Freeware / Open Source
A list of useful, mostly free software and Web services. The list is long, I suggest doing a “CTRL + F” search to find something specific. W = Website or Web application.
Updated Dec. 12, 2009.
CONTENTS:
Security
Finance
Email
Office Suites / Operating Systems
Productivity
Password Managers / Generators
Domain Tools
Remote Access / Desktop Sharing
File and Disk Encryption
File Backup / Disk Imaging
System and Network Tools
SECURITY:
OpenDNS (W) – DNS service with optional content filtering
Google Public DNS (W) – DNS Service without content filtering
ESET Smart Security – Not free, but better
Microsoft Security Essentials – Free, use with Windows Firewall
HouseCall (W) – Trend Micro’s online security scan
F-Secure Online Scanner (W) – Online scan with removal
ESET Online Scanner (W) – ESET’s online scan
Norton Removal Tool – Uninstaller for all Norton products
Panda Cloud Antivirus – Free real-time antivirus
ThreatFire – Use in addition to signature based tools
PC Tools Firewall Plus – Free Firewall
Spyware Doctor – Two free versions, one part of Google Pack
PrevxCSI – Malware on-demand scanner
McAfee SiteAdvisor – Internet security plug-in
Web of Trust (WOT) – Internet security plug-in that uses user feedback
VerificationEngine – Website authentication tool
Trend Micro eMail ID – Webmail authentication plug-in
Sandboxie – Application virtualization
VirtualBox – Full virtualization product
Windows Virtual PC – Create virtual machines in Windows 7
FINANCE:
Financial Fate – Financial planning software
Intuit Billing Manager (W) – Create and send invoices online
AnnualCreditReport.com (W) – free annual credit report
Trulia (W) – Real estate search
Zillow (W) – Another real estate search
Budget calculator (W) – Simple budget calculator
Investment returns calculator (W) – Return calculator
Inflation Calculator (W) – Online tool to visualize inflation
CD Calculator (W) – CD calculator
RetireAbilty (W) – Nationwide’s retirement planning calculator
Retire Secure Index (W) – Wells Fargo’s retirement planning calculator
myPlan Snapshot (W) – Fidelity’s retirement modeling calculator
Retirement Quickplan (W) – E-TRADE’s retirement planner
Mint (W) – Aggregate your finances
Buxfer (W) – Another money tracker
QuickBooks Simple Start – Free, basic accounting software
Google Checkout (W) – Checkout integration, free with an AdSense
Buy vs. Rent (W) – Online tool to calculate your breakpoint
How Americans Spend (W) – Consumption breakdown
EMAIL:
Global Mail Exchange (W) – Webmail service
Thunderbird – Alternative to Outlook Express/Live Mail
Trend Micro eMail ID – Webmail verification plug-in
thawte Email Cert – Digitally sign and encrypt email
Comodo Email Cert – A 2nd option for email encryption
Lightning – Integrated calendar for Thunderbird
OFFICE SUITES / OPERATING SYSTEMS:
Ajax 13 (W) – Simple Web based suite
Zoho Office Suite (W) – Another Web office suite
Google Docs (W) – Writer and spreadsheet
OpenOffice.org – Open source suite
Lotus Symphony – ODF based by IBM
Portable OpenOffice.org – An office suite for your thumb drive
Ubuntu – Linux based OS
openSUSE – Linux based OS
OpenSolaris – Open source Solaris OS
Wubi – Ubuntu installer
PRODUCTIVITY:
GTD-Free (W) – To-do manager (“Getting Things Done”)
CreativePro Office (W) – An office management suite
Basecamp (W) – Collaboration, free for one project
Sosius (W) – Online sharing and collaboration
Huddle (W) – Collaboration, free for one project
Open Workbench – Open source alternative to MS Project
Gantt Project – Another project planner
Hypertable – Open source database
Open System Architect – System modeling application
Drop.io (W) – File sharing
Install Creator – Free installer application
Perforce – Configuration management (free for two users)
Celtx – Storyboards and scriptwriting
PlanningWiz (W) – Create and share floor plans
Google Apps (W) – Collaborate with your family or small business
Google Calendar (W) – Track, coordinate, and share your schedule
Sunbird – Mozilla’s desktop calendar
Foxit Reader – A better, faster PDF reader
CutePDF Writer – A quick “print to PDF” utility
Text Mining Tool – Convert anything into TXT
YouConvertIt (W) – Convert things into other things
Zamzar (W) – Convert PDF to DOC
Picasa – Free image editing software, including Web sharing
GIMP – Open source image manipulation program
Photoshop Express (W) – 2G online storage with basic editing tools
Gadwin PrintScreen – A free print screen alternative to SnagIt
Fireshot – Firefox extension for taking Web page screenshots
PortableApps – An entire suite of portable applications
Citebite (W) – Create direct links to text within a Web site
Geni (W) – Create your family tree
jMemorize – Flashcard management
ClassMarker (W) – Create hosted or embedded quizzes
PASSWORD MANAGERS / GENERATORS:
KeePass Pasword Safe – Open source password manager
Clipperz (W) – Online password manager
GRC Password Generator – Online password generator
SafePasswd.com – Alternate online password generator
DOMAIN TOOLS:
Aptana IDE – IDE
Microsoft Web Platform – Windows Web server, database, and other tools
FileZilla – Full-featured FTP client
Kampyle (W) – Collect, analyze and manage your website visitors’ feedback
DialogCentral (W) – Add an optional visitor feedback form to your site
Wordpress.org – Content publishing platform
Joomla! – Open source CMS
Magento – Open source shopping cart
Defensio – Comment spam management
Google Analytics (W) – Web site stats
Woopra – Web analytics software
Google Webmaster Tools (W) – Everything Google about your site
Yahoo! Site Explorer (W) – Everything Yahoo! about your site
Live Search Webmaster (W) – Everything Microsoft about your site
Live Search (W) – Add a Live Search box to your site
Yahoo! Search Builder (W) – Add Yahoo! search to your site
Google Site Search (W) – Add Google Search to your site
reCAPTCHA Mailhide (W) – Show a CAPTCHA before showing your Email address
Enkoder (W) – Convert email addresses into encrypted JavaScript code
Google Checkout (W) – Checkout integration, free with AdSense
Browsershots (W) – Screenshots of your site in different browsers
WhoisThisDomain – Small app to perform WHOIS queries
Domain Tools (W) – WHOIS and more
Favicon Editor (W) – Free favicons, plus editor
Color Sphere (W) – Assists with color selection
REMOTE ACCESS / DESKTOP SHARING:
CrossLoop – Free desktop sharing tool, easy
TeamViewer – Another free desktop sharing tool
Fog Creek Copilot – Free on weekends
LogMeIn (W) – Remote access, free version
OpenVPN – Open source SSL VPN
dimdim (W) – Open source Web meeting service
Yuuguu (W) – Web meetings and desktop sharing
FILE AND DISK ENCRYPTION:
TrueCrypt - Open source full disk encryption application
FreeOTFE – Disk encryption program for PCs and PDAs
EncryptOnClick – Folder and file encryption tool, portable
FILE BACK-UP / DISK IMAGING:
Comodo Backup – Scheduled folder and file backup system
SyncBack Freeware – Free automated file backups
MozyHome Free (W) – Free remote, automated backups
SpiderOak (W) – Free remote backups, supports Linux
IDrive (W) – Another choice for free remote backups
DropBoks (W) – Very simple, not automated
Genie Backup Manager Pro – Not free, disk imaging and file backup software
DriveImage XML – Free disk imaging software
SYSTEM / NETWORK TOOLS:
EASEUS Partition Manager – Disk partitioning utility
Axence NetTools Pro – Network scanning, security, and administration tools
Spiceworks – Network management and asset reporting
Darik’s Boot And Nuke – Bootable hard disk wiper
CCleaner – System cleaner
Sysinternals – system utilities and technical info
PageDefrag – Defrag your paging files
AutoRuns – Startup monitor
BGInfo – Displays system config/info as a background image
Process Monitor – Displays file system, registry, and process activity
SysInspector – A system analysis tool
Microsoft PowerToys for XP – A little suite of extra PC tools
ClearType Tuner – Manage your ClearType via the control panel
ClearType Tuner (W) – Manage your ClearType via the Web
Pandora Recovery – File recovery tool
Calibrize – Calibrate monitor colors