Name your best free utilities

JV16 Power Tools(V1.4) is no longer freeware. The new version has a trial of 30 daays than it deactivates. The last free version (V1.3 nonsupported now) is still available at a few sites.
KennJ

Kenn, That's what I'vebeen hearing. But check out thesite. It is listed as freeware, and my download says nothing about a 30 day trial. Possibly just a sneaky way to get us back in, guess I'll find out in about 28 days. Anyway, no indication at all of it being a trial.

Just put your calander forward a month and I bet a pound to a pince of salt it stops working ;)

Excuse my post. IT'S a TRIAL--IT'S A TRIAL. BTW, anyone know who has braille monitors on sale. I might could use one.

RE: .JV16PT,
You can always download the 1.3 version if you like the program.
KennJ

Thanks. I've had JV16 since back when it was Regclean/cleaner??.

Fuelm@n, an awesome list of utility programs with nice writeups.

Thanks!

I use:

Winrar for compress/decompress zip and rar files
Smartpar for rebuilding corrupt or replacing missing rar files
CloneCD for image reading, writing, and virtual CD drive
Norton Antivirus for peace of mind
Roxio easy CD/dvd Creator for VCD burning
Dubit for combining audio and video
Partition magic for creating partitions
Omnipage OCR for scanning book pages to text (for auction descriptions)
AutoCAD for drawing circles
Maya for rotating those autoCAD circles
Power DVD to play dvd and VCD disks
Fireburner to burn bin/cue sets to CD
Forte agent for reading newsgroups
Cool edit pro for audio rendering
Ontrack Easy recovery pro for my friends who loose data
Adobe font folio in case I need a font
Microsoft office conversion tools for reading friends files
Office XP for spell-checker
Jasc Paint shop pro for photo work (see my auctions below?)
Divx and Xvid codecs for playing movies
Killdisk for data removal from hard drive (before sale)
TestCPU (what speed is my PC?)
Frontpage for web design
Updated firmware for router (security), printer (to save ink), CD burner (faster burns)

Not used are:

Adaware (stay off them porn sites!!)
Zone alarm (slows down gaming)
HiJack This (what the heck does this log represent?)
Spybot (has built in spyware-just kidding-or???)
Adobe PhotoShop (can't open an adobe photodeluxe file!)
Quicktime (hate programs that try to load at windows bootup)
Realplayer (hate programs that try to load at windows bootup)
GoBack (system resource hog)
Ghost (I like rolling by hand)
Drive image (spoon fed I am not)
Belarc (reports incorrect devices if drivers are incorrect)
Winzip (can't open rar files)
Password saving programs (I use pen and paper)



That was fun...

Rev. Kevin, the God Monster!

The title was freeware Rev Kev or are you trying to tell us something :rolleyes: :D

Outlook Contacts Scrubber v2.1.21 [937k] W98/2k/XP FREE
http://www.teamscope.com/otherpro/freeutil.asp

{Eliminate duplicate records} When you enter a new contact that has already been entered into Outlook's contact list, Outlook will warn you of the duplicate. However, you may have exported the contact list from previous versions of Outlook before this feature was available or from some other program. In this case, the scrubber is useful for finding duplicates. It can search for duplicates by name, e-mail address, and company. Be sure to have Outlook open before running the program. Once you set your preferences, hit Scrub and it'll mop your contact list. When it finds duplicates, it displays them and offers the option of merging items, overriding it, and managing the address on a field basis. The Web site requires you to complete a form before downloading the program.

Fast Explorer v2.0.4.210 [562k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
http://thesoftpro.tripod.com/downloads/fe/

{Context menu} Fast Explorer allows you to add and delete context menu items of a shell's file objects and virtual objects displaying in file manager. For instance, add a graphics program to Fast Explorer. When you see an image file, right-click on the file and select the graphics program you added with Fast Explorer and the file opens with the program. It can be handy when you have multiple programs that can handle the same file type, but you want to control which program opens the file. You can add menu items, submenus, and dividers. Associate menu items with any file type registered in the system, including three predefined file types: all files, all non-associated files, and all folders.

Shoot The Messenger v1.0 [22k] W98/2k/XP FREE
http://www.mywebattack.com/gnomeapp.php?id=107029

Shoot The Messenger is a very simple tool that helps you get rid of annoying IP-based Messenger popup ads (the ones that use the Windows Messenger service). These popups are unlike regular popups, since they abuse the Messenger Service, which is intended to send text messages across a network, using the computer's IP address. They can appear as dialog box on your desktop if you have the Messenger Service enabled and are not using a firewall. Shoot The Messenger will display the current status of the Messenger Service and allows you to turn it off/on with a simple click, without having to go into the Windows configuration panel. The program does not need to be running after the service has been turned on or off. It can also be used from the commandline.

Disposable E-mail
http://www.jetable.org/

{Create disposable e-mails} Disposable calling cards, disposable cell phones, disposable cameras... disposable e-mail was bound to happen. Most people use a free e-mail account for completing forms on Web sites to avoid getting spam sent to their main accounts, but this is not the same thing. This is an e-mail account that is good for 24 hours, 48 hours, 4 days, 6 days, or 8 days (this site is created by a French speaker, so "jour" means "days," not hours). Once the time passes, the e-mail address is gone forever. Something like this is useful for filling out yet another form, or when you're stuck with a chatter who is asking for your e-mail address, but you want nothing to do with him/her. This e-mail address will self-destruct before you see it, so I won't post it.

Phoxel Tourist Aid [2.6M] W9x/2k/XP FREE
http://www.geocities.com/phoxel/touristaid.html

{Language translator} There are plenty of translators available on the Internet, but this one can be used without an Internet connection. If you're traveling and need help with a translation, you may have your laptop with you and not an Internet connection. The program has 16 basic phrases like "good morning," "thank you," and "my name is" ready for translation into any of the many languages available from Aragonese to Zapotec. I can't imagine how many different languages our readers know, so here are a few "hellos." Néih hóu. Dobrý den. Hallo. Saluton. Hey, one key phrase is missing... "Where is the bathroom?"

History Collector v1.1 [947k] W2k/XP FREE
http://www.mywebattack.com/gnomeapp.php?id=106957

History Collector Pro is an Internet Explorer plug-in that allows you to save a copy of every Web page you visit as a complete and standalone file. If you ever need to reference something from your history, you'll have the original version, even if the online page has changed since. The pages can also be viewed offline, since they take advantage of the .mht archive format and embed all graphics. The history is organized similar to your standard IE history, sorted by month and grouped by Web sites. This free version keeps track of the last five days of Web surfing; an optional Pro version tracks up to a year and adds export features.


Cobian Backup v5.1.3.0 [4.1M] W9x/2k/XP FREE
http://www2.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cbu5.htm

{Backup} Cobian Backup is a multi-threaded program for backing up files and directories from their original location to other directories/drives in the same computer or another computer in a network. You can also back up to a FTP server. There are two versions available: application and service. Service is for Win2K, NT, and XP only. The program uses few resources and can run in the background, checking the backup schedule and executing backups when necessary, which can be on a daily, weekly, monthly, timer, or manual basis. The program creates a log file that can be automatically e-mailed.

StreamRipper32 v2.6 [799k] Windows FREE
http://streamripper.sourceforge.net/sr32/

{Save MP3 streams} StreamRipper32 is a Windows program for saving MP3 streams in the native MP3 format. It has the ability to interpret metadata for saving the broadcast as a separate MP3 track. Before starting, select a Destination for the output, which is the place for saving the ripped file (otherwise you won't be able to find it). Select a Genre from the drop-down list located in the lower one-third of the interface, and click "Refresh List." This step obtains the streams from Shoutcast and lists the tracks. Being a child of the '80s, I picked that for the genre, selected Radiostorm.com 80s, and StreamRipper32 entered the port information in the broadcast parameters box. Next, I clicked "Start Rip" and the program connected to the broadcast to rip the stream. Unfortunately, all four mirrors received a "File Not Found" error. Not giving up, I selected a Radiostorm.com CLASSICROCK and it worked. Important note: you can't select another broadcast or start another ripping session while one is currently active. (Note: No specific compatibility information was indicated, but the program DID work on Windows XP.)

User Logger v2.9 [603k] W98/2k/XP FREE
http://www.mywebattack.com/gnomeapp.php?id=103586

User Logger stores information about who is using the computer and when they used it. It can log user activity with the option to stop logging once the log reaches a certain size. It can also take automatic screen captures of the Desktop at a specified interval, or by using keyword sensitive triggers. The program runs invisibly, but can be stopped using Ctrl + Alt + Del. It can also be disguised in the Windows task list. No help file is provided, but the program is fairly easy to use.

Natata Anti-Spam Encoder v1.0 [620k] W9x/2k/XP FREE
http://www.mywebattack.com/gnomeapp.php?id=106099

NATATA Anti-Spam Encoder is a useful program for webmasters that searches for e-mail addresses in your Web pages and encodes them into a format that cannot be read by robots that spider Web sites to extract e-mail addresses. Your visitor will not see the difference; your encoded e-mail link will look and function exactly as a normal link. The program allows you to create single links manually and can also batch process multiple pages and automatically convert any e-mail link it finds. It uses a non-Java method to encode the link, so it is 100% compatible with any browser.

104456: You see things better than i! and probably most!

I am reminded of the Kinks song: You really got me...

Those are all trial versions...Let me go hide...

Just came across another nice freebie if you're administrering a network. Its called NBTSCAN, available at http://www.inetcat.org/software/nbtscan.html

On the surface, its a simple NetBIOS name resolver. If you've got an IP address, but need the machine name, you normally would do "nbtstat -a {ipaddress}" to look it up. With NBTSCAN, you can pass a single address, a range of addresses, a network/mask, or even a text file list. It returns the IP, MAC, Netbios name of server and user. Now what's really nice is if you combine the output with the FIND command, you have a really powerful little tool. I wrote a simple, one-line batch file, nbfind.bat:

@nbtscan 192.168.10.0/24 | find "%1"

This scans my entire subnet and returns just line line(s) that match the parameter I specified. But because NBTSCAN returns so much information, it means I can, with a single tool, search on IP, MAC, NetBios or even user information. For example:

What's the machine name of 192.168.31.103?
nbfind 192.168.10.103 returns all the info for that IP address;

What's the MAC address of my e-mail server?*
nbfind MAILSRVR returns info on the machine named MAILSRVR;

Where is user BGATES currently logged in?*
nbfind BGATES returns info on the machine BGATES is logged in to;

How many 3Com NICs to I have on the network?*
nbfind 00-b0-d0 retuns info on ALL the machines with 3Com NICs;

What's the IP address assigned to a specific MAC address?
nbfind 00-b0-d0-d0-48-b1 retuns info on a specific MAC address

etc.

(Note that NetBIOS name, Server Name and User name are all returned in CAPS, and that by default, FIND is case sensitive, so you'll need to either pass your parameter in CAPS or add the /I switch to the FIND command in the batch file. Also, this obviously doesn't work if the machine's not tunred on!)

NBTSCAN and FIND both have additional switches, so with a few more lines in thebatch file, you canbuild yourself a really powerful tool. I already consider this one a "must-have"!

Fuelm@n:

Great list, you get the MVP award for this thread. However, here is my two cents on a couple of alternatives to two of your recommendations.

First, for a search bar app, I prefer Search Bar Pro (it's freeware, ignore the "Pro" tag). The best advantage for me is that it does not have to reside in the task bar, and as a floating search bar, it can be positioned anywhere, and just happens to fit perfectly out of the way over the top description bar of your browser, but will also hide as an icon in the task bar if for some reason you want to park it for while. Also, it has the basic functionality of Dave's Quick Search Deskbar but is less complicated and seems to be faster. Now, if they ever revise DQSD to be a floating toolbar like SBP, it would be a much more desirable search component to me.

http://www.searchbarpro.com/downloads.asp


Secondly, on sticky note apps, I have found that ATNotes is pretty darned good. I have not tried TurboNotes, but ATNotes appears to be just as good or maybe better feature-wise. Anyone care to venture any advice on that contention? At the time I was researching and trying out all of the available sticky note freeware, ATNotes won out, but I see that there are a lot more out there now, so are there any experts on the latest and best freeware sticky note apps?

http://atnotes.free.fr/


LASTLY, but maybe more importantly, the thread below is very similar, but is not necessarily only for freeware, although a great deal of is freeware…

http://discussions.virtualdr.com/sho...5&pagenumber=1

Altavista provide a free toolbar to translate those foriegn pages that always seem to appear in any google search.
Please NOTE do read the privacy statement before installing.

The other good free toolbar is Googles but I think thats already been mentioned.:D

Is AVG pretty much the last "free" anti-virus software (besides the online scanners)?
and
Is it THAT important to have a AV installed on the hard drive if one is scanning w/ the online scanners?