :confused:
 
Adeptus said:
File convertors/ re-encoders
eRightSoft SUPER * - clicky (superb video and audio convertor - packaged with Adobe Premier Pro!)
Click to expand...
I can't get this to install on my PC, don't know why
Click to expand...

Do you get any error messages ?
 
Minkey said:
Do you get any error messages ?
Click to expand...
Yes.




Oh you want to know what they are? :p
Will try it again & see...

[EDIT:] OK, it gave me an error installing one of the files. So I tried re-downloading it.
Noticed on the download page it says "Don't use a Download Manager", I thought yeah whatever & did anyway... got an error installing a different file...
Downloaded again, still using my DM but forcing it to use a single thread... what do you know, this time it worked! :eek:
I've never seen a download stuff up because of a DM before :confused:
So yeah... pay attention to the download instructions!
 
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