Completely FREE Software - CFS Weekly Newsletter #499 issued December 19, 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(does not take you directly to the program listing) it is probably because the site has been upgraded and the link is no longer valid.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

The Forge Of Fate v1.1 – Win98/ME/XP/Vista
The Forge Of Fate is a role-playing, strategy, adventure with a medieval setting. It features 8 career paths from which to choose, 3 worlds included, create your own worlds/levels with Forge Tools (4 separate editing tools), unlimited replayability, and more. The author says: "Explore uncharted lands, encounter wild creatures and menacing beasts, uncover hordes of treasure and dabble in magic, commerce, stealth, or the martial arts on your way to ultimate glory. Follow one of 8 different career paths as you develop your character through the course of the game. Different classes produce different skills, strengths, weaknesses and approaches to victory. Strategically combine character skills, environmental factors and treasures you uncover to achieve a high score. Test one character against another to see which one survives and which one thrives in a given world. Compare your score to a friend's to see who gets bragging rights. Unlimited replayability through varying approaches and different game worlds. Play an easy world in one sitting or take much longer for large worlds. With the Forge Tools (a separate editing tool set) create your own worlds, either with a few mouse clicks or from scratch if you prefer." The Forge Of Fate is not a pretty program, it lacks high quality graphics, its interface is somewhat cumbersome (you must click on one of the North, South, East or West buttons to move your character), but what it lacks in style it makes up for in gameplay. It includes four editing tools (TileDraw, Plant, LandDraw & Codex) to assist you in creating new worlds in which to quest. Installation is a pain because, once installed, you must then seek the TilesZip.zip file in the program's main folder, extract the 2100+ files from it, and place them in the "graphix" folder. We suggest you create a special folder for this game before you start the install (eg C:\Games\ForgeOfFate) so that you have a specific folder in which to setup the many, many files that make up this game. As the author's site is no longer available, CFS is hosting a copy of this game for its members. If you enjoy an in-depth RPG, then grab a copy of The Forge Of Fate. We think you'll be impressed! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Get this 18.1MB download from: Win98 General Games

Free JavaScript Editor v4.2 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
Free JavaScript Editor is an all-purpose source code editor for JavaScript, HTML, CSS, VBScript, PHP, ASP, etc. It includes over 900 JavaScript snippets with source code, offers syntax highlighting, tabbed interface, global search & replace, multiple undo/redo, built-in JavaScript debugger, JSLint JavaScript syntax verifier, source code formatter/beautifier, 6 toolbars (Main, JavaScript, HTML, Print/Help, Debugging & TextEditor), Clipboard extender, Helpfile, and more. Even though specifically set up for adding JavaScript to your pages, this is an awesome HTML source code editor, that handles CSS, DTML, etc with ease. It includes all the usual bells and whistles, and possibly the only area which is lacking is a spell checker. Free JavaScript Editor includes about 200 built-in scripts (though not all of them are, strictly speaking, JavaScript), and there are over 700 more scripts, collected from all over the Internet, included with the HTML help files. The Helpfile includes sections on HTML, CSS and, of course, JavaScript, with the syntax required for most commands. Every way you look at Free JavaScript Editor you are impressed. While it is certainly slanted towards people wishing to create JavaScript-rich pages, the program works equally well as a standard HTML source code editor, a DTML editor, and a CSS editor. If you are creating a Website and know, or are prepared to learn, source code editing (not as hard as many people think), then Free JavaScript Editor is a "must have", either as your primary editor or as an excellent source of scripts. We loved! Access this 7.07MB download from: Win95 Internet Related

DarkWave Studio v2.4 – WinXP/Vista
DarkWave Studio is a high performance virtual studio for the creation of electronic music. It features a multitrack hard disk recorder, pattern editor, sequencer, a MIDI Input machine, it supports Steinberg's VST effect & VSTi instrument format, includes 7 built-in machines (ES SpatialVerb, ES DGenR8, ES AntiAlias, ES BassHead, ES Mixer, ES Kick & ES QuadDelay), 32- & 64-bit versions included, supports multi core computers, and more. Unfortunately, CFS was unable to review this program. The author says: "DarkWave Studio is a free, modern, high performance virtual studio for the creation of electronic music. DarkWave features ease of use for beginners and high quality for studio professionals creating complicated projects. It allows users to connect various machines included with DarkWave Studio in addition to machines that adhere to Steinberg's VST effect and VSTi instrument format in a virtual studio environment limited only by your imagination. A pattern editor with a piano roll interface is included to allow the creation of patterns of music for each instrument with ease. A sequencer allows patterns to be arranged into a song, allowing reuse of patterns to rapidly create a song with repeated elements. DarkWave Studio can also be used live with the MIDI Input machine which allows for playing of virtual instruments with a MIDI or USB music keyboard. Multitrack recording is simple with DarkWave Studio's multitrack hard disk recorder which allows any number of recording machines to be placed in the studio and then controlled from the hard disk recorder interface. Recording can be synchronized with the start and end of a song by starting recording of all tracks simultaneously as playing the song by the click of a button in the sequencer. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 5.23MB download from: WinXP Multimedia Programs

DeepBurner Free Portable v1.9.0.228 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
DeepBurner Free Portable is a CD/DVD burning package for USB flash drives, memory cards, floppy disks, etc. It features a simple Wizard-style interface, burns data CDs/DVDs & audio CDs, creates & burns ISO images, supports bootable CD/DVDs, creates multi session disks, can create & print labels, erases RW disks, supports almost all CD & DVD drives, no installation required, and more. This is an excellent software burning package for anyone requiring portability. It does lack a little in features compared to the Pro version (disk to disk copying, creation of video DVDs, etc) but, for a basic CD/DVD burning suite, DeepBurner Free Portable does everything it claims to do, and does it well. We burnt a video ISO file to a DVD disk without any problems, though it cannot create video DVDs (or copy them). We used a SATA drive to burn the DVD disk (something that not all burning suits can handle) and the author states that it can also handle IDE/EIDE, USB, SCSI and Fire Wire CD/DVD writers. It supports buffering and other advanced features of modern writers. DeepBurner Free Portable is an impressive little program which is small, fast and portable. It also runs on all versions from Windows 95 – unlike most burning suites included with modern CD/DVD drives, it is not limited to Windows XP or later. Apart from the Pro version, there is also a free desktop version (2.67MB). We were most impressed with DeepBurner Free Portable and consider it a "must have" for anyone requiring portability, or who wishes to work from an older computer. Grab a copy now! Access this 2.93MB download from: Win95 General Programs

Ultimate Maze v1 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
Ultimate Maze is a simple 3D maze puzzle. It features multiple levels, "solve" command, "clear" command (resets level), a choice of rectangular (standard) or hexagonal rooms, a variable camera view, it is easy to play, and more. This is a relatively standard maze-style puzzle (like those mazes made out of hedges in some theme parks) except that it is displayed in 3D format and, by using the slide control on the side of the game, you can vary the position of the camera view from very high to quite low (high is easier to use). You can clear a puzzle any time you like or, if you really get stuck, use the "solve" command to show the correct path through the maze. The normal rectangular room mode simply uses the four arrow keys to move around, while the hexagonal room mode requires the use of the up & down arrow keys plus Page Up, Page Down, Home and End keys. The hexagonal puzzle isn't any harder than the standard mode, but it mode requires many more keys and is more frustrating because you have to find the right key to move. That said, Ultimate Maze is easy to play and suitable for all ages. Access this 112kB download from: Win95 General Games

GPU-Z v0.3.0 – WinXP/Vista
GPU-Z is a lightweight utility designed to give information about the videocard and GPU (graphics processor unit). It features support for both NVIDIA & ATI videocards, displays adapter/GPU/display information, displays overclock/default clocks/3D clocks (if available), validation of results, optionally saves data to logfile, and more. This is an excellent way of getting all the information you could ever want about your NVIDIA or ATI videocard. It gives detailed information about your card, including what its sensors are saying about GPU temperature, core clock and memory clock speeds. You can also see if it being overclocked, and by how much. If you ever wanted to know everything about your videocard but were afraid to ask, grab a copy of GPU-Z. We liked! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 366kB download from: WinXP Desktop Utilities

iKnow Photo Workshop v3.0.1 – WinXP/Vista
iKnow Photo Workshop is a comprehensive photo editor. It features support for all major file formats, multiple layers, 22 filter effects, multiple undo/redo, optional floating windows (toolbar, background, etc), and more. It supports the following file formats: RAW, JPG (inc JPEG 2000), GIF, BMP, TIF, PNG, TGA, ICO, PBM, PPM, PGM, XPN, DDS & PSD. This is a very good photo editor, with lots of great features and tools, but it suffers from a highly restrictive license agreement that must be accepted before the program can be installed. That agreement says, in part: "I agree to use www.iknowsearch.net as my homepage in order to support continued development of this software. I will not try to change, dismantle or remove iknowsearch.net from my homepage while this software is installed on this computer." As that is a condition of installation, we uninstalled the program immediately the Review was completed, even though we could have either prevented our homepage from being changed through our anti-virus suite (Norton 360), or by manually changing it later. Users who choose to retain the program after changing their homepage back to what they want are, technically, in breach of the license agreement. This license agreement clause spoils what is, to us, a superb photo editor. Contrary to what they imply, it is not as good as Corel PhotoPaint or PhotoShop Pro but, as it is based off Paint.NET (an excellent open source project, mentored by Microsoft and listed with CFS) it is an excellent editor. We tried hard not to like iKnow Photo Workshop because of its restrictive licensing conditions, but the truth is that it really is an excellent photo editor. If you don't mind the conditions of installation you will not be disappointed in iKnow Photo Workshop. It truly is an excellent tool. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 4.06MB download from: WinXP Graphic Programs

Christmas Super Frog v2.0.2 – WinXP/Vista
Christmas Super Frog is a Christmas-themed Frogger clone where the frog must cross a busy highway and save the Christmas presents. It features 6 game speeds, multiple levels, bonuses, challenging gameplay, suitable for all ages, and more. The story is simple: Santa's sleigh has broken down, scattering his gifts all around the town! Now it is up to you to recover all the missing presents before Christmas arrives. This is a relatively standard Frogger clone where you must get the frog across the highway without him being splattered by a motor vehicle. Once on the other side he must avoid the water, and the flying candy canes and other Christmassy items, and get to the present. Christmas Super Frog is a good challenge, specially for younger players, and it helps develop good co-ordination and the ability to judge future events. It is also lots of fun too! Animated graphics are reasonably good, and the whole game has a solid feel. If you are looking for a simple, yet fun, Christmas-themed time waster, grab a copy of Christmas Super Frog. We liked! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 3.76MB download from: WinXP 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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