Freeware / Open Source
A list of useful, mostly free software and Web services. The list has grown long so I added within-page links to help, or I suggest doing a “CTRL + F” search to find something specific. W = Website or Web application.
Updated 07-26-2008.
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 Tools
SECURITY:
OpenDNS (W) - DNS service with optional content filtering
ESET NOD32 Antivirus - Not free, but better
Comodo Antivirus - Free and full-featured
AVG (F) Antivirus - Free with reduced features
ThreatFire - Use in addition to sig based tools
HouseCall (W) - Free online security scan
Norton Removal Tool - Uninstaller for all Norton products
Baseline Security Analyzer - Check “security” configurations
Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall - Free firewall
Comodo Firewall - Free and full-featured
PC Tools Firewall Plus - Free Firewall
Spyware Doctor - Two free versions, one part of Google Pack
AVG Anti-Rootkit - Anti-rootkit scanner
Hazard Shield - Realtime anti-malware scanner
PreVX - Malware on-demand scanner
McAfee SiteAdvisor - Site authentication plug-in
VerificationEngine - “Identity assurance and fraud protection”
Trend Micro eMail ID - Webmail verification plug-in
OperaTor - Opera, Tor, and Polipo, portable
Sandboxie - Application virtualization
Virtual PC 2007 - Create virtual machines in Windows
FINANCE:
Blinksale (W) - Create and send invoices online (three for free)
Trulia (W) - Real estate search
Zillow (W) - Another real estate search
Budget Calculator (W) - Simple budget calculator from WaMu
Investment Returns Calculator (W) - Return calculator
Inflation Calculator (W) - Online tool to visualize inflation
CD Calculator (W) - CD calculator at GMAC
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
Yodlee Money Center (W) - Finance tracker
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
Virgin Money - Loan management (not free)
LoanBack - Create online Promissory Notes (not free)
EMAIL:
Global Mail Exchange (W) - Webmail service
Thunderbird - Email client alternative to Outlook Express
Spamihilator - Anti-spam filter
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
Mint Email (W) - Disposable email with auto authentication
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
StarOffice - Free as part of Google Pack
Lotus Symphony - ODF based by IBM
Portable OpenOffice.org - An office suite for your thumb drive
docstoc (W) - Find and share documents
ajaxWindows (W) - Virtual desktop that actually sort-of works
jooce (W) - Nice online desktop
Ubuntu - Linux based OS
openSUSE - Linux based OS
OpenSolaris - Open source Solaris OS
Wubi - Ubuntu installer
PRODUCTIVITY:
CreativePro Office(W) - An office management suite
Basecamp (W) - Collaboration, free for one project
MyQuire (W) - Online project tracking
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 intaller application
eXpresso - Share your Excel spreadsheets
Perforce - Configuration management (free for two users)
Celtx - Storyboards and scriptwriting
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
vozMe (W) - Convert text to MP3
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
Flooreplanner (W) - Create and share floorplans
Tiddlespot (W) - Wiki generator
Acronyma (W) - A user-maintained acronym list
Citebite (W) - Create direct links to text within a Web site
Geni (W) - Create your family tree
Tripit (W) - Online travel organizer
jMemorize - Flashcard management
ClassMarker (W) - Create hosted or embedded quizzes
PASSWORD MANAGERS / GENERATORS:
KeePass Pasword Safe - Open source password manager
Comodo i-Vault - Better browser integration than KeePass
Access Manager - One more password manager option
Clipperz (W) - Online password manager
GRC Password Generator - Online password generator
SafePasswd.com - Alternate online password generator
DOMAIN TOOLS:
Aptana IDE - IDE
SmartFTP - Full-featured FTP client (free for home use)
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
Piwik - Self-hosted 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
Google Checkout (W) - Checkout integration, free with AdSense
Browsershots (W) - Screenshots of your site in different browsers
Ning (W) - Create your very own social network
Popfly (W) - Build and share mashups, gadgets
Pipes (W) - Mashup Web content
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
Fog Creek Copilot - Free on weekends, easy
LogMeIn (W) - Remote access, free version
GoToMyPC (W) - Not Free, but another choice
WebEx PCNow (W) - Not free, just another choice
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
PGP Whole Disk Encryption - Not free, but name brand
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
Backup.com (W) - Online backup, not free
DropBoks (W) - Very simple, not automated
XDrive (W) - Another choice for remote backup
Acronis True Image - Not free, disk imaging and file backup software
DriveImage XML - Free disk imaging software
SYSTEM TOOLS:
Spiceworks - Network management and asset reporting
CCleaner - System cleaner, including registry issues
RegCleaner Standard - Registry cleaner
Sysinternals - system utilities and technical info
PageDefrag - Defrag your paging files
Defraggler - Defrag your disk
AutoRuns - Startup monitor
BGInfo - Displays system config/info as a background image
Process Monitor - Displays file system, registry, and process activity
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
TweakUI - Easier access to certain system settings in XP
Pandora Recovery - File recovery tool
Monitor Calibration Wizard - Calibrate monitor colors
Great list, thanks!
In turn I wish to share with you tools from mine favs:
A lot of SEO tools
http://www.iwebtool.com/tools/
Reverse IP-lookup
http://www.seologs.com/ip-domains.html
Email protector
http://iframe.in/email-protector/
Simple & Secure Password Manager (Bruce Schneier)
http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net/
Your site had great promise at first, as it appeared to promote open source software. Unfortunately it appears that you and the vast majority of your sites have been sipping at the Microsoft Mantra Well for too long. The concept of open source is to open software to all users. Microsoft, on the other hand, has been structuring its products to lock people into the Windows environment.
Your site seems to perpetuate Microsoft’s vision. In a few years, you will find that Linux will grow is use, not only because of the initial cost, but more so due to the perpetuation of freedom. Mr. Torvalds does not attempt to manipulate me to use certain software. He does not promote FUD (as a Windows promoter, I feel comfortable that you know what this means).
I only spend the time and energy writing to you to hope you consider the power and freedom of the Linux environment, as well as the effect it has on bringing people from many countries and cultures together.