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The Completely Free E-mail Update #49
Issued June 30, 1998
Welcome to the forty-ninth 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 here 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
SolSuite – W95
There are freeware solitaire cardgames, and there are freeware solitaire cardgames but none, repeat none, match SolSuite. It is tops for overall appearance, choice of cardfaces and backgrounds (many paint programs don't offer so many backgrounds!), for its smooth animation – even the choice of cardgames offered are our favorites! True, there are only six games in this pack – Diplomat (looks the same as 'Napoleon at St Helena' to us), FreeCell, Golf, Klondike and Pyramid – but these are, in our opinion, the best solitaire-type cardgames anyway. As we mentioned, the choice of backgrounds has to be seen to be believed (73 if we counted correctly) with everything from a wood grained texture to blended colors. There are even sections for 256-color and for less than 256-color. There are four cardfaces to choose from and 15 different cardbacks in five categories (Children, Flowers, Geometric, Medieval and Paintings). There are also nine separate sounds included with the program. SolSuite is a teaser for SolSuite 98, the shareware version, though there aren't any nag screens just a hankering to get another 24 more games of this quality (plus the ability to save a game, etc which the freeware version doesn't offer). If you've ever played Microsoft's FreeCell or Solitaire then get SolSuite, it moves you into a whole new world of cardgame play. Not a small download at 2.57MB, but well worth every second it takes. Grab your copy from: W95 General Games
Ezee Spell Lite – W31 (suitable W95)
Ezee Spell Lite is an add-on spell checker which not only works seamlessly with Windows' Notepad and Write (and even WordPad for W95 users) but acts as a stand-alone spell checker for all other text-based programs. With NotePad, Write and WorPad, Ezee Spell Lite adds itself to the menu bar so is available directly from those programs. However, other programs aren't quite so easy. First you have to highlight the text you wish to spell check and then copy it into the Clipboard. Loading SpellPad, an Ezee Spell utility, you paste the text into the open dialog window and then click on 'Spellcheck'. Once this is complete, you must copy back the amended text into Windows' Clipboard and then paste it back into your program. A little cumbersome for most users. However, if you just want a spell check ability in NotePad, Write and/or WordPad you will find Ezee Spell Lite excellent. There are other language dictionaries available from the author's website for American (??? how is this different to what comes with the program???), British, French, German and Italian with download sizes for these additional dictionaries ranging from 51kB for the Italian to 441kB for the German. Like all good programs of this type, Ezee Spell Lite gives you the option of adding words into the custom dictionary. Access this 532kB download from: W31 General Programs
NetInfo – W95
NetInfo is a neat set of Internet utilities to check out connections, speed of access, etc. It comprises sections on Local Info (about your connection), Ping, Trace, Lookup, Scanner and Services. With a plain if easy to use interface, NetInfo is a handy set of tools. If you can handle the 1.24MB download, access NetInfo from: W95 Internet Related
WinStart – W31 (suitable for W95)
If you ever want to quickly restart Windows without having to re-boot the computer or go through endless dialog boxes then WinStart is for you. This small utility will instantly re-start Windows without any fuss and without asking for your permission. Definitely NOT a program for putting in your Startup menu... Quick, simple, effective. Perfect! Access this 90kB download from: W31 Desktop Utilities
FaxPhone – W95
If you are unhappy with the free fax/voice mail software which came with your modem here is a program which will bring a smile to your face. An integrated G3 fax, voice mail (answering machine), speakerphone and address book system with a quick dial feature all packaged into a great looking program. Of course, the voice mail section doesn't work unless you have that capability already built-in to your modem, and you have to install the UNIMODEM V driver if your Windows 95 version is older than 950a. This driver is available through the Microsoft website. Likewise, to use the speakerphone facility requires that you have a suitable sound card. The address book is simple but effective and the Quick Dial feature very handy. There are some areas of PhoneFax which are rather basic but overall it is a neat package and is very, very functional. Best of all, the download is just 998kB. Access FaxPhone from: W95 General Programs
Cool Info – W95
There are a quite a few system information programs which will tell you so much information about your PC and the software running it that your head spins and you feel that you need a 13-year old propellor-head to explain it to you. Cool Info doesn't quite offer the level of information some of the others offer but it is presented in a very easy to use way and doesn't tend to bog you down with useless information. It looks at General (operating system version, computer & user names, etc), CPU (number, type, model number, speed, etc), drives (type, serial number, space used, etc), Display (resolution, colors, etc), RAM (amount currently used, etc), Directories (where Windows resides, etc), Files (select a file and find out the version number, size, etc) and Mobile (information on your laptop, including battery usage, etc). Phew! We particularly liked the RAM usage information, telling us that even though we have 80MB of RAM installed there was only 0.5MB free, plus we had 119MB of Paging (Virtual) RAM available and 92MB free. Maybe we should have upgraded to 128MB of RAM and not 'just' 80! We were disappointed it didn't include information about the motherboard but overall were very impressed. The interface is simple but elegant and even though there's no Helpfile you shouldn't miss not having one. With a download of 1.89MB, you can access Cool Info from: W95 Desktop Utilities
BCM Media Center – W95
BCM's Media Center is a terrific interface for all of a computer's multimedia resources – even TV and cameras. The program can handle Wave, MIDI, AVI and MPEG players to play music, sound or movies, and has a built-in telephone dialer. The interface is easy to use and looks terrific with oval 3D buttons for each function. The TV function requires a TV tuner card to be installed as does the camera capture facility. Offering terrific control over your multimedia resources, BCM's Media Center is a fabulous program and is much recommended. Go grab a copy of this 721kB download from: W95 Multimedia Programs
The (Unofficial) Fifth Element Web Browser – W95
Strictly for fans, this web browser has a T5E look and feel and has been based off Microsoft's IE4 (which you need installed first). While lacking some IE4 features, it does have a MessageBoard facility which could be rather handy for contacting other T5E fans (though we didn't actually try it). If you're a fan, grab it, if you're not you probably won't bother. The 1.04MB download can be accessed from: W95 Internet Related
MMXTest – W95
How can you be sure you got what you paid for when you purchased your computer? MMXTest looks at your CPU and reports on the type (386, 486, Pentium, Pentium II, etc) and also looks to see if there is MMX instructions in the chip. If there is, it will check that those instructions are correct and report on the comparability of them. Not having a MMX CPU, we can only say that the program correctly reported that we had a non-MMX Pentium chip but we have no doubt that had we the aforementioned MMX chip we would now know everything that we need to know to ensure that it is working as it should. Of course, should anyone wish to send us a 200+MHz MMX chip we would be happy to test it thoroughly for them – though that testing might take 12 months to complete... If you have, or think you have, an MMX chip in your computer then go grab this 43kB download and make sure. Access it from: W95 Desktop Utilities
TypeItIn – W95
Don't you just hate those endless forms which must be filled in on the Internet? Wouldn't you like an easy way to add your essential details – name, address, zipcode, country, phone, fax, etc? Why don't you try TypeItIn? This handy little program offers a button bar where you can enter the text you wish to appear on the button, and then the text which is to be inserted into the forms. Put your cursor in an active window, click on the appropriate button and, voila, the correct information is inserted. While it has been designed for web-based forms, in fact you can use it to insert any text into any document without going through the Windows' Clipboard. It has an excellent array of special characters so you can insert 'Enter', 'Tab', etc commands as well as just raw text. The program can be set to stay on top. It can also be set to start as an icon in the desktray and, as it's only 58kB, won't suck up too much resources. Next time you have to type in your name, address, etc, just think how much easier it would have been with TypeItIn. Go grab this 755kB download from: W95 Internet Related
UPDATES
Free Memory Tool has been upgraded and renamed to FreeMem Standard. This excellent utility re-allocates valuable RAM memory away from Windows (which wants everything for itself!) so that there is more available for programs. This new version adds an install/uninstall feature, a Helpfile and, best of all, it is now easy to specify autostart options (no need for command line parameters). Access this 309kB download from: W95 Windows Extras
Time For Toddlers – a terrific educational 'toy' for tiny tots – has been upgraded to version 1.4 with a slightly smaller download size (now 2.49MB). Improvements include sound in the 1, 2, 3 section and improved sound throughout. There is now a readme file. If you have children learning the alphabet and numbers then Time For Toddlers is a worthwhile download. Access it from: W95 General Programs
Solitude For Windows – a fabulous collection of solitaire cardgames – has been upgraded to version 1.31 with, wait for it, 77 different solitaire cardgames in the collection! 22 of these games are completely new in this version. With an integrated menu system, Solitude is the giant in solitaire cardgames with a mix of old favorites and totally new games. The download size have been increased to 3MB (with all of those games it's a wonder it can be contained to just 3MB!). Access this huge collection from: W95 General Games
CadStd – an exceptionally powerful 2D CAD program – has been upgraded to version 2.03. This new version boasts some new functionability which is only available by paying a small licence fee (the basic program is still free and is still fully functionable – it's just these extra bits which you have to pay for). If you have need for a 2D CAD program we defy you to find better than this one – even if you did want the extra features (Intercept, Trim & Gap) and had to pay for them. Access this 1.06MB download from: W95 Graphics Programs
COMMENTS
We would like to thank the regular visitors to the CFS site who have told us their favorite freeware. If you have a favorite program which isn't listed on the CFS pages we invite you to share that information with everyone through this site and this newsletter. If you are an author of a freeware app (or would just like to suggest a program) and would like it listed on these pages, please fill in the Submit Software form.
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