Free Windows Software You Can't Live Without

This is list of free software which over the years I have found invaluable, If you feel that there should be an application on this list then feel free to post a link in the comments on this thread and I will look into it:WINK1:


Types of Free Software

Freeware – As the name implies is software which is completely free, however some software will ask for an optional donation or may restrict use to home users (not for commercial use)

Shareware – Typically this is software with a catch, examples would be having a trial period or a limited number of uses – this type of software is not listed here although a derivative called nagware is (see below)

Nagware – This is software which when used may have a pop up or advert within the application asking for a donation or for you to purchase an upgrade to a premium edition however this is totally optional.​

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) – This is software which is free in another sense the word other then just in cost it is licensed in such a way as to allow anyone to be able to use, study, change, and improve its design through the availability of its source code (the actual building blocks of the application) enabling users to change things they don't like and improve upon it and then release it themselves for others to enjoy the improvements


Catergories

Internet

• Google Chrome

• Adblock Plus for Google Chrome™ (Beta)

​

• Mozilla Firefox

• Adblock Plus
• DownThemAll!

​

Media

• Google Picasa
• Irfanview
• LibreOffice
• Paint.NET
• Gimp
• VLC Media Player

Security

• avast! Free Antivirus
• AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition
• Microsoft Security Essentials
• Truecrypt
• Keepass

System Management

• CCleaner
• Defraggler
• WinDirStat

Tools

• CDBurnerXP
• Dropbox (service)
• Foxit Reader
• 7-zip

 

I've heard good things about KeePass although I've never used it myself, I'll stick in the list when I get back to the internet

 

Winrar & Winzip?

 

Are those not shareware? I haven't used them for so long... 7-zip will practically do anything those willdo except from create rar archives(it will extract them though)

 

No idea what that means, but you put Chrome & Firefox which are both browsers (doubt you use them both at the same time, mind)

 

from the top post:

so neither fit into the totally free ethos of the thread as they limit the fuctionality of the software until you purchase them

 

I have finally got around to adding Keepass to the list (sorry JWK:o)

 

CCleaner (formerly and affectionately known as crap Cleaner) a free optimization and cleaning tool. I use it a couple of times a week and have done for many years now. Keeps my PC clean and free from errors. Download from www.piriform.com/ccleaner

 

Do Not Track Plus for most Browsers is a really good Addon.
Winpatrol is a Freeware program which stops anything altering anything on your machine without your permission.
Everything from http://www.voidtools.com/ is a far better search engine than any of the Windows provided ones.

 

Hmmm my links don't work properly with the new forum

I will have to investigate

 

I can't get along with Photobucket. I seem to have to load 1 pic at a time and it takes ages.
I use Faststone Resizer. I can load a whole lot of pics and resize them all together and elect to have blow up options. The results can be loaded up onto GC with no problems either.
http://www.faststone.org/FSResizerDownload.htm

 

Great and very useful thread Aesculus. Thanks!!

 

That's not a bad list at all and here's a few more..

ImgBurn - cd/dvd image and file burner/copier
B-Cup XP - automated file backup utility

Puppy Linux - great for giving an older PC or laptop a new lease of life and damm handy to have on CD in an emergency if Windows won't boot up.

 

Well I was going to say 7zip and ImgBurn, they've already been said though. Another I like, it is quite specific for use though, is something called GIMP. It's an Opensource, free program that is very much a long the lines of Photoshop.