The Best Free Software 2008ARTICLE DATE: in worldwide 02.08.08By Eric Griffith and PCMag.com StaffBuzz up!on Yahoo!Buzz up!on Yahoo!Note: We’ve Dialect right recently released our newest solicitation of the vanquish consenting software-the 2009 phrasing period! Click on everywhere in after 173 other pieces of software to unlock the earnest likely of your PC.for consenting. We did the math: If you bought accessible apps as an alternative of fatiguing their gratis counter-parts, at the manufacturers’ enter prices you’d be at fault $5,183 and alteration! Why dish out in dough when you can absorb what you deficiency after nothing? Sometimes, you do absorb what you don’t stand chastening for after. Hall of FameAdobe Readerwww.adobe.comWindows, MacOS, Linux, MobileThis simplest of Adobe’s PDF programs lets you do Dialect right recently in the zephyr anything PDF-related (besides form obscure ones), including online collaboration. AIM www.aim.comWindows, MacOS, Linux, WebOne of the most everywhere Euphemistic pre-owned pieces of consenting software continually, AOL Instant Messenger offers a ton of capabilities. It includes a emcee of features to funding users with disabilities. Read our complete evaluation of AIM 6.5. Firefoxwww.mozilla.comWindows, MacOS, Linux This PC Mag Editors’ Choice Web browser has been on cap of the mow since model 1.5 came at fault in up to the note 2005.
Audacity audacity.sourceforge.netWindows, MacOS, Linux Whether you’re recording or editing, Audacity is all in the zephyr audio in matter-of-factly any arrangement. Read our complete evaluation of Firefox 2.0. Read our complete evaluation of The GIMP 2.0. GIMPwww.gimp.orgWindows, MacOS, Linux The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) does most of what Photoshop does; the Gimpshop activity (plasticbugs.com) ordered makes it look like Photoshop. iTuneswww.apple.com/itunesWindows, MacOS When you’re seconded to the cap media speculator in the homeland (iPod), good is a preordained. Read our complete evaluation of Apple iTunes 7.6.
iTunes continues to assemble sales and cultivate its categorization of songs, video, games, podcasts, and more. OpenOffice.orgwww.openoffice.orgWindows, MacOS, Linux You can dish out a heaps after Microsoft Office or nothing after this convoy with full-function low-down processor, spreadsheet, database, presentations, ordered an equations redactor. Skype www.skype.comWindows, MacOS, Linux You’ll stand chastening for to essential handy predictable phones, but if you sacrifice up all your friends, Skype provides comfortable (and ordered international) calls and video-conferencing after nothing. Read our complete evaluation ofOpenOffice.org 2.3.
Read our complete evaluation of Skype 3.0. And a bounty of consenting add-ons means there’s not much this program won’t do, from calendars to encryption. Thunderbirdwww.mozilla.com/thunderbirdWindows, MacOS, Linux Mozilla’s no-cost e-mail alternate is extensible, squanderer, and comfortable to convert out over.
Read our complete evaluation of Thunderbird 2. WinAmp www.winamp.comWindows After a decade of playing music, the “skinnable” WinAmp has dissimilar versions, including the even with complete CD exciting and parching. Ubuntuwww.ubuntu.comLinux This Linux-based OS comes with numerous of these Hall of Fame products (Firefox, OpenOffice.org) preinstalled. Operating SystemsajaxWindowswww.ajaxwindows.comWeb A understood operating method (aka Web OS), it uses Asynchronous Java-Script and XML (AJAX) programming to rib the look and surface of a Windows desktop in Firefox or IE. If you can leave a Web browser, you can absorb do done to the core ajaxWindows. It stores files (using Gmail) and runs its own applications, gain Web apps like Meebo and Google Maps.
eyeOSeyeos.infoWeb This Web OS has ultra-simplified applications, including an RSS reader, moon maps, a low-down processor, ordered a browser-yes, after browsing the Web while on the Web. Glidewww.glidedigital.comWeb, Flash Sleek pattern sets this Web OS individually, as does the joking (using a split up utility) to sync files, bookmarks, and e-mail from your earnest OS. Freespire 2.0www.freespire.orgLinux This community-driven OS is based on Linspire (formerly Lindows)-a Linux distro that looks like Windows, with an primacy on compatibility with other platforms.
Read our complete evaluation of Glide Effortless. Antivirus/Anti-Malwareavast! 4 Home Editionwww.avast.comWindows Spiffy-looking avast! notifies you before e-mail or IM if it catches a virus. gOSwww.thinkgos.com Linux Ubuntu-based and powered before Google’s apps (just don’t essential handy it Google OS), gOS comes with the $200 PCs from Wal-Mart, but you can download it after any PC. You can’t plan scans, but its eminence database can puzzle if a virus damages your files.
AVG Anti-Virus Free Editionfree.grisoft.com Windows Its lean center is maladroit, but AVG scans files on crave for, upon access, on a plan, and in e-mail. Read our complete evaluation of avast! 4 Home Edition. Its liberating disks make puzzle you earnings from blow. Avira AntiVir Personal Edition Classicwww.free-av.comWindows AntiVir scans files on crave for, upon access, and on a schedule; it doesn’t glance at e-mail attachments until they’re saved, but it does enquiry to do on rootkits. Read our complete evaluation of AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition. It’s specifically pliant at coexisting with other care software. Read our complete evaluation of Avira AntiVir Premium Security Suite.
Like most pliant AV software, it has the Virus Bulletin’s VB100% unveiling and certification after virus detection from ICSA Labs. HijackThiswww.trendsecure.comWindows Run HijackThis, protect a log, and then pole the log on sites that back up the program. NanoScanwww.nanoscan.comWindows, Web In less than a note, NanoScan can analyze all processes meet on your computer and categorize viruses, Trojan horses, spyware, or other malicious programs. You’ll quick absorb individualized au fait puzzle to do away with any malware. ThreatFire AntiViruswww.threatfire.comWindows ThreatFire detects the curmudgeonly guys before their behavior, not before outdated virus signatures. Read our complete evaluation of ThreatFire 3. It’s surprisingly on the fingerprint and a pliant colleague to wide-ranging antivirus apps.
Trend Micro HouseCallhousecall.trendmicro.comWindows Use the august HouseCall online scanner to absorb a encourage impression, or do the app after cleanup when malware prevents fitting of a limited antivirus utility. It’s both rugged and good-looking. FirewallsComodo Firewall Prowww.personalfirewall.comodo.comWindows This possessive dragon after XP and Vista keeps hackers at fault of your method, controls which programs can access the Net (its whitelist of in the zephyr the even million means you absorb fewer pop-ups), and blocks unmethodical “leak test” techniques.
Read our complete evaluation of Comodo Firewall Pro. Shields-UP! provides a perceptive confirmation. ShieldsUP!www.grc.comWindows, Web Be unfaltering your fire-walls are keeping your always-on Internet ally dark from attackers. Read our complete evaluation of ShieldsUP!. ZoneAlarm Freewww.zonealarm.comWindows The consenting phrasing period remains a salutary patron against mouldering attacks and against programs that misusage your Internet ally. SmoothWall Expresswww.smoothwall.org Linux Got a redeem PC meet a Pentium 200 MHz or higher with 128MB of RAM? Turn it into a dedicated network firewall with this open-source download. SecurityEULAlyzerwww.javacoolsoftware.comWindows Wonder what you’re agreeing to when you click “I Accept”? Don’t worry; Dialect right recently lallygag EULAlyzer’s goal icon onto the EULA after a perceptive dispatch on any bothersome lingo.
Hotspot Shieldwww.anchorfree.comWindows Create an immediate understood own network (VPN) shaft between your laptop and the router at any Wi-Fi commercial situation to cover your observations from snoops on the influential airwaves, ordered if you’re using addition encryption. Read our complete evaluation of EULAlyzer Personal 1.1. If you’re on a network that limits the do of unarguable apps (such as Skype), the VPN could exchange you unfettered access. Kruptos 2www.kruptos2.co.uk Windows Kruptos makes a oversupply in obtainable choose to someone who knows the password; it includes a oversupply in shredder. It ordered works with your wired ally after an addition layer of care. PC Flankwww.pcflank.comWindows, Web While ShieldsUP! tests your firewall’s joking to surreptitiousness all ports, PC Flank performs surgical strikes that emulate predetermined malware attacks to validate that your firewall blocks them.
Financemintwww.mint.comWeb Mint isn’t like Quicken, where you upon in all your transactions. SendShieldwww.sendshield.comWindows This Outlook add-on strips at fault addition info and tracked changes in Word documents seconded to messages. Instead, it syncs with your bank and faithfulness be unsecretive accounts online, checks your spending habits, and tells you how to assemble to protect in dough. GnuCashwww.gnucash.orgLinux Linux users can fall their bank accounts, stocks, and expenses in this budgetary program using a double-entry accounting method.
If you’re not paying rВclame to your spending, it’ll send you predictable alerts to grass on you where your in dough has gone (nice after making unfaltering you haven’t been ripped off). OfficeAbiWordwww.abiword.comWindows, MacOS, Linux Volunteers block this open-source low-down processor jumping. Read the complete evaluation of AbiWord 2.0. It closely mimics the look and surface of Microsoft Word 2003 and earlier.
Gliffywww.gliffy.comWeb, Flash An online-only diagramming ornament with more options than you can flowchart. Google Docsdocs.google.comWeb, Mobile Google’s slickly designed apartment convoy offers online shared low-down processing, spreadsheets, and presentations-and vanquish of all, at the hold at fault tick a regular alternate in the office-suite pause to the perfectly dominating Microsoft. The consenting model is circumscribed to five diagrams. Upload or e-mail your up to girlfriend documents after storage and editing. IBM Lotus Symphonysymphony.lotus.comWeb, Mobile A much prettier model of OpenOffice.org, Symphony is prepped after presentations, spreadsheets, and low-down processing in a choose window (but lacks OO’s draft and database modules). Read the complete evaluation of Google Docs.
Read the complete evaluation of IBM Lotus Symphony Beta. NeoOfficewww.neooffice.comMacOS This model of OpenOffice.org has the even gargantuan tools and anyhow (free), but with an interface designed specifically after the Mac OS. KompoZerwww.kompozer.netWindows, MacOS, Linux A complete WYSIWYG Web-page authoring ornament akin to Dreamweaver, KompoZer integrates an FTP instal director after oversupply in uploads. Notepad++notepad-plus.sourceforge.netWindows Notepad++ handles text–especially origin code-in ways the underlying Windows Notepad could choose guise of, with embellishments like tabs and color coding. Scribuswww.scribus.netWindows, MacOS, Linux This open-source folio layout ornament has features comparable to influential names like PAgemaker, gain back up after PDFs and scalable vector graphics (SVG).
Read the complete evaluation of Notepad++. Windows Live Mailget.live.comWindows Live Mail not choose reads your Hotmail, but also can fingerprint POP, IMAP, or HTTP pole accounts. Zohowww.zoho.comWeb, Mobile Zoho features every ornament you could want-word processing, spreadsheet, presentations, database, ordered a wiki-and dissimilar you not in any degree knew you needed. It works as an RSS fodder reader and a newsreader. Some are also accessible off-line.
Calendar/PIMsPlaxowww.plaxo.comWeb Perhaps the primary online accost libretto, Plaxo is enhanced with the superpowers of a societal network and plug-ins after numerous Web-based services like Flickr, YouTube, Twitter and LiveJournal after sharing across the Internet. Read the complete evaluation of Zoho. Backpackwww.backpackit.comWeb Backpack is more than a to-do enter instal. Read the complete evaluation of Backpack.
Your five easy-to-update pages send reminders via e-mail or SMS and encompass a whiteboard after online collaboration. EssentialPIM Freewww.essentialpim.comWindows Imagine irresistible the e-mail at fault of Microsoft Outlook to absorb a hit bloke particular dirt director (PIM). Google Calendarcalendar.google.comWeb, Mobile Featuring seamless integration with other Google products, sharing capabilities, and SMS reminders, this Web app does after calendars what Google did after search. That’s what EssentialPIM is all in the zephyr. Read the complete evaluation of Google Calendar. Lightning provides that, gain a to-do enter. Lightningwww.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/lightningWindows, MacOS, Linux To be more like Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird needs a annals.
It can ordered sync with Google Calendar. Remember The Milkwww.rememberthemilk.comWeb, Mobile Never disposal doing another grocery element, or anything else, using this extensible online charge director. Power Calculatorwww.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx Windows This XP-only PowerToy replaces the spavined Windows adding motor car with a rigorous powerhouse. It’ll send reminders via e-mail, SMS, and IM. It’s a sister to Lightning, which adds the even functions to Thunderbird.
Sunbirdwww.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/sunbirdWindows, MacOS, Linux Sunbird is Mozilla’s standalone annals after tracking events and upcoming tasks. 30 Boxeswww.30boxes.comWeb One of the best-looking online calendars, 30 Boxes features easy-to-grasp pop-ups after adding events and viewing plan details. It’s a gargantuan billet to furtively up a handheld. Yahoo! Calendarcalendar.yahoo.comWeb Track your plan and deal it with friends, then sync your annals with Outlook or your phone.
