Best freeware alternative programs

The best freeware resource editor: Resource Hacker.
Freeware Spellchecker: Dynawares' Dynaspeller. It uses the MS Word spellchecker. It checks spelling and grammar and you can add all the languages you need.
 
Nifty

Hi,

For Avast32 Antivirus, can somebody share the registered # for the home non-profit version? I don't want to fill out personal info.

Thanks.

'Creativity is the child of necessity.'
 
Thanks for some great links...I use the freeware versions of WS_FTP and NoteTab Pro, they work just fine for the limited work I do with them.:D
 
Cool windows utilities:

http://www.AnalogX.com/
http://www.sysinternals.com/
http://www.securitysoftware.cc
http://www.grc.com/
Those sites have several cool utilies. Recommended viewing and downloading.
Sysinternals I'd recommend above the rest, as it has teh coolest stuff. Programs to view which files or registry settings are viewed/written/accessed/deleted at any given time. As well as a very cool process viewer.
AnalogX has an atomic clock syncer, caller ID, some audio programs (including a program to scratch samples, like you would a record, or one to get your PC to tlak).
All the above sites' stuff is free.

Of course there are other things for functionality.
Adaware. :tup:

There are image viewers and editors.
The Gimp is comparable, somewhat, to Photoshop. And free.
If you want a smaller package that views and can do a few filters, there are two:
Irfanview and xnview.
And for a viewer comparable to ACDSee, but free (as most of the things in this post are) go for
Slowview

For video, I mostly just use WMP because I haven't really found anything better.
Sometimes I use VirtualDub to play files, because on a few it stutters less and syncs audio to video better.
I have a DVD/MPG/MPG2 player called VideoLAN. It has a few problems, but if you want a free DVD player, its decent.
If you want to do some video editing, virtualdub above can come in handy. As well as DDClip. I also had a free video editor called MovieXOne, but I don't recommend it currently cuz I can't get it loaded up anymore on my PC. :)

As for audio programs, you can't go wrong with winamp (Anything <3.0).
For audio CDs I only use cd-hacp. Reads CD-text, queries freedb (sea dee dee bee? Wuzzat?) :D
To rip CDs there is EAC and CDeX. :D

A few other cool audio programs:
WinLame: Windows Lame frontend. I find it much nicer than RazorLame or the command prompt. :D
MP3Gain: 'MP3Gain analyzes and adjusts mp3 files so that they have the same volume.'
ModPlug: For those old mods and S3m's you have. As well as for your UT tracks. :D
Audacity: One of three FREE audio editors. Dump in your .wav and edit, do filters, etc.
Encounter 2000: One of three FREE audio editors. Dump in your .wav and edit, do filters, etc.
Soliton II: One of three FREE audio editors. Dump in your .wav and edit, do filters, etc.

What about diagnostic utilities? Information grabbers, etc?
Head to http://www.cylog.org/ and pick up CyberShredder. It can delete your files securely. Includes the NSA approved seven pass method too.
For little desktop things that show uptime, computer name, look for Coolmon. Faded text on desktop.
Want information about your dvd-rom or cd-rw? Get NeroInfotool.
Inhotus: Freeware skinnable system monitor.
Then there's sysmetrix, which is another skinnable system monitor.
To find out your cpu, and its capabilities: MyCPU or head to http://www.h-oda.com/ and pick up wcpuid, which has more features and abilities.

Tired of using explorer's filemanager? Want a different view?
Check out 2xExplorer. There used to be a cool one called GxExplorer, but the homepage disappeared and I can't find anything recent about it. :mad:

If you want a cool little clock on your screen, there are several that I have installed that I could recommend.
One is Beatnik, which has downloadable skins and with the right skin can look killer. Can show Internet time. (See next entry).
Another is @time, which also can show 'Internet time.' Something developed by Swatch, a time that has no time zones, so its the same time all around the world. The median is through Switzerland. Unfortunately, I can't find the download link anywhere on their site. Hehe.

Wondering where those internet programs are heading off to?
Grab Aports. Shows which programs are connected to which IP. Similar to going to a command prompt and doing netstat.
There are all in one utilities that let you ping, finger, whois, tracerout, and other things, such as CyberKit or NetInfo. NetInfo is a fully functional evaluation version, much like winzip.
There are of course free email programs like Foxmail (unfortunately the one I have is all in Chinese or some such, hence I never use it) or phoenixmail.
Free popup filters (The best evAR!! => Proxomitron.
A free usenet reader, if you are big into NNTP, is GrabIt or Xnews.
You want a free ftp program? Reach out and leach leachftp.
Most people claim the only real IRC client for windows is mIRC.
Others you can try include bersirc, hIRC, iam, vIRC, WiRC, and XircON.
And of course there is mozilla as a browser. And if you'd rather use IE, but want the tabs, and popup blocking of mozilla, grab Avant Browser.

If you want ICQ, but something different, you can look for Miranda. No ads, very small and easy to use. Its what I use.
I tried GAIM, but it had a bad habit of crashing on me. It did do AIM and ICQ, the only 2 things I use. But it just crashed too often.
I was gonna recommend AIM+ as an addon to AIM to remove ads, and enable logging and cloning, but I just found out that some of the versions contain spyware! :(
Some sites say it has been removed, but I am still weary of teh whole prospect of it.
I think AIM+ can be gotten from http://www.big-o-software.com/ but so far it won't load for me.

If you want a free CD burning program, look at burnatonce.
Or CDimage. Its from Microsoft.
Check for the GUI for it, CDimagegui, which makes it all tons easier.
http://www.tech-hints.com/prog/.

Then of course there are text programs. Gotta have text programs. Free ones, since most everything here so far has been free Free FREE! :D
AbiSuite is an open source word processor. Then there is OmniPad, a freeware code editor.
And for some beefed up notepad replacements, you can get NoteTab or Metapad or the one that I use all the time, EditPad.
(Those text editors may offer full featured pay programs, but they also offer free equivalents, which are good enough for me. EditPadLite and NoteTabLight do just fine.)
And of course you need a hex editor. Why? Because you do! :D
A.X.E. is a free editor. Of course it asks you to go to their site to register, or some crap, and has a nag screen every time it loads, but its still free, or something. Thats the only hex editor I've found that wasn't costly.

If you have a lot of fonts and want to have an easy print out of what each one looks like, grab snork's font printer. Very nice, of course it leaves an S out of the message it reads. And I haven't found a way to change that. *shrug*

And if you want a cool alternative to character map, one with more features and easier to see, grab extended character map. If you can find it. I've been looking but their site seems down, too. :mad:

What? You want more?!
I'd suggest Glass2k, from http://www.chime.tv/ but I think thats for NT/2k/XP only. Lets programs stay always on top and makes windows transparent.
Then there's arsclip which can hold the last, like, 10 things you copied to the clipboard. So, say, you copied something, the copied something else, but forgot what you first copied, or closed that page. click the arsclip logo (Since you need to have it running to work) and select what you copied earlier. This also does not need to be installed or write to teh registry, its non intrusive, and for that I highly recommend it!
Another non intrusive program that I cannot recommend highly enough is FreeShade. It runs silently, but it lets you make windows always on top. Also, if you double click the title bar, the window will roll up into the title bar, freeing up space.
Similar to the above is powermenu. I haven't tried powermenu so I can't recommend it. Anyways, it doesn't seem as powerful (freeshade does all powermenu does, and more!)
There are 2 programs I have that sit in the systray and can show you what color it is that your mouse pointer is hovering over. In RGB, or Hex, or whatever you choose. Cool for grabbing that one color that you find so awesome without having to go through hoops trying to find what color it is.
Those 2 programs are colorcop and eyedropper.
If you are often typing commands into the console, or popping up the run line to type in stuff, you might like mcl. Just like the run dialog box (winkey-r) but always on the screen, and can keep a running history as well.
Other programs there to look at.
Lost that password, and the only thing you can see is ****'s? There is hope!
passwordreveal
showin (Foundstone has several other cool free apps for download as well)
passwordspectator (this works for internet passwords, apparently)
snadboy's revelation

Rainlendar, a desktop calendar:
http://vapaa.dc.inet.fi/~rainy/

Then there's RUNit, which is another launchpad for windows. Think start menu, but much more configured, just for you.
http://www.magister-lex.at/RUNit/
A right click brings up RUNit, so its not the kind of launchpad that just stays on screen 24/7.

Then we have zip programs, since winzip is not exactly free, and we want free Free FREE! :D
7-zip
http://www.7-zip.org

QuickZip
http://qzip.cjb.net/

PowerArchiver
http://www.powerarchiver.com/
[edit]
Just looked at this one. Its now shareware. I have version 6 on my HD and its free in that version.
:\
The others, on quick inspection, are still free.
7zip uses a file manager type deal, so you have to browse to the file. So I'd recommend QuickZip over the rest.
There is also WinIMP.

Those are all the utilities and applications you'd probably find a need for while running around.
Of course no zone alarm (Figured you'd already have that) and an antivirus program (AVG is a good free one if you still need one).

If you want free games, that's a bit more difficult.
There's of course shareware. Doom, Duke3d, Rune, Quake, UT, tons of demos available. That'll last for a while.
There's stuff like Crimsonland (http://crimsonland.10tons.org) and soldat.
Apart from that, go check out some flash or shockwave games. I know they have bejewelled online.
Or go look for an old demo disk with, like, Zork. :D

Nethack
Nethack in isometric 3D (ala Diablo)
GLTron

There are freeware program, but you use them at your own risk.
I would do a full backup in any case.

FIPS - this is a freeware program, which can split large FAT partitions
http://www.igd.fhg.de/~aschaefe/fips/
Partition resizer - this is also a freeware program. It can resize and move FAT16/32 partitions http://members.xoom.com/Zeleps/

http://www.users.intercom.com/~ranish/part/
Ranish partition manager.
For some general info, and a partitioning program that may be useful.
It allows multiple operating systems on up to 31 partitons and can hide partitons or boot from any hard disk or primary partiton.
Great utility and free to boot !
http://www.xosl.org/ Also has a partitioner.

Also http://members.xoom.com/_XOOM/Zeleps/Files/PRESZ131.ZIP
A demo version of Partition magic may still be avaialble here:
http://www.powerquest.com/partitionmagic/

Paragon Partition Manager (commercial, http://www.partition-manager.com/n_pm_main.htm) and
http://www.compguystechweb.com/trou...disk/index.html

The Partition Resizer
http://download.cnet.com/downloads/...00-4498815.html
 
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dx

1
myzdoxae...damn, this is one hell of a good post for one of your first! Some very nice freewares...thanks for the info!

BTW, welcome to the group! :)
 
myzdoxae said:
Cool windows utilities:

Tired of using explorer's filemanager? Want a different view?
Check out 2xExplorer. There used to be a cool one called GxExplorer, but the homepage disappeared and I can't find anything recent about it. :mad:

PowerArchiver
http://www.powerarchiver.com/
[edit]
Just looked at this one. Its now shareware. I have version 6 on my HD and its free in that version.
GxExplorer has gone to Sourceforge
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gxexplorer
There's evan a zipped archive of the website



Domain hijacked://woundedmoon.com/win32_freeware.html
A nice archive of "former freeware" and "hard to find" - includes Power Archiver 6.11 (though the usefulness is limited by a lack of RAR3 unpack support - just adding the latest DLL is no use!
Can now be found at
http://woundedmoon.org
Feel free to abuse the hijacker of the former domain.. mailto:info@alvarocollazo.com?subject=woundedmoon.com


And not forgetting "Son of Spy"
http://www.sover.net/~whoi/

A slightly irritating presentation cluttered with things that don't "make the grade", but one of the biggest and best "pure freeware" collections around

Another one - DAMN! DAMN! - CompletelyFreeSoftware has gone members only (apart from a few free bits) and now has fees
http://www.completelyfreesoftware.com/index_all.html
Nope, even the stuff they let you SEE for free, you can't download - and even some of the free links don't work properly.
 
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Great thread. I'm looking for a freeware dictionary. I thought I had seen one post here but upon re-reading it I can't seem to find it.

Am I missing it in this thread? If I am not, does anybody know of a free dictionary for download?
 
i think it's new here in this thread,
i read here in forum and it's good:

bEncoder video converter :

See READ MORE for more details and supportes formats.


Supported Video Formats:

AVI
Uncompressed
Cinepak
MPEG4
DivX
RM (Real Media);
Mpeg 1/2 Layer 1/2/3;
WMV (Windows Media Video).
With this release following converting ways supported:

AVI > AVI; AVI > RM; AVI > WMV; MPEG > AVI; MPEG > RM; MPEG > WMV.
In addition - we support the following audio formats:

Uncompressed PCM;
ADPCM;
MP3 (all bitrates);
ALF2CD.
The following video effects are supported: Brightness, Contrast, Gamma, Equalize, Red, Green, Blue, Desaturate, Intensity, Invert, Flip, Blur, Sharpen, Autolevels, Autocontrast, Crop, Banner and Resize.


you have register(free)to download it.;)
 
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Wedge said:
Great thread. I'm looking for a freeware dictionary. I thought I had seen one post here but upon re-reading it I can't seem to find it.

Am I missing it in this thread? If I am not, does anybody know of a free dictionary for download?
Are you looking for an English dictionary?
http://wordweb.info/
 
Surprisingly I hevent seen this one here www.openoffice.org it's a freeware alternative to MS Office, the only thing that it doesnt have is a Access similar program. It can read/write to all MSOffice filetypes, and completely free (about a 50mb download). Available for Windows, Linux, and Mac.

Let's see since we're talking about freeware, how about www.linux.org link site to all versions of linux available on the net.

And I ran across a site named www.theopencd.org it's a site in which they've compiled a list/cd iso of the best that the opensource movement has to offer.

Let's see:
www.mozilla.org IE Alternative
www.wings3d.com Powerful 3D Modelling Utillity
http://www.blender3d.org/ Another 3D Modelling Utility

Stated before, but I highly recomend www.gimp.org it's the best image making program you'll find for free, and www.irfanview.com simple, image viewer/converter, that plays animated gif, and movies also.

www.trillian.cc Integrates YIM, AIM, ICQ, MSN IM, and IRC into one chat application, plus it's skinnable.

http://www.jgaa.com/index.php?menu=154 War FTP Daemon, is a free FTP server program.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/filezilla/ FileZilla FTP Program

http://www.posadis.org/ Free DNS Server Program

http://althea.sourceforge.net/ Free E-mail Application

http://sector7g.wurzel6-webdesign.de/pdfcreator/index_en.htm PDF Creator, adds a printer to your computer allowing you to print to a pdf filetype from any application.

http://sourceforge.net/ A hosting site for a HUGE amount of open-source (freeware) applications/games.

If I can remember anything else I'll add it here.
 
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