Best Free Software for Windows(old version)

I don't want to search through this whole thing, but does anyone know of a great Calendar program sort of like iCal, but for PC. Of course I'd like it free. The first page which has a list of the best stuff doesn't have a calendar. Anyone got any suggestions?

 

Rainlender, google it.

 

I second that and one of my favorite skins that I am using now "Lucid".

 

And if you want a calendar with the functionality as iCal, try Monocalendar. www.monocalendar.com

 

i 2ed that

 

A really good one free software is the IE Privacy Keeper
url: http://www.browsertools.net/IE-Privacy-Keeper/index.html

 

Anyone know where I can get a dvd decrypter?? I tried getting the ones that were mentioned at the beginning of the post but it says that they are no longer available. I also need the Registration key for the avast antivirus program... looked for it in limewire and couldn't find it. any help is more than welcome

 

http://filehippo.com/download_dvd_decrypter/
FileHippo has a lot of great software, just take a look around.

Avast 4 home can be downloaded and registered on the producer's website: http://avast.com/i_kat_207.php?lang=ENG Other versions aren't free, and we do not support a soft warez, aren't we ? *

*) about the activation key, if you aren't looking for a free version

 

No...I'd definately shy away from Limewire. It totally negates your antivirus/antispyware software when you allow other computers access to your files, and vice versa. If you absolutely must, make sure you scan before you open.

 

Ok well I downloaded the DVD Decrypter available at that page. Will this also allow me to make copies of DVDs? and I mean with the menu, scene selection and all the movie features?

 

Yes, you are able to make a full DVD disc copy,
including menu, scene selection and all the features.

 

Alright awesome... so now I have another quick question. I downloaded the instant brico pack 1.1 from http://www.softpedia.com/get/Desktop-Enhancements/Themes/Universal-Vista-Inspirat-Brico-Pack.shtml

I like it, even thought I think there are better places to get windows themes, but I just don't understand that post that they especially made for that. For now I am fine with this theme, any new ones available are more than welcome. Ok so here goes my question, when i installed the pack the desktop had a dock like the one in apple computers, and I liked it, but started playing with it and accidentally dragged it to the middle and it just disappeared. How can I bring this dock back to the desktop???? Would I have to Uninstall and Reinstall the pack??? How do i do to get rid of this pack for good, just in case I didnt want it anymore. Becuase on the display properties i switch it back to the regular windows xp theme and all of the icons remain the same from the pack. which is windows vista. thanx and i hope i am not making things complicated...

 

I would add to the list of useful software Process Tamer.

I found it extremely useful on my ultraportable with 1,1GHz ULV processor. Perhaps Core Duo systems don't need it.

I made a test with superPI. ProcessTamer has slowed it down
by less than 5% while allowing to do normal office job in another virtual terminal without feeling any delay when superPI was running.

The best virtual diplays (multiple desktops) software I found for me is Virtual Dimension: http://virt-dimension.sourceforge.net/

 

This is awesome indeed! Thanks man.

 

I have used a couple of programs out there, but one I have found that I really like is called Shutter. It provides many options on how to shutdown your computer, great for when you are watching movies on your computer but fall asleep. I use it almost every night.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Launchers-Shutdown-Tools/Shutter.shtml

 

Thanks for the link to Shutter (here is the website of the developer). I like the program but it lacks one feature: it doesn't detect network traffic so I can't use it to shut down the PC after a download finishes. Right now I am using the "low CPU usage" option but it's a bit tricky to find the right level. Set it too low, the computer shuts down while you download something. Set it too high, the computer doesn't shut down at all. Are there programs similar to Shutter that might work better for my purposes? My searches for such a program were unsuccessful.

 

wuts up everybody? Well just here trying to find a good DVD-CD burning software. I am currently running on nero, but it I think some of the DVDs and videos that I have burnt, come out with low quality and weird noises. Also, will the quality really change if you are burning:super long play, starndar play, extended play? how do these different settings affect quality, I can't understand... thanx in advance everybody amd HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!


Bano

 

^ try Ashampoo burning software. Nero is bloated.

 

Nice little network program- Free version is pretty good.
http://www.networkmagic.com/nmlp/home-networking.php?src=google&kw=network%20magic

 

I just downloaded Picasa2, this is one of the best free Photo editors I have ever seen. GIMP is nice but its a little to hard for the average user to pick up and go with. Picasa2 on the other hand is absolutely one of the easiest Photo editors to use, while at the same time chocked with features.

Plus its interface is reminiscent of a Mac program rather than a PC program. Picasa2 has a great picture organizer to and everything is smooth scrolling or bubbly, its just fun! Plus its redeye feature actually works.

 

Hi guys...I'm a long time browser but seldom a poster. I was wondering if there are any free programs to convert video files. I looked all over here but I didnt spot one.

 

Sage, virtualdub is a good one

 

I'll give that a try VidKo, thanks.

 

i could not figure that progrma out, but I found another called MediaCoder for anyone else interesting. Its kinda hard to work with...but they have help forums that are very helpfull.

EDIT: messed name up. It is mediacoder not media encoder.

 

Any free programs to lock folders in windows? Password lock them?

And...

Any simple phonebooks?

 

iPod shuffle Database Builder

http://shuffle-db.sourceforge.net/

Alternative to iTunes for iPod Shuffle.

 

The FreeBASIC compiler is a pretty good open source software package. It's a very clean install on Win XP, and it compiles directly to an exe file that doesn't depend on any other file to run. Compiled programs run very fast. It's essentially compatible with the old MS QuickBASIC, but significantly updated. As a bonus, it's cross-platform... runs on Linux too. Check it out if you're an old BASIC fan and you don't like object-oriented programming (although plans to add OOP are in the works by its developers). As a hobby programmer, I much prefer it over other options like Python, Ruby, etc. FreeBASIC is not interpreted, so it's not like the original BASICs, but it's very easy to edit and compile programs, and so it sort of gives you back the old experience of BASIC being available on the command line on your home computer. There are other free, modern BASIC's available, but this is the one I like best (no additional DLL files needed). I also greatly prefer it over MS Visual BASIC 2005 Express, since the latter doesn't really create the same kind of executable file. It only compiles to an intermediary file and then it runs on .NET Framework 2.0. I've never seen the benefit of running on a virtual machine like Java or .NET when you can run natively on whatever OS you want.

 

For Windows users, I would spend time scouring the massive repositories on

download.com & tucows.com

 

Softpedia.com also has tons of free stuff for Windows.

 

filehippo is quite good too

 

For Ipods -> iDump.

What is does is basically allow you to transfer music from your iPod TO your computer. Silly iTunes won't let you do it.

 

Hamachi - A most useful program for creating virtual, secure, networks across the web. Deals with firewalls no problem. Surprising to me no one has mentioned it.

Buri/pHamachi/Portable Hamachi - A modified version to run on a portable drive (no need to install) so you can connect to your hamachi network anywhere.

 

Yes, I agree with Hamachi being great free software. I don't have much need for networking on a daily basis, but I used it to transfer all my jpg files from my old computer to my new one recently. Easy and trouble free to install. Very easy to use over the internet, wireless or wired.

 

Any free partitioning software? I deleted the recovery partition off of my HD, but I don't know how to unify the empty partition with the Windows partition.

 

GParted
Download the live cd (iso) and burn to a cd, or you could try the live usb.

 

I recomend Yahoo Widget engine and get the coolest widgets for volume, media player, battery life, cpu ram meter, calendar and wirelles signal all in your desktop! http://widgets.yahoo.com/

 

wow the widget thing is really great, ive made my very own windows sidebar thing like the one in vista, but in xp! rep pts for you my friend!

 

Here's a few more I use all of the time:

• FrostWire - A free opensource alternative to LimeWire without the ads or the links directing you to buy stuff.
  
• Daemon Tols - A handy free program that emulates an optical (CD/DVD) drive. It lets you mount .iso image fiiles so that you can create copies of your most-used discs and dump them on your HD. At which point to can run them direct from your HD at a much faster data rate.
  
• SyncBack - Free utility to Backup and/or sync files & folders between two locations. I use it to sync my flash drive with a folder on my desktop frequently.
  
• Meebo - An online AJAX IM tool that incorporates YIM, MSN, AIM, and GoogleTalk. It's absolutely great when you're not on your own machine but you need to get a hold of somebody via AIM. Oh, and did I mention it's free?

I'm a cheapskate. I rarely use something I have to pay for. More to come as I remember them...

 

I am pretty sure nobody has posted these yet, if so, please forgive me. I have used these on a few different computers and have never run into any problems. If you are tired of seeing the same old windows logo during startup and the same tired login screen, check these out:
Change your startup screen
http://www.stardock.com/products/bootskin/
Change your logon screen
http://logonloader.danielmilner.com/

 

Torpark is an anonymous browser based on Firefox. Check it out, absolutely free. You will have to google it since I am currently on a military network and anything concerning "anonymous" surfing is blocked here so I am unable to post a link to it.

 

Here is another one:

• WinBar

- free and compact program that lets you monitor your system and provides easy access to frequently used controls.

 

any suggestion for free back up windows like iso image for saving

 

Check out nLite. www.nliteos.com

Basically it allows you to make a slipstreamed version of your Windows XP disc. It will make an ISO of your disc, and let you modify it with drivers, windows updates, programs, and much more. You can save this completed image on a drive or burn it to a disc.

It's great and easy! It is already on this list, but since you asked...

 

I think the free software to convert video is definitely "Super"
http://www.erightsoft.net/SUPER.html
I've converted a lot so I can have lots of home vids on my USB drive.

 

DriveImage XML ?

 

DVDShrink is awesome.

 

When KDE ( http://www.kde.org) is finally ported to Windows, it'll top this list.

 

I just used Alcohol 50. It's the free version of Alcohol.

 

For the Lego lover
http://www.lego.com/en-US/products/default.aspx

 

I'm going to re-post an old favorite here:

CutePDF Writer - updated for x64 and Vista. Just download and run the Ghostscript file and then CuteWriter. It works seamlessly with AutoCAD, as opposed to spending hundreds for Adobe Professional. It also prints to .pdf from .pdf, letting you extract pages from a .pdf document without needing anything more than a .pdf reader.

I have yet to find a program it doesn't work well with.