Geek Tested:

25 Best Open-Source (or Freeware) Alternatives You Need To Download

Posted 10/08/08 at 06:00:00 PM by David Murphy

System Optimizers

Here are the top freeware system optimization tools we've discovered in our mighty search of the Web. Clean your PC of spyware! Keep it virus-free! Run new, scary program in a virtualized environment! And much more--our full list of awesome, must-install applicaitons awaits. Check 'em out! Your PC isn't complete without them!

Clamwin

If you aren't running an antivirus application on your computer, shame on you. There's no reason you should open up your technological insides to invasion. Clamwin is a fully functional antivirus application that's as free as it is updated. While the program doesn't feature real-time scanning, it's still updated with all the latest virus definitions. Establishing a schedule for a scan is as easy as clicking the mouse a few times and typing in a number. The application doesn't abuse a ton of system resources, which in itself is a boon. Nor have we detected the egregious number of false positives that a free scanner like A-Squared spits out. Clamwin keeps you safe sans hassle--the epitome of a free virus-scanning application.

CCleaner

PC running slow? Seeing a ton of strange pop-ups and application launches that shouldn't be happening. CCleaner -- short for "Crap Cleaner" -- is your ticket to a healthy PC. The program runs through a bevy of files on your machine and deletes those which are no longer necessary. It's not a spyware-fighting application. You'll want to look to Spybot for that. However, we typically run CCleaner once a week on our machines just to keep them (and their storage capabilities) in tip-top shape. The application nukes the temporary files of your operating system and Internet browsers, then sifts through your registry for improper shortcuts and unused entries. Freeing up storage is always fun, and CCleaner doesn't disappoint in that regard!

V irtualBox

Feel like testing out an application, but don't want to leave its footprint on your primary operating system? Want to cover your tracks for all the less-than-reputable Web browsing you're undertaking? Feel like screwing around with Linux, but don't want to set up a new partition to do so? Accomplish these tasks, and more, by creating a virtualized operating system environment inside of VirtualBox. You can run operating systems of all kinds inside this application, including the very latest Linux and Windows installations. The program lets you share files between your "fake" OS and your real OS, and you can even interact with your virtual operating system using standard USB devices. Hardcore users take note: you can also access your virtual environment remotely. VirtualBox is a tinkerer's dream.

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Gimpshop is a pretty sweet
Submitted by Kimbelly on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 9:00pm

Gimpshop is a pretty sweet Photoshop alternative. I've been using it for a few months now and have really started to love it.

Kim

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wastewater treatment
Submitted by coagulant on Wed, 11/18/2009 - 12:01am

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Photoshop and Image ready
Submitted by ptp123 on Tue, 10/13/2009 - 1:44am

Photoshop and Image ready is the best selection application for editing in your images...

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Photoshop is a first choice
Submitted by Emad01 on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 7:30am

I think for editing images photoshop is the best software. Because photoshop make the image real after editing you cant say that this image is edited that is a big quality of it. So i think you should use photoshop.
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Your information is mind
Submitted by Emad01 on Thu, 10/08/2009 - 10:18am

Your information is mind blowing. I like it. I will use it. Thanks for giving morw knowledge about this.

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XNView Broken Link
Submitted by Zoandar on Mon, 08/31/2009 - 7:14pm

Clicking on the XNView heading of the above article takes me to the following french website, where I don't see anything about XNView:

http://pages.perso.orange.fr/client/php/pwpErreur.php?action=403

When I tried to dowload XNView from another site it triggered a security warning from the Web of Trust Firefox Plug-In, indicating that the site cannot be trusted. Where is the best place to get a malware-clean copy of XNView?

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reply
Submitted by alexa on Wed, 05/06/2009 - 7:46am

I have to agree that Notepad++ is good, its become the bread and butter for my web coding. Aptana seems to be pretty popular lately, might have to try that one out and if it generates nice clean code, all the better!
acnee

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Is there an open-source
Submitted by sdcat on Mon, 10/27/2008 - 9:57am

Is there an open-source (free) video editor like adobe premiere (element)?

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Some helpful software
Submitted by d4n31sh on Tue, 11/04/2008 - 1:51pm

If you go to wikipedia and search Ubuntu Studio, they have a small list of video software. I have never actually used any of it, but hopefully it may be able to help you. Cheers,

-Dane

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Wow!
Submitted by b00tpwnz4ll on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 2:40pm

You guys just saved me from replacing an aging test bench's mouse and keyboard! Synergy is so full of win I can't even express it in words! Gone is the frustration of hooking into a KVM or worse yet, moving my mouse and keyboard from my main system to the latest "my computer doesn't work, can you fix it" project.

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95%
Submitted by kleinkinstein on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 6:05am

I'm nearly 95% opensource and freeware. My favs are:

7-Zip 4.60

Audacity 1.3.5

AVG Antivirus Free 8.173.a1373

Belarc Advisor 7.2.24.8

CCleaner 2.12.660

CDBurnerXP 4.2.2.984

ClamWin 0.94

Comodo Firewall 3/0.25.378

DAEMON Tools 4.30.1

DVD Decrypter 3.5.4.0

DVD Shrink 3.2.0.15

EverNote 3.0.0.842

Exact Audio Copy 0.99 beta 4

FileZilla 3.1.4

Firebird 2.1.1

Flac 1.2.1b

Foobar2000 0.9.5.6

Foxit Reader 2.3.3309

GimpShop

Gmail Drive 1.0.13

Hamachi 1.0.3.0

HandBrake 0.9.2

jk-Defrag 3.36

Keepass 1.11

Lame 3.98.2

Lexun Backup 2.1

Lexun RegScrubXP 3.25

MediaMonkey 3.05.1187

Microsoft Defender 1.1.1593

Miro 1.2.7

Money Manage Ex 0.9.2.0

Mozilla Firefox 3.03

Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.17

nLite 1.4.9.1

NovaPDF 5.5.271

Ogg Vorbis 2.85

OpenContacts 5.1.1.566

OpenOffice 3.0.0

Parted Magic 3.0

Pidgin 2.5.1

Recuva 1.19.350

Revo Uninstaller 1.75

RipIt4Me 1.7.1.0

RivaTuner 2.11

Save2PC 3.37

Skype 4.0.0.166

SpeedFac 4.35

Stellarium 0.10.0

SyncBack 3.2.19

The Gimp 2.6.0

ThreatFire 3.5.0.21

TreedbNotes 3.36.005

VLC Media Player 0.9.4

vLite 1.2

WinRAR 3.80

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The greatest post .. :), I
Submitted by enokiathemes on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 6:30pm

The greatest post .. :), I always preffer freewares or open source

Thanks

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Virtual BOX
Submitted by DiRTDOG on Thu, 10/09/2008 - 6:46am

Just tried virtual box and it doesnt support 64bit OS. I wish I could find one that works...

thanks for the list though.

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Many thanks
Submitted by wk on Thu, 10/09/2008 - 6:29am

Excellent article. keep up the good work.

Open source softwares represent the good will in this world.

Good job to add revo uninstaller to the list, i think its a must have software for every PC.

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Software
Submitted by xbarnes on Thu, 10/09/2008 - 3:42am

This is some good stuff. Why isn't it on the Max PC CD?

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Well Played.
Submitted by Snoman on Wed, 10/08/2008 - 6:03pm

Nice. Grabbed 3 from the list that fit exactly what I needed. Thanks guys

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It's a wide field...
Submitted by Cache on Wed, 10/08/2008 - 5:12pm

There's a ton of choices, and in general I can understand missing a few golden nuggets when you have to start calling numbers. CCleaner is a 'must have' no matter what kind of PC is running.

However, not including any DVD-writing programs is just plain mean. Unless, of course, you spend the majority of your time burning CD backups because you don't believe in large ...er... media files. A nice FLV player would have helped too, since it's easier to save the ones we love rather than assume that YouTube will always be a repository for our favorite opening songs of antiquated 1970's cartoons...

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Great list!
Submitted by CTskifreak on Wed, 10/08/2008 - 4:39pm

I love CCleaner. I forgot how I found it, but it works wonders. I've had it for a while now. Only program I would have added would be Unlocker. I had this truly stubborn file on Vista that wouldn't delete, and it worked it's magic and it was able to be deleted.

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