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From AV
These are the recommended downloads for Windows PCs. These downloads have been tested on WindowsXP SP3 and Windows VISTA. They may also work with other versions of Windows, but remember your mileage may vary.
If you are looking for downloads for your mac, try my new Recommended Downloads for Mac
Spyware also known as "adware". It is a hidden software program that transmits user information via the Internet to advertisers in exchange for free downloaded software. Spyware/Adware is considered to go beyond the reasonable advertising that one might expect from freeware or shareware. Typically a separate program that is installed at the same time as a shareware or similar program, adware will usually continue to generate advertising even when the user is not running the origianlly desired program.
AbiWord
AbiWord is able to read and write all industry standard document types, such as OpenOffice.org documents, Microsoft Word documents, WordPerfect documents, Rich Text Format documents, HTML web pages and many more.
Aire Freshener
A white noise generator for your computer, Aire Freshener provides ambient natural sounds, a CD player, simulated wind chimes, and more...all in a powerful and convienient tray icon! Ideal for "freshening-up" noisy work environments, use as a sleep aid, or just having fun!
Audacity
Audacity is a free audio editor. You can record sounds, play sounds, import and export WAV, AIFF, and MP3 files, and more. Use it to edit your sounds using Cut, Copy and Paste (with unlimited Undo), mix tracks together, or apply effects to your recordings. It also has a built-in amplitude envelope editor, a customizable spectrogram mode and a frequency analysis window for audio analysis applications. Built-in effects include Bass Boost, Wahwah, and Noise Removal, and it also supports VST plug-in effects.
AVG Anti-Virus
AVG Antivirus FREE Edition offerings maximum virus protection, product customization and most importantly free virus database updates. Although this is a free anti-virus program it is one of the best. It offers automatic updating and scanning of e-mail BEFORE you read it, all automatically.
BurnATonce
BurnAtOnce is the first freeware CD/DVD authoring tool I've seen on the Win32 platform. Actually the software is a frontend to various high quality components: cdrdao, ddump, mad (mpeg audio decoder), etc.
BAO gives you a fairly slick interface and good basic features. You can create audio & data discs, read discs to image files, burn image files (.bin/.cue., .iso), erase CD-RW disc and so on. So the feature set is actually pretty nice.
CCleaner
CCleaner is a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Get this because Norm said it was good... and then I agreed too.
CDBurnerXP
CDBurnerXP is a free application to burn CDs and DVDs, including Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs. It also includes the feature to burn and create ISOs, as well as a multilanguage interface. Everyone, even companies, can use it for free.
- This program requires the Microsoft .NET Framework. It is a software component that is a part of Microsoft Windows operating systems. Download .Net
CDex
CDex is a utility of extraction (ripping) any audio files from an audio CD. The files can be ripped in either the plain WAV format or to a compressed file format such as MP3 or Ogg Vorbis (CDex supports many encoders). In addition, it has many additional options to convert between several audio file formats.
Celestia
Celestia is a free real-time space simulation that lets you experience our universe in three dimensions. Unlike most planetarium software, Celestia doesn't confine you to the surface of the Earth. You can travel throughout the solar system, to any of over 100,000 stars, or even beyond the galaxy. All travel in Celestia is seamless; the exponential zoom feature lets you explore space across a huge range of scales, from galaxy clusters down to spacecraft only a few meters across. A 'point-and-goto' interface makes it simple to navigate through the universe to the object you want to visit.
Digsby
Digsby is a proprietary multiprotocol instant messaging application. It currently supports e-mail notifications and alerts from MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Digsby is a newcomer and is currently a beta release. The current installer program does ask you to instal many toolbars and change your browser homepage. You can avoid these by clicking "Decline" when prompted to install them.
DVD Flick
DVD Flick aims to be a simple but at the same time powerful DVD Authoring tool. It can take a number of video files stored on your computer and turn them into a DVD that will play back on your DVD player, Media Center or Home Cinema Set. You can add additional custom audio tracks, subtitles as well as a menu for easier navigation.
DVD Shrink
DVD Shrink will also burn your backup DVD, if you have installed the latest version of Nero. If you already possess alternative burning software and prefer to stick with it, then you can still use DVD Shrink. The output from DVD Shrink can be saved as files on your hard drive, which you can then burn with software of your choice.
FeedReader
Feedreader is a lightweight news aggregator. Using RSS (Really Simple Syndication) News feeds, FeedReader can automatically pull in up-to-date news from various sources. The program comes with several RSS feed already configured, you can add any feed to it you like.
Firefox
Firefox (formerly Firebird, Phoenix) is the light-weight version of the Mozilla browser. Designed for speed in loading and page rendering, it only includes the web-browser aspects of Mozilla. Although still in the early development stages, Firebird is a must have for the advanced computer user.
Foxit Reader
Foxit Reader is a free reader for PDF (eBook) documents. You can view and print PDF documents with it. Unlike Adobe's Acrobat, Foxit Reader starts up immediately, doesn't bog down your computer and doesn't take up lots of system meomory, so you don't need to wait!
FTP Surfer
Free client with Internet Explorer style user-interface, multiple server connections, and smart reconnect.
HijackThis
HijackThis, a general homepage hijackers detector and remover. Initially based on the article Hijacked!, but expanded with almost a dozen other checks against hijacker tricks. It is continually updated to detect and remove new hijacks. It does not target specific programs/URLs, just the methods used by hijackers to force you onto their sites. As a result, false positives are imminent and unless you are sure what you're doing, you should always consult with knowledgable folks (e.g. the forums) before deleting anything.
- HijackThis is Recommended for Advanced Computer Users.
Java 2 Runtime Environment
Java Plug-in Software is a software product from Sun Microsystems, Inc., that works with all versions of windows and allows you to access Java applets and components on intranet web pages that require Sun's Java Runtime Environment. The Java Runtime Environment is especially useful in browser, such Internet Explorer 6, that do not otherwise support Java.
NetSetMan
Are you tired of changing your network configuration on your laptop or computer every day? Always the same procedure every time you take your laptop home, to work, to school? Then NetSetMan is your solution. It will do the work for you. NetSetMan is a network settings manager which can easily switch between 6 different, visually structured profiles. NetSetMan offers you what have been missing in Windows until now; A powerful, easy-to-use interface to manage all your network settings at a glance.
Notepad++
Notepad++ is a free text editor which supports several programming languages including PHP and HTML. Notepad++ is also an excellent alternative to Notepad. With its multiple document interface, browsing between the opens text files can be more comfortable.
Office Viewers
Viewers enable people who don't have Office programs to see MS-Office based e-mail attachments.
- Word Viewer 2003
- This download is for users who don't have Word; it allows them to open and view Word documents. 11.7 MB
- PowerPoint Viewer 2003
- You can use this viewer to view files created in PowerPoint 1.86 MB
- Excel Viewer 2003
- The Excel Viewer lets users view and print Excel spreadsheet files. 9.8 MB
- Snapshot Viewer
- The Snapshot Viewer enables you to view a report snapshot without having the standard or run-time versions of Microsoft Access
- Visio Viewer
- The Visio Viewer allows anyone to view Visio drawings and diagrams inside Internet Explorer
Paint.NET
Paint.NET is an open source, raster graphics editing program for Windows, developed on the .NET Framework. Originally created as a Washington State University student project, Paint.NET has evolved from a simple replacement for the Microsoft Paint program, which is included with Windows, into a powerful editor with support for layers, blending, transparency, and plugins.
- This program requires the Microsoft .NET Framework. It is a software component that is a part of Microsoft Windows operating systems. Download .Net
PDF Creator
PDFCreator is a free tool to create PDFs easily from nearly any application.
Picasa
Picasa is software that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC. Picasa also makes advanced editing simple by putting one-click fixes and powerful effects at your fingertips. Picasa is a fun and easy way to edit, organize and share your photos!
Spybot - Search & Destroy
Spybot - Search & Destroy can detect and remove a multitude of adware files and modules from your computer. Spybot can also clean program and Web usage tracks from your system, which is especially useful if you share your computer with other users. Modules chosen for removal can be sent directly to the included file shredder, ensuring complete elimination from your system. And for advanced users, it allows you to fix Registry inconsistencies related to adware or malicious program installations. The handy online update feature ensures that Spybot always has the most current and complete listing of adware, dialers, and other uninvited system residents.
Spyware Blaster
Unlike spyware and adware removers, this program helps you block these problems before they get a chance to end up on your computer. SpywareBlaster can help keep your system spyware-free and secure, without interfering with the "good side" of the web. And unlike other programs, SpywareBlaster does not have to remain running in the background.
- This File is in the compressed Zip format. WindowsME, Windows2000 and WindowsXP can read these files just fine otherwise you will need a program to uncompress it. 7 Zip is a good unzipping program.
Stellarium
Stellarium is an desktop planetarium for your computer. It displays the skies in realtime exactly like what you see with your eyes, binoculars, or a small telescope. Stellarium is also used in planetariums and is also very simple to use, which is one of its biggest advantages: it can easily be used by beginners.
Tax Act
Do your income taxes securely over the web with free tax software from TaxACT! Choose Online Standard to prepare & print your return absolutely FREE!
TaxACT Online and TaxACT software are both fast and easy ways to prepare federal and state income taxes via computer!
Tax Act federal tax preperation software is free, however a fee is charged for state tax software.
Thunderbird
Thunderbird is Mozilla's next generation e-mail client. Thunderbird makes emailing safer, faster and easier than ever before with the industry's best implementations of features such as intelligent spam filters, a built-in spell checker, extension support, and much more.
TuxPaint
TuxPaint is a great drawing program for young children, it's simple, easy to use interface, fun sound effects and tips offered by Tux, help to make the creative process as engaging and entertaining as possible. TuxPaint may be simple, but it's also feature packed, you can paint with a variety of different brush shapes, add text in a number of styles and sizes, apply cool effects with the magic tools, and use stamps to add clipart style pictures to your drawing.
VLC Media Player
VLC - Video Lan Client is one of the most powerful multimedia player for various audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg, ...) as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. You can also use VLC to stream audio or video from your computer to another over your LAN or the Internet.
Weather Pulse
Weather Pulse is a weather monitoring tool that that displays detailed weather information for selected US cities, as well as popular satellite images from around the globe. It includes weather alert options, 10 day forecast, hourly forecast, detailed forecast and more. The satellite images can be sent via email and also saved to file. Weather Pulse integrates all the information into a simple, easy to use interface and also provides a tray icon that displays the current temperature (we had to change the font settings for proper display). You can also add custom radar and weather images, view animated images and monitor multiple zip codes. A nicely done program that puts local and global weather information into easy reach from the system tray. Unlike other popular weather programs, Weather Pulse does not contain spyware!
WinAmp
Winamp is an audio player. It plays music, or any other recorded sound, on your computer. Winamp also has a number of popular plug-ins for visualization (cool effects that synchronize with the music), input, output, and other purposes. It also allows the look of its interface to be customized through the use of skins. Though Winamp is most popular as a player for MP3s (MPEG audio layer 3 files), it also supports a number of other formats.
The Wonderful Icon
The Wonderful Icon is a nice utility that allows you to minimize any program to the system tray (by the clock) rather than the Windows Task Bar. This can be useful for programs you keep running all the time that take up space on your task bar.