When it comes to Windows, less is more. I don’t want my computer loaded down with a million programs that each do something different or that I’m only going to use once. There are, however, some programs that I have grown to love and can’t see using Windows without. I decided to compile a short list and share the wealth…oh ya, and everything on the list is free.
FoxIt Reader
There is nothing more frustrating than sitting and waiting for a huge program to load. This frustration is multiplied when you’re simply trying to open a pdf. Thank God for FoxIt Reader. This reader does exactly what it says. It opens and prints pdfs. Period. The entire program is less than 1MB in size and doesn’t even need to be installed. Just double click and you’re off and running. Get FoxIt Reader now.
Alt-Tab Replacement Power Toy
If you haven’t heard of Microsoft Power Toys, get on board. They have developed some really cool apps that increase the effectiveness of Windows. One of my favorites is the Alt-Tab Replacement. What’s this? You never knew you could switch programs by hitting Alt + Tab? Try it, I’ll wait…cool huh? Anyway, this power toy will actually give you a screenshot of the programs you have open. Very handy for people who work with a lot of different programs and files at any given time. Get Alt-Tab Replacement now.
SyncBack
A couple months ago I bought a 250GB Western Digital My Book external drive. There are several folders on my computer that have the contents edited daily, such as my multiple websites, client work, music folders, etc. So I started my search to find some automatic backup software that I could configure and then forget about it. I came across a little app called SyncBack from 2BrightSparks. The program has the ability to backup or synchronize your files and folders to a directory, drive, FTP server, ZIP file, networked drive, or removable media. Basically, this guy can pretty much do anything. It’s also very customizable and runs in the background, out of sight, out of mind. Get SyncBack now.
CCleaner
CCleaner, AKA Crap Cleaner, the only real multi-functional tool you will find on this list. This program will keep your temporary files, URL history, cookies, and more, cleaned up in both Firefox and IE. It can also clean out your recycle bin, recent documents, temporary files and log files. In addition to that there is a registry cleaner, a way to uninstall programs that blows Microsoft’s own Add/Remove Programs out of the water and the ability to control what programs run on Windows start up. There are also a bunch of useful settings within the program, including an NSA 7-pass secure deletion option. I don’t normally recommend programs like these, especially any program that “cleans” the registry because they never seem to do anything but cause problems. Crap Cleaner is the one exception and is well worth it. Get CCleaner now.
Unlocker
Every had an annoying message pop up and tell you that you can’t delete a file because it is ”currently in use”? Unlocker offers an easy, lightweight solution. The software installs an option in your right-click menu that allows you to find what program is using the file, and effectively kill the process. I can almost guarantee that if you work on your computer for more than a couple hours a day, you will use this in the first week you download it. Get Unlocker now.
CDBurnerXP Pro
I used to be a staunch Nero fan. Then they turned Norton on me and became bloatware. CDBurnerXP Pro is a simple lightweight cd/dvd burning program that can ease the pain and confusion of burning audio, data and even ISO images. You open the program up, choose what you want to do, and get to work. The layout will show up just like Windows Explorer, making it easy to add files to the disc and also gives easy access to choose which drive to burn from and what type of cd/dvd you want to burn. Get CDBurnerXP Pro now.
KGB Keylogger
First of all, let me say that I only suggest this for the somewhat advanced computer users. Now, there are a couple uses for a keylogger. The obvious one is to track what is being done on your computer when you are away. The other reason is actually the reason I downloaded KGB in the first place. I kept having trouble creating posts in Firefox because it kept locking up and I ended up losing everything. After the first two times, I was fed up and decided I needed to find a solution. One of the things I thought of was a keylogger to track everything that I typed so I could just copy and paste it back in if I lost it (you don’t need to tell me there are different alternatives for this, I know, see below). Anyway, this has a pretty good feature set for being freeware and I am completely satisfied. Get KGB Keylogger (make sure you get the one that says For Free!)
Windows Live Writer
Windows Live Writer is the dark horse of this bunch. It’s brand new and it’s still in beta. Now Windows users should be warned, I think we are on the verge of the “new” Microsoft. One that is more user friendly and much more stable. The installation was a breeze. You are asked to setup your blog which can be just about anything, including, Windows Live Spaces, Blogger, LiveJournal, TypePad or Wordpress. I use Wordpress for my blog and WLW had no problem finding it and connected perfectly. The software allows you to blog in a WSYWIG viewer and is bursting with great features. You can read a comprehensive review at CNET if you want to get to know the program a little better before downloading a piece of beta software from Microsoft…I don’t blame you for being a bit wary. I will say that I’ve been using it for about three days now (I told you it was brand new) and I have noticed a little trouble with the image handling, but everything else has been flawless. In fact, this post and all future posts will probably be created using it. Get Windows Live Writer now.
Well, that’s a quick intro to some of the tools I use to get Windows to do what I want, rather than me having to do what Windows wants. Enjoy!
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