Completely FREE Software - CFS Weekly Newsletter #403 issued September 1, 2006

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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(does not take you directly to the program listing) it is probably because the site has been upgraded and the link is no longer valid.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

Alphasix v1.3 – Win98SE/ME/XP
Alphasix is a time-based 2D overhead game which combines elements from different genres (fight games, overhead shooters & danmaku/bullet curtain games). It features 5 characters, 30 stages, 45 danmaku attacks, 8 levels of difficulty, 1- & 2-player modes, tutorial mode plus detailed HTML manual, and more. This is a great game that combines a number of genres to produce a unique composite of them all. While the controls are somewhat complex, once mastered the result is an awesome game that should appeal to devotees of all three genres. The author says that it is "similar to the Street Fighter series: you choose one of five characters and battle in one vs one battles until you defeat all the others. But instead of martial arts, you use guns, knives, grenades, mines, and danmaku (bullet curtain) attacks – inspired by the Japanese genre of the same name. These are special bullet patterns composed of hundreds of bullets which you or your opponent must move around and avoid being hit by." Alphasix is different every time you play it so you should not get bored with it after a couple of games. Action is, at times, frenetic but the animation is smooth so the result excellent. We really enjoyed playing Alphasix. It offers excellent gameplay and is very addictive. A "must have" for gamers. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95 or the first edition of Windows 98. Access this 18.0MB download from: Win98 General Games

BugHunter v1.9.2 – DOS/Win3.x/Win9x/ME/XP
BugHunter is an antispyware tool to assist in finding and removing malicious software, often called "malware" (some browser & desktop hi jacking programs, including keyloggers, adware modules, spyware modules, trojans & dialers). This is a tiny DOS utility that scans your computer and reports, and/or removes, instances of malware. You can use this program within Windows but, occasionally, it cannot remove some malware without being used in DOS. You can put it in a bootable floppy disk (or CD) and launch it from pure DOS, but normally it can be used from within Windows (up to and including Windows XP) to track down and delete or rename the vast majority of malware. BugHunter works from a list of over 1,000 malicious files (EXE files, VB files, OCX, files, DLL files, etc) and the author has promised to update that list regularly. Of course, if a malware file isn't on the list it won't get flagged but it will still get all the ones that are on the list. Scanning is not fast and you can expect to be waiting some 15 minutes while it scans your computer (time depends on how many files it has to check). The opening screen (a DOS box under Windows) offers a choice of 4 options – scan for malware only, scan for malware and rename it, scan for malware and remove it, and exit. Make your choice by typing in the appropriate letter (A, B, C or Q). Initially we just scanned our system using BugHunter and 27 malware files were found. We believe that these were simply left over DLLs from previous programs which were removed from the computer and they were not active (there was no program to launch them). This initial scan did not name these 27 files, and the scan took just over 11 minutes. We then went to option C on the list, scan and remove, and it reported that 27 files were found, and 27 were deleted. This second scan took just over 9 minutes. BugHunter is an excellent tool and one that all Internet users with PCs should run regularly. We were disappointed that it did not name the "suspect" files, or that it did not give us the option of deleting some and not others. It would have been easy to include a Pause with an instruction to wait for the user to either skip, delete or rename the file before proceeding. This places the control back in the hands of the user and, if there is any question about a suspect file, its name could be searched through the Internet (Googled) to see what was written about it. Alternatively you can simply do a scan and then check the logfile for the files targeted. BugHunter is a "must have" for all PC users. Grab a copy now! Note: even though this is a DOS program, it is suitable for Windows 3.1, Windows 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME and Windows XP (and possibly later versions too). Access this 62kB download from: DOS Desktop Utilities

Dynacom Accounting v10.1284 – Win98/ME/XP
Dynacom Accounting is a small business accounting suite that includes purchasing, sales, general ledger, bank and payroll functions. It features a built-in toolkit (backup/restore, account copy, auto-update, etc), there are no transaction or time limits, it includes a sample account, has unlimited free technical support, there is a downloadable Helpfile, and more. This is a tremendous tool for small businesses and contract employees. It offers an easy-to-use interface that does not require an accountant to set up. Dynacom Accounting is not a "Lite" version but the fully functioning Startup Edition (it is reported to be worth about $80) that comes with free support and no advertising. Setting up accounts is easy and the entire program has a solid, professional look 'n feel. Of course, there are some limitations to Dynacom Accounting – like not being able to work in multiple currencies, and a lack of management of prices and inventory quantities – but most small businesses will find it sufficient for their daily tasks. If you are looking for an accounting package for your small business you would be wise to check out Dynacom Accounting. It will probably do exactly what you want. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 54.4MB download from: Win98 General Programs

VMN Toolbox v3.03 – Win98/ME/XP
VMN Toolbox is a suite of 6 small applications (sticky notes, horizontal ruler, vertical ruler, color picker, screen capture & magnifier). It features a small positionable toolbox window that is always on top, it is easy to use, and more. This is a great little collection of utilities that most people will find useful. Primarily designed for Web users, the suite of applications includes a sticky notes window plus 5 graphics-based applets. We had a problem with the sticky notes window because we could not delete a single note we created (even though the program asked us if we wanted it deleted and we said "yes") however you could simply manually delete the text contained within the note. It allows you to have multiple notes but all are displayed (cascade-style) when you open the sticky notes section of the program. When one or more of the multiple notes are opened, the program will delete any ones you want – the problem only seems to happen if there is a single note. Other tools worked as expected and it was only the sticky notes that seem to have a problem. VMN Toolbox includes an Internet Explorer toolbar which is installed when the program is installed. Normally we would have called this program "advertising supported" because of the VMN Toolbar but it can be either hidden through the IE View/Toolbars menu, or the entire toolbar can be removed using the Add/Remove Programs applet in Windows' Control Panel. This can be done without it removing the main program. You could therefore call it "optional advertising". VMN Toolbox is a great little suite of handy programs and we are happy to recommend them. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 3.70MB download from: Win98 Graphic Programs

Fantasy Submarine Game v2.0 – Win9x/ME/XP
Fantasy Submarine Game is a side-scrolling underwater adventure where you must defeat the monster to complete a level, while avoiding a menagerie of sharks, dolphins, cramp fish, jellyfish, crabs, etc which will try and stop you. It features lots of powerups (the buoy is the most valuable), excellent animated graphics, fun gameplay, it is suitable for all ages, and more. This is a nice, arcade-style, side scrolling shooter, though there isn't the amount of shooting as in most games of this type. You spend most of the time trying to avoid the armies of fish coming towards you while grabbing as many of the powerups as you can. At the end of the level you will meet the "boss", and underwater monster that looks a lot like an octopus. Kill the monster and you move to the next level, which is just that little bit harder than the one you just finished. Download this game from the author's site and it includes the highly intrusive WhenU advertising which integrates into your copy of Internet Explorer. However, we have provided an ad-free version which is available from the CFS site for members. Fantasy Submarine Game is a fun way to kill an hour or two and, while it seems too easy when you first start, it gets progressively more challenging as you continue to play. We liked! Get this 1.97MB download (the version with ads from the author's site is 2.08MB) from: Win95 General Games

Rank Tracker v1.2 – Win9x/ME/XP
Rank Tracker is a tool that tracks site rankings for all nominated keywords using the Google, MSN Search and Yahoo! search engines. It features optional proxy & search engine settings, tracks keywords across time, tabbed interface, includes a Help Assistant, offers an on-line tutorial, and more. This is a good way of watching your site rankings on the three major international search engines, helping you fine tune your site(s) to get the maximum ranking and therefore the maximum number of visitors. It is easy to use and, if you save your keyword searches, you can keep track on how well (or poorly!) your site is fairing in the rankings war. We had an issue with Rank Tracker, or with the information it obtained from MSN, because it said that the search phrase "completely free software" was not found yet an MSN search for those words placed them number 1 for the CFS site (of course, both Google and Yahoo! placed CFS number 1 as well). Rank Tracker is a worthwhile addition to your other SEO tools though results, under some circumstances, may not always be accurate. Access this 4.63MB download from: Win95 Internet Related

Media Graveyard v11 – Win9x/ME/XP
Media Graveyard is a basic multimedia player that supports MP3, MPEG, AVI, WMA, WMV, WAV & MID file formats. It features one-click "Juke" (drive search), is easy-to-use, has a track length counter, optional random and/or continuous playback, optional fullscreen video, and more. This is good, but basic, multimedia player. While it lacks many of the bells and whistles found on other players, the interface is clean and even computer novices should not have any trouble using this program. Unfortunately it lacks a playlist feature (it does not play M3U, M3L, MPL, etc playlists), you cannot select more than a single file at a time from a list (except for the "Juke" feature), and it does not minimize to the desktray (next to the clock). These small criticisms aside, Media Graveyard is an effective multimedia player. Worth a look! Access this 1.61MB download from: Win95 Multimedia Programs

Power Manga v0.8 – Win98/ME/XP
Power Manga is a vertically scrolling space adventure/shooter which combines elements of both Space Invaders & Asteroids. It features 42 levels, over 200 sprites, 14 guards to destroy, lots of powerups, excellent animated graphics, comprehensive HTML Helpfile, English/French interface, and more. This is one of the better 2D space shooters we have seen. It offers a huge number of enemies (of various types) and the pace is, at times, quite frenetic. The graphics are extremely well drawn and there is a variety of action and options. Rather than just being a simple shooter, Power Manga has successfully blended many elements in to the game that enhances gameplay. You can change ships, get repairs, enhance weaponary, and much more. The storyline says: "After a peace treaty about free interplanetary traffic was concluded 150 years ago, the whole space has been turned into a giant floating trash infested with litter; meteorites deviated from their trajectories and with wild pirates, each of them representing a deadly danger for the peaceful navigators. That is the reason why the Governors of the Sidereal Spaces have created this Special Fast Intervention Patrol with the mission to clear the sidereal ways of these nuisances and to improve the safety of the voyagers." If you are looking for more than just a standard space shooter then grab a copy of Power Manga. Like us, you will love this game! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 7.02MB download from: Win98 General Games
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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