The Freeware Sharing Thread

[zuludelta]

Here's a thread for sharing freeware (free applications). If you know of a free program you think other people might find useful, feel free (he he) to post details and download links here.

THREE IMPORTANT RULES FOR THIS THREAD:

- In accordance with the forum rules, post only links to legal freeware. No links to warez/pirated software or freeware hosted on unauthorized sites.

- only post links to freeware that you are sure is safe. Do not link to free programs that install malware (viruses, rootkits, spyware, etc.). If you're not certain whether a program is malware-free, better to err on the side of caution and not recommend it here. 

- no spamming/advertising.

Here are my top freeware recommendations (click on the program name to go to the download page):

Computer Security
Comodo Firewall Pro: A step above the built-in Windows firewall and protects against most common on-line security threats. Isn't a resource hog like Norton's and McAfee's products. Also, unlike most other freeware firewalls, the license for this program actually allows a user to install this program on a commercial/business machine (most free security program licenses are restricted to "personal use" computers). Latest version works on Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.

Avira Antivir Personal Edition Classic: A decent antivirus program with a high detection rate. Use and installation is restricted to personal use/non-commercial PCs, however. Latest version works on Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.

Internet Browser
Mozilla Firefox: A more secure and less-resource intensive alternative to Internet Explorer. There are dozens of free add-ons available (such as in-browser internet radio tuner) that can allow you to customize how you browse the net. Latest version is available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux machines.

Office/productivity software
OpenOffice: Frustrated with the hobbled MS Works Suite that comes with most Windows PCs but don't want to spend the cash to buy MS Office? AppleWorks or iWork making it hard to share files with your Windows-loving peers? Try OpenOffice, an excellent alternative to Microsoft and Apple's offerings. It has everything you need in a productivity suite... a full-featured word processor, presentation software (a lá Powerpoint), a graphics editing program, spreadsheet software, an equation editor, and a database program, all in an interface that's easy to learn and similar enough to all the popular office suites. Best of all, it reads and saves in all the popular file formats (I can even use the word processor to open corrupted .doc files that are otherwise unrecoverable using MS Word). I can't recommend this thing enough, it's hands-down the best example of how open-source computing can create a product that is equal to, and in some ways superior to, paid programs. Latest version of OpenOfficeis available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.

Foxit Reader: One of the more common annoyances for anybody who's ever worked in an office or research setting is opening those ubiquitous PDF files. Adobe Acrobat Reader is a resource hog, it takes a lot of space on your hard drive, takes forever to initialize, and is buggy as hell. Foxit Reader is a small-footprint program that trumps Adobe's bloat-ware in every significant way. Latest version of the program is compatible with Windows 2000 and higher.

Video-Editing Software
VirtualDub: For most people, the built-in Windows Movie Maker that comes with Windows XP is sufficient for their video-editing needs. If you want more features in an editor but don't need all of the features of Adobe Premiere Pro, VirtualDub has got you covered. It's a powerful linear editor with support for all the popular codecs. Beyond the program itself, there are dozens of free community-developed mods and add-ons that can give you the versatility of a professional video editing program. VirtualDub is compatible with Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows XP.

Sound-Editing Software
Audacity: A powerful sound editing program. Audacity can turn your computer into a professional digital recording studio and allow you to unleash your inner Rick Rubin. Audacity supports VST, Nyquist, and LADSPA plug-ins so you can really nail down that sound in your head. Versions of the program are available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and Unix machines.

Graphics-Editing Software
GIMP: I'm a Photoshop man myself, but I did have a brief dalliance with GIMP a couple of years ago. GIMP is a full-featured graphics manipulation program that can pretty much do everything that Photoshop can do, although the interface can be a tad confusing for Photoshop adherents... I imagine it's a lot easier to pick up and learn for somebody who's never used a graphics manipulation program extensively before. I'm seriously considering going with the latest version of GIMP if and when I decide to move on from Photoshop 7 (So I can finally have a fully open-source media manipulation suite on my PC). Versions of the program are available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux, and Unix machines.

3D-modeling software
SketchUp: a simple 3D modeling tool meant for those without a 3D modeling background. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to create models right off the bat. A great tool for designers and is also very handy for artists trying to figure out rotations and perspective (at least that's what I usually use it for).     

[zuludelta]

Forgot to mention this one:

HijackThis: A free security utility for manually rooting out malware. It's the perfect complement to the free Antivir antivirus scanner (because as effective as that program is at detection, its disinfection abilities leave a lot to be desired). Using this program safely and effectively requires some knowledge of your Windows PC's normal running processes, however (just like any program that lets you fiddle with your Windows registry), so use with caution.   

[tommyboy]

AVG Antivirus-free good antivirus software
Spybot Search and Destroy- free good antispyware software
Zonealarm- free firewall software, opinions vary as to how good it is, some say its now a bit bloated and slows the system down. But hey, =free.

[Kommando]

Forgot to mention this one:

HijackThis: A free security utility for manually rooting out malware. It's the perfect complement to the free Antivir antivirus scanner (because as effective as that program is at detection, it's disinfection abilities leave a lot to be desired). Using this program safely and effectively requires some knowledge of your Windows PC's normal running processes, however (just like any program thst lets you fiddle with your Windows registry), so use with caution.   

When you download this its recommended to make a directory for it, such as C:\Program Files\HJT and then rename the program to analyse (spelled that way).  This is because some malware such as Vundo recognize the executable and hide themselves from it.  See my Livejournal entry on my war with Vundo, which has some tips on cleaning your comp.

[zuludelta]

Forgot to mention this one:

HijackThis: A free security utility for manually rooting out malware. It's the perfect complement to the free Antivir antivirus scanner (because as effective as that program is at detection, it's disinfection abilities leave a lot to be desired). Using this program safely and effectively requires some knowledge of your Windows PC's normal running processes, however (just like any program thst lets you fiddle with your Windows registry), so use with caution.   

When you download this its recommended to make a directory for it, such as C:\Program Files\HJT and then rename the program to analyse (spelled that way).  This is because some malware such as Vundo recognize the executable and hide themselves from it.  See my Livejournal entry on my war with Vundo, which has some tips on cleaning your comp.

I remember having to use a different, but similarly effective workaround to fix my brother's Vundo-infected computer. Took me a while to find the solution on the net.

Zonealarm- free firewall software, opinions vary as to how good it is, some say its now a bit bloated and slows the system down. But hey, =free.

I used to have ZoneAlarm before switching to Comodo... the problem I had with ZoneAlarm was it was causing system lock-ups when it went through its online update routine, not very often, but still often enough to be annoying.

[Podmark]

I used to have ZoneAlarm before switching to Comodo... the problem I had with ZoneAlarm was it was causing system lock-ups when it went through its online update routine, not very often, but still often enough to be annoying.

I had the same issue actually.

[BWPS]

Good thread, zuludelta. I had a couple of good ones to share but they were both already on your list :)

[Protomorph]

Most of the freeware I use is concerned with audio/video processing, as I do a lot of that.

Glitch Girl reccommended an audio encoder program called Switch, that is most excellent. IT does nearly everything except for ac3. For that I got BeLight (BeSweet Audio encoder) which handles most of the things that Switch would, with the added ac3. Switch seems to do a much better job with the "run of the mill" encoding though.

As mentioned, VirtualDub is something I use occasionally, when needed for certain video files, or when making Divx/Xivid videos (I don't do it often, but it has happened).

Graphedit is another good one. Once you open a file in it, it gives you a breakdown of the chain of proceses that go into opening it. You can break these chains and insert others, provided you know what you're doing. Usually, I use it to make .wav files from video or other...more inconvenient sources. I open the video file (let's say a Quicktime or something) and sever the processes making it emerge as audio/video playback and instead, make the audio output write to a .wav file. The program is useful for a TON of other functions, but I don't need them.

[ow_tiobe_sb]

3-D Modelling Software

1. Lightwave Discovery Edition
Would you like a feature-limited, free edition of Lightwave?  Follow the following links (PC users, right-click and "save as"):

Lightwave Discovery Edition (via FTP)
ftp://ftp.newtek.com/pub/Patches/LightWave_Windows/lw75b/LW75bUpdate.zip

Sentinal Drivers

Unzip and install Lightwave Discovery Edition.  Unzip and install the Sentinal Drivers.  Now you have a working version of Lightwave. 

The limitations:

* Only saves to LWO format (export features disabled).
* Objects are limited to 400 vertices.
* Certain geometry tools are absent.

The advantages:

If you like the quad-screen interface and tool set, you are good to go.

2. Autodesk Maya Personal Learning Edition

Maya Personal Learning Edition is a free, feature-limited version of the full commercial application for the purposes of personal or academic Maya training.  You may download a copy of the programme at the Alias Maya PLE website.  Please note that the NIFTools import/export plugins will not work with Alias Maya PLE (one must own the full commercial version).

Features (taken verbatim from the Autodesk site):

* Modeling (NURBS, polygons, subdivision surfaces)
* Character rigging and animation technology including full body Inverse Kinematics (IK)
* Advanced Autodesk Maya Trax non-linear animation editor
* Full dynamics system including soft and rigid body dynamics
* Complete particle system
* Maya Paint Effects
* Maya Artisan brush based interface
* Toon shading capabilities
* Adobe® Photoshop® integration and Adobe® Illustrator® connectivity
* Four renderers: Autodesk Maya software, hardware, vector and the award-winning mental ray® for Maya renderer
* Comprehensive documentation
* The ability to import and export FBX files to and from Autodesk MotionBuilder 7 Personal Learning Edition
* Now available in Japanese!

3. Discreet gmax

I've said too much about this elsewhere to repeat it all again.  Suffice it to say that this is a stripped down but still highly useful and totally free version of 3ds max.  Download it here.  The best thing about it is that the NIFTools Project has developed gmax NIF exporters that will create static meshes for use with Freedom Force and Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich.  If you want to break into 3-D modelling AND have an interest in modding for Freedom Force (but you don't have an extra $3,000 lying around), this is your man.

4. Wings3D

Another option for those who would like to do static meshing for Freedom Force or Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich but cannot surmount the learning curve involved in using gmax/3ds max.  Wings3D is a very intuitive, very easy to learn, totally free 3-D modeller (no animation support) that is almost completely mouse driven (no cryptic buttons or complex tools to master).  This is a great tool for those seeking an introduction to 3-D modelling, UV mapping, etc.  Look at the unfinished tutorial by Symon and me that shows how to create a model in Wings3D and import it into NIFSkope (download links included in tutorial).

Enjoy! :)

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and [THIS SPACE AVAILABLE FOR LEASE TO NEW DUAL TITLE TENANT]

[Outcast]

I've been using SpyDoctor and so far it hasn't let me down yet. Although the latest version does take up a lot of space.

http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor/

And just recently, Privacy Guardian.

http://www.pctools.com/privacy-guardian/

Oh and the ever popular Ad-Aware. ^_^

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad_aware_free.php

[thalaw2]

Well here are few that I like:

All-in-one chat:
Pidgin - It's works with MSN, Yahoo, AOL, and even QQ.  Furthermore it puts them all in tabbed windows to make switching very easy.

"Anonymous" web browsing:
Torpark -  I learned about this from an episode of Smallville when Chloe mentioned she used it to hack into some systems. 
Foxyproxy - This a nice little add-on for Firefox that lets you use different proxys for different tasks
Konqueror - If you use Linux with KDE then this is the best way to surf, IMO.  This browser does everything and it does it well.  In fact Foxyproxy is an attempt to make Firefox more like Konqueror, which switches proxies automatically.  I wish I could get a version of this working for Windows. 

Operating Systems:
Kubuntu - If I wasn't a gamer then this would be my operating system of choice.  It's easy to use and very stable.  Actually, I had it installed on my desktop before I sold it.  When I buy a laptop I'm installing again.   Like most Linux builds it comes bundled with Openoffice. 

Media playback:
Xine - I recommend this for Linux users.  It's like having Windows Media Player, Winamp, Realplayer, etc. all in one easy to use app.  It also comes in several flavors.

Media Player Classic - This is an awesome little piece of software that can play almost all media formats and it's small enough to fit (very comfortably) on a Flash disk so you can take it with you.  No installation required.

[Midnight]

Random order!

Opera - My favorite browser; migrated to it after Mozilla's software started getting bloated and taking up too much system memory.

Notepad2 - This is a replacement for Notepad. Slim, fast, line and special character demarcation for coders.

Hamachi - VPN software. I've been using it for a couple years now. Some people don't trust that the information you use passes through LogMeIn's private servers, but I don't transmit anything sensitive across it.

RealVNC - Coupled with Hamachi, you can access any of your computers from anywhere.

VLC Media Player - Screw codecs. Use this.

Aptana Studio - Web design interface. I've used this since the 0.2.0 build and even then it was full featured and stable.

Deep Burner - I waffle between this and Ashampoo's CD/DVD burning software (which isn't free). Deep Burner is still solid burning software.

PuTTy - SSH client. When I had a server set up, I used it in conjunction with Hamachi to run a headless box.

Sandra Lite - Tells you what parts are in your computer. Good if you have a store-bought box that you want to upgrade, without opening the case multiple times.

[GGiant]

I'm not really helping, but there are some things helpful here.

[GGiant]

x2y is a free utility to convert images to many formats and as far as I use it, it can convert more than 30 images, I think.

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

Xnview is another nifty graphics viewing/converting utility.  It can read hundreds of different formats, including game specific ones.  So yeah, very nifty.

xvi32 a useful hex editor, which I've used with FF and other things many a time.

[the_ultimate_evil]

anyone got anything to recommend for taking the audio off of videos. so that you have it on a separate file for audio clips etc

[Panther_Gunn]

anyone got anything to recommend for taking the audio off of videos. so that you have it on a separate file for audio clips etc

Graphedit is another good one. Once you open a file in it, it gives you a breakdown of the chain of proceses that go into opening it. You can break these chains and insert others, provided you know what you're doing. Usually, I use it to make .wav files from video or other...more inconvenient sources. I open the video file (let's say a Quicktime or something) and sever the processes making it emerge as audio/video playback and instead, make the audio output write to a .wav file. The program is useful for a TON of other functions, but I don't need them.

Or were you wanting something else entirely?

[zuludelta]

anyone got anything to recommend for taking the audio off of videos. so that you have it on a separate file for audio clips etc

Graphedit's useful for that. My personal recommendation would be to use Audacity, since doing so is much more intuitive if your only experience with recording audio is with your old boombox. You just play your media of choice (whether it's a video on Youtube or a video playing in a media playback program) and press "record" on Audacity and it'll record any sounds coming off of PC. You can then edit the clip (cut off the empty spaces at the beginning and the end, etc.) and save it as a .WAV file. Audacity doesn't export to mp3 natively, you'll need to have the LAME encoder to do so. If you already have LAME installed, Audacity will allow you to export to mp3 directly, if you don't, you can either download LAME (a very small but useful audio tool) or just download any one of the hundreds of free audio conversion programs on the web (heck, there are even some that do it through your browser).

[GogglesPizanno]

3D
Art of Illusion - Simple Java based 3D modeler that I find to be intuitively easy

Blender - The original Freeware 3D program. Dificult User Interface, but powerful, full export capabilities, and a good chunk of the active niftools scripting/plugin development is being done for it currently

Audio
Reaper - Full featured multitrack studio created by the guy who made winamp. It went $$ starting at 1.0, but I believe the 0.99 version is under the free license, and is functional enough for basic audio stuff.

Wavosaur - Audio editor similar to Audacity

[Outcast]

There is also Mcafee's site advisor which helps you avoid known bad sites while you surf the internet. You guys might want to check it out. ^_^

Less worries while surfing the web. :)

[Protomorph]

anyone got anything to recommend for taking the audio off of videos. so that you have it on a separate file for audio clips etc

Graphedit is another good one. Once you open a file in it, it gives you a breakdown of the chain of proceses that go into opening it. You can break these chains and insert others, provided you know what you're doing. Usually, I use it to make .wav files from video or other...more inconvenient sources. I open the video file (let's say a Quicktime or something) and sever the processes making it emerge as audio/video playback and instead, make the audio output write to a .wav file. The program is useful for a TON of other functions, but I don't need them.

Or were you wanting something else entirely?

Indeed, what type of file did you have in mind?

If you were wanting to rip the audio from a dvd, I usually use DVD2AVI. Once the DVD is loaded, save it as a project file with WAV audio and you can do whatever you want with it. I've done that with a few concert DVDs I own.

When recording from a stream source, like The Ultimate Evil I also record audio directly from my speakers using TotalRecorder (but that's not freeware...I paid $12 for it, and have never regretted it. Great little proggie!)

[Sevenforce]

The List I currently refer to when reinstalling pretty much from scratch for a Windows PC. Obviously, the list is slightly modified for Linux and Macs, but most of them are crossplatform.

Reinstall Windows and outfit your system with all freeware programs

[GogglesPizanno]

If you get even more minimalist and want a list of stuff thats freeware AND portable (i.e. No installer, just extract and run from HD, Thumbdrive whatever..) I use this site:

http://www.portablefreeware.com/

[randyripoff]

anyone got anything to recommend for taking the audio off of videos. so that you have it on a separate file for audio clips etc

Virtualdub.  You can open the video, resample the audio in whatever range you want, and then save it as a .wav file.

[Outcast]

How about an animated GIF maker freeware program? Any suggestions or recommendations?   :P

[thalaw2]

Waaaaaaayyyyy back in the early days of HTML web based design I used to use Microsoft Gif Animator.  I haven't used it in a long time, but it was the best gif animator at the time. 

[Outcast]

Waaaaaaayyyyy back in the early days of HTML web based design I used to use Microsoft Gif Animator.  I haven't used it in a long time, but it was the best gif animator at the time. 

Thanks. I'm not sure if it's still gonna work with Windows XP though. :unsure:

[stumpy]

It works fine, as far as I can tell. Don't know why it wouldn't.

[GGiant]

Operating System Requirements:

This product is designed to run on the following operating systems:

    * Windows 2000
    * Windows NT
    * Windows 98
    * Windows 95

I think he read this.

[the_ultimate_evil]

anyone got anything to recommend for taking the audio off of videos. so that you have it on a separate file for audio clips etc

Virtualdub.  You can open the video, resample the audio in whatever range you want, and then save it as a .wav file.

cheers guys, i'll give it a try, does it also allow you to rip off dvds, i can say now with my hand on my heart its not for illegal use's.