As well as the links in here, it's also worth a look in the RG Information & Help forum, where there's lots of help on RG and ez forums, and some more general computer tips.
All the programs/services listed below are free unless otherwise stated.
To save you ploughing through them all if youre looking for a particular type of program, Ive put them in categories under these headings:
General computer help
Miscellaneous utilities
Graphics
- animated GIF editing
- icon creation
- image hosting
- image hosting and manipulation
- image manipulation
- water animation
Internet
- browsers and Java
- upload
- URL abbreviation
PDF and other platform-independent formats
Screenshots
Security & privacy
- anti-spyware
- anti-spam and anti-popup
- anti-virus
- firewall
- disk cleanup
Text & keyboard
VOIP & instant messaging
General computer help
Data Doctors
A splendid and simple-to-use computer help site. A massive and searchable data base make this a good first stop when problems arise.
Covers tech advice and advice on how to deal with and avoid Spam etc.
.net
A great online version of the popular .net magazine. Anyone who is interested in building their own website will find this site fascinating.
PC911
A good and very simple computer help site in "everyday-speak" - it may be too basic for some but it's a good resource for understandable help.
Miscellaneous utilities
Belarc Advisor
Builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, missing Microsoft hotfixes, anti-virus status, CIS (Center for Internet Security) benchmarks, and displays the results in your Web browser.
CLCL Clipboard catcher
A clipboard caching utility, giving you a bit more flexibility than the usual copy & paste.
MaxMem
Allows you to manage (and clear) temporary memory to speed things up. Could be useful if you work with graphics a lot.
SyncBack freeware
Back up and/or synchronise your files to the same drive, a different drive or medium (CDRW, CompactFlash, etc), an FTP server, a Network, or a Zip archive.
Zamzar
Free online file conversion. Upload almost any file (up to 100MB) and it will convert it to another format and e-mail the converted file to you. Including converting PDF to DOC (Word Format) and Ms Works Format to Word and it converts image, video and audio files as well.
Graphics - animated GIF editing
Gifworks
An online GIF image editor nothing to download or install. Create your own special effects with any GIF even animated ones: resize, colorize, optimize, and jazzercise then save it and take it with you.
Graphics - icon creation
Iconart
Cursor & icon creator. (Icons are used to illustrate programs and files. One example is the shortcuts on your desktop.) Allows you to either draw the whole image from scratch or to import an image to turn into a icon or cursor.
Graphics - image hosting and manipulation
Photobucket
Hosts photos, videos, and images. Allows you to make slideshows and remixes and link your media to your social network profile, auction sites, web sites and blogs. Share by e-mail, IM, or mobile phone.
Picasa
Helps you locate and organise all the photos on your computer. Edit and add effects to your photos. Share your photos with others through e-mail, prints and on the Web.
Picturetrail
Photo Sharing, Online Photo Albums, Digital Prints, Image Hosting, Photo Slideshows. Offers a number of fancy ways of showing your photos - good for slideshows.
Graphics - image manipulation
IrfanView
A very handy image viewer and resizer.
Photofiltre
A complete image retouching program. It allows you to do simple or advanced adjustments
to an image and apply a vast range of filters on it.
The Gimp
GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program for photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. Reputed to be very powerful, if not very user-friendly.
Photostudio2
A multi-purpose tool for dealing with photographic images. Supports everything from downloading the images from your camera or memory card, through rotating, resizing, conversion, previewing, adding comments, creating thumbnails and generating fully customisable HTML index pages ready for uploading to your website.
Graphics - water animation
Water reflections
Add pools of water to any image or AVI video.
Internet - browsers and Java
Avant Browser
An excellent Internet browser, based on Internet Explorer, that includes a pop-up blocker.
Will run happily alongside Internet Explorer and can be running at the same time.
Firefox
Available in UK and US English versions.
Netscape
Will run happily alongside Internet Explorer and can be running at the same time.
Opera
Will run happily alongside Internet Explorer and can be running at the same time.
Java from Sun
If you cant get into the chatroom because Microsoft Virtual Machine is not available, or can't do the daily jigsaw in the Jigzone but just get parallel bars on your screen, you need to download Java.
Sun's Java plugin has the added benefit of supporting all of the latest Java enhancements.
Internet - e-mail
Thunderbird
Non-Microsoft e-mail client, if you want a change from Outlook Express.
Internet - upload
Ace FTP
Easy-to-use free FTP client software for transferring files over the Internet. Drag-and-drop interface.
Send to FTP
Allows you to upload files from the Windows Explorer right-click menu.
Internet - URL abbreviation
TinyURL
Online conversion of very long URLs to short, useable ones.
Notlong
Online conversion of very long URLs to short, useable ones, allowing you to choose the abbreviated URL.
PDF and other platform-independent formats
eDocPrinter PDF Pro
Allows you to create PDF files from any printable document, including web pages, MS Office documents, and simple text. This is shareware with a free trial period. You can get free PDF makers, but this one offers more flexibility and control.
Stuffit Expander
Stuffit is the Mac users Winzip, so if you get a file you cant open, check whether its one of these formats: .sitx , .sit, .zip, .sea , .tar , .bin , .hqz, .gz, .bz2, .tgz , .lha , .mime , .rar , .arc , .pf , .uu, .uue, .exe, .cab, .yenc, .z
Adobe Reader
The standard reader that allows you to open .pdf files.
Screenshots
FastStone capture
A screen capture utility with integrated image viewer and capture editor. Smashing little program!
Wink
Much more than a capture utility - Tutorial and Presentation creation software, primarily aimed at creating tutorials on how to use software. Using Wink you can capture screenshots, add explanation boxes, buttons, titles, etc. and generate an animated tutorial for your users.
Security & privacy - anti-spyware
CWShredder
Finds and destroys traces of CoolWebSearch. CoolWebSearch is a name given to a wide range of different browser hijackers: though the code is very different between variants, they are all used to redirect users to coolwebsearch.com and other sites affiliated with its operators.
Ad-aware
Advanced protection against spyware that secretly attaches and takes control of your computer, resulting in aggressive advertising pop-ups, sluggish computer activity, and even identity theft through stolen bank details, passwords, and credit card account numbers.
SpywareBlaster
Prevents the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, dialers, browser hijackers, and other potentially unwanted programs. It can also block spyware/tracking cookies in IE and Mozilla/Firefox, and restrict the actions of spyware/ad/tracking sites.
Spybot
Detects and removes spyware, a function not always covered by common anti-virus applications. Can also be set to immunise your computer from known threats.
Security & privacy - anti-spam and anti-popup
Not such a problem these days as e-mail and Web software becomes increasingly sophisticated, but for those who want dedicated programs:
The Spam Filter
Spamweasel
Also available from other sites.
Spampal
Mailwasher
But not everyone in RG who tried it liked this one.
The Spam Filter
An interesting idea free for users at the receiving end - you fill in the form on the page.
Pop-up Popper
Pop-up Stopper
Security & privacy - anti-virus
Two free programs for home users:
Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic
AVG Anti-virus
HouseCall
A site that provides free and powerfull anti-virus scan online. Also provides info on all the latest virus and hoaxes and the home of HijackThis. A good newsletter if you want it.
Security & privacy - firewall
Kerio
Protects connected PCs from Internet threats. Inspects both incoming and outgoing connections ensuring that only legitimate traffic is allowed. It doesnt, however, attempt to scare you to death just to prove its working. Sensible and easy to use.
Note: After installation, KPF works as the full edition for 30 days, after which it becomes the limited free edition.
Zonealarm
Easy-to-use firewall blocks hackers and other unknown threats: systematically identifies hackers and blocks access attempts and automatically makes your computer invisible to anyone on the Internet. Popular with RG members.
Security & privacy - disk cleanup
CCleaner
A system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space.
Easy Cleaner
Allows you to delete unnecessary files and thus speed up the computer - but I think you need to be careful you don't delete anything vital with this!
Text & keyboard
PsPad
A text editor, very handy if you need to edit Web pages or large text files, with an excellent search option which lists all the relevant lines at the bottom.
Windows keyboard shortcuts
Mousing is fine, but if you've got an aching shoulder or just want to speed things up a bit, here's a link for lots of keyboard shortcuts.
Alt-key combinations for special characters.
Lots of Alt-key combinations for characters that aren't on the keyboard, like ¼ and ÷, including for specific languages.
For info on getting currency symbols go here
VOIP & instant messaging
Pidgin
Formally know as Gaim, this is an instant messaging client which will talk to all of the standard systems at once, e.g. Messenger, Yahoo, GoogleTalk, etc.
Skype
Software that lets you make free calls to anyone else on Skype, anywhere in the world. And even though the calls are free, they are really excellent quality. If you and your friends, family or business contacts are using webcams, you can also make free video calls. You can also call landlines and mobile phones at low per-minute rates.
Voip Buster
Free phone calls from your computer to landlines in over thirty countries around the world listed on their website.
