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The Completely Free E-mail Update #51
Issued July 14, 1998
Welcome to the fifty-first edition of the 'Completely Free Software E-mail Update'. This is a selection of the programs we've added over the past week.
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 functionable. If you know any that aren't exactly as specified, please let us know and they will be removed immediately.
COMPLETELY FREE SOFTWARE
Lorenz Graf's HTMLtool – W95
There are HTML source code editors and HTML source code editors but few match the potential of HTMLtool. The first thing that strikes you is the busy screen – there's hardly room among the toolbars and dialog boxes for the page you want to edit! All those toolbars and dialog boxes offer terrific control over your webpage – offering buttons for just about every function you can imagine and then a few more! There are even two free Java applets waiting to be added to your page (you have to remember to copy across the CLASS files that go with them) and there is also five JavaScript routines which can be added to your page with the click of a button. These include a "back" button (works the same as the Back button on your browser), a "frame buster" script to ensure that your page doesn't get caught up in other people's frames, a script to determine the type of browser looking at the page (Netscape or IE), a script to display the URL of the current page, and a script to display the date and time when the document was last modified (US date format only - ie 07/09/98 13:24:08 but the time is in error, should be 23:24, not 13:24). The program features a handy Color Speedbar at the bottom of the page for quickly adding color to fonts, backgrounds, etc. You can remove one or all the toolbars to increase space on your screen, but the one thing you can't remove (or we couldn't find out how) was a floating menu window called the Tag List. While this menu window offered some very handy shortcuts to all sorts of tags, it is quite large and obliterates part of the document screen. It couldn't be minimized or deleted like other menu windows and the best we found was to reduce the window down to its smallest size (still large enough) which meant it could be positioned on the screen in the least offensive place. However, this made it much harder to access. Other areas we felt lacking were in tag colorization (it didn't!) and adding dimensions to images (again, it didn't). Still, with all the other functionability we could overlook some small deficiencies. The author has released a later version of HTMLtool as shareware but still lists the old freeware version on the website. We know you'll be impressed – specially with the 371kB download size! Access this great source code editor from: W95 Internet Related
Mile Stones – W95
Based off the French cardgame, Mille Bornes, in this version you face up against the computer (the software really!) and try to be the first to travel exactly 700 kilometres (well, 700 anyway – you can call them hands, feet or cubits if you like). Not just a "blind chance" game like so many cardgames, you have to use your noodle to defeat the computer opponent (no, it doesn't help to use a "dumber" computer!). Impose speed restrictions, make your opponent run out of gas or require repairs – or "he" might do all that and more to you! This really is a fun game which is not quite as mindless as most cardgames. The interface is well done and you can even assign sounds to the game. The author has even promised a network version soon (we hope it's not a Bill Gates' "soon"). Get the green light and drive over to grab this 1.37MB download from: W95 General Games
FreeDOS – DOS
The FreeDOS Project has been created to provide an alternative, and completely free, DOS-based operating system which not just keeps DOS alive, but builds on it with a fully MS-DOS compatible system. Unfortunately, it is not quite there yet. FreeDOS is a terrific project and the operating system is maturing quickly. Apart from tinkerers and DOS fanatics, one of the stated uses of FreeDOS is to provide a royalty-free operating system which businesses can distribute with their products. While this 16-bit DOS does not (yet!) offer such refinements as multitasking and protected mode operation, it hopes to fully emulate MS-DOS very soon. If you don't cringe at the DOS syntax, if command-line computing is for you, then we suggest that you at least try out the latest version of FreeDOS. Access this 7.79MB download from: DOS General Programs
Réveille-Matin – W95
This is a rather bloated alarm clock with a 'snooze' feature, a persistent alarm (it must be turned off so you can't miss it, even if you're away from your desk) and the ability to have the alarm repeated at the same time each day. There are four different alarm sounds supplied, or you can provide you own (MIDI format). The program is presented in both French and English (it boots directly into the French version but it's not hard to find the Options dialog box and change that to English). The author suggests that a minimum 64k color setting for your monitor is advisable. The biggest thing against this program is the size. The executionable size is about 1.4MB (which is a lot to have tied up in one utility) and the actual download size is 1.38MB. Still, if you want the fanciest alarm clock on the block, go grab Réveille-Matin from: W95 Desktop Utilities
Crazy Cows – DOS (suitable for W3.1 and W95)
This is a fun strategy game where you take turns (with the computer or a another human – or nearly human – opponent) to control your army of mad cows – brown or gray, you choose. There are ninja cows, and cleric cows, and bazooka cows, and scuba cows (truly!) – well, seven different varieties of crazy cows for you to march into battle. This DOS-based game even includes a level editor so you can create your own "killing fields". Anyone for steak? With optional music and sound effects, Crazy Cows is just crazy enough to be fun. If you're "having a cow" then this is the right game to be playing. Put on your blue suede shoes, Brylcream up your cowlick, and lasso yourself this 1.09MB download from: DOS General Games
HTMLshrink – W95
If your webpages are huge – no, not the images, just the page of HTML code itself – then HTMLshrink is just for you. It removes carriage returns, blank lines, and other useless (to a browser) commands which just bloat out your pages and make for slower downloading. The savings on each page will vary depending on the number of blank lines, carriage returns, and other 'useless' commands. However, be warned. If you are using a source code editor and intend to work on your pages in the future you might find that once they have been "shrunk" they are very much harder to work with. HTMLshrink is 'script aware' which means that it won't destroy your JavaScript, etc. Access this 123kB download from: W95 Internet Related
Peep Show – W95
Peep Show is a handy collection of five Win95 Utilities: Peep Hole, Pop-up Menu, Right Click Scroll, Focus Windows and Wrap Cursor. Peep Hole allows you to cut a hole in the active window to view the contents of windows below by using the cursor to make the area you want removed (cut). Pop-up Menu allows quick access to a windows' normal right click menu by just rotating your cursor on a page (no buttons need be pressed). You can set the program so that either clockwise or counterclockwise motions are used, and you can also set the program with varying degrees of sensitivity. Right Click Scroll is, as the name suggests, you can get that window to scroll by clicking on a window with the right mouse button and moving the mouse in the direction you want, as if you were moving the 'thumb' in the scroll bar. Focus Windows makes the window Title Bar the cursor moves over the top window and Wrap Cursor makes the cursor 'wrap' to the opposite side when it goes off the screen. This works on all four sides. The Peep Show collection is for the gadget fan, for people who want their computer to do things which others don't do. They are fun to use and, when you get used to using them, can be very handy. Access this 505kB download from: W95 Desktop Utilities
Light Speed – W95
While screensavers aren't on our list of favorite applications (they serve no real purpose with today's hi tech monitors), there are exceptions. Light Speed is such an exception. This is an interactive screensaver program where you can create your own screensaver as you go (cannot be saved though). With 15 sample screens – any of which could become your next screensaver – Light Speed's offerings generally have a starfield theme (our favorite is Random Spirals). You would have to view Light Speed's samples to appreciate the quality and variety of these screensavers. Using the interactive mode, you can create your own outer space theme, zig zagging your 'spaceship' through a starfield or changing any one of a dozen different attributes to personalize your 'trip'. Phew. Worth the 764kB download many times over, grab this beauty from: W95 Desktop Utilities
FractMus – W95
Simply put, FractMus creates fractal/algorithmic music using mathematical algorithms from chaotic dynamics, fractals, and number-theory. If you don't know what all that means then you might like to skip this program. If you're a music writer and this sounds like it might be just for you then read on. FractMus features "full MIDI-file support, 16 independent voices, complete control of MIDI parameters (including instrumentation, voice dynamics, and channels), eight note-generating algorithms, 14 predefined musical scales (with the possibility of creating user-defined ones), 11 predefined note durations (plus user-defined ones), and melody manipulation support." As the author notes, it won't create your masterpiece for you but it will give you the tools to add the raw material you can use in a composition. The interface is easy to follow, there is quite a good Helpfile in case you get lost, and the author has kindly included some sample files. Access this 451kB download from: W95 Multimedia Programs
Dexter FTP Indexer – W95
If you ever want to get an index of an ftp site (even your own) then you won't find an easier tool than Dexter FTP Indexer. Use a local or on-line http file and grab the ftp links from that page, or directly index an on-line ftp site. The user sets the number of threads and the number of levels (be careful you don't set this figure too high or you might get more than you bargained for!) and Dexter will go grab the info for you. He's rather tenacious too and will force himself on to ftp sites which are reluctant to give him access and suck the URLs from them. The indexed site can be posted on the Internet (instant bookmarks!) or webauthors can use it to prepare a site map. Access this 143kB download from: W95 Internet Related
UPDATES
Close Popups – a fabulous Internet utility to automatically close those annoying pop-up advertising screens – has now been upgraded to version 3.0. This latest version not only closes advertising screens put up by GeoCities and Tripod, but also screens from Angelfire, Free Prohosting, and Hypermart as well. The program now supports Netscape 3.x. Best of all, it's only a 10kB download! Access this essential tool at: W95 Internet Related
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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