Completely FREE Software - CFS Weekly Newsletter #508 issued June 5, 2009

Home > CFS Weekly Newsletter #508: issued June 5, 2009

Enter your search termsSubmit search form

Search the CFS site Search the Web

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(does not take you directly to the program listing) it is probably because the site has been upgraded and the link is no longer valid.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 Rise of Magus v1.0 – WinXP/Vista
The Rise of Magus is a 2D platformer, based on the character Magus (from Chrono Trigger), who must learn new spells, overcome powerful foes, and become Lord of the Mystics. It features 2 levels of difficulty (Normal & Hard), has lots of powerups to collect, there are 4 save-game slots, it has good animated graphics, full screen or windowed modes, built-in tutorial, no installation is required, and more. This is an excellent RPG (role playing game) that explains the previously unexplored past of Magus, and parallels the story of Chrono Trigger (originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995). The gameplay is relatively standard for this genre, but the game has a high addictive element and the controls are simple. The Rise of Magus is downloaded as an EXE file that requires no installation or unpacking – just double click on the file and the game will load, albeit slowly. When the game starts it automatically goes through the full background story which, while interesting the first time, does not warrant repeating. Fortunately you can bypass it by pressing the Enter key twice. Because no installation is required, and the game does not create an INI file or write to the Registry, it always starts with the same default settings (windowed mode and "normal" difficulty). It does create a small save-game file for each slot used so it should be run from its own dedicated folder. For that reason, we consider the addition of an installation routine would enhance the game, and possibly the automatic creation of an INI file to store "settings" information (and possibly the save-game info too) when the game is initially installed. The Rise of Magus is a fabulous RPG/platformer that is fun to play. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 16.7MB download from: WinXP General Games

Advanced SystemCare v3.3.1 – WinXP/Vista
Advanced SystemCare is a one-click approach to help protect, repair, clean, and optimize a PC. It features 3 main categories (maintenance, diagnose system & utilties), many sections to each category, a simple interface, restore function to reverse changes, and more. This is a superb way to make your computer a clean, lean machine that runs more like a racehorse than a plow horse. Some advanced functions within the program are only available in the Pro version, but the free version has lots, and lots of tools and tweaks. It includes a nag screen to encourage you to purchase the Pro version by telling you the items it did not repair, but it does fix the major problems (specially in the Registry) so you can probably ignore this warning screen unless you are totally paranoid. You can get it to automatically speedup your internet connection, defrag your Registry, clean your RAM of unused programs, backup your drivers, make Internet Explorer more secure, manage your context menu, uninstall programs, manage startup items, and lots, lots more. There are so many aspects to Advanced SystemCare we could not list them all, but every section we reviewed was excellent and we were most impressed with this suite of tools. Whether you are a propeller head computer geek or a raw novice, Advanced SystemCare will help you get the best from your computer. A "must have" for all PC users! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 7.26MB download from: WinXP Windows Enhancements

Cobra Security 2010 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
Cobra Security is a collection of 23 security tools. It includes anti-virus programs, Web protection, anti-spyware tools, virus removal tools, file recovery, defraggers, backup, encryption tools, rootkit scanners, and more. Accessible from a tray icon, or even from a USB drive, this is a collection of programs that covers most aspects of PC security. It appears that all 23 programs contained in this file are freeware, but we have not checked them all so it would be wise to watch out when a program is being installed (each has its own licensing agreement). While Cobra Security only requires Windows 95, and works with all later versions, many of the program contained within the download require various operating systems, usually Windows XP or later. Generally, the programs contained within this massive file are excellent tools in their own right, but many may be out-of-date before you get a chance to install them so you will have to download updates. Whether it would have been smarter to have simply linked to the author's site for the initial download (and therefore turn a 120MB file into one less than 1MB) is debatable. If you don't mind the size of the file, and you are looking for some great security programs to keep your PC safe, then Cobra Security is the way to go. Try it for yourself. Get this 120MB download from: Win95 General Programs

Digital Guitar Tuner v2.30 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
Digital Guitar Tuner is a small program that accurately tunes a guitar using direct input or microphone. It features high accuracy (16 bit/44100Hz input), 27 different tuning types (standard, lowered, dropped, open tunings, Hawaiian, etc), modulation of root frequency, tuning with midi tones, and more. Unfortunately CFS was unable to review this program. Digital Guitar Tuner allows you to tune guitars with no signal output (through a microphone) or electronically with a direct connection to a soundcard. If you own a guitar you should grab a copy of Digital Guitar Tuner and check it out yourself. Access this 754kB download from: Win95 Multimedia Programs

Monopoly INT v4.05 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
Monopoly INT is a clone of the classic boardgame for 2 to 6 players where the player buys countries instead of roads. It features classic rules, 22 countries, 5 utilties (railroads, harbors, etc), 8 specials (random benefits/costs), English or Croatian interface, and more. This is an excellent little game based off the classic Monopoly boardgame. In this game you purchase countries, build houses, hotels, etc and charge rent to anyone who lands on your property. The interface is a little strange at first and, when you land on free property, you must first click on your icon (in the colored rectangle near the top of the board) and then click on the flag of the country you have landed on and wish to purchase. This will give you the option to "Buy a contract" which means you now own the country. It is interesting to see the various values the author places on each country – the most expensive is Croatia (400), the USA is 350, Canada is 320, and both England and Australia are 300. On the other end, Haiti and Brazil are both 60, Egypt and Mexico are both 100, etc. It could be easy to be offended if you thought your country was under valued... Apart from the awkward interface, Monopoly INT is a terrific version of this classic game and one that most players should enjoy. Unfortunately there is no single-player mode, or the ability to play over a network, but the game is tiny and that has its own advantages. The one part of the layout we didn't like was that countries at the top of the board were written up-side-down – presented as if it was a 'real" boardgame, where people sat around a board, instead of a computer game where everyone sits on the same "side" of the board (in effect, the bottom). We loved Monopoly INT, in spite of its shortcomings, and we think you will too. Try it for yourself if you like boardgames and have at least one friend to play against. Access this 93kB download from: Win95 General Games

Day Clipboard Utility v2.4.2 – Win98/ME/XP/Vista
Day Clipboard Utility is a clip saver that can automatically (or manually) capture and save all text or images, copied through the Windows Clipboard, as TXT or BMP files, and save them using the computer's date & time stamp. It includes the handy Day Text Converter that converts text to either all uppercase, or all lowercase, plus a little digital clock that shows date and time. It requires no installation and can be run from a USB pen drive. Day Clipboard Utility should be a number one utility program but its interface is so awkward and hard to use that you sometimes despair and use something else. However, its ability to automatically save text and images in a sub-folder (named "dcu") is terrific. Just to carry out its base functions is cumbersome and requires some experimentation but, once you have mastered it, Day Clipboard Utility does a credible job of saving your clips into files for later re-use. A re-think of its interface could improve its usability enormously. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 172kB download from: Win98 Desktop Utilities

FotoMix v3.0 – Win98/ME/XP/Vista
FotoMix is an amazing tool that creates a montage of digital photos. For example, the background of an image is replaced with another image so that it appears that the character in the first image has the background of the second image. Creation of these montages is a four-step process, where you first select a background image, flip it, crop it, adjust its color saturation, etc. Then you select the foreground image and erase its background (the part you don't want to see), and then adjust its size, color saturation, etc. In the third step you position the second, foreground image, over the background image, resize, and add text if required. The final step is to either print the montage image or save it to file, with or without a border. Sensational! If you are careful when you remove the background from the second image, and this can take some time to ensure that it is done properly, you cannot tell that the final image is a composite of two or more images. It takes little practice to get an acceptable result, but a complex montage does take some fine tuning and, obviously, more practice. There are many examples on the author's Website to whet your appetite. We were amazed at the results from FotoMix – the final result from our first effort was superb, with the foreground image appearing to have always been part of the background image. The secret is in the deep etching of the foreground image using the eraser tool. The brush can be re-sized (essential to get into tight spots) and you can undo any accidental errors by holding down the right button of the mouse to restore the original photo. There are three colors you can use for the hidden background, red, green or blue, and whatever is painted with the eraser brush does not appear in the final image. The only tool would have liked to have seen was a paint-fill wand where the selected color was washed with the "hidden" or erased color. Some high-end commercial photo imaging programs have a similar facility, but none that we have seen are as easy to use as FotoMix. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 5.14MB download from: Win98 Graphic Programs

PixelSmash v1.0 – Win98/ME/XP/Vista
PixelSmash is a super break-out style game. It features fast action, lots of powerups (lasers, multiple balls, comet balls, etc), stunning background images, challenging gameplay, good sound effects, extra levels to download, world-wide high score, and more. This is a standard break-out style paddle game that is quite challenging to play because (a) there is a colorful background image that distracts the eye and helps you "lose" the ball, and (b) the ball does not always bounce from the bat as expected. It is also quite small on a large modern screen, measuring just 640x480 pixels in size. Changing the window to fullscreen does not make the game larger, it just fills the screen with a black background leaving the game at its original size. There are 78 background images, which probably means there are 78 levels though the images are displayed randomly for each level. You can also download more levels. We were somewhat disappointed in PixelSmash – it lacks the addictive feel of similar break-out clones, mainly for the reasons outlined above. However, that does make it more challenging than many similar games. If you are a break-out "expert" and want to prove yourself, then grab a copy of PixelSmash and see how you perform. Novice break-out players may wish to start on a more traditional version. That said, PixelSmash is still a great way to kill an hour or three. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 15.2MB download from: Win98 General Games
UPDATES
DipTrace Free – a PCB design system with a PCB layout module, an auto-router, schematic capture, etc – has been updated to version 2.0.07 with a slightly larger download size of 31.8MB. The author advises that changes in this version include: design manager; hierarchical schematic; fanout; manual routing improved; arc traces; plus many other new features and over 8,000 new components. Get this latest version from: WinXP General Programs
1-2-3 Spyware Free – a simple solution for finding & removing spyware & adware from your computer – has been updated to version 4.8 with a new, much larger download size of 11.6MB. The author advises that changes in this version include performance improvements. Grab this latest version from: Win95 Desktop Utilities
Personal Finances – a bank account manager which tracks up to 5 checking and 5 savings accounts – has been updated to version 3.6 with a new download size of 1.84MB (2.38MB for the USB version). The author advises that changes in this version include: a built-in calculator, and accounts sorting. It now requires Windows XP or later. Get this update from: WinXP General 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.
If you enjoy the Completely FREE Software site please don't feel shy about letting others know.
Link-To Tool for free, if you don't alter this code in any way.-->