Completely FREE Software - CFS Weekly Newsletter #497 issued December 5, 2008

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(does not take you directly to the program listing) it is probably because the site has been upgraded and the link is no longer valid.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

Dungeon Rider v1.1 – Win98/ME/XP/Vista
Dungeon Rider is a 3D Super Mario-style platform game where you pass through a labyrinth of traps and monsters. It features 6 levels (including a Training level), has superb animated 3D graphics, tutorial, good puzzles, and more. In your quest for Mayan treasures you will have to battle lots of nasty critters, plus moving floors, disappearing bridges, flaming traps, and more. Using the arrow keys to move around, and the Spacebar (or Ctrl key) to jump, you must navigate your hero through an underground maze. Along the way you must grab weapons (they are single use only and disappear once used) and also find keys to unlock doors. Dungeon Rider has an identity crisis because the author's site calls it "Dungeon Raider", though the download link is correct, but under any name this is an excellent game that will give many, many hours of enjoyment for anyone astute enough to want to download and play it. Dungeon Rider is a "must have" for anyone who like platform game. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 16.6MB download from: Win98 General Games

FCleaner v1.0.3.1130 – Win98/ME/XP/Vista
FCleaner is an all-in-one Windows cleaner & optimizer. It removes unused files that are eating up disk space, tweaks the system & allows your Windows to run faster, erases all the traces of on-line activities, protects privacy, includes an uninstaller, includes a startup manager, resides as an icon in the tray, offers quick access to 5 Windows tools (Security Center, System restore, System Information, Command Line & Scheduled Task), and more. This is an excellent tool to trim down some of the dross that builds up within a computer and can slow down Windows. It also helps you manage your uninstall programs list and the programs that startup with Windows. Having decided what files are not necessary (cookies, recently used file history, etc) you can just click on the Analyze button to load these files into FCleaner, and then click on the Run Cleaner button to remove them. You can even set up the program so that it loads with Windows and automatically cleans your system when it first runs. Cool. FCleaner offers a wide range of basic tools that should help in keeping Windows running smoothly. It does not offer the high end tweaks found in some other programs but is generally more suitable for average PC users than some of the others (which could theoretically trash your system if mis-used). We were most impressed with FCleaner. It is an excellent Windows cleaner & optimizer. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 949kB download from: Win98 Windows Enhancements

Microsoft Office Accounting Express – WinXP/Vista
Microsoft Office Accounting Express (US version) is an accounting package suitable for small businesses, with the look and feel of Microsoft Office. It can create quotes & invoices, write checks, track expenses, reconcile online bank accounts, track expenses & employee time, store & organize all data in one place, list items on eBay, track sales activity, download & process orders, e-mail invoices, easy Startup Wizard, import existing financial data from other programs (Microsoft Office Excel, Microsoft Money & Intuit QuickBooks), step-by-step guides, UK version available, and more. Even though it was designed as an add-on to MS Office 2007, and some functions do require a late version of Office to be implemented, this is still a stand-alone accountancy package. We looked at the US version but there is also a UK version available, albeit with a massive 287MB download. Microsoft Office Accounting Express offers a relatively easy path into the world of accountancy and users can get "helpful demos, step-by-step guides, and other product information from the new Resource Center". When used with MS Office 2007 it is an extremely powerful package but, even without that integration, it is an excellent accountancy tool that small businesses will love. The Startup Wizard makes account creation, and the addition of new customers and items, easy, though a basic understanding of accountancy practices is always necessary when using tools like this. We were most impressed with the US version of this program (we did not try the UK version, but assume it is similar). It offers all the major accountancy tools, though it does try and lead you into purchasing the full version. Microsoft Office Accounting Express is a worthwhile acquisition for any small to medium sized business. We liked! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 161MB download from: WinXP General Programs

Enigma v1.01 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
Enigma is a puzzle game, inspired by Atari ST's Oxyd and Amiga's Rock'n'Roll, where the object of the game is to find and uncover pairs of identically colored Oxyd stones. It features over 1,000 levels, has simple yet challenging puzzles, offers high-resolution 2D graphics, realistic physics simulation, more than 500 different game objects, an excellent Helpfile, and more. Enigma can be played on a two-player landscape but is not network capable (both must be played on the same computer). In this game you have a black marble and a playing field with Oxyd stones which have hidden colored symbols. The manual says: "When you touch an Oxyd stone with your marble, it opens and reveals a color symbol. There are two Oxyd stones with the same symbol in every landscape. You must touch two matching stones in succession to open them permanently; if the symbols don't match, the first Oxyd stone closes again. To finish a landscape, you have to find and open all pairs of Oxyd stones." You face hidden traps, vast mazes, laser beams, and countless puzzles which block your way to the Oxyd stones. With the enormous number of levels available, players are unlikely to get bored with Enigma and it is a puzzle you can play again, and again, and again. Even though it doesn't include a level editor, the included manual describes how new levels can be created. Its graphics are good, but not spectacular, though once someone starts playing the quality, or otherwise, of the graphics becomes irrelevant. Enigma is a superb puzzle, and one that most people will find very addictive. We loved! Access this 14.1MB download from: Win95 General Games

ALLPlayer v3.6.6.5 – WinXP/Vista
ALLPlayer is a multimedia player that works with audio files (MP3, CD, etc), video files (WMF, AVI, etc), image files (JPG, GIF, etc) & DVD movies. It features support for over 40 multimedia formats (some codecs are required), graphic equalizer with 19 sets, 4 built-in skins, and more. Potentially a superb multimedia player, on closer examination ALLPlayer is not all it seems. While it offers to find, install, and update missing codecs for you, there is a fee for this service and users with few additional codecs on their computer (beyond those shipped with Windows) may not realize that the find-for-fee codecs ALLPlayer offers to install are generally freely available on the Internet – like K-Lite Codec Pack and FFDShow – so the "LiveUpdate" feature within this program is not really needed (unless you are happy to pay for free codecs). While ALLPlayer does support an excellent range of file formats, we found the program itself to be somewhat flaky and it locked up twice on us, forcing us to use Windows Task Manager to close it. Using ALLPlayer is hampered by the continual use of Polish words in the various dialog boxes you must access. We really wanted this to be our one and only multimedia player – a player that could handle everything from music to images, to video (including DVD movies) – but we found it somewhat awkward to use, with little help available and a somewhat less than helpful interface. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 2.46MB download from: WinXP Multimedia Programs

Imagelys Picture Styles v4.4.0 – Win98/ME/XP/Vista
Imagelys Picture Styles is an image editor that can create seamless images suitable for tiling. It features unlimited compositing possibilities, seamless texture rendering, supports all major formats (BMP, JPG, GIF, PNG, JNG, etc), 28 special effects, multiple layers from bitmaps or clipboard, masks, multiple undo/redo, optional texture packs (14 packs available totalling 63.2MB), Helpfile, animated tutorials (requires an active Internet connection), and more. This is a great image editor which, while strong in all areas, specializes in creating seamless images and textures. It is both easy to use and powerful, an excellent combination that suits all levels of expertise in the field of image editing. We were a little surprised that it did not offer a text function (adding text to an image) but, as the primary goal is apparently towards seamless images, text overlays are probably unnecessary. Our biggest problem with Imagelys Picture Styles was that it must be registered within 30 days or it will cease to function and, while this registration is free, it requires an active internet connection. However, it could not recognize our ADSL2+ Internet connection so we could not register it and the program will cease to operate after 30 days. We assume that now the author has been made aware of this problem through this Review, it will be rectified promptly. That aside, Imagelys Picture Styles is an excellent image editor, specially for anyone wanting to create seamless images or textures. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 8.29MB download from: Win98 Graphic Programs

Game Protector v1.0 – Win98/ME/XP/Vista
Game Protector is a small utility that protects any EXE file so that it can only be opened with the correct password. It features the facility to change a program's icon and name so it looks like something else, is simple to use, optionally creates backup, does not need to be running to protect files, and more. The name of this program is somewhat misleading because it does more than just stop games on your computer from being played by someone else (not good if you are playing a tournament!) but it can be used to protect any program file (with the extension EXE) so that no-one else can open it. Game Protector can be used to stop children from playing your games, specially if they are unsuitable for younger children. You can also use it to disguise a program so that it looks like another, say an Excel file. If you share your computers with others you may find Game Protector a wonderful tool to protect what you are doing. We liked! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 837kB download from: Win98 Desktop Utilities

Crazy Graviton v0.99 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
Crazy Graviton is a colorful mixture of pinball, pong & brickshooter in this futuristic arcade game where you must destroy as many Nanoparticles as possible. It features 10 levels, time-based gameplay, mind blowing action, excellent graphics, you can play on-line or download, and more. This is a fun game that runs at a frenetic pace. It is a little strange at first as you must not only get to the exit for each level within the time but you must destroy as many Nanoparticles as possible. Levels feature Nanogoals, Wormholes and Border Switchs but we aren't going to tell you too much because this is a game best played "cold" so you learn its idiosyncrasies for yourself. Because there are only 10 levels, you will find yourself playing through the game a number of times until you have mastered all its secrets. Just remember that getting to the end of the level is only part of the game. We loved Crazy Graviton. It is a fabulous timewaster. Note: this game requires a reasonably fast computer with a good graphics card. Access this 2.72MB download from: Win95 General Games
UPDATES
PNotes – a light-weight, flexible, skinnable manager of virtual "sticky" notes – has been updated to version 4.5.105 with a slightly larger download size of 265kB. The author advises that changes in this version include: favorites system; custom fonts; sending note via e-mail as attachment; loading note from .pnote file; recycle bin; new scheduler types ('Weekly' & 'After'); and fixes & improvements. Access this latest version from: Win98 Text Programs
ATPad – a tabbed ASCII text editor (Notepad replacement) – has been updated to version 1.5.105 with a new download size of 127kB. The author advises that changes in this version include: added ability to Find/Replace in all open files; added ability to undo/redo for all changes made to current document or to all documents; added snippets system; added ability to change, add, remove menu accelerators (hot keys); added option to insert into document either current date/time or date or time with you preferred formatting; added auto URL detection (optional); and fixed some bugs. Get this latest version from: WinXP Text Programs
COMMENTS
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