Software Guide

[erjin999]

Ah, I thought you meant adobe stuff generally, in which case I bet most of the products by Adobe can (distiller as well maybe :P).

My fault.

Its not free any more by the way ;) (photoshop, not reader, that is free, dont want any more confusion).

[Andrew]

uTorrent 1.5 has been released. I would highly recommend upgrading, as the number of changes is astounding and is only 153kb.

changelog

http://www.utorrent.com/

Get it get it get it get it now!

EDIT:

Added

Sygate Firewall - Good Firewall

Zone Alarm - Firewall

Sygate is from oldversion.com

Trying to find the free zonealarm version was extremely painful, and almost makes me think they don't really support it.

EDIT:

Notead++ was updated to 3.5 a couple days ago.

[Andrew]

Added

SmartFTP - FTP client

Took me a while to get it to show the windows explorer section of my computer so I could upload files.

Ok, finally figured it is only a 30 day trial. Odd how they hid it so well. No popups alerting me to it at all.

Any recommendations on a free ftp program?

Only one I saw was Filezilla

I think there's an extension for Firefox.

[erjin999]

IE ? :-[

Filezilla is the one I have used. Got it from Sourceforge, the best place for free stuff.

[veK]

I got a ftp client built into powerdesk - my file-manager I use instead of windows explorer. but it isn't free.

isn't smartFTP free?

[Andrew]

Smartftp looks free, but what I saw was a 30 day trial, then you had to get a liscence key. :/

[veK]

http://www.thefreecountry.com/webmaster/freeftpclients.shtml

one of them is free for all time I hope...

[Vidi]

I think there's an extension for Firefox.

There is, it's called fireFTP, very usefull. would recommend

- vidi

[Andrew]

New version of CCleaner,  Foxit PDF Viewer (beta?) and klite media pack.

Hmm, I'm now thinking that maybe a link to the download pages might be appropriate for most sofwtare. So if you are looking over the file and know you want to download latest verison, you could click on link and it would bring you to download page (not file url). I'd put the link right after the first link to the main product page. Since url text cannot be colour coded :(, I'd probably just put a DL. Maybe a link to the beta downloads as well (I know for foxit the main page download link is not the same as beta which is stable), say Beta?

I'll try it out.

EDIT - Hmm, nah looks difficult :P

EDIT:

Added

FireFTP - FTP extension for Firefox

[Jack Leaf]

Thanks, Andrew!

Now that I have added the FTP plugin to my collection, I am even closer to the Nerdheaven. This really makes things faster.  :P

[Andrew]

I have a friend who noticed I was into all this freeware and opensource crap (and less piracy!). So he sent me a .doc file with a lot of freeware programs.

It has around 400 programs listed, and most of the ones I listed are in this list, along with a shitload more :P

I'm not going to post the list in this post, as it would take up so much room. So you can download it and tell me if there are any good ones to add to the list.

[attachment deleted by Gobalopper]

[veK]

this freeware stuff is great for business pcs because you really need legal software on those.

[erjin999]

I use 7-Zip at work, cos its legal that way, I installed it on 250+ computers :P

Am thinking of ditching Adobe Reader, cos its a load of shite, but worried about issues with foxit (its not 100%, I feel).

Andrew, someone viewing this thread in the future will not have the attachment available, unless you are hosting it elsewhere...

[Andrew]

Hmm, I guess I could post the attachment as a post, but it takes a lot of room. (I was surprised it fit all onto one post when I tested previewing it).

Or better yet, find some host to host that .zip file and put a link in the first post of this thread. I could put it up on my eastlink account, but I don't know how long I got that for. (although my previous eastlink account from 4 years ago is still up oddly)

Re-erjin999 I'd wait until Foxit release version 2.0. I'm guessing it should be out in a month or two (they said it would be out in January/February lol). I like foxit as it loads real fast and can do some stuff that adobe reader can't (input text and save the text for free). Havn't had any problems with it myself, I just view and print pdfs. But yah there are still issues that need to be fixed with it.

EDIT:

Added link in first post to the .zip file on my eastlink account.

[Andrew]

I'm going with someone who is buying a computer tomorrow, and they want me to make a cd with software they will need when after buy it.

Here's the readme accompanied with the cd with programs. :)

Definitely install firefox and make them use it (make it default web browser, don't let them use Internet explorer

as it's a piece of crap). Only use IE for certain webpages if Firefox does not work with them.

Recommend installing the plugins I gave. Once all that is installed go to tools menu->extensions->check for updates.

Update whatever it says to.

Openoffice is a free office suite, similar to microsoft office or corel wordperfect.

Can install if computer doesn't come with another office thing that will not expire.

7z432.exe  is like winzip, but a different program (does same thing).

avg71free_385a729.exe  your antivirus. Make sure to install.

spywareblastersetup351.exe  is your antispyware. once installed open it up and go to updates and

check for updates when there is an internet connection.

It doesnt run in background so when you reboot computer and don't notice it anywhere running, it's not supposed to.

Does it in background I guess. be sure to check for updates for it every 2 weeks.

utorrent.exe  use it if they are going to get any type of torrents (way of downloading files).

fdminst.exe  a free downloader management program. May enjoy better than firefox default file downloading.

If so, get flashgot firefox extension.

gimp-2.2.10-i586-setup.zip  program used to create/edit images. No need to install right away unless computer didn't come with one.

foxitreader_setup.exe  Alternative to adobe pdf reader. I like it :)

klmcodec152.exe  Install this to view quicktime and realtime and other types of video. Yes it is ok to uninstall quicktime

and realplayer that come with computer (unless for some reason it comes with free professional versions of QT and Real, but I doubt)

klcp_update_20060321.exe  once klmcodec152.exe is installed, run this to update it.

vlc-0.8.4a-win32.exe  another program to view videos with. no need to install it, unless you are not installing klmcodec152.exe

winamp521_full_emusic-7plus.exe  install this to play mp3 music.

Make sure NOT to check "give me 50 free mp3 with emusic" when installing, as it is useless.

Also uncheck anything that says video (if you cant do that then go to preferences->filetypes->click audio only)

as you want klmcodec152.exe to open video as default.

aawsepersonal.exe  spyware program. Might not need if spywareblastersetup351.exe keeps spyware away.

Maybe install and run in a month to see if there is any spyware that spywareblastersetup351.exe is not getting.

abiword-setup-2.4.2.exe if you don't like openoffice and want a very simple but good text writer (for writing papers etc),

install this. But openoffice should work fine.

sygate562808.exe  install this. it is your firewall.

wordweb.exe  simple dictionary and thesuarus etc, that may be helpful when writing papers.

As for uninstalling and changing some other stuff that come with computer, I'd probably have to see it to see what is garbage and not.

They tend to package computers with software and promotions that are no use to you.

I had to come to this thread to remember a couple of programs I had forgotten.

They are only getting the computer for browsing, writing papers etc. Hope I didn't miss any good software! (I know I left out email manager)

Although with me not playing around with the computer I'm sure it will suffer within a month anyway with spyware/viruses. Teenagers these days ::)

[gryphon]

this freeware stuff is great for business pcs because you really need legal software on those.

With all due respect. I work work a government branch in The Netherlands. They have a relative large network and number of PC's. And cost is almost never an option for using a specific bundle of software.

yes you need licenses for all software you use. But don't underestimate the reasouces companies have, the reason why Exchange is still primairy used and the fact that Open Source never is a good subject in a meeting.

Free software often is good in what it does. But has limited support for latge networks, management and techsupport. All big open source software that does is owned bij IBM, Novell or SUN :P

Last week I was in a meeting to discuss a new website. It will host a databse for homeless children in one of our districts. Used by numerous government branches. I had to assist in the server hardware, software and stuff like that.

So after a small introduction of MySQL, MSSQL and ORACLE with Windows or Linux hosting. The discission was simple. The best one.. With our head of finance simply adding. The budget already is set on 8000 Euro

So however good Linux and MySQL might be. It's gon'na be Oracle or MSSQL even before the costs of MySQL are mentioned in the conversation.

Just a small example. :)

[erjin999]

Why does the fact that the budget is already set mean MySQL is out ?

[Andrew]

The finance budget to purchase software could be put towards feeding homeless children ;)

Well, I guess free software would be better for smaller companies (moreso the smaller the company). Large corporations don't really care, as they got lots of $ to spend if necessary. And if anything goes wrong with the software, it is easier to blame the company you purchased the product from.

[gryphon]

Why does the fact that the budget is already set mean MySQL is out ?

If you have the means (hardware, money and knowledge) to use ORACLE or MSSQL, you will use it becasue the products are better suited for enterprise needs.

Although MySQL is doing a good job and Google refuses MSSQL and ORACLE based on principles.

And fully agree that we are buying servers 5000 a piece which could have been setup with a Linux Server for 1000. And the money saved can be put to better uses.

[veK]

gryphon: I was talking about myself and my business pc, not a big company with millions of euros and dollars on their banking accounts  ;)

if you run an one-man-company and are planning to built up a small company with 2-5 people, a lot of the freeware stuff is just great. we still need to buy licences for photoshop and stuff, these are expensive enough so we really don't need to spend money on ftp clients or email clients.

[gryphon]

f you run an one-man-company and are planning to built up a small company with 2-5 people, a lot of the freeware stuff is just great. we still need to buy licences for photoshop and stuff, these are expensive enough so we really don't need to spend money on ftp clients or email clients.

The cost for Windows/Microsoft products if often overestimated. I myself use IE as FTP client. Free and just a easy as most freeware clients which extra functions I never used sofar.

As example for your company. I have been using Linux for a couple of years. Now we (3steady and a couple of freelancers) mainly use Windows as platform/network because the overhead Linux has is just to time and recourse consuming.

You have to make choices in your buisness plan. Depending on what's important your choice will be Freeware or commercial, mayby a combination of both.

[Andrew]

Added

PC Wizard 2006 - Shows detailed system information

I just noticed today that it was updated to 2006 version when telling someone about sys info programs. I had 2005 installed.

Process Explorer was also updated on February 22, 2006 v10.06 (I have 9.25 2005 installed :P)

[erjin999]

Checking out the wizard one now. How about putting Autoruns there ? Since someone recommended it on this forum, I have found it to be very useful !

[Andrew]

Autoruns - Shows what programs are configured to run during system bootup or login

Done.

I assume you can enable/disable what starts up using that utility (I see the checkboxes in the screenshot)?

[Andrew]

Free Download Manager (FDM) has been updated to version 2.0 on April 5th. The last release was 8 months ago, so this is a big improvement.

changelog

download

Flashgot firefox extension was also recently updated. FDM and flashgot work great together :)