Your Favorite Freeware Applications?

[MV/Liberace!]

I'd like to know what everybody's favorite freeware applications are.  please describe them and link to each of them.  also, please do not mention apps that either expire or employ nag screens, etc.  that's not freeware.  i'm going to make a contribution to this thread after i construct a coherent list of freeware apps i use.

[MV/Liberace!]

ok, as promised, here are some of my favorite freeware apps:

ReactOS
ReactOS is a free, open source Windows operating system clone.  Built from scratch and based on Windows XP/2003, ReactOS will hopefully one day enable you to run Windows without paying for Windows!  And since it's open source code, that means potentially millions of contributors/developers/testers compared to Microsoft's thousands.  If you have an OUNCE of programming prowess, I would strongly encourage you to participate in the development of ReactOS.  I'm very excited to see where this project will go in the next 5 years or so.  Watch out, Microsoft.  Your years of OS dominance are potentially approaching their twilight.
http://www.reactos.org/en/index.html

Audiograbber
Over a decade old, this utility, IMO, is still the best thing out there for ripping audio from CD to MP3.
http://www.audiograbber.com-us.net/download.html

CCleaner
Freeware app for cleaning your computer's cache, and generally erasing your tracks.  Also fixes registry problems and does some other handy things too.
http://www.ccleaner.com/download

Defraggler
A disk defragmenter that operates by defragmenting on a file-by-file basis rather than attempting to sloppily shuffle the whole damn drive all over the place.  Far faster than the defragmenter you get with windows... far more efficient.
http://www.defraggler.com/download

^^^^^ Not Necessary with vista/win7 ^^^^^

DVD Decrypter
EASILY rip DVDs from disc to hard drive while simultaneously removing copy protection.
http://www.ufoship.com/dvddecrypter.exe

DVD Shrink
Convert ripped dvds to .iso files, or re-author and compress them to fit on a 4.7GB DVD.  This is what you would use after you use DVD Decrypter.
http://www.ufoship.com/dvdshrink.exe

Faststone Image Viewer and Photo Resizer (Separate Apps)
The image viewer allows you to edit photos, crop them, etc.  The resizer is my personal favorite.  I use it all the time.  It features multiple output formats.  Very niiiiiice.
http://www.faststone.org/index.htm

Filezilla
Need a good FTP client?  Forget all others.  Try Filezilla.
http://filezilla-project.org/download.php

Flightgear
Flightgear is an open source flight simulator.  10 years in development, it's quite advanced and has some surprising features for a freeware flight sim.  Advice: you will probably have to take your time getting started with it, since it's very realistic.  In other words, most people don't manage to just install it and fly within 3 minutes.  After all, most people wouldn't be able to do that in a real airplane, either.
http://www.flightgear.org/Downloads/

Foxit Reader
I HATE HATE HATE Adobe PDF reader.  It's bloated, slow, and constantly nags you to update.  Use Foxit.  You won't regret it.
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

KeePass Password Safe
I am horrid when it comes to managing passwords.  KeePass generates complex passwords for you, and saves them all under one password.  You can even take the database file with you on a thumb drive, etc., and use your password database on other computers.
http://keepass.info/download.html

K-Lite Codec Pack
If you are tired of trying to play video files only to find your player can't play them because a codec is missing, try installing this.  You should be able to view almost any type of video once you do.
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_lite_codec_pack.htm

MagicDisc
MagicDisc allows you to mount disc image files (.iso .cue .nrg) in an imaginary disc drive.  In other words, you can use the disc image files without having to burn the images first to a physical disc.
http://www.magiciso.com/tutorials/miso-magicdisc-overview.htm

MP3Gain
Level out the volume of all of your MP3 files with one click.  Best of all, this app doesn't re-dither the audio, so there is ZERO quality loss.
XP Users:  http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/mp3gain/mp3gain-win-1_2_5.exe?download
Vista Users:  http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/mp3gain/mp3gain-win-full-1_2_5.exe?download

Quicktime Alternative and Real Player Alternative
The Quicktime Player makes me puke.  So does the Real Audio player.  Itunes requires Quicktime to run.  It will work with Quicktime Alternative.  Sooooooo... uninstall them and replace with the following:
Quicktime:  http://www.free-codecs.com/download/quicktime_alternative.htm
Real Audio:  http://www.free-codecs.com/download/real_Alternative.htm

AVG AntiVirus
If you need a free antivirus app, use this.  It's just as good as the others (McAfee and Norton) who require a subscription for updates.
http://free.avg.com/

^^^^^ Just get Security Essentials from Microsoft. ^^^^^

Portable Apps
This site is loaded with software you can install TO and run directly FROM a USB flash drive.  Yup.  Take your programs from computer to computer.
http://portableapps.com/

I'll post more to come.  Hope some of you find these freeware applications useful.

[EvB]

Quicktime Alternative and Real Player Alternative
The Quicktime Player makes me puke.  So does the Real Audio player.  Itunes requires Quicktime to run.  It will work with Quicktime Alternative.  Sooooooo... uninstall them and replace with the following:
Quicktime:  http://www.free-codecs.com/download/quicktime_alternative.htm
Real Audio:  http://www.free-codecs.com/download/real_Alternative.htm

THOU ART GOD and I am not worthy.

DAMN I hate those programs too - now I can KILL 'EM


Oh frabjous day, Kalloo Kallay!

[she] chortled in [her] joy

[MV/Liberace!]

THOU ART GOD and I am not worthy.

DAMN I hate those programs too - now I can KILL 'EM


Oh frabjous day, Kalloo Kallay!

[she] chortled in [her] joy

great feeling, eh?

[Max]

ubuntu... and all software related..

[slipstream]

Irfanview   Image Viewer  http://www.irfanview.com/  Been around forever and one of the best, period.

foobar2000 Audio Player http://www.foobar2000.org/   Don't like Winamp bloat?  Give this a try!

[MV/Liberace!]

speaking of winamp bloat...
if you don't like the winamp bloat but you DO want to use winamp, you could always click here:
http://oldversion.com/program.php?n=winamp
scroll down and click v2.95 and enjoy.  that's the version i've run for years.  DO NOT touch v3.x in ANY variety.  it is a disaster.  and if you go beyond that, there's no point since you're encroaching upon bloat territory again, in which case you might as well just go get the most recent version.

[Max]

most windows programs are bloatware including windows itself.

[slipstream]

most windows programs are bloatware including windows itself.

      Most freeware runs well. Shareware usually isn't to bad either.   All the commercial stuff gets turned into bloat sooner or later.

[MV/Liberace!]

it would seem software development is one facet of our society that is not guided by market forces.  i think within 10 years, 95% of the software you're using will be open source, free software.

[blackshap9]

http://www.driveridentifier.com/desktop.php
this is a great must have

If you have a lot of pictures and like to switch your desktop background often this fun
program is for you
http://johnsadventures.com/software/backgroundswitcher/

for all your video needs
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

[NefariousBanana]

Vuze.  No contest.

[blackshap9]

Vuze.  No contest.

Ya mon www.vuze.com is kewl

[NefariousBanana]

Ya mon www.vuze.com is kewl

My only gripe is that you can't use the streaming with files that aren't associated with a torrent that you've already downloaded/still have.

[MV/Liberace!]

virtualbox.

[blackshap9]

virtualbox.

If you are a large corporation you have to go vmware but for the rest of us virtualbox is the shiznit. Sick post. Forgot about this. Might as well add in Open Office at this point.

Anyone who doesn't know what virtualization is, take the time to learn.  It will allow a teenager in the South Korea own and opperate a nation wide company in the United States from his/her one bedroom apartment. An awesome power! 

[MV/Liberace!]

Might as well add in Open Office at this point.

i heard someone say libreoffice has surpassed openoffice as the freeware office suite of choice.  i'm not sure if that's true or even why that was said.

[blackshap9]

i heard someone say libreoffice has surpassed openoffice as the freeware office suite of choice.  i'm not sure if that's true or even why that was said.

I remember there being a big media hoopla for a short while. I never really looked into it other than checking out the site. I have been using open office for years however I have been using google docs more and more often.

[blackshap9]

If you have a good video card this is a fun place to visit

http://www.geisswerks.com/

The GEO Forms screensaver is sick. Just make sure you can handle it.

***I mean it! He is not your average programer. Read before you try anything. For advanced users only as some programs like GEO Forms will modify every single setting of your computer and you will NOT be able to undo them unless you NUKE your hard drive and do a complete start from scratch install. This shit can set your notebook on fire or blow your desktop into the other room!***

(But it's worth it!)

For average video cards grab Drempels. Instead of a wall paper on my desktop I have Drempels. My whole desktop is alive and moving. Uses almost no resources. Looks like moving lava. People freak out when they see it. It is a screensaver too. They run as separate applications.

I have not owned a computer in the last 15 years that has not run some sort of program by Ryan Geiss. The guy is an internet legend.

Fun Fun! 

[MV/Liberace!]

If you have a good video card this is a fun place to visit

http://www.geisswerks.com/

The GEO Forms screensaver is sick. Just make sure you can handle it.

***I mean it! He is not your average programer. Read before you try anything. For advanced users only as some programs like GEO Forms will modify every single setting of your computer and you will NOT be able to undo them unless you NUKE your hard drive and do a complete start from scratch install. This shit can set your notebook on fire or blow your desktop into the other room!***

(But it's worth it!)

For average video cards grab Drempels. Instead of a wall paper on my desktop I have Drempels. My whole desktop is alive and moving. Uses almost no resources. Looks like moving lava. People freak out when they see it. It is a screensaver too. They run as separate applications.

I have not owned a computer in the last 15 years that has not run some sort of program by Ryan Geiss. The guy is an internet legend.

Fun Fun! 

wow, very interesting.

[alejandro]

TOTAL COMMANDER
source: http://www.ghisler.com/
Is a very powerful filemanager, in the tradition of "Norton Commander" the old MS-DOS filemanager.
It has a split screen with 2 windows which makes copying files much easier than the crappy "exploder" which comes with every MS OS.
Has 100s of features to make your life easier, like file compare, mass-renamer, FTP client, etc.
Also you can configure all your packer programs within, so unpacking your warez is much easier and faster.
First thing I install on any Windows OS, next to winzip, winrar, 7zip, etc...
It's Shareware, but unlimited unrestricted trial, you only get a nagscreen where you need to click a button to start it, or buy it if you love it like me, or d/l a cracked version. it's the best!


XN-VIEW
http://www.xnview.com/en/
very fast picture-viewer and slideshow with basic image manipulation.
If you like to scroll your mouswheel through all your images in a directory FAST... that's the program.


Media Player CLASSIC Home Cinema

http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/

simply the best video player you can get on windows! x64 or x86.
needs codecs - like any other videoplayer - which you probably already have installed anyway.

[alejandro]

i heard someone say libreoffice has surpassed openoffice as the freeware office suite of choice.  i'm not sure if that's true or even why that was said.

Libre Office
http://www.libreoffice.org/

yes it's true. Openoffice is owned by Oracle afaik, and they didn't bother to further develop this thing at all anymore, so Openoffice is stuck in like 2010 state - Libreoffice just took the sourcecode and are actively continuing development and weeding out bugs.

WinAMP
http://www.winamp.com/ or anywhere else you want.

I hate itunes. I prefer to listen to mp3, audiobooks, or internet streams with this program.
you can let is look modern and complex, or very small uncluttered traditional.

[blackshap9]

If you have a good video card this is a fun place to visit

http://www.geisswerks.com/

The GEO Forms screensaver is sick. Just make sure you can handle it.

***I mean it! He is not your average programer. Read before you try anything. For advanced users only as some programs like GEO Forms will modify every single setting of your computer and you will NOT be able to undo them unless you NUKE your hard drive and do a complete start from scratch install. This shit can set your notebook on fire or blow your desktop into the other room!***

(But it's worth it!)

For average video cards grab Drempels. Instead of a wall paper on my desktop I have Drempels. My whole desktop is alive and moving. Uses almost no resources. Looks like moving lava. People freak out when they see it. It is a screensaver too. They run as separate applications.

I have not owned a computer in the last 15 years that has not run some sort of program by Ryan Geiss. The guy is an internet legend.

Fun Fun! 

wow, very interesting.

Ya, understatement of the year 

The guy created Microsoft's Kinect motion-recognition software for the Xbox 360 video-game platform.

The code Microsoft uses is just a portion of what he wrote. The programming is so sophisticated that it isn't in the current Kinect. Being used for military applications.

He is currently working at Google's Special Projects team creating Google's Project Glass. Project Glass is so sick it will make your brain melt. Just your average group of geniuses doing  research and development to prototype and build an augmented reality head-mounted display. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6W4CCU9M4

His website is a museum of old graphics and programming resources. Kewl stuff if your into that sort of thing.

Later 

[BobGrau]

Ya, understatement of the year 

The guy created Microsoft's Kinect motion-recognition software for the Xbox 360 video-game platform.

The code Microsoft uses is just a portion of what he wrote. The programming is so sophisticated that it isn't in the current Kinect. Being used for military applications.

He is currently working at Google's Special Projects team creating Google's Project Glass. Project Glass is so sick it will make your brain melt. Just your average group of geniuses doing  research and development to prototype and build an augmented reality head-mounted display. 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6W4CCU9M4

His website is a museum of old graphics and programming resources. Kewl stuff if your into that sort of thing.

Later 

building better adverts yay!

[blackshap9]

building better adverts yay!

hehehe but try thinking;

Real-life science closes in on Star Trek as scientists show they can to hack into blind people's visual cortex to let them 'see'!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2100398/Real-life-science-closes-Star-Trek-TNG-new-device-hack-blind-peoples-visual-cortex-let-see.html

or

Real-Life Star Trek Holodecks

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/11/real-life-holodecks-microsoft-kinect-augmented-reality-room-is-the-closest-thing-yet/

The Singularity is coming 

http://www.kurzweilai.net/

[BobGrau]

hehehe but try thinking;

Real-life science closes in on Star Trek as scientists show they can to hack into blind people's visual cortex to let them 'see'!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2100398/Real-life-science-closes-Star-Trek-TNG-new-device-hack-blind-peoples-visual-cortex-let-see.html

or

Real-Life Star Trek Holodecks

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/11/real-life-holodecks-microsoft-kinect-augmented-reality-room-is-the-closest-thing-yet/

The Singularity is coming 

http://www.kurzweilai.net/

I admire and envy your optimism

[blackshap9]

I admire and envy your optimism

Navy builds 50,000 square foot lab to simulate desert, jungle to test military robots

http://www.kurzweilai.net/navy-builds-50000-square-foot-lab-to-simulate-desert-jungle-to-test-military-robots

check out the editorial comment at the bottom LMFAO 

[MV/Liberace!]

http://www.driveridentifier.com/desktop.php
this is a great must have

i used to use devicedoctor for this purpose, but i find it to be WAY unreliable in terms of what drivers it offers you for a given device.  your suggestion made my job a lot easier today.  thx much.

[999]

f.lux
http://stereopsis.com/flux/
"makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day."
great if you have eye probs or stare at the computer for far too long every day.

Gimp
http://www.gimp.org/
like photoshop but opensource

[blackshap9]

i used to use devicedoctor for this purpose, but i find it to be WAY unreliable in terms of what drivers it offers you for a given device.  your suggestion made my job a lot easier today.  thx much.

Cheers
I have been using this program http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis/ for so long it makes me feel old. It does not replace your current antivirus. A very powerful defensive weapon indeed.

That flux looks cool. Reading website right now.