Top 10 Software Freebies

[easysurfer]

What are your top 10 free software that you really like.

Mine (as of today) in descending order are:

10. AVG Antivirus - free antivirus

9. Spoofstick - shows the real website url

8. MalewareBytes - gets rid of those nasty spyware

7. CutePDF - prints documents to pdf file

6. Belarc Advisor - profiles computer

5. DriveIMage XML - creates hard drive images

4. Paragon Backup Express -another hard drive image creator (easily creates a bootable CD)

3. Any Password - password manager, simple, gets the job done

2. Teamviewer - remote control to help others

1. Open Office - FIRE'ing wouldn't be the same without the spreadsheet application .

 

[Coach]

I'll add

Firefox (browser)
TrueCrypt (file encryption)
Picassa (photo management)

Coach

 

[fritz]

I would add Advanced System Care (free version) - great overall system cleaner.

 

[plex]

Malware-bytes is decent, but, I found a-squared did a much better job picking up potential trojans+clearing unnecessary cookies. It is also updated much more often.

 

[ERD50]

On my netbook - everything!

Ubuntu/Linux OS,
FireFox,
OpenOffice,
Rhythmbox music player,
GIMP (Graphical Image Manipulation Program)
XSANE Image scanner SW
Glipper (a pop-up that keeps the X most recent 'copy' actions you made, so you can paste anywhere).
Audacity (sound recording/editing SW)


For OSX (most are avail for Windows also):

All of the above except XSANE ( I use SW bundled with the scanner).
(sub iTunes for RB, PTHPasteboard for Glipper, )

SuperDuper! for cloning/imaging my entire drive.

Google Docs - great for online sharing of info

Google SketchUp - incredibly powerful 3D drawing SW that is amazingly easy to use (but a 'Dummies' book from the library helped me to get a bit more proficient with it).

Malware - nothing on either one.

-ERD50

 

[Goonie]

A couple that I've been using for several years:

IrfanView is a freeware graphic viewer for Windows 9x, ME, NT, 2000, XP, 2003 , 2008, Vista, Windows 7.

Convert is a free and easy to use unit conversion program that will convert the most popular units of distance, temperature, volume, time, speed, mass, power, density, pressure, energy and many others, including the ability to create custom conversions!

And I'll be one to 2nd the motion on:

Firefox (use it all the time on Windows and Linux)

Picassa

AVG Antivirus

MalewareBytes

CutePDF (I use it ALL the time! Saves oodles of ink and reams of paper)

Belarc Advisor (been using this one for about 15 year +/-)

Open Office (love it!)

 

[kumquat]

Anyone for Thunderbird?

 

[CyclingInvestor]

Foxit - PDF Reader
FreeZone - Free version of ZoneAlarm, controls inbound and outbound traffic
Firefox w AdBlockPlus,Unplug,Noscript,Flashblock,DownloadThemAll addons
MediaMonkey - mp3 playlist manager
Windows Media Player Classic w KLiteCodecs - Universal media player, very lightweight

 

[WanderALot]

I'll suggest KeePass (password manager) and Chrome to the list. Oh and Microsoft Security Essentials.

 

[RonBoyd]

Mine (as of today) in descending order are:

5. DriveIMage XML - creates hard drive images

Oh! What a nice catch. I am, now, using Acronis True Image but I would seriously consider this program.

DriveImage XML Backup Software - Data Recovery Product

or let me Google that for you.

They even have an instructional video YouTube instructional video (Extremely out-of-focus but nevertheless...)

Very impressive indeed.

 

[dlhanson]

VMWare Player to run other OS's (Linux, another version or the same version of Windows) virtually. With the latest version, you can create virtual machines.

Sun VirtualBox will do the same.

 

[Martha]

I'll add iTunes to the list. It is free. It was an easy way to organize my music library. and and easy way to get free podcasts.

 

[Goonie]

I'll add iTunes to the list. It is free. It was an easy way to organize my music library. and and easy way to get free podcasts.

+1

I use iTunes on a regular basis....organize my tunes, sync iPod and iPhone, find music, podcasts, Apps, etc.

 

[travelover]

Anyone know of a permanently free auto back up software program? I downloaded one a few months ago that was "free", but it self destructed after 30 days when I didn't buy it. It's convenient to have it backup new / altered files every time you shut down.

 

[scrabbler1]

Spybot Search and Destroy has saved my PC and those of my friends many times from spyware. It does not load or run as fast as it used to, though.

Adobe Acrobat is very useful with all of its improvements over the years.

 

[easysurfer]

Anyone know of a permanently free auto back up software program? I downloaded one a few months ago that was "free", but it self destructed after 30 days when I didn't buy it. It's convenient to have it backup new / altered files every time you shut down.

Travelover,

You might want to try something like this software (free version):

SyncBack Freeware - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

I know it does have scheduling ability though I've never used that part of it and don't know if you can schedule it on an activity such as on shut down.

I use if to synch/backup my data on my desktop (I have two hard drive on my desktop, one a backup drive for data) and to synch/backup data back and forth between my desktop and portable HD for my laptop.

Easysurfer

 

[travelover]

Travelover,

You might want to try something like this software (free version):

SyncBack Freeware - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

I know it does have scheduling ability though I've never used that part of it and don't know if you can schedule it on an activity such as on shut down.

I use if to synch/backup my data on my desktop (I have two hard drive on my desktop, one a backup drive for data) and to synch/backup data back and forth between my desktop and portable HD for my laptop.

Easysurfer

Thanks, this looks perfect - sorry for the hijack.

 

[easysurfer]

Np, glad to help out. Syncback works out fine for my needs.

 

[duck_widow]

Hi, long-time lurker and first post here.

Can anyone recommend some good, free tax software? One that does both federal and state would be ideal.

Thanks.

 

[flyfishnevada]

I was about to pull the trigger and buy MS Office, but then found Open Office. Fantastic software. Does everything I need and more. Converted all my Word and Excel docs over and saved about a hundred bucks, not to mention all the future upgrading costs!

I also use Firefox, Sketchup, and many others. I just dumped BitDefender 2010. Just paid 80$ for the license, but it was continually shutting down and crashing. I ate the $80 and went to Avast! and Malwarebites and feel secure. If I need software or a new game, I always check for open source or freeware now.

Not exactly free, but cheap is all the games you can buy online. Some are free, many are under $20 bucks and they beat playing those $50 - $60 dollar games. I found Torchlight on sale for $10 bucks. Great diversion when traveling or whatever.

 

[KingB]

I was about to pull the trigger and buy MS Office, but then found Open Office. Fantastic software. Does everything I need and more. Converted all my Word and Excel docs over and saved about a hundred bucks, not to mention all the future upgrading costs!

My laptop's Hard Drive crashed. After changing the HD, I was contemplating if I should still reload my Microsoft Office Pro 97. It serves my purpose even if it is old, but I think I will try Open Office. Any updates on your experiences with Open Office?

One of my favorite freeware that I did not see mentioned as a favorite is EasyCleaner 2.0 by ToniArts.

One note on the WDC HD. The HD crashed 2 weeks after its warranty expired. I call WDC customer support and they still honored the warranty. That was last Monday. Wednesday, I got the replacement. And instead of getting a 160 GB replacement, they sent me a 320 GB.

 

[GregLee]

All the software I use is free: Linux (from Torvalds and others), Libc and other basic libraries and utilities from Gnu (from Stallman and others), the X window system, and hundreds of other system and application libraries and programs.

 

[ERD50]

MAny updates on your experiences with Open Office?

The latest incarnation of it is called LibreOffice, so go with that. I think you'll like it.


-ERD50

 

[harley]

The latest incarnation of it is called LibreOffice, so go with that. I think you'll like it.


-ERD50

Actually, OO and LibreOffice have split into two, so OO is still out there. But LibreOffice is where the action and the developers are, so I second that recommendation. I'm still using OO on a couple of my computers, though, and it's still a fully functional application. Never a problem with reading MS documents, although MS won't read OO docs (.odx format). Not a problem, though. Just save everything in the appropriate MS format. Except of course for MS Publisher. Nothing else reads their files, as far as I know.

 

[FIREd]

On Mac OS X, I love Evernote (note collection/organization) and Skitch (screen capture and annotation).