Best Free Software for Windows

Is there a free DVD ripping program that can convert to iPod format? I'm looking for one that can be used by someone who is not computer literate...

Thanks!

 

Just came across this >> http://www.opensourcewindows.org/

Pretty nice stuff in there... Cheers

 

An even better one is Handbrake, available on this thread. It has two presets for Ipod: Low res and high res and does all the work for you.

I fyou are having trouble, check the help files or pm me for more specific directions.

 

May I suggest Startup Manager.

Startup Manager is a program that provides you the possibility to manage the Windows startup procedure. It offers you the possibility to control which programs automatically start up and more.

http://startupmanager.org/

 

If it hasn't been mentioned already, how about Safari and the new Google Chrome under Internet browsers. Both use the webkit rendering engine.

www.apple.com/safari

www.google.com/chrome

 

How about K-meleon browser. Firefox's cousin!

 

TED is a great one too.

 

Google Chrome is extremely beta and within the first week of release, so it probably isn't suitable for the "best software" thread.

 

Looking at a Vista desktop displayed on a thread earlier tonight, it looked like they had a Sticky Note. I did a search for something for XP (and Vista) and found Hott Notes. It's a great little program. They also have a Portable Apps version

http://www.hottnotes.com/index.html



Edit amazing how many little features this has. Check out "show note desktop" (tray icon, right click menu)

 

Handbrake - never failed me, yet
http://handbrake.fr/

cheers ...

 

Thank you for the HandBrake suggestions guys! I hope my sister can use it... Or it'll take a long time for me to teach her.

 

Hey everyone, I have a need to monitor the internet activity on a computer. It is running on Windows XP and we use the Firefox browser for internet.

The problem is that I want to view the history, but the users keep clearing out the data before they log off. Is there a free fix to find out what they are viewing?

 

I am not really sure if you are asking this out of real good intention' or just to spy someone else' usage patterns (and I think it may fall under "invading other' privacy" category if it is the latter)..... because if you are some sort of admin or caretaker for computer systems (and you anyway said "on *a* computer", so its pretty doubtful), you must be kinda knowing this already by now, don't you think so??

 

I purposely didn't go into details about the situation because I did not think it was necessarily pertinent to the solution.

I can if you would like or if it is needed go into the details. I will say that I am not an Admin/caretaker, if I were I would probably know how to do this by now. What I am referring to is the same thing that programs like Spectorsoft does with eBlaster or something similar that would be freeware.

In Vista you have user account controls which show the top 10 websites and other data, so I am unsure how what I want to do would be invading privacy if Vista has it built in to the operating system essentially.

Anyways I do not like the idea that the people I let borrow my spare laptop may be looking at stuff I consider inappropriate. Also both times it was returned to me it had some spy ware on it, which really bugs me because we all know what kind of sites spy ware comes from.

Thanks for any help.

 

I just wanted to mention Bulk Rename Utility for anyone who needed something to rename multiple files: http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk . It's been very useful for me when I needed to rename mass amount of files or change certain characters.

 

Sorry to thread jack, but you can try this: Create your own guest account. Disable the one Vista creates. Then you can activate Vista's parental control features. One option there is website filtering based on categories.

Good Luck

 

I'm currently using CCleaner, and it works like a charm. However, I've noticed that a lot of the registry files are untouched. I'm primarily referring to the traces left behind by uninstalling an application. I'm looking for a good registry cleaner that will remove all traces of the program in the registry/on my computer in general (temporary and application logs etc etc). After taking a look around my registry, I see entries left by programs I've uninstalled months ago (often uninstalled right after I tested it out, often because the app has issues or isn't to my taste), and it really bothers me to have this useless stuff in there.

So what is a good free application that can safely remove these redundant entries, or even give my registry a defrag. I understand that the registry is a sensitive place, so the more safe the application is, the better. Thanks in advance

 

You can try Revo Uninstaller to uninstall unwanted programs and Auslogics Registry Defrag. Just create a restore point before you start using if you are not sure

 

Revo and Auslogics both create restore points automatically for you before you do anything to your pc.

 

Ah ok, I tried this out fully now in my desktop w/ win XP pro... and it works so well updated all the drivers without a hitch... and the real one' too, from intel, ati etc etc... and digitally signed and stuff... and its worked so well I think I would recommend this if anyone wants to use

downloaded the latest drivers n stuff... install process also went very well and pretty quick too I must say... all in all, a nice tool

Thanks again, TINDERBOX

 

The program updated, or you updated, the outdated drivers manually from a list?

 

The program lists all your drivers, checks their versions and the checks on the internet for the latest versions available for the particular device.

Then there is all the list open in a webpage, with the list of devices in ur system, the driver you have, and the latest driver available.

If u have the latest driver, there is a "green tick mark" or there is a "red x".. then on the right panel, you have the option to download the latest driver, which will take you to the driver page for that particular device...

In this page, it lists all the various sources of drivers including official ones from Intel, and such... there are also some with "unknown" but the same driver version, size etc...

Me, just to be safe, took the ones with official info, all were digitally signed, and to my surprise, the devices were precisely listed for each and everything... every port and stuff...

And I click on download, it is an dmx nfo file... and it gets downloaded into your drivermax agent, which in turn, downloads the driver... once the download is complete you can see it in the driver max agent under completed downloads... select the driver and just press intall button on the left of the drivermax agent and its done.....

You have to restart as usual after the install..

I was very surprised by the efficiency of this program / tool, as well as the drivers available... pretty good stuff.

Btw, you have to register free for getting the activation code.. but its just an email... nothing else.. no money or nothing... totally free stuff... nice tool.

 

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I'll check it out.

PS I have to spread some reps around before I can rep you again!

 

You're welcome... anytime, with anything I can, always

 

I got some Reps!!!

Mods we'll get you yet!!! =)

 

I don't know if this is the right thread to post this but anyway...

Following up on the free version of CutePDF writer, today I decided to try the CutePDF professional, because I read some recent reviews / reports / snippets that the CutePDF professional has been pretty awesome for what it was developed for (along with Nitro PDF Pro versions)... So I got the single licence, Cute PDF Pro (35 Euros, downlodable, but there is an option of a backup CD too, shipped for an extra 10 Euros or so, but its not needed since you can anyway save the downloadable set up file and burn it onto a CD if you prefer for future use), and installed it and tried it, and WOW... Its super good..

I have had Acrobat Pro too... and I don't do any serious professional big time PDF editing or creation or messing around stuff.. but I do use Acrobat Pro for making PDF documents, my publications, my thesis etc etc... and I don't see any different between this and Cute PDF Pro for my usage pattern... Further, Cute PDF Pro is a lot less "lighter" on your system too, which makes it even better for any system performance issues or whatever..

Also, combining / merge PDF file options are the same, as is creating PDF'.. signatures, and other tools worked really well too. Also the options for printing PDF' is good enough (though I don't think it has all the advanced features that Acrobat Pro had, particularly with the print options for selecting the style or something, *sorry I for got the name*, something that helps you print PDF' in a specified format using the plugins... Like lets say, you are submitting an article for a journal, and that journal needs the figures to be in a specific size/format, and you just download the plugin specific to that journal which is usually available in the journal' website, and get it into Acrobat Pro, print and you get the figures out as PDF in the way the journal wants... So this I haven't had the time to explore much in Cute PDF Pro, but at first look, there didn't seem to be any, but probably there is > I will take a look in a while). But other than that, everything has been fine, fast, clean and neat.

Anyway, this post was just to share my thoughts on Cute PDF Pro, which comes at a reasonably cheap price (there is a special offer / introductory offer going on right now, with 72% Off on the actual price of around 90 USD, and this Cute PDF Pro version *includes* the Cute PDF Form Filler too), and I personally think its a really worthy upgrade for people... For the price running right now, I don't think there could be a better complete, pro tool out there (or nothing that I know off). I recommend this very much. Grab it soon while the introductory price is still on.

 

i have problem,

i installed that app vistaOSX, well i hate it so i want to remove it start the uninstall manager, it says yes you removed it please reboot, i do that and ti get the freaking same thing over and over i just isnt going away..

can someone help me please!!!

Jeremy

 

OMG

Best post ever on here

now I gotta install new Windows on another HDD just to try all of those programs ... because I don't want any of them to mess with my current install, lol

 

Just install SandBoxie, then they won't mess anything up

 

May I suggest adding VMWare Server to the list under Virtualization? It's free to download and use; though you have to register for a serial key to use it (also free).

Also, I don't think Sandboxie should be listed under Virtualization (which I'm assuming refers to x86 virtualization and not virtualization in general). I think it should be listed as sandbox software.

 

you might want to take daemon tools off the list.

i'm pretty sure it contains hidden spyware, i installed it after i reformatted the hard drive as the first third party app and opted out of all the optional spyware (browser highjack and toolbar). but still got this after a scan.



shame because Daemon tools used to be a good app.

btw. does anyone know of a good virtual drive which contains no spyware, i'd really appreciate it.

 

When you install things, you don't look? They ask you if you want to install that, just uncheck it.

 

i think it's you who didn't read my post. trust me i unchecked everything including desktop shortcut and start menu shortcut. i was every careful.

thats why i said Hidden spyware. though i brought it up on the daemon tools forum and someone there said it was a false positive.

anybody know more on this, just reading the horror stories on their forum its hard to trust anything they say, but if it is a false positive i'd like to know.

 

No, I read your post perfectly fine. I remember when I DL'd Daemon there is a special check mark for a weird application aka spyware. I am 99% positive I saw it, and even if it wasn't there, Avira or SAS did not pick up anything. Also, I DL'd Daemon not that long ago either. What tool are you using to find those hidden spyware?

 

Me too. I use Daemon Tools in a computer that uses Kaspersky Internet Security, and another computer that uses Avira AntiVir, Threat Fire and SAS. It is perfectly fine and never detects any spyware..., I've download the installer from filehippo.com.

Probably it's from the site of where you download the installer? Or false positives from your antispyware?

 

sounds like a false-positive, or a poopy spyware App to me.

 

*I almost feel that this is a dumb question at this point*

Why don't you have any links to [legally] free games? I mean it is software and it is free, so shouldn't things like this [link] be here?

http://www.fileplanet.com/free_games.shtml

I mean it seems there are a lot of legally free games there [Psi-Ops, Multiplayer of Fear, Archlord... my local software.etc still has a copy of Archlord they are trying to sell for $20]. There are probably other GOOD/LEGAL sites like this that somebody else knows about that I don't and I'd be interested in finding links to them.

 

Sorry for the double post, but I think you'll like this one.

The name of the program is: EASEUS Partition Manager Home Edition V2.0 and it lets you resize partitions without reformating. It is only for 32bit Vista.


http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm

 

KMPlayer is the best Media player. I used to think VLC was, but after trying KMPlayer, VLC just doesn't compare. Especially the new VLC, I'm not much of a fan of it. So long to VLC...it's been a nice few years...

DL KMPlayer here: http://www.kmplayer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8351
or get the latest BETA
here: http://filehippo.com/download_kmplayer/changelog/

 

I use KMPlayer too. I like it a lot more than VLC.

 

Yeah same here. Love the shift+enter. Desktop mode.
Also I can use my HP remote to control it.

 

I am trying the KMplayer now...

My Daemon Tools is clean and virus│spyware free.

 

awesome, magic bean key finder works like a charm !

 

Can anyone do me a favour and test out the latest version of SMPlayer for me and provide screenshots and data on how it compares with CCCP? I don't have a Windows machine around me at the moment so I need some help for this one. Anyone who is able to do it will have my appreciation and gratitude.

 

Hi.

I am looking for a file search program, as Vista`s is so poor

Thanks

John.

 

It is? What don't you like about it?

 

I've actually found Vista Start search to be awesome. If you couple it with "Start ++", which is made by a Microsoft egghead, it is most excellent. I have installed and uninstalled about every text launcher out there b/c I keep coming back to Vista's start search.

 

Ey, thanks for these! I'll get you a beer sometime.

 

I'm not sure if it s mentioned, couldn't find it though:

Wise Cleaner -> www.wisecleaner.com
The disk and registry cleaner work quite well (for me)

The Video Encoder is new and may (stress may) cause problems.

 

Calvin, maybe you can add Paragon Drive Backup Express link.
It's a neat program like DriveImageXML for backups and recovery.
Cheers.