Ask dotTechies: What is your favorite freeware software?
May 30, 2010 128
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In the huge world of software, there is a huge difference between paid-for software and freeware software. However, in each realm there are massive, headache-inducing numbers of choices and qualities. Free software is probably the second most popular thing to review on dotTech–there are 135 articles on them as of the time of writing this! After all, free things are a lot of time really great (although some times, they’re just worse as opposed to being bad). Today, I ask you on Ask dotTechies, what is your favorite piece of freeware software?
If I had to choose one or two, I’d say that my favorite would have to be either GIMP or Firefox. With GIMP, it’s like I don’t have to pay for Photoshop (although it is completely different in how you use it, it has the same basic functionality if you spend enough time learning it)! However, without Firefox I’d have to use Google Chrome or another browser.
Like the two of the last three Ask dotTechies, there is no poll for this thread; rather please share your input via the comments below: what is your favorite piece of freeware software?
My favorite freeware : hotkeyz – launch any programs , do almost anything only with the keyboard. Try it out , you will love it.
My favorite freeware for years is Powerpro: read all about it here http://powerpro.webeddie.com/index.html
My favourite freeware is Folder Size. It lists out the size of all the files in a folder added up together in an additional column in Explorer. If I miss it, I’ll die. Pity it doesn’t support Vista or 7.
WinUtilities Pro! AVOID THE REGISTRY CLEANING FUNCTION INCLUDING THE REGISTRY DEFRAG and every other function is superb! I like my PC to be neat and orderly and the “Dick Defrag” is something UNIQUE! Beats–> Piriform Defraggler,Auslogics Defrag,JK Defrag by miles!
It is a winner! Thank you Ashraf!
WINPATROL. No contest, it is an essential piece of software. It has several utility functions, but it really shines at prevent software from changing your settings, and from setting itself to start up every time Windows starts.
And who can resist the system tray icon – Scotty the Wonder Dog, who woofs politely whenever a piece of software tries to alter your system settings.
M icrosoft Live Essentials.
Advanced SystemCare.
@DR.S.SREEDHAV: “Dick Defrag”? Sounds painful ….
dick defrag? for me the best is puran defrag free ;)
Comodo Internet Security
A seemingly easy enough question, but not so easy to answer as it requires separating out ‘favorite’ freeware (like, for instance, IrfanView) from ‘essential’ freeware (like, for instance, Avast AV.)
Coincidentally then, my vote is the same as Annie’s at #5, and for all the reasons she gave: it’s freeware at its most effective / essential, but also — thanks to little ol’ Scottie — freeware at its most endearing.
Bravo, Winpatrol.
@phoenix_rising: “Dick Defrag”? Sounds painful ….
I think we add that to our TOOLS collection
PicPick for screen (etc) snapshots
Jarte for a non MS Word program
EditPadLite for a Notepad replacement (has Tabs for multiple file openings)
XYPlorerFree for Tabbed replacement for Windows Explorer
Do a Google for
xyplorerfree last free version
Do not surround with quotes
It is the first hit at The Portable Freeware Collection
Do not be put off by their (Portable’s) mention of 30 Days.
That only applies to extra features in the Pro version.
Trust me, you will never use Windows Explorer again.
Get in quick as it is hard to find.
(I checked the link, and it is still the freeware version)
Don’t know what not to mention.
CleanMem, Unlocker, 7Zip, AxCrypt, TeraCopy, Chrome, VLC, Format Factory, Sublight, CCleaner, Puran Defrag, Qyicksys Regdefrag, Revo Uninstaller, Secunia PSI, Winpatrol, VirusTotal Uploader, Hijack Hunter, Macrium Reflect, Sandboxie, Trusteer Rapport, VMWare Player, FDM, KLite Mega Codec Pack, OpenOffice, WordWeb, doPdf, PDF Exchange Viewer etc etc….
Hard to find a single one. May be FDM.
Definitely CCleaner. I use it at least once a day, more likely several times a day to clean up the crap that I accumulate.
I would have said WinPatrol or xplorer2, but I liked them so much I paid for the upgraded version. Winpatrol has the best licensing format I have experienced, you buy it once and you can use it on any and all computers that you own forever.
Totally freeware:
1.FreeCommander
2.KeePass Password Safe
3.CCleaner
4.Ashampoo Burning Studio
5.7-zip
7.Macrium
8.Gimp
9.Sandboxie
10.Comodo
11.Foobar
12.SubEdit Player
There are many freeware apps I like, but if I had to pick just one – Powerpro without a doubt.
No doubt Win Patrol is a “must have”,but to pick just one is impossible.If you’re a software junkie like myself,then Revo is indispensable.Free (or paid for that matter) doesn’t always equal good.Dr.S.-you don’t have to avoid the reg cleaner,you just need to scrutinize the entries before you elect to remove them.An old saying is “look before you leap”! As for reg defrag-that’s a crap shoot no matter who wrote the code or slapped their company logo on it.
TiddlyWiki is a single html file which has all the characteristics of a wiki :
http://www.tiddlywiki.com/
http://www.tiddlytools.com/
http://nathanbowers.com/gtdtw/
…
My all time favourite: Screen (yes, that *nix utility).
I know everyone here was expecting windows things but … hey, I had to have my voice heard too…
I think either GIMP or WinRoll. I *love* being able to right-click on a titlebar, and roll the window up. I use it a lot in conjunction with GIMP, it allows me to get those pesky side windows out of the way.
rocketdock
Strongly in doubt between google chrome and jet screenshot.
Maybe chrome, after all.
VLC is probably the most feature-rich and well-coded freeware program I enjoy, and Google Chrome is my favorite overall, even despite it’s privacy concerns.
Wow which is my favourite freeware, I have many. Some have come and gone, others I still use and plan to keep on using. It is a hard decision.
However, while reading the posts and thinking about which is my favourite freeware, Agnitum Outpost Firewall kept popping into my head.
It was one of the first free software programs that I used and that was over 10 yrs ago. It was the original freeware version and stood the test of time up until Win XP. It sort of worked but just wasn’t as good. Then they finally updated it and I started using it again in Vista and on my XP machine.
Unfortunately it doesn’t work for me in Win 7 so I’m patiently waiting for their next update.
My favorite would be Irfanview 4.27
Of course without a web browser like FireFox, I could not get it easily.