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The Completely Free E-mail Update #52
Issued July 21, 1998
Welcome to the fifty-second 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
NBL DiskDuplicator Classic – W31 (suitable for W95)
There are many occasions where you want to copy the contents of a floppy disk – backing-up licensed software, creating disks of shareware or freeware for passing around to friends, etc – or when you want the contents of a floppy disk accurately stored on your hard drive. NBL DiskDuplicator Classic is a Windows 3.1 program which will copy a floppy disk track by track (including blank sections) and store it on your hard drive in a binary format. Multiple copies can then be made from that disk image – copies which are to all intents and purposes identical with the original. While similar to DOS's DiskCopy, DiskDuplicator allows for the multiple copying of floppies at a fraction of the time DiskCopy takes. There is an excellent Helpfile supplied with the download in case you like to dot the "t"s and cross the "i"s (???) before soloing. Most users, however, will find that the interface is intuitive enough not to require the Helpfile. Duplicate a copy of NBL DiskDuplicator Classic on your hard disk by grabbing this 106kB download from: W31 Desktop Utilities
3 Peak Perfection – W95
For lovers of solitaire cardgames – specially the old favorite 'Pyramid' – 3 Peak Perfection is another 'must have' program. Sporting three 'pyramids' (hence the name) and adding a time element to the game, 3 Peak Perfection is a good looking, well presented game. We were a little disappointed in the lack of cardback options (there aren't any – you have to stick with the Christmas theme supplied) but that was the only area which didn't quite meet our stringent standards. In this game, like 'Pyramid', you have to remove the cards from the table by taking the next or previous card numerically. If you have a two (of anything) you can remove a three or an Ace and, if the cards are available, to continue by removing more cards which are numerically 'next to' the active card. You have 90 seconds in which to complete the game which is usually about the right length of time and scoring is rather fancy with bonuses for completely removing all the cards in one of the peaks. All in all we found it to be an excellent game and very addictive. Get your copy of this 186kB download from: W95 General Games
Gif TV – W31 (suitable for W95)
This is a simple GIF viewer which can also play animated GIFs. Add to that is the ability to view each frame in an animation and you end up with a terrific little GIF file viewer. Displayed as a television-shaped 'screen' (hence the name Gif TV), the viewing size and shape is really not large enough for many of the GIF files you might want to view. For example, a banner ad from the internet is too large (horizontally) for the viewing area and you only get to see the middle of the picture (with much wasted viewing space above and below the image). If it would only display in full-screen... If you are looking for a simple but very good GIF file viewer then go grab this 411kB download from: W31 General Programs
CodeEdit – W95
There is no shortage of free HTML source-code editors available and reviewers look for strengths and weaknesses to differentiate between these programs. CodeEdit does have a few things going for it which many of the other editors just don't have. Firstly, the download size (and therefore the executionable program size) is reasonably small so the program loads fast and runs quickly without being a resource hog. After some of the bloatware we review this is a big plus. Secondly, it offers most of the basic elements of a webpage editor – including colored tags (very handy), quick insertion of special characters, an ftp uploading capability, etc. It even allows for multiple documents to be open (dependant on computer RAM) but not for selecting more than one document at a time from the 'Open' dialog box. It does fall down in a couple of other areas, the main one being that it doesn't automatically include the size elements in the image code – it doesn't even have a 'browse' feature for locating the images! The lack of Wizards is, to us, not too much of a negative as we find that it is usually better to hand code than to rely on automation to insert tags. However, newer coders might find this a major drawback. We liked the clean look of the program and we also liked the use of IE3.x DLLs to provide an excellent internal page previewer (it even removes the temporary files when the program exits). Of course, if you don't have those IE3.x DLLs already installed on your computer, you can always use your 'default browser' to preview your page. Lots of 'pluses' and a few 'minuses' still leave this editor well worth a look. Available as a 649kB download with full install, or as a 403kB download without the auto install routines. Get CodeEdit from: W95 Internet Related
RPC – W95
RPC is a randomizer for your PC's appearance. Give it a list of images, sounds, etc and it will randomly change the look of your PC with different wallpapers, start-up and shutdown screens, sounds, etc – 20 separate areas of change. Just to assist you in preparing your lists, it comes complete with an example zip file which has all the sub-directories the program needs. Just move the images, sounds, etc (as many as you like into each) into the correct directories (over 40 of them) and you are ready to go. RPC even uses JPG images for the Windows' wallpaper instead of just using BMP images (Windows' default). If you like a little variety in your (PC's) life then go grab RPC. Access this 1.88MB download from: W95 Windows Extras
Class Information Manager – W95
What a shame that this program is really only of use to teachers! Billed as the "complete electronic markbook" it allows teachers to create full lesson and pupil profiles so they can accurately keep track of what is being taught and to whom. With facilities to add comments on individual students, we couldn't imagine a teacher who wouldn't find this program to be of immense value in the classroom. Specifically designed for a teacher who teaches more than one class or subject, Class Information Manager is almost too good to be true. With facilities to print reports and to convert data into a form spreadsheets can read (with a template for Excel thrown in for good measure!), as far as day to day information management is concerned there is little that a teacher cannot do with CIM. If you are a teacher, if you know a teacher, if your child is being taught by a teacher, go grab this program. It is 'charityware' which means that you should make a donation to charity if you continue to use it (if you have the need, you WILL keep using it!). Get this 1.84MB download from: W95 General Programs
Folders – W95
Folders is a handy utility to give quick access to your favorite folders (directories). It lives in the system tray (only taking up 62kB) and gives a Win95 OS the same basic functionability as Win98 in this area. What more can we say? Best to try it for yourself. Access this 416kB download from: W95 Desktop Utilities
Windows SuperCharger – W95
Who says that free programs are substandard? Windows SuperCharger one certainly isn't! It would take many times more space than we can allocate just to list the benefits and features of this program so we'll have to just make do with a few. Firstly, it has a swag of Internet-related updates/upgrades which will speed up your whole Internet experience with peaking of MaxMTU, RWIN, TTL, etc. It also offers to do everything from changing the Recycle Bin's name to reducing hard drive activity. This is a terrific selection of 'tweaks' which you will enjoy using. While the download isn't small, it is well worth it – even if just for the extensive Internet speed-ups. Words fail us – this program is just too big to adequately describe in this newsletter. Take our advice and get a copy for yourself. This 5.74MB download can be accessed from: W95 Windows Extras
Decode Shell Extension – W95
Decoding UUENCODED, BinHex, XXE, Base64 (MIME), plain text or quoted-printable encoded files sent as e-mail attachments can be a real pain. Not any more. Decode Shell Extension adds an extra function to the right click menu. This extra function is called "Decode" (Doh!) and it will quickly decode those encoded files. There are quite a few programs which will also decode e-mail attachments but this is the simplest and easiest to use we've seen. Don't be left in the dark, Decode your e-mail attachments easily with this 220kB download (there is also a 90kB download available from the author's website which lacks the setup program). Access Decode from: W95 Internet Related
Eraser – W95
Clicking on "file delete" does not completely remove a file from your hard disk, even if you then remove it from the Recycle Bin. In most cases it doesn't matter but if you have security-sensitive files you want an assurance that no-one can ever recover those files. Eraser is a terrific utility which will overwrite a file 35 times to ensure that there is no trace of that file left on your hard disk. It effectively removes the magnetic remanence so that no-one, using even the most advanced file recovery techniques, can view your file again. If you need to ensure security then eraser is just for you. Access this 150kB download from: W95 Desktop Utilities
Traffic Computer – W31 (suitable W95)
"The Kirkwall city traffic computer has blown a fuse. It can be fixed, but this will take time... meanwhile the traffic is in chaos. It is down to YOU, with your helicopter, to control the traffic lights by remote control!" Such is the concept behind this fun arcade game. There are four intersections, each with a button. To change the direction of traffic flow you click on a button and you get points for every second a vehicle is left waiting at an intersection. You have two minutes and lowest points win. Like all great games, a simple concept provides the best (and most addictive) fun. It doesn't strain the brain, you don't have to be limber with your finger, you just have to keep the traffic moving. Oh, an you don't have to be an Irish-American New York cop to enjoy this game either, just someone with a couple of minutes to 'kill' (which can easily turn into half an hour or an hour – as we said, this game is simple but addictive). Best of all, this is just a 50kB download. Get your Traffic Computer from: W31 General Games
UPDATES
Visua – that terrific image editing tool with an awesome array of special effects filters – has had a name change to imagoWEB and an increase in size to 702kB. This new version has: Explorer drag & drop support; sequential rename function; Wizard slideshow; Wizard batch conversion; creation of HTML files that display images as thumbnails with each HTML thumbnail containing a link to full size image; etc. Wow! And this program is free??? Grab this updated image tool from: W95 Graphics Programs
Time For Toddlers – an excellent edutainment program for very young children and people with severe learning difficulties – has had a change of website and un upgrade to version 2.0. Toddle over and get this 4.49MB download from: W95 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.
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