What "little" program could you simply not do without?

Now Hotmail Popper is a handy little free tool. It'll allow you to download your Hotmail or MSN e-mail to a normal POP mail client (such as Eudora). Unlike standard mail accounts which allow users to retrieve their e-mail through a POP mail client, Hotmail can normally only be checked on the web, or via Outlook Express. With Hotmail Popper, you can use your favorite POP mail client to retrieve your e-mail from your Hotmail account. In addition, Hotmail Popper allows you to send e-mails through Hotmail's service, as if it was a normal SMTP (outgoing mail) server.

Mike Lin's "Startup Monitor" has been mentioned. But, since I think I could make a credible argument that it's the most valuable program on the planet, I'll mention it again.

http://www.mlin.net/StartupMonitor.shtml

Wow! 17 pages of favorites. Still haven't run across one of my faves; I use Webshots, and my desktop is full of icons, and sometimes I like to clear the desktop temporarily so I can see the wallpaper picture more clearly.

Here's a dead link, describing the program, but apparently the program is not available anymore. If anyone has a link where I can get this thing, please post it. Thanks.

http://download.com.com/3001-2195-9675230.html

Are you referring to DeskHide ?

Chuck:
Try this one. I have used it for 2-3 years and it is a good 'un.
BTW, it runs perfectly well on Win98SE and probably other OSs as well.


What is CoolDesktop?

It's a Windows 95 taskbar utility, it sits in the tray area (where the
volume control is), if you click on it it hides all your desktop icons,
click again and they reappear! Thats it, it just tidies things up and
lets you have an uncluttered view of your wallpaper.

It can also check an internet email account for email, use the setup
option to configure your pop3 account, email server and password.
The tray icons hint will change when email is present.


Installation.
-------------
Double click on CoolDesktop icon, you may want to put a shortcut
in your startup group.

Use.
----
Click the icon to display/hide icons, right click for a menu.

CHUCK,
I HAVE XP HOME AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN DO THIS.

CLICK ON DESKTOP
SELECT ARRANGE ICONS BY
CLICK SHOW DESKTOP [THIS ACTUALLY DESELECTS DESKTOP] AND IT CLEARS YOUR ICONS OFF YOUR DESK TOP.

NOW,CLICK YOUR TASKBAR
SELECT QUICK LAUNCH
THIS SETS UP A POP UP MENU FROM YOUR TASKBAR WITH ALL YOUR ICONS [TEXT ONLY] IN IT.

http://snurl.com/16vk

you may find something interesting here,as i've just updated it.

Hi Chuck,

I found the latest webshots d/l site and here it is

http://download.com.com/3000-2336-10129345.html

but it doesn't sound like your favorite little program. I could be wrong.

In any case, here is how I found it by using another of my favorite programs.

I used your URL and once I had opened that page, I used the Google Toolbar to search the site for "webshots". This toolbar has been invaluable because so many websites either do not have a search engine or it is not very robust.

Anytime, I can't find something on a website that I think should be there, I enter the data into the search box on the google toolbar on my IE browser.

FYI ... The last time that I checked the google toolbar only worked on IE.

Here is where you can get the google toolbar:

http://www.google.com/ and scroll down the page.

Cheers,

Linda




;) ;)

I thought that I had mentioned this toolbar in this thread, but did not see it on a search, so thought I would tack it on here, since the subject of the last post was the google toolbar, and the fact that it is only applicable for IE (?).

Anyway, long story short, I had used the google toolbar since it's inception, and it still lurks in my IE6 browser. BUT, I have been trying out other browsers and missed the capabilities of the google toolbar just sitting there, so found a new search toolbar that would work with other, ALL, browsers, or independantly of them...

The big advantage to this newer concept is that the icon for the toolbar icon reside ("hides", minimizes) in the sys tray, and can be activated when you need it, left there if necessary (it will fit quite unobtrusively in (over the top of) the top description bar of any browser panel). A pull down menu allows you to switch selected search engines, so you can still use google or switch to another more appropriate one if necessary.

The good thing is that it is freeware, and I have not found any problems with it whatsoever. So, it is now my indespensible little peice of search toolbar freeware.

http://www.searchbarpro.com/

Here's a cool little Program: VNC (Virtual Network Computing)

It is remote control software which allows you to view and interact with one computer (the "server") using a simple program (the "viewer") on another computer anywhere on the Internet. The two computers don't even have to be the same type, so for example you can use VNC to view an office Linux machine on your Windows PC at home. VNC is freely and publicly available and is in widespread active use by millions throughout industry, academia and privately.

You can download a copy of VNC here

Ntldr :D



Okay, I'll get serious for a few seconds. My number one program is Spybot S&D. It works correctly and quickly, saving much aggravation hunting down the "bad boys". :cool:

Keywester,

Back to the Google Toolbar:

Certainly, I like having it sit at the top of my browser but what I really like is the A+++ Google search engine.

Google can find things that the other search engines can't and at one time or another, I have used most of them.

Now I just use Google. The toolbar makes it easy and convenient.

Linda

:D

Agreed Linda, and I still use the google toolbar most of the time when I revert to the IE browser. And even when I switch to a browser other than IE (Opera, Firebird, SlimBrowser), which does not have the google toolbar "built in", then I use the searchbar pro toolbar, but usually have the searchbar pro default set on the google search engine. Altho, in that situation, I have checked out the other available search engines selectable in searchbar pro, and sometimes feel better with altavista results, a little less of a hassle sometimes finding what I want, and of course usually get very different results sometimes to a positive advantage (I have often done comparative searches with both), and altavista appears to be just as fast returning results, on my machine anyway...

And then there are the other specialized search engines to use in specific types of research, but that would be major digression in this thread.

Point is, I would caution on getting too locked into a habit of using google ALL the time, as you might find there are situations where it would be more beneficial for you to specialize your searching. And that is where the searchbar pro toolbar has an advantage, particularly when it can stay hidden out of the way in the sys tray, or even resident on the top descriptor bar of the browser panel...

Happy Searching... :)

I appreciate all the fine contributions here, so I thought I'd throw in a few:
I like having a calculator close at hand, and I'm happy with the free ESBCalc
http://www.esbconsult.com/esbcalc/esbcalc.html

I like Winamp for internet radio
http://classic.winamp.com/

FreeRIP MP3 does a nice job ripping cd music to mp3s
http://www.mgshareware.com/frmmain.html

I wouldn't be without dBpowerAMP Music Converter for converting music to different formats.
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm

And MusicMatch Jukebox saved my life when I upgraded to Windows XP and could no longer use EasyCD 4, and the built-in XP burning feature wouldn't work right with my USB burner. I'm glad my new burner came with Nero, which has been wonderfully dependable.

CDex works well for ripping songs from cds to mp3z, avail at www.download.com

it has the feature to rip into wav aswell.

A great program I use to backup a lot of my important files is called Eazy Backup Premier Edition.

It will back up and restore...
- Outlook (97, 98, 2000, & 2002)
- Nelson Email Organizer (NEO)
- Outlook Express (5, 5.5, & 6.0)
- Eudora (4.x & 5.x)
- Netscape 4.x, 6.0
- IncrediMail
- MSN 8
- QuickBooks
- Quicken
- Microsoft Money
- ACT
- AI RoboForm
- 4t Calendar Reminder MP3
- Expensable
- Time and Chaos
- Other Applications "when available

It sells for $49.95 but here's a 35% Off Coupon you can use if you're interested. This will bring the price to $32.47 it's well worth the money.:)

http://snurl.com/1w44

GREAT for us digital camera users !
do BATCH optimizing and foto reducing all at once ! this is a GREAT piece of FREEWARE!

EARLE
http://tools.pitas.com

I use a few of these programs
http://thetechzone.com/downloads.htm

Gotta have Sequoia view, even if I can't spell it.
See what's on your hard drive in a very graphic way. Really helps.
http://www.webattack.com/get/sequoia.shtml

I have seen ghost used, but how do you get it?

You buy it from Symantec/Norton.

Thanks

"luvskenny"

quote: "but how do you get it?"

another good source to pick up Ghost (and other software), usually not the latest version (but that might be a good thing...), but at considerably less $ than via SLYmantec, are "computer shows". MarketPro has a show in my area, and in the midwestern US and I think parts of the east and southeast, about every couple of weeks here, so you might do a search for their site to see if they have shows in your area. Or ask around, if MarketPro does not do your area, likely some type of "show" does take place there...

If you are in a hurry and go with an online download, be aware of, or wary of, the extra cost option that allows you to re-download in case of a need to re-install...

Tip: if I recall correctly, Ghost is supposed to be pretty good but may not do everything that might require of that type of software -- I think Drive Image supposedly does it all. Likely a thread on this forum that addresses specific differences, deficiencies and capabilities, just do a search...

This may already have been posted, I only read the first 2 pages of the thread.

Here is an equivalent post from www.anandtech.com with a load o useful proggies.

Actual thread

Link of just a list of the proggies

Good luck.

Great links, and I always thought that this thread was WebShark2000's original idea!
Where has (s)he been anyways?

Here's a nice little program called KlipFolio.

it is really a great thread, I learned a lot and I installed a lot.
for all those whom participated ..Thank you,

Ie spell is a great for bad speller like my self

MyIE is another great browser with great add-ons

regards

Dear friends,
I tried to compile most of the programs which were mentioned in this thread, I tried (to the best of my knowledge) to extract and describe (as originally was described by the member who contributed to this thread) each of the programs and put down the URL .

Many programs were also mentioned but without a URL or link provided so I did not include them here.
So you may find the description followed by the URL for easy download. My apology if I have missed some (I am sure I did)

Free software from this web site
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/powertools.asp

Backup program
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp

Derive letter assigner
http://www.v72735.f2s.com/LetAssig/index.html

Turbine Video Encoder
http://www.blue-pac.com/products/tur...ad/default.htm

HDValet (I don’t know what that is)
http://www.sover.net/~whoi/WinUtils3.html

Replaces the desktop wallpaper with a screensaver like effect http://www.geisswerks.com/drempels/

Add scripts to a fully customizable display
http://www.samurize.com/

Replacement for Windows Notepad
http://liquidninja.com/metapad/

Boosting ram
http://www.ams.as.ro/fd2.php

Another renamer utility
Flexible Renamer

ZoneAlarm
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/conten...eeDownload.jsp

Quick and powerful MS Notepad replacement
http://www.notetab.com/

Keeps spies from taking over your system
http://security.kolla.de/

Pop-up killer
http://download.com.com/3000-2366-10...ml?tag=lst-0-1

Online virus scan
http://www.trendmicro.com/

Play and encode DVDs
http://www.vidomi.com/

Add effects to your MP3
http://www.logiccell.com/~mp3trim/

Script Defender
AnalogX

Info about a system
http://www.sysid.subnet.dk/

Ultra small process terminator
http://www.ddhomepage.nm.ru/html/software.html

Kazza Lite
http://doa2.host.sk/

Download manager
http://www.dlmage.com/

Dual-pane file manager
http://www.ghisler.com/

Free mail viewer which lets you view a list of emails sitting on your mail server(s) and delete all the rubbish before it hits your inbox
http://www.idev.ch/index2.htm

For debugging selectively track all registry and file accesses.
http://www.sysinternals.com/

MailWasher. View, blacklist, bounce, delete or mark your e-mails for download. Good anti spam utility.
http://www.mailwasher.net/


The Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder is a freeware utility that retrieves your Product Key (cd key) used to install windows from your registry
http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.html


The worldwide system info tool
http://www.aida32.hu/aida-download.php?bit=32


Beats PowerDesk and Windows Explorer
http://netez.com/2xExplorer/

Have a lot more features than InfranView.
http://www.pagetutor.com/dl/psp412.html


Purge IE gets rid of all the Cookies, Cache, and History, all in one easy button push
http://www.purgeie.com/

Keeps me happy! (I don’t know why)!
http://www.alicebot.org/downloads/


Add popup filter
http://www.meaya.com/

Download manager
http://www.reget.com/

Use one internet connection to link a couple of computers together through a null serial cable.
http://netfor2.com/

Little C++ Builder/Compiler
http://www.bloodshed.net/

Small & unobtrusive launch pad that is quite configurable, allows launching of documents, folders, shortcuts, etc.
http://www.magister-lex.at/RUNit/

Clip cache freeware program,
http://www.yankee-clipper.net/

A utility that rolls the window up so that the blue bar is only visible, making the PC's windows act like a Mac.
http://www.hmmn.org/FreeShade/

Non-crippeling Demo Plug-in for Adobe Acrobat. It will tell the resolution of a highlighted picture and also what the highlighted font is & whether it is embedded.
http://www.quite.com/

Everything a person would need in a Bible,
http://e-sword.net/downloads.html

A very small linux distro with networking support used for system rescue
http://trinityhome.org/trk/

Decimal/Hex/Binary/Octal/Bcd/ASCII Conversion Calculator. Saves TONS of time when programming.
http://www.rwsoft.co.uk/

Quick SD (ask JAL about it)
http://www.ariolic.com/

It has some amazing visual effects (the best I've seen of any Winamp visual plug-ins and I've gone through a ton of them).
http://classic.winamp.com/plugins/de...mponentId=3089


System maintenance
http://www.sisoftware.demon.co.uk/sa...html/dload.htm

System maintenance
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html


System maintenance
http://www.vtoy.fi/jv16/shtml/software.shtml

System maintenance
http://security.kolla.de/index.php?l...&page=download

System maintenance
http://www.memtest86.com/

Makes a huge performance improvement for Intel based computers
http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/iaa/

Boot loader for anyone interested in multibooting
http://www.xosl.org/

Java Virtual Machine
http://java.sun.com/getjava/manual.html

For Windows XP users
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p.../powertoys.asp

Freeware partition manager
http://www.ranish.com/part/

For anyone using the NTFS file system:
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/fr.../NTFSDOS.shtml

Video capture / processing utility
http://www.virtualdub.org/


For graphic freeware check the followings

Drawing program
http://www.cadstd.com/

Find dups of JPEG’s
http://www.prismaticsoftware.com/Utility/Utility.html

Rotate JPEG’s
http://www.prismaticsoftware.com/Utility/Utility.html

Easy JPEG printer
http://www.jgraff.addr.com/printpix.htm

Easy thumbnail creator
http://www.fookes.com/ezthumbs/

Photo album
http://www.fototime.com/

Screen ruler
http://www.spadixbd.com/freetools/jruler.htm
Photo wizard
http://www.americansys.com/

Pop peeper. Works for POP3 accounts and with yahoo and hotmail
http://www.poppeeper.com/

Fine program. uses little resources and uses two panes to manage files.
http://www.netez.com/2xExplorer/

Tweak UI for XP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p.../powertoys.asp

Tweak UI for non XP windows
http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstati.../NTTweakUI.asp

Hundreds of freeware downloads, from apps to utilities
http://www.sover.net/~whoi/WinUtils1.html

Cool wallpapers for free
http://www.visualparadox.com/

System health and stability tester
http://www.7byte.com/

Windows keyboard enhancer
http://download.com.com/3000-2344-91...ml?tag=lst-0-1


Download manager
http://www.kontiki.com/

Little icon tool
http://www.sillysot.com/

Image management website
http://www.myimager.com/

Send to smaller groups of emails
http://www.infacta.com/gmdifferences.asp

A complete photo storage center
http://www.fotki.com/

Convert images between different file formats with ease
http://www.software602.com/products/pcs/tour3.html

QUICK SHUTDOWN
http://www.winutility.com/qsd/

Visit your favorite websites at the touch of a keyboard button
http://webkey.virtualave.net/webkey.html

AD-Aware
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/fil...id,7423,00.asp

RegCleaner is the most advanced registry editor and cleaner yet it's very easy to use.
http://www.vtoy.fi/jv16/shtml/regcleaner.shtml

FREE bookmark service
http://www./freelink.org

Tool websites
http://tools.pitas.com/

File converter
http://snurl.com/FILECONVERT

A unique FREE service that gives you the power to design and download professional-quality
http://www.addesigner.com/

Banner creation
http://snurl.com/1743

Animated Banners
http://snurl.com/1745

Hiding your desktop icons
http://www.coolbananas.com.au/prod2.htm


http://www.klipfarm.com/farm.php (ask Fuelm@n)

Antivirus freeware
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Soft...irus_freeware/

Free Calculators
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Soft...chat_programs/

Dialup connections
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Soft...l_up_freeware/

Free disk utilities
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Soft...isk_utilities/

Free FTP and download managers
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Software/FTP_freeware/

Free graphic programs
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Soft...hics_freeware/

HTML and web Authoring
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Software/HTML_freeware/

Miscellanies
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Software/Misc_freeware/

Programming
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Soft...ming_freeware/

Screen savers
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Soft..._screensavers/

Text editing
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Soft..._text_editors/

Time programmers
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Soft...ime_utilities/

Zipping
http://www.thefreesite.com/Free_Soft...sion_freeware/

HTML editor
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/fil...n.asp?fid=7622

MP3 player
http://www.rz.uni-frankfurt.de/~pesch/

Hey, great job with that list ahmedalmatook. I know I, and many of the others who have read and contributed to this forum, really appreciate the time and effort you put into making that list.
One of these days, if I get the time, I'd like to take all of the input from this forum and make a web page that goes into detail and provides links to the majority of the programs listed here.

Thanks again for all your contributions everyone!

Later,
Webshark

Webshark2000

I will assist you and the others in what ever you / they need, what I was thinking is that the moderators should assist us in creating a sticky list or a page dedicated to all these URLs and program description which will be available to all members and visitors of this forum.

any new entries will be transfered to that list for the ease of use of all.

regards

Ahmed

I have found that I use the Tight VNC program a lot now since I don't want to have to go to XP yet on all my machines. This let's me use the Remote connection to take over a desktop if I need to do so.
I don't have the website though. It might already be in the list you have made up.
That is my little program.
Thanks for the list, it looks extensive too.

I've saved the entire list on Group Free Mail folder. going to add the entire list on
http://pccenter.pitas.com
your hard work is MUCH appreciated and want you to know that through my group associations,that list was made available to over 10,000 world-wide this evening.

thank you,thank you,thank you

to all members

thank you for your contribution , and thank you for the complements , which should be extended to all participants and the future ones.

your Friend from Iraq
Ahmed ;) :D

Hi Keywester,

You are right. PowerQuest's Drive Image is a much better backup - imaging program than Symantec's Ghost is. ... But PowerQuest has just released this news.

There is now a desktop edition of V2i Protector Version 2. V2i does everything that Drive Image does plus it does incremental backups.

It stores your chain of backups and then you can restore to any of the restore point in your backup chain.

http://www.powerquest.com/

If you are a member of a pc users group, then you can purchase the software with a 50% discount.

For more information, check out "membership benefits - discounts" on hardware, software, etc. at http://www.ntpcug.org/. Other PC UGs have similar arrangements with PowerQuest.

Cheers,

Linda

:D

Thanks again ahmedalmatook, and I hope things are going well for you in Iraq. Thank you very much EARLE. My initial intention for this tread was to help as many people as possible share their favorite helpful and fun programs with as many other people as possible. I'm glad to see that thanks to people like you it's happening.

Later,
Webshark2000

Hi

Don't know if I'm posting in the correct forum but this may be helpfull to a few. Found it on another computer forum:

http://www.pt.lu/comnet/desc/chronolist.html

Since I live alone, and work 12hr. shifts, shopping is a chore. But I've found this little (and free) program called "Shopping List".
http://www.homeplansoftware.com
It saves me a lot of time and aggravation. Now I never go down the wrong isle in the suppermarket (except the frozen food isle when there's a good looking woman there), and I almost always get every thing I need or want.

quote: "Now I never go down the wrong isle in the suppermarket (except the frozen food isle when there's a good looking woman there), and I almost always get every thing I need or want."

Interesting -- I am in about the same situation, but I never seem to get the good looking woman on the frozen food isle, which is what I actually want, so guess I will have to try that shopping list software if it works that good... :D

Here is a WMP alternative. It looks like WMP 6.4, but is far more powerful. The second link is to kazza lite, but click on "codecs" and you will find "real alternative" and "QuickTime Alternative", I believe they come bundled with MediaPlayerClassic. This is a great way to do away with Real and QuickTime, forever! MPC runs wherever you unpack it, it does not add to your reg. Enjoy


http://www.divx-digest.com/software/...r_classic.html

http://doa2.host.sk/

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Enki
Here is a WMP alternative. It looks like WMP 6.4, but is far more powerful. The second link is to kazza lite, but click on "codecs" and you will find "real alternative" and "QuickTime Alternative", I believe they come bundled with MediaPlayerClassic. This is a great way to do away with Real and QuickTime, forever! MPC runs wherever you unpack it, it does not add to your reg. Enjoy


http://www.divx-digest.com/software/...r_classic.html

http://doa2.host.sk/

---

Hey Enki is there a trick to get it to play realone movies will not play them for me unless real one is installed on machine,Kinda beats the purpose? Thanks for any input on how to get realone movies to play on MediaPlayerClassic without realone being installed? Thanks.

The best free desktop weather program YET,
Free, donations accepted , Small footprint, Best of all NO SPYWARE or ADDS= weather watcher=


Weather Watcher
:D :D