Date: July 4th, 2008 6:35:31 a.m.

(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.)
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CFS Weekly Newsletter #480
[ISSN 1441-6840]

Web Site: http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com
E-mail 1: editor@completelyFREEsoftware.com
E-mail 2: cfs@people.net.au
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Welcome to the 'Completely FREE Software' Weekly Newsletter.

This is an "opt in" only newsletter. If you didn't subscribe, or wish to unsubscribe, please use the personalized address at the end of this newsletter.


HOWDY

Great to be back with you for another week of fabulously fresh freeware.

A special "howdy" to our American subscribers who are enjoying their July 4 Independence Day celebrations.

During the week we carried out our monthly link checking to ensure that all links on the site are valid. At that time we also post copies of programs on our server to replace lost programs (dead sites, etc). We added another 33 programs this week and these are now available to our members.

If you find a bad link on the site, or a program that is no longer free, please let us know immediately. It will be fixed as quickly as we can!

This week we have an unusual selection of programs for you, some fantastic, some good, and others which are not as good as they could be. I'll leave you to make up your own minds when you read the reviews below.

We also have our regular columns -- Dr T's excellent Computer Tip of the Week, and our ever popular Smile of the Week.

To get access to the best downloads, why not take a minute and become a member of arguably the best freeware-only site in the world. More details from our members' page:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/join.html

What are you waiting for -- become a CFS "lifer" now, or try out the site with a 1-month, 1-year or 2-year membership. We are still half the price of most other members-only sites and I think we offer the best value for your hard earned dollar.

One small point. If you sign up for a Lifetime membership through 2CheckOut.com you might be surprised to see that, according to them, a "lifetime" is only 12 years. That is because the number 12 is the highest number option they have -- 12 weeks, 12 months, 12 years. Don't worry, at the end of 12 years you will NOT be cut off if you are a CFS 'lifer' -- your membership will continue indefinitely...

Is your CFS membership going to expire soon? If you wish to extend an existing membership (without creating a new account) read this FAQ:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/faqs5.html#15

Have a great week.

Keep smilin'

Regards

Graham Pockett
Editor
Completely FREE Software


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COMPLETELY FREE SOFTWARE

Isis Strike v1.0 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Isis Strike is a retro-style, horizontally scrolling space shooter. It features 5 levels of difficulty, 5 different powerups to collect, powerful Bosses to defeat, excellent animated graphics, good sound effects, addictive gameplay, and more. This is a relatively standard SHMUP (shoot-em-up) where the Bosses get more and more powerful at the end of each level. When you are shot, not only does your shield reduce but so too does the power of your weapons. While Isis Strike does not offer much not found on most other shooters of this type, it is extremely well drawn and the game has a frenetic element that brings you back for more and more. We loved! Access this 20.7MB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gg8_w95.html#Isis_Strike32

ShellMenuView v1.05 -- WinXP (4 doves)
ShellMenuView is a tool that disables unwanted Windows Explorer right-click context menu items. It is a simple utility program that allows the user to disable, or enable, Explorer menu items. It does not require any installation -- just download, open the ZIP archive, and use the program. As the information is not always presented in a way that is easily understood, we recommend that it is only suitable for experienced PC users. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME, and the author has not specified if it is suitable for Vista. Access this 34kB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/we4_w95.html#shmnview32

DVDStyler v1.6.2 -- WinXP/Vista (5 doves)
DVDStyler is an MPEG video to DVD authoring tool that creates professional-looking DVDs. It creates NTSC/PAL menus, supports drag 'n drop, imports an image file for the background, you can place text & images anywhere on the menu screen, you can copy & paste any menu object, optionally creates an ISO file, and more. This is an awesome DVD authoring tool that can take your MPEG video, add a menuing system, and then burn it to a DVD. If you want to burn more copies later, or share it with others, you can save it as an ISO file. You can use one of the 14 included menu backgrounds, or use your own 720x576 JPG image as a background. It also includes 21 buttons which can be used as part of the menu, and these can be positioned, resized, the colors changed, etc so you can make them look and/or say, anything you like. The obvious limitation is that it only supports MPEG video files, but we felt that this was a minor irritation compared to its power and ease of use. We felt that the o
mission of the manual (in PDF format) from the download was something that should be immediately rectified and, until the manual is included, we consider it an essential add-on to the main program (167kB). We were also disappointed that the manual was created for an earlier version and urgently needs updating. Those small annoyances aside, DVDStyler is a fabulous program and one that we will be using ourselves. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 5.14MB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/mp1_w95.html#DVDStyler32

ROM-DOS v7.1 (build 4.20.1594) -- DOS (5 doves)
ROM-DOS is an MS-DOS compatible DOS environment which can be run from a floppy disk or hard drive. It features support for large disk drives & Long File Names, includes a 97 page manual (in PDF format), includes version 6.22 with the download, offers an optional network add-on (1.52MB), and more. This is a DOS operating system that can be run from a 1.44MB floppy disk or from a hard drive. It contains all the standard DOS operating files -- from COMMAND.COM to FDISK.EXE. It includes HIMEM.SYS to support RAM larger than 640kB. It also includes CHKDSK.EXE, DELTREE.EXE, XCOPY.EXE and all your other favorites. While designed as an embedded device for commercial users, its developer, Datalight, has made a single-user version available free for non-commercial users. ROM-DOS does have some problems when used on modern computers. It does not support the NTFS file system, so cannot read NTFS formatted drives, and it does not support USB printers. You will also need a 1.44MB floppy dri
ve if you don't want to run it from your hard drive. From our tests (which was not exhaustive), we found no incompatibility with MS-DOS but we did not test it on high-end DOS games which are notoriously flaky and hard to run. We were most impressed with ROM-DOS and, with the networking add-on, could offer a serious alternative to the Windows environment for anyone who is looking for a free non-Linux OS. The manual supplied with the program is excellent, but you may still want to get more detailed information from MS-DOS books or through the Internet. Our major problem with ROM-DOS was that there was no setup file included in the download -- even though this was mentioned in all the paperwork. Having unzipped the program onto an NTFS drive, we copied all the files to a floppy disk and then ran the command "sys a:" from the floppy to install the system there (we were asked if we wanted to overwrite files on the floppy and said "yes"). The floppy disk was then bootable and we were pleased to see the command prompt upon re-booting the system. Probably not for a raw novice, ROM-DOS is a wonderful tool for anyone who still needs DOS, or who enjoys playing with old DOS commands. We loved! Access this 1.75MB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gp1_w31.html#rom-dos

Greenpeace v1 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Greenpeace is a Flash-based arcade game where you must clean up the ocean by removing all the deadly chemicals. It features excellent graphics, challenging gameplay, suitable for all ages, and more. This is a "politically correct" game that plays like the old Lunar Lander game in that you must control your craft (a submersible) by giving small bursts of thrust using the Spacebar while manoeuvering it using the left and right arrow keys. Gravity makes the craft sink and you simply need to control the rate of descent and the direction. This is not as easy as it sounds... Gameplay is good, and Greenpeace has a high "repeat play" factor. It plays in your Web browser and can be both downloaded or played on-line. We liked! Access this 361kB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gg9_w95.html#greenpeace32

MobaPhoto v1.42 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
MobaPhoto is a toolbox for digital photography. It features batch editing (red eye removal, cropping, rotation & color manipulation), batch resizing, batch renaming, Web gallery creation (including FTP), optional stand-along version (fully portable -- 1.67MB), optional integration into the Explorer right-click context menu, multi-lingual interface, and more. This is an excellent little toolbox for anyone with a digital camera. While some of the editing functions are a somewhat basic, the batch renaming and resizing functions are good, and the Web gallery creation tool is excellent. We particularly liked the built-in FTP client so that you can quickly post your Web gallery on-line with the minimum fuss (and without any particular knowledge of Website creation). The on-line photo gallery even includes a link so that your visitors can download a zipped version of your images. MobaPhoto looks stylish, and is easy to use, but there is no Helpfile for the digital photography newbie
. Overall, a most impressive program with an excellent Web gallery creation function. Worth grabbing! Note: we are unsure of which Windows versions are supported by this program, or any other special requirements it has, as the author has offered no information regarding this. Access this 2.05MB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/grp2_w95.html#MobaPhoto32

ChimingClock v1.1 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (4 doves)
ChimingClock is a desktop clock with "British" chimes. It features 5 "antique" style clock faces, choice of 4 chimes (3 Westminster & 1 grandfather), optional sweep hand, desktray icon access, multi-lingual interface, and more. This is a novelty program that puts an antique chiming clock on your desktop. Chimes can be every quarter hour or every hour, they can be permanently turned off, or just turned off for the current session. The clock faces do not have a transparent background so the three non-rectangular clocks can look a little strange sitting on various backgrounds -- an easy thing to fix for a programmer, and we cannot imagine why it was not done. Another annoyance is that it automatically sets itself to run with Windows, and there is no option to prevent this. There is no "always on top" option for this program either and the program is normally hidden, or displayed, by left-clicking in the program's icon. ChimingClock could be a much better novelty toy than it alre
ady is, and we will be watching out for future versions to see if these issues have been addressed. Access this 7.00MB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/du7_w95.html#chimingclock32

Sonic 3D Blast v1.0 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Sonic 3D Blast is a retro 3D run 'n jump game featuring Sonic the Hedgehog who must collect Flickies and bring them to a warp ring in order to advance in a zone. It features 14 levels, hidden bonus levels, powerups, excellent 3D graphics, great background music, demo mode, and more. This is an interesting Sonic adventure because it is played from an isometric viewpoint, in what is essentially a 2D landscape, using pre-rendered 3D sprites. The controls can be awkward at times and the game lacks the high speed antics of the Sonic character. However, the graphics are excellent and the game becomes quite challenging the further you advance into it. While the 3D graphics lack the finesse of modern 3D games, never-the-less it is excellent considering the limited architecture available when it was originally released in 1996. This version is an emulation using Fusion and is ostensibly identical with the original Sega version. Having played the older, 2D versions of this classic, we
were somewhat disappointed in this 3D version. It is not as much fun as the original though it still has a lot of the Sonic charm (and attitude). If you like retro games, or are an old Sonic fan, then grab a copy of Sonic 3D Blast and prepare to be transported back in time. Worth a look! Access this 3.06MB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gg8_w95.html#sonic_3d32


COMPUTER TIP OF THE WEEK
from Dr T -- RTemlak4dds@aol.com

Q.
Every time I start my computer it does a disk scan for one of my drives. I need a program to scan this disk and see if there are any errors and fix them so this stops.

A.
There are two reasons why Scandisk will automatically run on startup:

1) Interrupted file operations

This is the "normal" automatic disk check that follows a "bad exit", which causes a "file operations in progress" bit to be left set within the file system, thus prompting the check to repair errors in the file system's logical structure.

If you don't properly shutdown, then stop doing that and properly shutdown. If you can't properly shut down (because of shutdown hangs or system lockups/crashes/reboots) then troubleshoot those problems. If you do shutdown properly but see this all the time, then suspect a bug where the ATX power is turned off too soon, so that data written to the HD but still held in the HD's own cache RAM is lost before it's written to the disk platters -- get the fix!

2) Disk surface failure

There's another bit in the file system that's set whenever an attempt to access the hard disk fails. If this is set at boot time, an automatic check is made not only of the file system logic, but also the disk surface itself. This a FAR more serious situation that should be taken very seriously indeed; forget "how do I run Windows" (you shouldn't -- it's unsafe to do so) and go to data recovery.

Failure to access disk should not happen, ever. But when it does, some mechanisms may attempt to hide rather than highlight the problem (you know, like Watergate and subsequent *gate scandals?).

The HD's own firmware will usually try to "fix" the failing sector on the fly, by reading it repeatedly until no CRC error, then writing the contents to a spare sector, and then fixing up the beneath-the-OS raw sector addressing to use the new one instead. It will bang it's head on this repeatedly for so long it looks like a hard lockup, rather than return an error code that indicates bad disk. Go figure.

[Source Unknown]


SMILE OF THE WEEK

(contributions for this section are most welcome)

=: Some Words of Wisdom :=

1. A day without sunshine is like night.

2. On the other hand, you have different fingers.

3. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.

4. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

5. Remember, half the people you know are below average.

6. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

7. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

8. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap.

9. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.

10. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

11. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.

12. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.

13. How many of you believe in psycho-kinesis? Raise my hand.

14. OK, so what's the speed of dark?

15. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

16. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.

17. Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

18. Life isn't like a box of chocolates -- it's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your butt tomorrow.

19. What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?

20. Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

21. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering, "What the hell happened?"

22. Just remember -- if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.

[author unknown]


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.

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