The Top Freeware Apps Chosen by Maximum PC Readers!
The Top Freeware Apps Chosen by Maximum PC Readers!
Posted 05/12/2009 at 3:00pm
| by David Murphy
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One of the most rewarding parts of doing these weekly freeware roundups for Maximum PC is the sheer wealth of software that I get to play with each month -- applications that I not only use myself, but ones that I feel compelled to tell you about as well. But coming in a close second are the responses that you, the readers, leave in these posts. For as much as I scour the Internet to find awesome new programs for you to check out, you, too, have become my eyes and ears for finding the latest in amazing free software.
You might guess where this one's going. I'm jumping in the pool of Maximum PC users this week and highlighting programs that you, yourselves, have recommended in the various comments you've posted to these articles. For a number of you have left links and suggestions of compelling alternatives or hidden gems that relate to the programs I've posted. Although I'm featuring your best answers this week, don't let that stop you from joining the discussion. If a certain freeware application has really caught your eye, jump in the thread and say something! Or hit me up on Twitter and let me know when you've found something great!
Rocketdock
What it does: Feel like mimicking the dock in Apple's OSX? Turn over to the dark side with Rocketdock, an neat little application that lets you create a pretty floating toolbar on top the edge of your desktop. According to MPC user AntiHero, "Rocketdock is probably one of my top 5 favorite desktop enhancers." And it's easy to see why -- dragging and dropping the programs you use on a fairly frequent basis onto this auto-expanding launcher is a lot more fun (and eye-catching) then the boring ol' Windows Quick Launch section.
Download it here!
Fences
What it does: MPC users SEALBoy and SirBC love StarDock's Fences. I don't blame them. This desktop enhancement application is not only free (+10 points), but it's a great way to organize the icons on your desktop into moveable, resizable groupings. Stardock calls these chunks of programs "fences." To create one, you just have to draw a box around the icons you want to group. Create a "fence" of these grouped icons, or self-contained box that keeps said icons within a defined space. You can alter the size of the box, move the box around, or even use Fences to lay your boxes out using predefined templates. Take that, cluttered desktops.
Download it here!
Battle for Wesnoth
What it does: You might have heard of the Battle for Wesnoth, but I'm willing to bet that you're unfamiliar with the size and scope of this popular freeware turn-based strategy game. I haven't profiled it yet as part of these weekly freeware wrap-ups, and MPC user Loud let me know that fact. He thinks you can sink a lot of time into the Battle for Wesnoth, and I agree: the free game features both single- and multi-player modes, and the graphics are pretty good given its community-driven origins. As you progress through the game's many scenarios, you carry your hardened veterans through successive battles -- that's right, you can't (and shouldn't) just launch a ton of red-shirts (or zergs) at the computer, you have to think strategically
Download it here!
DriverMax
What it does: I've profiled programs that scan your system and tell you when the applications you've installed have updates that you should download. MPC commenter Nekollx was kind enough to point me in the direction of DriverMax, an application that performs the identical task for all of the hardware that's connected to your PC. While you could always rely on, say, Windows Update to tell you that new soundcard or videocard drivers are ready... don't. Windows' in-house upgrading tool is slow at best, quiet at worst. DriverMax tells you when it's time to install the latest updates for your hardware, and it's a must-have addition to any serious PC user's operating system... unless you really like scanning for and installing drivers manually. I don't.
Download it here!
Folding CD Generator
What it does: Want to contribute to the Folding@Home distributed computing experiment with some older hardware, but don't want to go through the hassle of installing operating systems (or hard drives)? MPC user kc7wbq has the answer: the hybrid Folding CD Generator online application / Live CD. That's a mouthful to say, but you'll be surprised at the simplicity of this crafty tool. When you hit up the Website, you'll be given a series of prompts that will ask you about your particular Folding@Home habits (as well as your user name and passkey for the service; important if you want to join the MPC team for the Chimp Challenge!). Fill out the questions, and the site will auto-create a customized ISO file for your information. Burn the ISO to a CD, boot off this CD when you go to run a computer, and you'll be doing your part to help cure diseases in no time!
"Download" it here!
More like this
boblivious
December 13, 2009 at 4:38pm
There are 2 versions of DriverMax. The free version is severely crippled - maximum of 2 driver downloads per day, and multiple 30 second countdown timers. There's also a paid version (DriverMax Pro), which removes these limitations. Details here.
The shtty thing is they don't tell you this on their site. In fact, if you don't know the URL above, information on the difference between DriverMax and DriverMax Pro is impossible to find. They deliberately keep that secret so that users install and run DriverMax first. They don't tell you about the limitations until after they've copied all your drivers up the their servers.
Having different functionality in free and paid versions is a legitimate business model. But hiding the limitations in the free version until after scanning and uploading all your drivers is the height of scumbaggery.
nekollx
December 14, 2009 at 10:42am
to be fair, before this article was published free was unlimited...it's why i recomended it...
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
seangreg
May 26, 2009 at 11:18am
Beware of Drivermax -- if you read their documentation you'll see that when they backup your drivers they collect and save them, and then when you do driver update they send you drivers that they got from other people's computers. That's a <strong>very problematic approach for security </strong>. How easy would it be for someone to put a worm in a driver file and send it to thousands of drivermax users by doing 'backup'. I'd avoid this program at all costs.
Radarsync is the other free driver update program and I find it better. Most important it avoids the security risk of driver max (its faq states that it downloads updates from vendor websites, which is the safest option). It also has some nice extra features like software update (like filehippo), online backup of software and drivers, and reminds you to set a system restore point before you install new updates. The first rule of updating is not to do any harm, and radarsync passes this test with flying colors.
nekollx
May 26, 2009 at 12:19pm
wellexcept for the fact that you know Driver max gives you several download versions and you can opt for the Manufacturer Digitall Signed Version or you know, the not signed one.
psycorobot
May 25, 2009 at 12:12am
it won't uninstall properly in my experience. the takbar in 7 does me fine, i just wish i could pin the recycle bin to it.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy....
OhSoCheesy
May 22, 2009 at 5:36pm
Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI)
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/
Windowssecrets.com recommended this on Dec 18, 2008 (http://windowssecrets.com/2008/12/18/09-Free-software-update-service-spots-risky-apps)
I've been using it since with XP and W7. It doesn't download and install the driver/program, but give you a direct download link to the driver/program. I like the ability to pick and choose what I install, so this is preferable to me. It just shows what you currently have vs. what is the newest available.
Keith E. Whisman
May 21, 2009 at 12:23pm
BTW Driver Max seems to work just fine in Windows 7 RC.
I'm running Windows 7 RC as my exclusive OS.
Trouble4u
May 24, 2009 at 7:17pm
I downloaded the program and ran it. It asked some info that was not too personal. When I ran the program, it gave me a list of drivers that needed to be updated and when I tried, it asked for more personal information that I reluctantly gave to them. Now when I try to download updates, it says that you can only download one driver a day to save their bandwidth. This program is really not as good as everyone is making it out to be. It does show you the drivers that need to be updated, but some of the drivers show that the updates are no good.
Keith E. Whisman
May 21, 2009 at 12:18pm
Installed driver max. Had to setup an account but that didn't hurt much because all it wants is a user name, password, a hidden real name and your email address so you can get the activation code.
I ran Driver Max and it told me that all my drivers were up to date. So this just goes to show you that for someone like me a program like this may help speed things up because I religeously check all the websites for updates every week. It'll only help a little because I'm liable to visit the sites anyway to find possible beta updates.
But for someone like the Blond Wife or dumb as a rock mother-in-law then this program can help keep them happy.
What I want to do for people that don't know much about PC's is set them up so every time they reboot their computer all previous changes will revert to my settings. Those stupid BHO's and Toolbars and stuff and so called malware infested anti malware programs they install will simply cease to exist after a reboot.
dugn
May 13, 2009 at 10:27pm
Downloaded it. Installed it. Can't do anything unless you register with some personal information. Servers were busy, so it wouldn't take. Same 'server busy' response all day. Wasted time - bad recommendation.
holmessh
May 13, 2009 at 10:50am
Anyone know of a DriverMax like program for Windows 7? According tot he website it only works for XP and Vista.
Thanks
nekollx
May 13, 2009 at 10:57am
since 7 isnt out yet try vista drivers, they work in most cases. I think you'll be hard pressed to find drivers for a beta/release canididate
markikswabe
May 13, 2009 at 6:44pm
I've installed Driver Max successfully into Windows 7 however, I'm having a problem in updating the driver updates since it always show "pause to give up internet connection" and when I look in the logs, it has Errors. Could anyone know how to fixed it? By the way, it only appears when I try to install batch drivers but, if I do it one-by-one it works ok.
ElderJefferson
May 13, 2009 at 7:45am
Why does every production of "Free Software Apps" recommend a different driver update program? The first one I read was (forgot the name, probably because I didn't like it), then they recommended FileHippo (which I am presently using and enjoy greatly), and now it's DriverMax. What gives?
nekollx
May 13, 2009 at 9:03am
File Hippo is for programs (open office, defraggler, comando, etc)
Driver Max is for well the Drivers
there is a difference, you dont open a driver to make the Next Great American novel and you dont use Open Office to update your GPU for Crysis
sgtgregg
May 13, 2009 at 6:52am
Maximum PC, I love you guys, but seriously, which ever reader(s) suggested these programs are smoking crack! I don't like any of them. All are pretty lame and useless.
Sometime back you did a article on 32 applications to have or something like that... those apps were far better than these here. So please respond to your reader(s) that suggested these and tell them to lay off the Payotee!
Vr
Sarge!
marshallladd
May 13, 2009 at 6:43am
Driver max is a cool program, but it only lets you install one driver per day from their server. I have 14 out of date drivers apparently(some are duplicates like multiple USB ports) and don't want to wait 1-2 weeks to be all up to date. Can someone point me to where I might find Intel Drivers easier? I have spent the past couple hours looking for drivers for SATA controllers, PCI bridge, and USB driver upgrades etc.
nekollx
May 13, 2009 at 9:02am
i use DriverMax on every new pc i set up there is no such thing as a one driver a day limit
scan
click on the files it flags (either via the website or the updater itself)
Download and install
ive done batches of 14-20 drivers at a time
marshallladd
May 13, 2009 at 3:49pm
I'll give it a try again. When I got to the page that displays the drivers available for update, at the very top of the page it said "limit one per day" though. Could be a new addition, or I read into it wrong. They did just upgrade their servers last night. Maybe they added that new restriction with it.
nekollx
May 13, 2009 at 4:19pm
or your mistaking a add for the product, free ware has to make a income somewhere. They promote other products
rhardy99
May 18, 2009 at 11:52am
Nekollx, could you give more details on how you are able to download more than 1 driver at a time?
"ive done batches of 14-20 drivers at a time"
I even tried saving the *.dmx-info file to desktop for each of the drivers I need and put them back in the que, still only allowed my 1st download to go. Any help would be much appreciated. Or if anyone else uses a different free "driver update tool" that would be great.
Thanks in advance,
Russ
nekollx
May 18, 2009 at 11:56am
dunno why your having problems, i just do a scan with driverMax, doload each dmxinfo file one at a time, but definitly more then one a day, then just install them once they show up in the bottom driver list of the program
rhardy99
May 18, 2009 at 12:20pm
Maybe it is a version issue? I downloaded version 4.92 today.
Thanks for the help!
linkmaster6
May 13, 2009 at 5:45am
Wow who the hell suggested these? The folding CD looks like the only useful thing on here
TheMurph
May 13, 2009 at 12:30pm
If you don't mind my asking, what don't you like about the applications? Do you like your start menu / taskbars just the way they are? Is your desktop free of icons, thus limiting the need for icon organization applications? Do you run all of your driver updates manually?
rhardy99
May 18, 2009 at 12:17pm
I downloaded the DriverMax and find that the limitation of 1 driver download a day makes this an undesirable program. I have over 11 drivers that can be updated and I was able to find 4 on my own by searching the maker of the device's websites. Now I just have to wait 6 more days to get the rest. :)
Maybe put in a note about the 1 driver per day limitation in order to warn users. I also don't think it should have been put on a "MaximumPC's TOP Freeware Apps" due to the limitation. To find a positive about the app, it did help me find possible drivers I need to update where RadarSync only picked up about half. I hope this is not a false report on Drivermax. For example: laptop shows (3) Intel 82801 devices need upgrading, yet when I try to download the latest Intel chipset driver it says I have the latest. I guess I will see tomorrow if DriverMax was able to update it or not.
Intel 82801 PCI Bridge-2448, current ver=6.0.0.1013, proposed new ver.=9.1.1.1004
Thanks Murph!
Dougan47
May 13, 2009 at 2:18am
I have vista 64 and the website lists only 32 bit version. Also, your hypertext "here" took me to driver detective. Caught you being human? lol
Hurricane
May 12, 2009 at 3:46pm
Tried to install this and you have to register at their website, but when you try to register it says sorry they are installing new servers try some other time. So it doesn't work without going through the registration.
SuperiorBeing
May 12, 2009 at 12:45pm
I don't really see the need for Rocketdock, the Windows 7 taskbar seems good enough for me...
Laszlo44
May 12, 2009 at 12:09pm
Would like one addition to articles like this: which op system they are for as I still rock along with XP 32bit.
AntiHero
May 12, 2009 at 6:44pm
Rocketdock is on all Windows os's.
I don't like Microsoft, I associate with it.
AntiHero
May 12, 2009 at 12:06pm
Been using things like rocketdock on linux for years now. Might want to try the Stack Docklet if you use RocketDock and like it. Also YAY I'M MENTIONED! Cool.
I don't like Microsoft, I associate with it.
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