The Freeware Files: 2009's Best Free Apps and Utilities
The Freeware Files: 2009's Best Free Apps and Utilities
Posted 12/31/2009 at 10:00am
| by David Murphy
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Happy New Year! Well, almost. Before I can raise my glass and tip my columnist's hat to the one-year birthday of the Freeware Files (and Murphy's Law), it's time we get down to the time-honored tech tradition at this time of year: the awards list.
Unlike my brethren at Maximum PC, who have put together a fine list of general freeware applications that you should check out regardless of the time, I've sat down and gone through the hundreds of apps and utilities that I've covered throughout this year. Some, you might know. Some, you might have forgotten about. And some apps and utilities that I've used, but not covered, still deserve special mention in this general roundup of the year's best freeware.
So put on your party hat and get your downloading finger ready. For each winner, I'll give a little mention of why said app is worth its salt, why it differs from what you'll natively find in Windows, and whether it's a must-download or a maybe-consider. After all, it would be crazy to download 20 apps in any given setting, no? You just want the best. This list, friends, represents the best... and in some places, the unknown!
Let's begin.
Best Text Tool: Texter
Texter saves so much time for die-hard, hand-coding Web geeks, it's not even funny. And, to be honest, it's amazing just how simple this Lifehacker-borne utility is. Here's how it works. Fire up Texter and you can create a string of text to serve as a replacement for whenever you type a specific element on your machine. For example, you could use Texter to replace every time you type <img> with the full <img src ="..."> reference, and start your cursor right where you should be typing the link to said picture. The possibilities are endless and the carpal tunnel bills are reduced. For that, Texter wins a Freeware Files Award.
Does Windows have a built-in alternative for this tool? No. Next program!
Download it here!
Best Disc Mounter: Virtual CloneDrive
Daemon Tools usually takes the cake for the best disc image mounting application. However, successive iterations of the application have made it damned near impossible to avoid installing some kind of adware or toolbar alongside the application. As that has the potential to greatly hack off a number of Maximum PC readers, out goes Daemon and in its place comes a worthy competitor, Virtual CloneDrive
What's a disc image? What's mounting? In short, there are plenty of programs out there that rip the contents of an optical disc (the legal contents, I hope) to a giant archive, otherwise known as an .ISO file. Mounting programs like the easy-to-use Virtual CloneDrive allow you to fool your computer into thinking that said archive is actually a living, breathing, spinning CD in your optical drive. Never scratch your discs again, ensure faster copies from your "disc" to your hard drive, and give yourself a handy backup for your critical data... then mount it with Virtual CloneDrive!
Does Windows have a built-in alternative? Not for ISO files it doesn't!
Download it here!
Best Distraction Eliminator: Temptation Blocker
Temptation Blocker is downright cruel. But sometimes, love just has to be tough. When you launch this utility, you're presented with a list of programs. Select a program that distracts you from staying on-task with your work, set a time, then hit the "Get Work Done!" button. If you try to access the application before the time expires, you'll be presented with an annoying, 32-digit code to type in before said program unlocks. In theory--in theory--the annoyance of typing such a string will keep you from accessing your Firefox browser, which will keep you from typing in "cuteoverload.com" and hitting enter, which will keep you from losing your job... et cetera.
If Windows had a built-in alternative, you wouldn't be looking at cute animal pictures right now!
Download it here!
Best RSS Aggregator: FeedDemon
For all its features, FeedDemon's greatest attribute is that it takes the acts of subscribing to and reading a number of different syndicated feeds and makes it as plainly presented and as easy as can be. Those are a lot of words to swallow but, really, they speak to the core of the FeedDemon's simple experience. That doesn't mean that this program isn't packed full of other useful features, however. Built-in synchronization allows you to keep the contents of your FeedDemon applications across multiple workspaces in check via Google Reader. A wealth of options for organizing, tagging, and marking your feeds helps you keep your growing syndication list as organized as possible. In short, FeedDemon simply rocks--shoot, it even supports tabbed browsing!
I suppose Windows has the built-in RSS display via the Windows Sidebar, but come on.
Download it here!
Best Offline Twitter App: TweetDeck
This one's tough. TweetDeck shares a number of features with competing programs and, to be honest, has one of the least eye-catching interfaces of any of them--but there's ugly, and there's functional. The app's huge, columnar interface does much to enhance the process of organize Twitter streams by raw feed, friend groupings, searches, lists... the list, as it were, goes on. Better still, the synchronization functionality built into TweetDeck allows you to share your settings across multiple versions of the application on your many PCs and mobile devices. It might not be pretty, but TweetDeck works--and works well. Now if only there was a way to save a history of previously downloaded tweets. That 200-tweet limit per column just doesn't do it for a power user!
Windows? Twitter? Haha.
Download it here!
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fangnfljerseys
March 13, 2011 at 10:47pm
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KristyMacias
March 31, 2010 at 12:41am
Every body admits that our life seems to be high priced, however we need money for various things and not every man earns big sums money. Thus to receive some loans and student loan should be a proper solution.
starscream665
January 09, 2010 at 10:13pm
Texter is one of the most useful tools I have seen in a long time. I use it to automatically set up 'for' and 'while' loops when writing code, and it saves quite a bit of time. Thanks!
"Who disrupts my coronation?"
allc0re
January 04, 2010 at 6:57pm
[comment deleted. Reason: it was supposed to be a reply, not a new post]
david.rangel93
January 03, 2010 at 9:55am
I thought the best antivirus was ESET?? I also thought Firefox was the best browser. Was i wrong?
Danthrax66
January 01, 2010 at 4:16pm
But they have at least 10 versions of that cd out and still haven't been told to stop or shutdown. Now I agree it is a little bit shady but think about it that cd wouldn't exist if those companies had a problem with it.
COMMANDER_COOK
January 01, 2010 at 8:26pm
If too many people get to using it, they will. That what I'm worried about.
After all, Hiren's Boot CD is my secret sauce.
TimF.
December 31, 2009 at 8:38pm
Appigy.com
I have a lot of these on my site and some i didnt, very good post. I spend a lot of time collecting freeware apps.
www.appigy.com
Pentium 0
December 31, 2009 at 7:11pm
My vote is for UBCD4Win over the regular UBCD or Hiren's as some of you have suggested. It only contains legit software and all the programs run inside a full GUI version of XP (boot time suffers because of this compared to others though). Be sure to have your XP cd handy as you will have to make your own iso with the UBCD4Win software for legal reasons.
JohnP
December 31, 2009 at 2:19pm
The little discussion about Chrome now having extensions made my day! I now have all of the stuff I like most about Firefox but with the speed of Chrome. Trust me, Chrome is lightning fast compared to Firefox AND spell checker now works on the MPC comments! (heh).
Virtual CloneDrive, like all of Slysoft products, is a winner.
ImgBurn is WAY better than MS Win 7 version if for no other reason that I managed to associate .exe files with the MS version! Just change the association you say? Sorry that is an .exe file! What a mess...
cfmwarren
December 31, 2009 at 12:39pm
What's that wallpaper in the Rainmeter pic? That is the most amazing wallpaper I have ever seen.
cloud09
January 07, 2010 at 1:25am
I don't know if that particular one is there, but check out http://wall.alphacoders.com I've seen other Rainmeter wallpapers there and had no problems. Enjoy.
Danthrax66
December 31, 2009 at 8:48am
No it is perfectly legal it ask you if you have the license(on 10.1) for the program and then gives the option yes or no so it is you violating the law if you click yes and actually do not have the license so therefore it can be a contender with ultimate boot cd and you can write about it in an article. Still not sure about mini-xp though, I would assume microsoft let them make that since they have 10+ versions out and they still aren't shut down.
COMMANDER_COOK
December 31, 2009 at 2:33pm
I noticed that Hiren seems to be making some sort of effort on making the disk legit. For the most part, I use the free apps, mainly the hdd diagnostic tools. (My favorite is powermax) I also use the antivirus programs only on friends computers that I don't want to plug my flash disk into.
TheMurph
December 31, 2009 at 12:51pm
Oh come on. You're willing to stand by the fact that the second program on the list -- Acronis Disk Director -- has been licensed for use as a free application in this suite? Even though the program itself sells for $50?
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/diskdirector/
Danthrax66
December 31, 2009 at 2:23pm
So you have used it! I'm saying if the company has a problem with their software being on that cd they approach the maker say hey remove this or put up a prompt that says you have to have the license for this file to continue do you have one yes/no. Anyway I think we gave Hiren's a lot of publicity in this comment section free illegally licensed software for all :)
TheMurph
December 31, 2009 at 8:19pm
Um, no, I went to the Web site. But I digress. This conversation is getting a wee silly. If you've read previous versions of the Freeware Files (e.g. anything related to LiberKey), you'll know that MPC doesn't (and cannot) endorse software that even carries the hint of violating some kind of license. Hiren's is a no-go, plain and simple.
kris79
December 31, 2009 at 6:51am
Hey Murph,
As always, thanks for the list. Although our program priorities differ somewhat, I consider it essential to read all your posts. Please keep resending those programs that you feel are top notch as those of us with ADD (application deficit disorder) need your "download this now" reminders before we go awandering again, and, ..... what was I talking about? Thanks though...
Adeptus_Mechanis
December 31, 2009 at 6:37am
It's articles like this that keep me coming back to the MPC website more than anything else. If a freeware files list is similar to a previous one then for me, that just means that no one has come up with a better piece of software to replace what is currently recommended.
Sure YMMV with some of them but for the most part this is some good stuff. Thanks for the reviews Murph.
Danthrax66
December 31, 2009 at 12:17am
Stop with the relisting the same stuff every 2 days. And Hirens is better who cares if the software is only for use if you own a license, a lot of it isn't and minixp is a priceless program.
TheMurph
December 31, 2009 at 12:25am
Hardly, Danthrax66. There's always a little crossover when listing freeware files, but this list isn't a copycat of what MPC has done before.
Also, I highly doubt a number of people own licenses for all the software in Hirens suite. Come on now. MPC can't recommend software that infringes on a developer's ability to sell software--you know that.
TheMurph
December 31, 2009 at 12:48pm
No. I'm not going to just go out and download full versions of programs like that.
Danthrax66
December 31, 2009 at 2:17pm
Yeah he uses it. I'm pretty sure they are allowed to make that with the licensed software on it they now have a warning that asks if you have the license before you can continue so if you don't have the license don't use that app perfectly legit.
TheMurph
December 31, 2009 at 8:18pm
It's not up to the Hiren developers to maintain whether you have a license or not -- by distributing retail programs they are violating a license. Come on, people.
And no, I don't use it.
Digital-Storm
December 31, 2009 at 12:16am
Chrome sucks compared to Firefox.
Firefox has Adblock Plus, NoScript, Personas, and more!
TheMurph
December 31, 2009 at 12:23am
Have you tried searching through Chrome's extensions?
https://chrome.google.com/extensions/search?q=adblock
allc0re
January 04, 2010 at 6:56pm
Murph, you mentioned AdBlock for Chrome. The problem with that is with
the Chrome edition, the ads still load while they are hidden. They still
suck my precious bandwidth. AdBlock for firefox does not allow ads to
load at all. Also, there is still no viable alternative (that I've
found) for NoScript. That one add-on has saved me countless headaches.
Also, my uncommon favorite, ImgLikeOpera is nowhere to be found. Not to
mention that Greasemonkey is not out for Chrome.
blindhorizon
December 31, 2009 at 10:36am
hey Murph, I'm all for chrome but is the BETA version of it just as stable as the most current release out now?
Whudunit
December 31, 2009 at 12:33am
I trust MPC and you Murph.
But I think I'll stick with Firefox awhile longer. They've never given me any doubt, and I will wait to see Chrome more polished. No Pun intended.
TheMurph
December 31, 2009 at 12:44pm
No worries. I'm right on the cusp of switching to Chrome myself -- I just want to make sure that I can get the same functionality thruogh my own personal set of add-ons. : )
Cy-Kill
December 31, 2009 at 6:44pm
Check out ChromePlus, it's built using the Dev branch (ie: Chromium), you can get it here:
Cy-Kill
Ashton2091
December 30, 2009 at 8:15pm
Im sorry, I have to disagree with you there guys. Hirens boot cd destroys the ultimate boot cd.
COMMANDER_COOK
December 30, 2009 at 9:29pm
I love Hiren's; it's a godsend.. But I agree, this is a list of freeware utils.
And I'm pretty disappoited that ccleaner wasn't mentioned.
fnordfnord
December 30, 2009 at 9:16pm
Hiren's boot CD contains commercial applications that you should have to buy normally. This make it illegal and not really worthy of being a contender to UBCD. ;)
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