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This electronic newsletter is registered – ISSN 1441-6840
Welcome to the CFS Weekly Newsletter.
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 functional. If you know any that aren't exactly as specified, please let us know and they will be removed immediately.
If the link below does not work (does not take you directly to the program listing) it is probably because the site has been upgraded and the link is no longer valid. Please use the CFS Site Search facility (above) to locate the program.
COMPLETELY FREE SOFTWARE
A1 Geo-Fit Game Pack v1.01 – Win9x/ME
A1 Geo-Fit Game Pack is a Tetris clone using triangular pieces. It features three levels of play (presented as three separate games), translucent triangle function which allows some pieces to pass through and fill spaces beneath, animated demo, background music, challenging gameplay, and more. This is a novel approach to the old Tetris concept of falling blocks. Not only are the blocks triangular (ie, made up of triangles) but the translucent triangle feature which is applied when you get a row nearly complete means that some falling pieces can actually pass right through and help fill holes in the row(s) below. This adds enormously to the gameplay and is a great feature. We were disappointed that there is no "next shape" indicator – you don't know what is coming until it actually starts to fall. The game is a little bland in its appearance and some effort possibly could be put into improving its looks, but once you start to play you get so engrossed in the game you don't worry about its cosmetics. While the original Tetris game helped improved hand/eye co-ordination and also helped develop some spatial awareness, A1 Geo-Fit Game Pack takes this a step further and adds different geometric aspects to this cognitive development. Overall we found A1 Geo-Fit Game Pack to be highly addictive and loads of (sometimes frustrating) fun. Well worth grabbing! Access this 407kB download from: Win9x General Games
HandyFile Find and Replace v1.2 – Win9x/ME
HandyFile Find and Replace can find & replace text in all the ASCII text-based files (includes HTML files) in a folder. It features: file filters; different search attributes; regular expressions with extended syntax; optional HTML listing of altered files; recurse folders; and more. While originally designed for HTML files, HandyFile Find and Replace works equally well on any text file (you can't use it for MS Word docs or other non-TXT docs). Just aim it at the folder which contains the files you want to change (we recommend creating a separate folder and copying the files into that so that the originals aren't altered until you are sure that they are correct), tell the program what type of file you want to change (or use *.* for all files), type in the before and after text, and away you go. Simple. You can save the results as an HTML file for displaying in your browser or simply scroll through the program's window and see how many changes were made to each file in that folder. The author has provided an excellent Helpfile which will ensure that you know exactly what to do, what expressions to use, etc. We were very impressed with HandyFile Find and Replace and consider a program like this to be a "must have" on every computer. Simple to use, powerful, and a time-saver extraordinaire – do you need more? Access this 362kB download from: Win9x Text Programs
Visual Control Panel v1.02 – Win9x/ME
Visual Control Panel allows you to access 13 of the major applets in the Windows' Control Panel through a visual screen. It minimizes to the desktray (next to the clock) when not in use. It features low system resource usage (about 2%), intuitive interface, other applets may be accessible through the menu, and more. This neat little Windows enhancement works in conjunction with the normal Control Panel and does not replace it. Offering a visual approach to accessing the various major applets, Visual Control Panel adds a splash of color to your screen and offers a pleasing alternative to the boring Control Panel window. It shows a computer on a desk and, when you place the cursor over various parts of the screen, it allows you to open the applet associated with that item. For example, click on the image of the mouse and the mouse applet will open. Just to ensure that you are accessing the correct module, its name appears in the bottom right hand corner when the cursor is placed over the correct part of the screen. While Visual Control Panel might not add any real functionality to your computer, it dresses up a boring aspect of it. Access this 74kB download from: Win9x Windows Enhancements
Shelldrake Developer v2.1 – Win9x/ME
Shelldrake Developer is a multimedia authoring and animation program which focuses on the story, on the dialog, on the person-to-person interaction by automatically managing the structure of what has been created. To put it simply, Shelldrake Developer allows you to easily create realistic role-playing stories which can be used for students, educators, sales presentations – even creating talking e-books. While the scenes are fairly simple in the base program, the author offers a variety of additional files which cover the guided tour, lessons, many more background images, and samples. There is also an extensive handbook (a 5.26MB MS Word doc!). While some of the characters offered had simple cartoon features, they included animation of the mouth and eyes (including closing of eyes, etc). It would not be hard to create your own characters with a program like MS Paint. Initially this program seems a little daunting but when you start to look at the various aspects of it individually it not only is easy to understand, but also easy to use. We had some trouble when we installed the program into a different folder than the default one but when we re-installed it in the default folder our troubles disappeared. Shelldrake Developer is quite a heavy user of resources and it is best to run it on its own and not multi-tasked with other programs (when we had other major programs open our system crashed twice). Impressive in its scope, simple in its operation, Shelldrake Developer is a superb tool for anyone who wishes to make interactive animated stories where the reader feels like they are a participant. An excellent tool! Access this 2.58MB download (the base module – you can add another 13MB of free extras) from: Win9x Multimedia Programs
Rockagotchi v2 – Win9x/ME
Rockagotchi is a Tamagotchi version of WWF's "The Rock" where you must feed, clean and play with him so he will not only survive but remain happy and healthy. The graphics are reminiscent of the South Park cartoon series but the game is lots of good natured fun without any of the wrestling 'violence' you might expect with this theme. If your life is so empty that you need a Tamagotchi playmate for your PC then Rockagotchi is for you. Good fun. Access this 505kB download from: Win9x General Games
Senelang Touch Typing v1.0 – Win9x/ME
Senelang Touch Typing is a tutoring program using Macomedia Flash technology. It features 15 lessons, use your own practice text, has a speed indicator (not WPM), audio/visual error indication, and more. This is a neat little typing tutor. Not highly sophisticated (which is good for novice computer users!), it offers a number of lessons where you can practice typing random letters. To us, the main feature of Senelang Touch Typing was the ability to add your own text and practice with that, though we could not copy and paste text into the program window (as the instructions said that you could). Your text, however, could be manually entered. The program uses the full screen and displays a keyboard plus the text you need to type and what you have already typed. If you make a mistake Senelang Touch Typing not only highlights the right key, but also indicates which finger should access it. Apart from not being able to paste in text we could find little to fault this program. Excellent for new computer users, Senelang Touch Typing is worthwhile grabbing if you know someone who needs to learn touch typing. Access this 277kB download from: Win9x General Programs
Mail Them v1.71 – Win9x/ME
Mail Them is a mailing list manager which can send BCC or personal e-mails to everyone on your list. It features HTML mail, unlimited number of messages, and supports English, Spanish, Italian & French languages. This is a handy tool for anyone who wants to send out a reasonable number of identical e-mail messages. However, the program automatically adds the following to the bottom of each message sent out: "NEVER SEND SPAM. IT IS BAD." While most modern e-mail clients can replicate the functions of Mail Them, a dedicated bulk e-mailer does make it easier because it is designed for the one specific purpose. Most people will find the tag added to the end of each message to be a little annoying, but the author wants you to spend money on his Pro version which doesn't have this "feature" (and you thought he was just trying to reduce the amount of spam mail sent!). If you have a group of friends or acquaintances to whom you would like to bulk mail then Mail Them is certainly a good way to do it. Note that many ISPs have a built-in limitation of 50 or 100 e-mails which can be sent at the one session. Access this 636kB download from: Win9x Internet Related
Pirem TopSecret v1.2.0.2 – Win9x/ME
Pirem TopSecret helps organize a collection of private passwords, hyperlinks, mails, comments, etc and encrypts them with the Blowfish cipher algorithm (cipher key is up to 448 bits). It features: unlimited database size; minimizes to icon in the desktray (next to the clock); auto-docking; quick search; export password to Clipboard; print function; and more. This small neat looking utility uses only about 2% of system resources and is quite happy to remain in the desktray until required. Pirem TopSecret is password protected and can be minimized so that it requires the password to re-open it (handy if you are leaving your work station) or it can simply be minimized and accessed again without requiring a password. The program is designed to auto-fill forms on Webpages and can even log on to a site for you, but we could not get these functions to work and believe they may require Internet Explorer to be the default browser (our default browser is Netscape). Because of these problems we could not fully test Pirem TopSecret. However, in all other areas the program worked extremely well and we can only assume that the Web form functions are equally good. If you are worried about losing your passwords, or wish to add a layer of security to your login information, then we believe Pirem TopSecret is an excellent utility to get. Access this 602kB download from: Win9x Desktop Utilities
CDCallerID v1.1 – Win95/98
CDCallerID allows you to keep a track of telephone callers and know who's calling before you answer. It features: disconnect; play WAV file; telezap; and more. Unfortunately we could not review this program which requires Windows 95 or Windows 98 (it does not load in Windows ME – caused by the included VB6 runtime files). The author says that it is a: "caller ID program that can do various functions with incoming calls, including: disconnect, play '.wav' file, and telezap which will send a very annoying modem sound. All phonebook entries independently configured." To be able to get the identification of a telephone caller your Telco must have it activated on your telephone line. Access this 1.54MB download from: Win9x General Programs
UPDATE
Beatles Forever – an electronic Beatles songbook – has been updated to version 2.70 with a new download of 2.13MB. The author advises that changes in this version include: a new game for all Beatle fans called "Total recall"; Beatles' words statistics; export functions; Beatles parodies; BBC live sessions; Beatles' Grammy awards; and more. Anyone who loves the Beatles will love this songbook. Grab this latest version from: Win9x Multimedia Programs
COMMENTS
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Win 9x/ME/XP
