Software I pay for
Over the years I’ve become increasingly disenchanted with commercial software. I blame most of it on Microsoft. They’ve made Bill Gates the richest man in the world (actually 2nd now) by pretending their stuff works when it is barely functional in many cases. Owners using XP and Vista pay us thousands of dollars every year to unwind situations that have their genesis in poor coding.
This is why I try to use Freeware whenever possible. Number one – it’s free! Number two – I’ll probably get better support than commercial software and even If I don’t I won’t get frustrated trying to converse with some kid in New Delhi.
As I look over the stuff I have bought and use it’s a pretty small grouping. Two items do stand out, however – Adobe Premier Elements and Adobe Photoshop Elements.You can buy the pair for about $150 I believe and you will have a near professional toolbox for image and video manipulation. They are worth your consideration.
Firefox
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| Name | Firefox |
| Category | Internet |
| Release Date | 06.17.2008 |
| Version | 3.0 |
| Description | For a long time I have been putting the Firefox browser on our clients computers primarily as a diagnostic tool. If they were having trouble with a web page and Internet Explorer, we could try Firefox and begin to isolate the problem.I have, personally, preferred Firefox for a long time, but most of our customers preferred to stick with IE – it was known. More and more, however, I am finding people willing to change and this new version will make many more converts.
I really like it and I think you will too. |
| Author’s Web Site | http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ |
| Download Link | Mozilla.com |
Stuff you MUST know: The programs we describe are ones we use or have used and found them to be effective. Many of these are very powerful and could totally hose your computer!! Obviously we would never, knowingly, suggest a faulty program, but there’s always that possibility. Just as there is a possibility of a virus or spyware lurking inside.
Very honestly, I find the free stuff better, on average, than the commercial products, but everyone has to decide for themselves.
Once more: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!
Firefox
|
|
|
| Name | Firefox |
| Category | Internet |
| Release Date | 06.17.2008 |
| Version | 3.0 |
| Description | For a long time I have been putting the Firefox browser on our clients computers primarily as a diagnostic tool. If they were having trouble with a web page and Internet Explorer, we could try Firefox and begin to isolate the problem.I have, personally, preferred Firefox for a long time, but most of our customers preferred to stick with IE – it was known. More and more, however, I am finding people willing to change and this new version will make many more converts.
I really like it and I think you will too. |
| Author’s Web Site | http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ |
| Download Link | Mozilla.com |
Stuff you MUST know: The programs we describe are ones we use or have used and found them to be effective. Many of these are very powerful and could totally hose your computer!! Obviously we would never, knowingly, suggest a faulty program, but there’s always that possibility. Just as there is a possibility of a virus or spyware lurking inside.
Very honestly, I find the free stuff better, on average, than the commercial products, but everyone has to decide for themselves.
Once more: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!
One of our favorites
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| Name | Crap Cleaner |
| Category | Utility |
| Release Date | |
| Version | 2.08.588 |
| Description | We probably use this on 95% of the computers that come through the shop.CCleaner is a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system – allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history.So many cleaners are too ambitious and delete the wrong things and leave you with a nonworking system. We have never had this issue with Crap Cleaner. Also, it is one of the very few registry cleaners that has never bonked a system.Should be in everybody’s working toolbox. |
| Author’s Web Site | CCleaner |
| Download Link | http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/ |
Stuff you MUST know: The programs we describe are ones we use or have used and found them to be effective. Many of these are very powerful and could totally hose your computer!! Obviously we would never, knowingly, suggest a faulty program, but there’s always that possibility. Just as there is a possibility of a virus or spyware lurking inside.
Very honestly, I find the free stuff better, on average, than the commercial products, but everyone has to decide for themselves.
Once more: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!
One of our favorites
|
|
|
| Name | Crap Cleaner |
| Category | Utility |
| Release Date | |
| Version | 2.08.588 |
| Description | We probably use this on 95% of the computers that come through the shop.CCleaner is a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system – allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history.So many cleaners are too ambitious and delete the wrong things and leave you with a nonworking system. We have never had this issue with Crap Cleaner. Also, it is one of the very few registry cleaners that has never bonked a system.Should be in everybody’s working toolbox. |
| Author’s Web Site | CCleaner |
| Download Link | http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/ |
Stuff you MUST know: The programs we describe are ones we use or have used and found them to be effective. Many of these are very powerful and could totally hose your computer!! Obviously we would never, knowingly, suggest a faulty program, but there’s always that possibility. Just as there is a possibility of a virus or spyware lurking inside.
Very honestly, I find the free stuff better, on average, than the commercial products, but everyone has to decide for themselves.
Once more: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!