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The Completely Free E-mail Update #44
Issued May 26, 1998
Welcome to the forty-fourth edition of the 'Completely Free Software E-mail Update'. This is a selection of the programs we've added over the past week.
The programs listed are completely free for non-commercial use, even though some may be shareware or commercial products. None are time-limited and all are fully functionable. If you know any that aren't exactly as specified, please let us know and they will be removed immediately.
COMPLETELY FREE SOFTWARE
StratusPad – W95
Hands up if you find WinWord, WordPerfect, etc too fat and bloated for 98% of your word processing. Hands up if you think that WordPad is not a 'real' word processor. Now, hands up if you would like a simple word processor which would do 98% of your text-based work, that has a spell checker (including word counter), is very fast to load, which can handle multiple documents, which can work in DOC (Word 6), WRI (Win 3.x), RTF and TXT formats, and which offers quick keyboard shortcuts for common Windows' tasks (like F6 to activate the screensaver and F9 to activate the Character Map). In case you hadn't figured it out, StratusPad does all this and more, much more. With three toolbars – two which can be moved around the screen, and one which is customizable – this is not just a pretty face on a dead would-be word processor (WordPad!!!) but a fast program which has many of the features you would only find in top end word packages. With a download of only 972kB, you can access the sensational StratusPad from: W95 Text Programs
Qinfo – W95
If you ever wanted a quick reference guide for US telephone area codes, for world times, time zones and world telephone prefixes, or wanted to look up Internet country codes, then Qinfo is for you. This handy program allows for searches in the US telephone area code section so you can type in, say, 410 and find out that it's in the Eastern US time zone, that it's in the state of Maryland, and that its general locality is "Eastern Maryland: Baltimore, Annapolis". For US citizens this is handy information. The second part of this three part utility set is the International timezones/dialing codes section. Here you can preset the city where you live so the timezone is accurately reflected throughout the entire database of some 1500 world cities. We set ours to Sydney, Australia (which reflects the timezone we are in) and find that while it is 9:20pm (21:20 hours) here, it is 5:20pm (17:20) on the same day in Dhaka (Dacca), Bangladesh, which has a country area code of 880 and a city code of 2. At the same time it is 4:20am (4:20) on the same day in Arizona, USA, that Arizona is currently enjoying daylight saving time, that the US country telephone code is 1, and that no city code is required. Handy stuff. The final utility is an Internet country code lookup where you can find out that if you get a URL or an e-mail address with a suffix of, say, BB it is for Barbados. Australia is AU, South Africa is ZA and Taiwan is TW – every country has its own unique code. Qinfo is a handy reference guide which should get a regular workout as you cruise the Net – or decide to telephone Aunt Mary in Maine, USA (area code 207). Dial up this 366kB download at: W95 Desktop Utilities
Windows 98 IconPax – W95
Whether or not you have a copy of Windows 98 on your desktop you will find some hi-color icons in this pack which won't be duplicated with what you already have. If your don't have Win98 (or IE4), then this will give you a real Win98 look to your desktop. The download includes an install program (IconPaX) which will install these icons on your desktop and then reboot your computer so they will take effect. We installed them on our test computer and they look great. However, if you don't like them there is an uninstall feature. The main icon pack (with the program) is a 345kB download, plus there are extra downloads of 88kB for additional icons and 13kB for cursors if you want them. For users of WinZip there's even a "Win98" version of the icon for that program too (available as a separate download of 3kB). If customization is your 'thing' then this is an essential download. Access one or more of these icon packs from: W95 Windows Extras
FolderSort – W95
Even though Explorer lists files in a sorted order, the actual files are not physically in that order on your hard drive. This can cause problems for some programs which require files to be in a particular sequence. FolderSort will physically re-sort your folders and place the files into order – by name (or name reversed), or by extension (or extension reversed). Long file name (LFN) compliant, and FAT32s compliant, FolderSort is a great utility if you want or need files physically sorted within a folder. For the ultimate in an ordered hard drive, access this 138kB download from: W95 Desktop Utilities
Morph Man '95 – W95
Morphing between two images is great fun. You can change your boss into a dog or, if you're the boss, you can always change yourself into Bill Gates – at least long enough to get some checks cashed! By taking two images you set up control points on them and then click on 'go'. The program will create a number of intermediate images (you set the number) and the final result can be presented as either a series of still images or as an AVI file. Now, imagine what you could do with a series of GIF images and a GIF animation program... The program supports JPG, TIF, TGA, PCX, GIF and BMP images so you should be able to get the correct format image for your morphing fun. You can morph yourself into this 1.55MB download from: W95 Graphics Programs
Panorama 32 – W95
Panorama is an excellent wallpaper manager which has some terrific features. Not only does it support BMP, GIF, JPG and PNG image formats, it will allow you to either randomize your wallpapers or display your selection in order. You can alter the time between wallpaper changes from 1 second to 24 hours, have the program automatically tile small images, and run it from the system tray (near the clock). Panorama can also search your hard drive for images. If you enjoy a colorful, ever changing panorama of fancy wallpaper, access this 487kB download from: W95 Desktop Utilities
vTuner Windows – W95
Many realise that there are now quite a few radio stations broadcasting over the Internet but the big question is: how do you find them? Well, you could go to the vTuner homepage and link into one of over 900 Internet transmitting radio stations, or you could download the vTuner Windows program which does the same – without the need to use your browser and with its fabulous interface. At anytime you can download the latest additions from the vTuner website (as we said, over 900 stations are already listed) and they can be accessed by a variety of methods. If you want to listen to a radio station in, say, Melbourne, Australia, you can click on the location button to bring up a geographic list of stations (the list includes some basic details of the station so you know something about it). Or, you can click on one of a number of other buttons (ethnic, music, talk or television) and access the sites listed in those categories. When you find a station that you like you have a number of options. You can add it to the main playlist, you can visit its website, or you can just listen to the station. You can even listen in on the NYPD police radio! Quality of the broadcast varies depending on the Net congestion and on the type of station you wish to hear. A music station requires much higher bandwidth than a news or talk station. Overall, we were much impressed with this advertiser-supported program. The graphics are superb – some of the best we've seen this year – and the program easy to use. vTuner Windows is a great program but, if you don't wish to download the hefty 3.4MB setup file, you can access the same information directly from the vTuner homepage. Tune into vTuner at: W95 Internet Related
Engine – W3.x (suitable for W95)
This is a great program for budding auto mechanics. When you click on "New Game" you are given a problem with the 4-stroke engine displayed on the screen. For example, it might be; "Engine will not start,engine cranks over.Spark plug does not fire." and you must select from a list of parts and service (16 choices) the correct procedure to get the engine firing. In this case we selected "Coil - $25" from the list and we were rewarded with the comment: "Very good, that was the problem, try the engine now." We then clicked on the "Start engine" button and the diagrammatic engine cycled through OK. With a Pentium 133 the 'engine' ran a little fast to really see the actual workings of the 4-stroke engine clearly but with a slower computer, maybe with the Turbo button off, you should see the workings of the engine. If you get the answer wrong you are given a second and third chance to fix it but the cost to repair the engine will rise with each incorrect part you fit. This is a great teaching tool for teenagers preparing to get their first vehicle. Rev up for this 33kB download from: W31 General Programs
GhostMouse – W95
If you've ever wanted a mouse-driven macro-like program which can automatically launch programs, close windows, etc, then GhostMouse is just for you. Like a macro in MS Office, GhostMouse will record exactly what you do – where the mouse pointer goes, what it clicks on – and then play it back any time you like. It can be included in the Startup menu so it performs a specific function upon system start-up, and you can also record a number of 'macros' for later playback. It can even be set to re-play itself, effectively causing a never-ending loop. It can also be set to automatically turn itself off after finishing a task – again which is handy if you want something done automatically during startup. There are many applications for this program, but all of them assume that your desktop, etc is exactly the same as when the macro was recorded. With that limitation in mind, dangle a piece of cheese in front of GhostMouse and try it for yourself. Access this 682kB download from: W95 Desktop Utilities
Galactical Apocalypse – W31 (suitable W95)
This is another 'Space Invaders' clone but with modern sound and graphics to make this arcade-type game very playable. Not a brain tester, all you need is a fast finger on the firing button (the space bar) and a good eye for falling missiles, etc. Plenty of levels, great animation, fun sound – what more do you want? Shoot down your copy from: W31 General Games
UPDATES
Web-O-Rama – the terrific HTML source-code editor – has been upgraded to version 4.4. Users of version 3.71 or later need only download a 251kB replacement zipped EXE file. The full program is now a 2.43MB download. If you need to get the upgrade, or you'd just like to try this terrific HTML source-code editor, you can access the author's website from: W95 Internet Related
COMMENTS
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