Freeware Tools - Your favourites/recommendations...?

[patio]

By the way, I recommend Ashampoo Firewall, even though you must get your free license code to use it. However, the registration process is simple.

How full is your Inbox now that AShampoo has your info ? ?

[dairyman]

How full is your Inbox now that AShampoo has your info ? ?

Wait, don't tell me, they are SPAMMING ME?
I get messages from the UK LOTTERY BOARD every hour!

I don't get sucked in by it.

[Deerpark]

Here's a little tool I've just stumbled across:
Secunia Personal Software Inspector

It scans your computer for software with known vulnerabilities and if the tool finds something it provides links for updates (if available).
I've not done any extensive testing on it yet but have scanned both of the computers I use daily.
On my laptop it found the old Java version I hadn't uninstalled yet, an old version of Flash Player (and even provided me with a link for an uninstaller), and a security update for Photoshop CS2. Adobe apparently didn't think it was necessary to roll that one out via their Auto Updater.

So far I've only found one minor annoyance; an annoyance it unfortunately shares with a lot of other software. It adds itself to the Windows startup during the install without asking for permission.
But other than that I'm pretty impressed.

[Broni]

Secunia Personal Software Inspector

This is pretty good one. I use it, too.
I'm still missing another one, which went commercial only, BigFix.

As for program updates, I use FileHippo Update Checker: http://filehippo.com/

[dairyman]

Firewalls

Sunbelt Kerio Firewall
Advantages: You have the full version for 30 days.
Disadvantages: After 30 days you have to use free mode.

Comodo Free Firewall
Advantages: Nice GUI, option to block all connections.
Disadvantages: Forgets rules for applications.

[WillyW]

For working at the command line:

PKZip and PKunzip   ( not freeware, but uncrippled shareware)
http://www.bootdisk.com/dostools.htm
or
http://www.filewatcher.com/m/pkz204g.exe.202574.0.0.html

Recently added the command line version of 7Zip
http://www.7-zip.org/download.html

List.com -  text file reader, and much more  ( uncrippled shareware )
http://www.oregonfast.net/~steen/msdos.htm    list91k.zip.
or older ver
http://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/goldies.html  list77a.zip 


Fast File Finder      ( uncrippled shareware )
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,3771-order,1-page,1-c,alldownloads/description.html


Some other archivers that are not used often anymore:
ARC, ARJ, LHA, ZOO

"Dos" ver of Unrar

I create a 'utils' directory,  put copies of all the above in it,  and edit autoexec.bat, or whatever is necessary, to ensure that the utils dir is in the path.


Dos version of Telix.   Communications program.   Shareware
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Services/PDA/DosComm.shtml



Windows programs:

mIRC.     Comes in handy occasionally.

Print Folder
http://www.no-nonsense-software.com/freeware/
As far as I know, up through XP Windows itself did not include the function provided so easily by this software.     Very handy if you have lots of files.
Freeware.


Dimension 4
http://www.thinkman.com/dimension4
I understand that XP has this ability built in.  I do not know if it has anywhere near the configurability of D4.
This is nice -   run it once a day, and never be off again.

AVG    anti-virus
www.free.grisoft.com

Thunderbird for email
Firefox for web browser
For each, I have a few free extensions and add-ons that I like.

mTel  - telnet client
http://ozone.eesc.com

Core      Free FTP client software for Windows
http://www.coreftp.com


Boot disks, etc.
http://www.bootdisk.com

Live CDs  -  to bail you out when you can't boot from HD, and you don't have a floppy drive
Ultimate Boot CD    http://ubcd.sourceforge.net
Puppy Linux   http://www.puppylinux.org/user/viewpage.php?page_id=1

[dairyman]

Here is one I just found:

COMODO BOClean