CFS Weekly Newsletter2008-10-11T14:47:03ZCompletely FREE Software (CFS) offers a fabulous selection of completely free Windows & DOS software - tested, reviewed and rated. Each week we present reviews of new additions to the site, plus other information.Dada Mail 2.10.2CFS Weekly Newsletter Announcement - October 10, 20082008-10-11T14:47:04Z2008-10-10T01:40:14Ztag:www.completelyfreesoftware.com,2008-10-10:%2Fcgi-bin%2Fnewsletter%2Fmail.cgi%2Farchive%2Fcfs%2F20081010014014%2F(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.)
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CFS Weekly Newsletter Announcement
Web Site: http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com
E-mail 1: CFS Weekly Newslettereditor@completelyfreesoftware.com(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.)
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Welcome to this special CFS Weekly Newsletter announcement. I'd like to extend a warm welcome to our new subscribers.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, there will be no newsletter this week.
Regular newsletter subscribers know that even when we don't have a normal newsletter, we always send out something (otherwise we spend the next week answering the same question -- "what happened to last week's newsletter?"). This is that "something".
Just to make it all worthwhile, we have included our two regular columns -- Dr T's excellent Computer Tip of the Week, and our ever popular Smile of the Week. Both are much larger than normal and I hope you enjoy them.
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:
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:
I look forward to being with you next week. Until then...
Keep smilin'
Regards
Graham Pockett
editor
Completely FREE Software
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When a single cable connects your computer to the printer, you might expect that documents would find their way along the path to printing without getting lost. Yet along this path, documents can encounter any of a horde of obstacles that can prevent your data from appearing on paper. When your print job doesn't print, use these tips to get your document back on track to its paper destination.
Plugged in, turned on. First, check the basics. Make sure the printer is plugged in and turned on, and check that the cable between the printer and your computer is securely fastened on both ends. If the cable is loose on either end, shut down your computer, turn off the printer, insert the cable properly, and turn on your computer and printer.
If everything's plugged in and running, there could be a problem with Windows, especially if this is the first time you tried to print after connecting the printer. In many cases, Windows will return an error message when you send a document to print and there's a problem with the printer. However, sometimes Windows isn't quite so perceptive, and when that happens, you may wait for the document to print with no result. If everything appears fine physically, check your printer settings in Windows. Click Start, Settings, Control Panel, and double-click the System icon; in Windows XP, click Start, Control Panel, and then double-click the System icon. Click Properties and select the Device Manager tab (in WinXP, choose the Hardware tab and click Device Manager). Click the plus sign (+) next to Ports and then double-click the selection for your printer port to launch the hardware properties box for the device. In this window, make sure there are no error messages and that the devi
ce is enabled. If you see an error message, uninstall the printer driver by clicking the Driver tab, clicking the Uninstall button, and following the prompts. Reboot your PC and let Windows recognize and install your printer, or use your printer's installation software if Windows doesn't successfully install your printer. After you reinstall the printer, print a test page to make sure it's working correctly.
Paper jams. If the printer's configuration in Windows appears correct, or if you've previously printed successfully and now you are having problems, check that the paper tray's full. If it has paper, make sure a sheet (or sheets) isn't jammed. Also, inspect the paper tray to make sure the correct size paper is in the tray and that it's inserted in the right direction.
A long line. Another common reason for lack of output is an overly crowded print queue. Double-click the printer icon in the System Tray. If the print queue is backed up, you'll see several documents waiting. The first document is probably causing problems and preventing the others from printing. Right-click the first document (the one at the top) and click Cancel Printing. If the printer is on a network and another user sent that first document, you'll need to ask the other user or the network administrator to cancel the document. After the first document is cleared from the queue, the other documents in line should print in turn. If they don't, try clearing all documents from the queue. To do so, click Purge Print Documents on the Printer menu (in WinXP click Cancel All Documents), and resend the documents one at a time until they're printed.
Rogue application. Occasionally you'll discover that printer output problems are program specific. For example, if you're having problems trying to print a Word document, try printing a document from Excel or a page from Internet Explorer. If that document or page successfully prints, you'll need to check the print settings in the program that isn't printing. Make sure you've selected the correct printer, along with the correct paper size and similar settings.
Of course, internal printer errors can also prevent output, and the resulting error messages can appear in Windows, on your printer's LCD (liquid-crystal display), or both. Although these messages are often cryptic, you can usually find explanations for them in the printer manual. If you're constantly receiving error messages that prevent your documents from printing, you might need to update your printer's drivers. Check the printer manufacturer's Web site for the most recent downloadable drivers and install them according to the accompanying instructions.
If you're still having problems, turn off the printer, reboot your computer, and turn on the printer. Like certain other computer-related problems, printing issues sometimes resolve themselves when given a clean start.
Emergency: Banding & Other Print-Quality Issues
Mangled text. Annoying lines. Smeared ink. Faded print. Printers of all shapes and sizes are notorious for spewing shoddy printouts when we can least afford the time and hassle to fix the problem. Luckily, it is easy to fix most print-quality problems, and we'll show you the steps for solving various print-quality problems.
Print banding. Print banding, or the presence of extraneous lines on a printed page, can occur on the best of printers, but banding isn't always the printer's fault. If you're using cheap, copy-quality paper, banding can appear when the page slips as the printer makes passes to complete the printing. In this case, you can avoid banding by using a heavier-stock paper; try switching paper types first before doing any more extensive troubleshooting.
If banding continues regardless of the paper, inspect the printer settings in the program from which you're printing. Make sure the paper size and type indicated in the print settings match the paper in the printer. Depending on the printer and the program, you might be able to change the resolution, or dpi (dots per inch), for your printer. If you can, select the highest resolution to try to eliminate the banding. If you don't see a setting for resolution or dpi, look for a setting such as High Quality and select it. Also, check the printable area setting and make sure it's not configured for maximum, as this can also cause banding.
Another cause of banding is physical or electrical interference from nearby appliances. For example, if you set your printer atop a speaker or subwoofer, the vibrations can cause lines to appear on your page. Similarly, electrical noise or vibrations from a nearby copier or fax machine can also cause problems. Keep your printer on a stable, nonvibrating surface and away from unshielded electrical devices.
One of the most common problems with print quality is light or fading text. If you use a laser printer, a low toner cartridge could be the culprit, but you can often squeeze some spare life from the cartridge by removing it from your printer and gently shaking it from side to side. This redistributes the remaining toner, and when you put the cartridge back in the printer, you should snare several more pages before you need to replace the toner cartridge altogether. Of course, this solution typically works only once, so after you shake it the first time, obtain a replacement and keep it handy. If all of the type on the printed page is light, rather than faded in certain areas, check that you're using the right type of paper for your printer or project. Some manufacturers recommend a certain type or weight of paper for their printers, so check the manual for your printer's specifications. Also, if you're printing to a special media type, such as labels, you should select the pr
oper paper type in your program before you print because these settings can affect the print quality, in addition to the print placement.
Printer cartridges can get dirty or clogged over time, leading to faded prints. Most printers today include configuration utilities, and some tools include an option for cleaning the print heads. If your printer utility includes this option, run it. If it doesn't work, or if the problem recurs, turn off your printer, remove the cartridge (or cartridges), and lightly brush the electrical contacts with a cotton swab until they appear clean. Next, gently dab a paper towel moistened with warm water and a small amount of isopropyl alcohol repeatedly to the print head until you see a strong flow of ink on the towel. This cleaning process might also be necessary if your printouts have blurry or smeared print. These conditions can also occur with certain printers when the paper curls toward the printable side, so if your paper is curled, grab the stack and try curling it in the opposite direction to straighten it.
In extreme cases, and particularly when your printer sees heavy use, you might need to replace one or more of your printer's parts. But because today's printers are built for wear and tear, you'll find that you can fix most print quality problems with a setting change or a cleaning.
Emergency : Paper Jams
There's little more disturbing than sending a document to the printer, hearing the printer chug into action, and then hearing the paper get devoured in a horrible cacophony of crinkling and crunching. The worst part about paper jams is once the first jam occurs, many more seem to follow, but the good news is a solution is usually easy to find.
When your printer is jammed with paper, clear the crumpled paper. If you see crumpled paper in the input tray, grab it evenly with both hands and pull it gently toward you. If you don't see any paper, open the printer case and check the feed rollers. If you find crumpled paper there, remove it by slowly pulling it outward but don't touch any of the internal parts-they might be hot, especially in laser printers. Work as slowly as possible to avoid tearing the paper or damaging the rollers. Check for and remove small paper shreds that might be inside the printer if someone previously yanked out a jammed piece of paper and ripped it.
Paper jams can also occur in the output area, so if you don't see crumpled paper in the input or internal roller areas, check the output. Again, remove any jammed paper slowly by pulling with two hands. If you can't dislodge the paper with gentle force, check your printer manual, which should explain how to manually turn the rollers. Now it's time to fix the problem so it won't happen again. Load the paper properly in the paper tray. Some printers, including inexpensive inkjets, require that you jump through several hoops to ensure the paper is loaded just right. Even if the paper looks like it's loaded correctly, it still might be slightly off, so remove all of the paper and reinsert it. Also, keep the paper tray full or nearly full as regularly as possible because near-empty trays tend to choke on those last few pieces of paper.
Check your manual to make sure you're using the correct paper type. Although many printers can handle various paper types, some models jam easily when you use the wrong paper. For example, copy paper tends to jam in certain laser printers, often because the printer grabs two or three sheets instead of one. If you don't have the manual and can't find documentation online, swap the paper with a different variety. Instead of slick paper, try grainier sheets so the printer rollers can clutch a single sheet. Avoid lightweight paper that has a high opacity and aim instead for at least 20-pound paper.
Sometimes even high-quality paper can jam, so check the condition of the paper. If it's wrinkled, curled, or earmarked, chances are it's not going to have a successful journey through the printer. Even paper that looks healthy could have problems, due to static electricity. Before you place a stack of paper in the printer's paper tray, quickly fan through the pages to eliminate the static and repeat this process with existing in-tray paper if you have paper jams.
If the paper still jams, grab a flashlight and take a closer look inside the printer. Foreign objects, such as paper clips and staples, can interfere with internal moving printer parts, so if you see anything wedged between rollers or otherwise loitering where it shouldn't, unplug your printer and carefully remove the object. Also, if you use your printer on a daily basis, internal parts, such as screws, can become loose over time and interfere with printer operation, so look for parts that appear out of place. Even screws that aren't out of place but are significantly loose can play a part in paper jams, so it doesn't hurt to tighten everything up, but remember to first unplug the printer.
If you're lucky, your paper jam is a one-time deal that you can fix by adjusting the paper or switching the paper type. Yet as you can see, even if the jams become chronic, there's often an obvious problem source that you can correct with a few steps.
[Source: The Angellmore Newsletter]
SMILE OF THE WEEK
(contributions for this section are most welcome)
=: All About Marriage :=
"Marriage is a lot like the army. Everyone complains but you'd be surprised at the number that re-enlist." -- James Garner
"Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards." -- Benjamin Franklin
Don't assume that every sad-eyed woman has loved and lost -- she may have got him.
"A man usually falls in love with a woman who asks the kinds of questions he can answer." -- Ronald Colman
Before marriage the three little words are 'I love you', after marriage they are, 'let's eat out'.
"By all means marry: If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philospher." -- Socrates
A diplomatic husband said to his wife, 'How do you expect me to remember your birthday when you never look any older?"
It takes a smart spouse to have the last word and not use it.
"The honeymoon is over when he phones to say he'll be late for supper and she's already left a note that it's in the refrigerator." -- Bill Lawrence
"The average woman would rather have beauty than brains because she knows that the average man can see much better than he can think." -- Ladies Home Journal
"A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband." -- Michel de Montaingne
"Alimony is like buying oats for a dead horse." -- Arthur Baer
"Marriage is a great institution -- but I'm not ready for an institution yet." -- Mae West
"When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him keep her." -- Sacha Guitry
You have only to mumble a few words in church to get married, and a few words in your sleep to get divorced.
"If there is any realistic deterrent to marriage, it's the fact that you can't afford divorce." -- Jack Nicholson
The person who marries for money usually earns every penny of it.
The most difficult years of marriage are those following the wedding.
"A woman has got to love a bad man once or twice in her life to be thankful for a good one." -- Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Marriage is like twirling a baton, handsprings, or eating with chopsticks. It looks easy till you try it.
"If men acted after marriage as they do during courtship, there would be fewer divorces -- and more bankruptcies." -- Frances Rodman
Some husbands are living proof that a woman can take a joke.
Many husbands go broke on the money their wives save on sales.
There are two times when a man doesn't understand a woman -- before marriage and after marriage.
"In Hollywood all marriages are happy. It's trying to live together afterwards that causes the problems." -- Shelley Winters
"No woman ever falls in love with a man unless she has a higher opinion of him than he deserves." -- Edgar Watson Howe
"The only real argument for marriage is that it remains the best method for getting acquainted." -- Heywood Broun
[author unknown]
COMMENTS
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]]>CFS Weekly Newsletter #4912008-10-11T14:47:04Z2008-10-03T02:43:18Ztag:www.completelyfreesoftware.com,2008-10-03:%2Fcgi-bin%2Fnewsletter%2Fmail.cgi%2Farchive%2Fcfs%2F20081003024318%2F(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.)
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CFS Weekly Newsletter #491
[ISSN 1441-6840]
Web Site: http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com
ECFS Weekly Newslettereditor@completelyfreesoftware.com(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.)
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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.
We have an excellent selection of programs reviewed for you below and I know you will enjoy them.
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:
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:
As a special offer to newsletter subscribers, anyone with a current 1-year membership can update to a Lifetime membership for just $25. Members with a current 2-year membership can update to Lifetime for just $15.
Please note that this is for current members only and can be used at any time during the period of a membership. Don't put it off because this offer may not continue indefinitely.
Make the appropriate payment ($25 or $15) using your credit card and tell us your username so we know which account to update. Click on this address to update your membership through PayPal:
(Payment is made through our parent company, Kooronya Holdings.)
COMPLETELY FREE SOFTWARE
Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire v1.1 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire is a remake of an adventure/role playing game hybrid, originally published in 1990 by Sierra On-Line. It features all original dialogs/Easter eggs/action, there are 3 characters from which to choose (Fighter, Magic User & Thief), massive broad canvas interactive gameplay, point 'n click mouse-driven interface, 25-page manual in PDF format, 23-page FACS (Famous Adventurer's Correspondence School) booklet in PDF format, and more. This is a massive game which has been kept true to the original Sierra version except for updated graphics (now SVGA instead of 16-color EGA) and the mouse-driven interface. This brings it back more in line with later Sierra games. Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire, the second in the Quest for Glory series, is a fully interactive game with a huge variety of options within the game to achieve the goal of finding Arus al-Din and restoring his rank to that of Emir of Raseir. Each of the three character types approach this
goal in different ways using their different strengths (and weaknesses). The game requires communication between the various characters in the story and not just fighting ability (which is also required at some points). It is played across a number of weeks, with 8 distinct time periods each day. Your character must sleep, drink and eat every day to survive. Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire is so much more than the ordinary adventure type RPG that it cannot be played in one or two sittings and judicious use of the Save key is essential to eventually complete the game. We were enthralled with Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire. It is an exceptional RPG, with the usual puzzles to solve and bad guys to kill, but painted onto such a broad canvas that it will challenge even the most experienced gamer. We loved! Access this 85.3MB download from:
IE7pro v2.4 -- WinXP/Vista (5 doves)
IE7pro is an add-on for IE 7 which adds lots of features and extras, and makes IE easier, more useful, secure and customizable. It features Close/Open tab by double left click, switch proxy, set agent identification, block ads & flash, open new tab from address bar, apply super drag-drop, refresh tab automatically, recover session crash, manage tab history, view page information, save image files quickly, spell check, Google/Alexa rankings, server info, and more. This is an awesome add-on for anyone using IE 7 or later (and, we presume, version 6 too). It offers a massive array of options and enhancements, including an effective ad blocker, a download manager, a variety of tab tweaks, the ability to increase or decrease the viewed page size (content can be zoomed in or out), a fast way of grabbing images from a site, and lots, lots more. The spell checker (if you don't have OpenOffice.org installed on your computer you will need the special spell checker/dictionary files -- 1
6.8MB) works with multi-line forms so that if you are, say, sending a message to a site using a form, it will spell check it for you. Neat. Of course, there is always a downside somewhere and the "payment" for using IE7pro is that it will open a second tab when the program is opened that gives you a search tool (you can set it for almost any search engine you like). The author does get payment if you use this search tool. Apart from this second tab (which can be easily closed), IE7pro is a fantastic Internet Explorer add-on that all IE users will find valuable. A "must have" if you are still using IE as your Web browser. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 2.35MB download from:
Nero InfoTool v5.3.3.0 -- WinXP/Vista (5 doves)
Nero InfoTool is a tool that provides information about the most important features of installed CD/DVD drives, inserted disks (actual manufacturer, etc), Nero software (if installed), and more. This is an excellent reporting program for anyone who has a CD and/or DVD burner installed in their computer. It gives terrific information about each drive, about any disks inserted into those drives, about the Nero software installed (including all version numbers), the drivers installed, and more. Information is detailed and exhaustive. The information supplied about each of our CD/DVD drives, the disks we are using, and the software we have installed on our computer is excellent. Nero InfoTool does not test the drives but simply related what the drives say about themselves. Burn speeds are therefore susceptible to many factors, not the least being inaccurate specs. It was also interesting to check different brands of disks to see who their actual manufacturer really is (sometimes
you can purchase identical disks, without the fancy brand name, but from the same manufacturer). If you have a CD or DVD burner then Nero InfoTool is a "must have". Grab a copy and see for yourself! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 1.65MB download from:
FocusViewer v2.1 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
FocusViewer is an image viewer and editor. It features 21 filter effects, supports common photo formats (BMP, JPG, GIF, TGA, PSD, PCX, PPM, WMF, ICO, etc), slideshow, red-eye removal, wallpaper with calendar, creates contact sheet, screen capture (timed & hot key), EXIF information, image cropping, image rotation, undo/redo, good Helpfile, and more. This is an excellent little image viewer, with some powerful editing functions, that also has some other nice features (like pre-formatting of images for printing). It is easy to use and highly functional, but it is the features that it didn't have which concerned us. For example, it does not support the very popular RAW image format, and it could not read our TIF format images (though it tried). It also could not read EMF files or EPS files, both of which are used in some areas of publishing. While it does offer undo and redo, it is limited to a single level so has more limited application than editors which offer unlimited undo/
redo. FocusViewer really is an excellent tool that, in most instances, would satisfy casual happy-snap photographers. However, for serious digital photographers, its lack of RAW support is a major concern, as is the limited undo/redo. We loved the wallpaper with calendar function, and the excellent built-in editing filters and tools. Overall, FocusViewer is a great little image viewer and editor which should find a home on many desktops. Worth a look! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 1.43MB download from:
ChessBin Chess v0.0.3.1 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
ChessBin Chess is a classic chess boardgame where you play against the computer. It features 5 ply depth search, clock, full stats (number of moves so far, valid moves for nominated piece, etc), 2 modes (training & game), choice of chess pieces (default & enhanced), highlighting of legal moves, move history, save game, save last move, and more. This is an excellent single-player chess game, albeit without many options at this stage (it is a very early version). It offers most of the important features of a good chess game -- powerful AI, full statistics, etc -- though it does not offer variable AI (important if there are novice players) or multi-player networked games. In fact, you can only play against the computer in this version. Probably our biggest complaint against ChessBin Chess is that you download an installer which, in turn, downloads the main program (not even 700kB!!!). Why? All the author is doing is adding one third to his overall download by using an installer
and making it hard for anyone to store a full copy of the non-installed game in case it needs to be re-installed later. You also cannot determine where you want the game to reside, annoying if, like us, you try and keep the C:\ drive just for Windows and a few other essential programs. That aside, ChessBin Chess is a superb little chess game that will, we hope, continue to get better and better. A "must have" for chess buffs. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 225kB download from:
ATPad v1.0.108 -- WinXP/Vista (5 doves)
ATPad is a tabbed ASCII text editor (Notepad replacement). It features lines numbering, word wrap, fully portable (no installation required, runs from USB drive), unlimited filesize, fully customizable (colors, fonts etc), 99 levels of undo/redo, search/replace, bookmarks, returns to "last open" state, it can show whitespace information (line breaks, tabs & spaces), send documents via e-mail (even unsaved documents), has a good Helpfile, and more. This is an excellent little Notepad replacement that has many enhancements over the Microsoft version. For starters, it has no filesize limit and loaded our 10MB, 470,000 line test document in under 2 seconds. It also offers 99 levels of undo and redo. ATPad is also fully portable -- there is no installation required and it can run from any portable media (even a floppy disk!). Cool. There are some minor deficiencies within this program but, as the author has clearly stated, it is not trying to compete with other editors as each has
its own strengths and weaknesses. We were disappointed that ATPad did not offer global search and replace -- it will only replace text in the topmost "open" tab, not across all tabs. Also it does not offer syntax highlighting for programmers, it does not have a spell checker, and it does not offer "live" URLs or e-mail addresses. That aside, this is an excellent replacement for the aging Notepad and one that many, many users will find easy to use. In a word, excellent! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 105kB download from:
Quick Player v1.4 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Quick Player is an audio player that supports MPG, MP1, MP2, MP3, OGG, WMA, ASF, WAV, MID, RMI, MOD, S3M, XM & IT formats. It features 6 built-in skins, optional always-on-top, variable transparency, playlist, minimizes to tray, repeat play, random play, make your own player, tags editor, and more. This is a nice little audio player that supports a good variety of popular audio formats. The CD player is a separate application but the desktop shortcut points at the C:\ drive, not the actual drive where the program is located! By amending the Properties of the desktop icon to reflect the actual location of the program we were able to access it. Unfortunately, it did not give us a choice of drives and the drive it chose to point to was one that does not have audio attached... Likewise the IE-based mini Web browser, included in the download, also had an incorrect desktop link, as did the Search tool. QuickPlayer lacks full playlist support -- you can manually add files, but not a
playlist file (M3U, etc). Finally, it is offered in the excellent, but not popular, 7-Zip format and you need to get a copy of the 7-Zip program (available through CFS) to open this 7Z archive. Yes, 7-Zip does create a smaller archive than standard ZIP but it is not the standard archive tool in the West. CFS has included a non-archived EXE version of the program on our server. This is an 8.45MB download. We had mixed feelings about Quick Player. We acknowledge the variety of audio formats supported, and it has some nice features, but playlist support would be beneficial, and a more universally accepted archived download file format. A nice player with some edges that need polishing. Access this 6.27MB download (in 7-Zip format) or get the 8.45MB CFS download (in EXE format) from:
Protozoa v20080912 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Protozoa is a frenetically paced, vertically scrolling shooter where you fight waves of genetically enhanced microbiological foes. It features excellent vector-based graphics, terrific special effects, addictive gameplay, mouse/keyboard control, windowed & fullscreen modes, and more. This is a fun game that came second under the category "Best Game on Intel Graphics" at the Intel 2008 Game Demo Contest. Rather than come from the home of vector-based shooters, Japan, Protozoa comes from Argentina. It is a stylish shooter that demands a lot from a player but also delivers lots. It is very fast paced, with lots of color and effects to enhance the gameplay. If like shooters (often called SHMUPS, an abbreviation for "shoot em ups") then you must grab a copy of Protozoa. It is an awesome game! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Get this 6.53MB download from:
MailDominion -- a tool that removes junk mail directly from a pop3 mail server -- has been updated to version 1.1 with a download size of 15.0MB. The author advises that this version includes a few bug fixes and it now runs in the desktray (next to the clock) with right-key click activation (as suggested by CFS in the original Review of this program). It still includes the full Java Redistributable (which accounts for its large size) and the author told us that including it is: "just easier than performing checks and download[ing] the right version if it's not available". He said that it is: "just a downside of developing with Java... until Sun decides to make it modular and allow developers to just include the parts they use instead of the whole thing". Grab this new, improved version from:
Many people use a pop-up blocker to prevent unwanted ads from opening in their Web browser, but most pop-up blockers aren't designed to handle one of the rising trends in malware -- malicious ads. And because many pop-ups, banners, and other forms of online advertisements install Flash-based or JavaScript programs (software that generates the animation or sound on an ad), malicious ads have the power to redirect your Web browser to a malicious Web site without you ever clicking the ad. Once your PC is infected with the attacker's malicious code, the intruder may be able to scan your computer's hard drive or spy on information sent over your network, such as any of the usernames and passwords you enter.
Another factor that makes banner, pop-up, and pop-under ads especially dangerous is that malicious ads have hit popular Web sites that most people consider trustworthy. For instance, last November, many visitors to the Major League Baseball and National Hockey League Web sites had their Web browsers hijacked by banner ads. The ads sent the sports enthusiasts to a Web site that prompted users to download ineffective antivirus software, which featured its own malicious infections.
To help you prevent malicious ads from taking over your PC, we'll cover how to tell if your system is being affected by advertising, show you how to purge your system of the ads, and examine ways you can prevent the poisonous pop-ups.
Exposure Level
Beware of ads that prompt you to download Flash-based, ActiveX, or JavaScript software.
According to Roger Thompson, chief research officer of AVG Technologies, "New malicious ads seem to pop up every other day, and although malicious ads are not a new method of delivery, it's a malicious attack that's catching on."
In the last year, malware-filled ads have been encountered on many popular Web sites, including Expedia, Rhapsody, and National Geographic, among others. We should note that neither the Web site nor the ad network publishing the pop-ups typically know the ads contain malware. According to Thompson, "Sometimes those who provide the ad use a bait and switch technique, so the ad will be innocent when the network publisher agrees to the ad, and later on, the ad provider substitutes the innocent content with malicious software."
How Malicious Ads Gain Control
Typically, malicious ads work one of two ways: The ads may pop up over a Web site and automatically redirect you to a Web page filled with malicious software, or the ad attempts to entice you to click a link, resulting in the loading of a malicious Web site. Either way, opening a malicious site may leave your computer open to any number of Trojan horses, worms, rootkits, spyware, or additional browser hijackers. Ads that automatically redirect your Web browser often use Flash technology (a common browser plug-in that lets your Web browser produce animations and sound). In most cases, Flash ads are harmless. But when the Flash technology is repurposed with malicious intent, the programs can force malicious content onto your computer.
Alternatively, ads that require you to initiate the attack through a mouse click generally use JavaScript or ActiveX software to create a pop-up applet with various clickable options. Interstitials (ads that load in front of the page you've opened and require you to click a link or watch the entire advertisement before it will close) are a popular malicious ad tool, because clicking the ad -- even to close it -- may allow the attactacker to load a malicious code and use a vulnerability in your OS (operating system) or Web browser to access data on your PC.
Identify & Stop Attacks
From Internet Explorer's Manage Add-ons screen, you can disable add-ons that may be opening pop-ups on your Web browser.
You'll know your system is being affected by a malicious ad if your Web browser is automatically redirected to a site that's not the Web page you intended to visit. Additionally, the new Web site will likely prompt you to download an application from the Web site. Although some Flash-based ads have the ability to generate an attack without your intervention, you'll typically need to click a link in the ad to "allow" the malicious code to install software on your computer. Therefore, one of the best ways to avoid malicious ads from infecting your PC is to close the ad by pressing CTRL-W on your keyboard. Clicking a button labeled "Close" or "No Thanks" on the ad may actually trigger the installation of the malicious software. If your browser is being hijacked, you can also press CTRL-W to close your Web browser.
Get Rid Of Infiltrators
Because malicious ads use JavaScript and Flash-based applications to infect your PC, the pop-up blocker, firewall, and anti-malware programs on your computer may not be designed to prevent the rogue application from installing additional malicious software on your PC. Therefore, it's essential you use antivirus and antispyware programs to scan your computer for malware. For more information on programs to identify malware and clean out your PC, read our antivirus software overview titled "Big Medicine" on page 63 and our antispyware software overview titled "Avoid Virtual Spies" on page 66. No matter which program you choose, remember that you'll need to keep your antivirus and antispyware software up-to-date for the security applications to be effective.
Excessive pop-up ads may also be the result of existing malware on your PC. For example, spyware installed on your computer may keep track of the Web sites you visit, and when you're surfing the Web, the spyware may open pop-ups related to your Web habits, hijack your Web browser, or change your home page settings. If you've scanned your computer with up-to-date anti-malware software and continue to see malicious ads, you may have installed a malicious add-on program in your Web browser. The Internet Explorer Add-on Manager allows you to enable or disable the add-ons you've downloaded. Click the Tools menu, select Manage Add-ons, and choose Enable Or Disable Add-ons. To disable an add-on, select the program you want to stop, and under the Settings area, click the Disable radio button.
Final Thoughts
If your Web browser is being hijacked, then the simplest solution is to close the browser as quickly as possible. Because the hijacked browser may be programmed to open a number of Web sites, you may need to close several windows. (To learn more about browser hijackers, see "How To Get Rid Of ... Browser Hijackers" on page 57.) To be safe, we also recommend running a scan with your antivirus and antispyware software to catch any programs that may have found a way inside your computer's defenses.
These "Weird Reference Questions" are from the Library Paraprofessionals Listserv. All of these are real and provide proof that a "better idiot" can be invented.
"Do you have a list of all the books written in the English language?"
"Do you have that book by Rushdie: 'Satanic Nurses'?" (Actual title: "Satanic Verses")
"I was here about three weeks ago looking at a cookbook that cost $39.95. Do you know which one it is?"
"Can you tell me why so many famous Civil War battles were fought on National Park Sites?"
"Do you have any books with photographs of dinosaurs?" Hmmm. (I don't recollect any camera-toting cavemen... do you?)
"I'm looking for information on carpal tunnel syndrome. I think I'm having trouble with it in my neck." (No...that's your brain miss-firing.)
"I am looking for a list of laws that I can break that would send me back to jail for a couple of months." (I know... how about shooting yourself? That would get you life in prison!)
"I need a color photograph of George Washington." (Ok... hold on... I'll check with the caveman!)
"Is the basement upstairs?" (Asked at first floor reference desk.)
[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.
If you are an author of a freeware application and you would like it listed on these pages please fill in the form at:
If you enjoy the Completely FREE Software site -- and this newsletter -- please don't feel shy about letting others know.
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]]>CFS Weekly Newsletter #4902008-10-11T14:47:04Z2008-09-26T03:15:16Ztag:www.completelyfreesoftware.com,2008-09-26:%2Fcgi-bin%2Fnewsletter%2Fmail.cgi%2Farchive%2Fcfs%2F20080926031516%2F(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.)
___________________________________________________
CFS Weekly Newsletter #490
[ISSN 1441-6840]
Web Site: http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com
ECFS Weekly Newslettereditor@completelyfreesoftware.com(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.)
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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.
We have an excellent array of programs for your review below. These include three great games, an awesome photo editor, a tool for speeding up Vista, a typing tutor, an MP3 player, and lots more.
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:
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:
As a special offer to newsletter subscribers, anyone with a current 1-year membership can update to a Lifetime membership for just $25. Members with a current 2-year membership can update to Lifetime for just $15.
Please note that this is for current members only and can be used at any time during the period of a membership. Don't put it off because this offer may not continue indefinitely.
Make the appropriate payment ($25 or $15) using your credit card and tell us your username so we know which account to update. Click on this address to update your membership through PayPal:
(Payment is made through our parent company, Kooronya Holdings.)
COMPLETELY FREE SOFTWARE
Poofik v1.0 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Poofik is a run 'n jump 2D scrolling game in a forest/caves setting. It features 11 worlds, lots of bonuses to collect, powerups, excellent animated graphics, mouse or keyboard control, save game, world-wide high scores, and more. In this game you must direct the raccoon to find the treasures hidden in the mines. This is a fairly standard run 'n jump game with bonuses to collect, enemies to avoid (or kill), and obstacles to overcome. However, it lacks the frenetic pace of similar games -- like Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog -- but it has charm in its more leisurely pace. Some of the obstacles are challenging but this is simply a fun way to kill some time and lacks the real intensity of a game that will keep you enthralled for hours. There are some inconsistencies between the program and the author's Website. The README file with the game says that it is suitable for Windows 95 and above, and requires DirectX 8.1, but the Website says that it requires Windows XP or higher and only
requires DirectX 5.0. The README file, under the heading "Description" describes another game (it talks about tanks and armor, and "40 levels created in three different settings"). While we had been told that this was version 2.0, paperwork with the program said it was version 1.0. You can make up your own mind whether the details in the README are correct, partially correct, or entirely inaccurate... (we opted for scenario two -- partially correct). That said, we really enjoyed playing Poofik. It has its own built-in elegance, and an addictive aspect that will bring you back for more and more. We loved! Access this 7.54Mb download from:
Vista Sprint v1.00 -- Windows Vista (5 doves)
Vista Sprint offers a way to improve system performance. It uses a 7-part Wizard incorporating a series of manual steps and the installation of a Registry (REG) file. This is a strange program in that it offers to install a Registry file (without telling the user what it does) and then offers some general advice on what to do yourself to speedup Vista. Most of the advice is worth taking and, yes, you should experience a leaner, meaner Vista than you had before. However, not all advice is either accurate or clear. For example, in one screen it advises the user to type services.msc into the Start/Run box and "set a the services that you dont need that are automatic to manual" (sic). What services don't you need? The author of this program does not say... In practice, Vista Sprint did seem to speedup Vista slightly but, as we had already made many of the suggested changes before running this program, we cannot say the overall effect of tweaking an unmodified version of Vista. We
caution against doing too much unless you are confident that you know the results of any changes you might be tempted to make. This is specially important in areas where the author does not make any specific suggestions on what you should change. If used with caution, by an experienced PC user, Vista Sprint could help to turn your slow old Vista cart horse into a not-too-decrepid thoroughbred. Worth a look. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98, ME or XP -- and possibly it might not be suitable for future versions of Windows. Access this 2.84MB download from:
Photoscape v3.1 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Photoscape is a deluxe photo editor. It features an image viewer, image editor (resizing, brightness and color adjustment, white balance, backlight correction, frames, balloons, mosaic mode, adding text, drawing pictures, cropping, filters, red eye removal & blooming), batch editor (edit multiple photos), it can merge multiple photos, makes animated GIFs, print multiple photos on one page, offers screen capture, a color picker, a batch renamer, it converts RAW to JPG, includes over 500 icon images, offers 12 paper textures, and more. This is an awesome image tool -- actually, a suite of tools -- that is specifically designed to work with digital photos. It supports JPG, GIF, TIF, RAW, PNG, etc file formats, and can combine your images into a single animated GIF image. The editor has a wide variety of effects, and can even crop to a circle! The print functions include multiple images on a page (with a huge variety of sizes, formats and numbers of images per page). You can add
a speech balloon to an image and insert text into it, and there are over 160 balloon styles from which to choose. Everywhere you look with Photoscape you are amazed at not just the depth of tools being offered, but the backup support with lots of icons and other images which can be incorporated into your photos. Any one of the 13 main functions within the program would be the worth the download, but combining them into one suite is fantastic. Photoscape is a program you have to try for yourself because there just isn't the space to fully describe every aspect of every feature. To say that we were impressed would be an understatement. Let's just say that we loved Photoscape and know that everyone else who tries it will be equally enthusiastic. Grab a copy now! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 13.1MB download from:
RapidTyping Typing Tutor v2.1.1 -- WinXP/Vista (5 doves)
RapidTyping Typing Tutor is a skinnable touch typing tutor for adults and children. It features extensive training statistics for each user, customizable lessons, a choice of keyboard layouts, includes 124 lessons (another 144 can be downloaded -- 79kB), includes 2 skins (another 6 skins can be downloaded -- 493kB), a portable version is available (1.31MB) with those extra lessons (163kB) & skins (710kB), supports 12 languages & their keyboards, and more. This typing tutor includes more features and options than many professional tutoring programs. You can choose if you want the keyboard displayed with the program (probably essential for new users) and even if it displays "hands" to show you where fingers should be positioned. RapidTyping Typing Tutor is a fun way for anyone to learn touch typing, or just improve their typing skills. Graphics are bright and breezy with good animation to encourage younger users to continue. We did have a problem with RapidTyping Typing Tutor.
Sometimes when we typed the correct letter the program reported an error. We did not know if this was a problem with our system configuration or with the program itself but we suggest you check it out yourself before letting a child use it (children could get unnecessarily frustrated if they thought they weren't improving and could then abandon learning how to touch type altogether). This was the only blight on what we considered an excellent program which was on par with some very expensive commercial programs. If your typing needs to be improved, then grab a copy of RapidTyping Typing Tutor. A "must have" for most PC users! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 994kB download from:
Gravity Launch v1 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Gravity Launch is a 2D spaceship launching game where you must complete your mission by successfully landing a spaceship on the target. It features 5 progressively harder levels, realistic gravity algorithms, challenging gameplay, instructions included, and more. This is a fun, if somewhat challenging game. Fortunately, there are no penalties for losing, you just try again, and again, and... The idea is to adjust the power and elevation settings to launch a spaceship and complete your mission -- and adjustments are needed to make changes to the trajectory. You can play Gravity Launch directly from the CFS Program Review or download a copy and play it on your computer. Gravity Launch is an excellent 2D gravity-based time waster. Gameplay is challenging but the rewards are there for those who can make the grade. We loved! Note: even though this game is hosted on the CFS server, it is freely available for everybody to download (and share), not just CFS members. Get this 1.24MB d
ownload from:
CopyCat v1.5.0.0 -- WinXP/Vista (5 doves)
CopyCat is an advanced tool to copy, move and archive folders. It can pause & resume the cut/copy process, archive folders (WinRar only), ignore/include specific file(s) & folder(s), has an optional shutdown when done, it can skip file(s) with copy/move error, copy/move from multiple sources to one folder, drag 'n drop source & destination folder(s), save file(s) & folder(s) list to a text file, and more. On paper this is an awesome file management tool but, in practice, it does not always perform as you would expect. For example, it does not support wildcards and it has no Explorer context menu integration. However, for us the biggest problem with CopyCat was that it works only with folders -- it cannot process individual files. This utility should be great to use for backups but, without any means of scheduling transfers, or any way of copying only changed or new files, its role as a backup tool is much diminished. CopyCat is still a handy program to have around but it woul
d be a much, much better program if it was more versatile. Try it for yourself. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 4.29MB download from:
Usman MP3 Player v1.6 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Usman MP3 Player is an MP3 player with many other functions. It features an MP3 encoder (ripper), tags editor, MP3 cutter & joiner, voice recorder, MP3 searcher, audio CD player, supports M3U playlists, increases/decreases volume, changes the playback speed, and more. In spite of its many, many functions, we were a little disappointed in Usman MP3 Player. Our first problem came when we wanted to listen to an audio CD and found that the program "chose" our secondary CD player -- one that didn't have audio connected to it. Our primary CD player is set up with audio, not that one. There was no option to change drives so we ended up not listening to a CD. However, we could have "ripped" that CD from our primary drive because the MP3 Encoder (the ripper) does give the user the option of which drive to use. Most strange. Actually, the ripper itself was of limited value because (a) it made us rip one track at a time (there was no option for ripping the entire CD), and (b) it does no
t link with an on-line database and therefore does not automatically add information about the CD. We were also surprised to find that, when it played through a selection, it kept on repeating the last track -- endlessly, over, and over, and... Well, you get the picture. Finally, our last gripe was that the program does not display itself in the system tray or in the desktray. If you minimize all programs on the desktop you minimize it -- and then have no easy way of getting it back into view. Usman MP3 Player has lots, and lots of features and functions but we would have preferred to have seen fewer functions and more functionality. Maybe we are being a little harsh about Usman MP3 Player because the basic tools are good, and work well. We specially liked the speed control and the MP3 file cutter and joiner. You certainly couldn't say that it lacked features! Try it for yourself. Access this 2.64MB download from:
LBreakout2 v2.4.1 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
LBreakout2 is an excellent Arkanoid-style paddle game. It features 1- to 4-player modes, 47 levels (1,440 more can be downloaded), level editor, 3 levels of difficulty, Internet gameplay, 18 powerups, 8 powerdowns, 7 types of brick, fullscreen or windowed modes, full HTML manual, and more. This is a superb version of this popular Breakout game. It has a huge number of options, and additional levels and themes can be downloaded. Gameplay is typical of the Arkanoid/Breakout style with a number of bricks of various types which must be destroyed by the ball (controlled by the paddle). Powerups (and powerdowns, also called "malus") rain down and you should try and grab the good ones and avoid the bad ones. Unfortunately, when you first start to play they are hard to differentiate and there is a learning curve to be overcome before you can know all the various items you should be collecting, and the ones you should be avoiding. LBreakout2 has great animated graphics, an easy-to-use
interface, and a guarantee that it will consume more of your leisure hours than it should. We loved! Access this 3.03MB download from:
Q.
Sometimes when my computer finishes a defrag, there are still some files left that didn't go through the process. It says they're still fragmented. How can I get them to defrag properly or is that something that can be left alone?
A:
Great question! It's the defragment versus the fragment and I know just what to tell you! Now, I know all of you are good listeners and you've taken our advice to perform a defrag (http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/2510) on your computer regularly, right? (Well, if you haven't, you should do so soon!)
So, after your defrag finishes, do you sometimes have a few files left over that refuse to defrag? If you do, don't worry too much about it. That's normal for most computers. Basically, the defrag process focuses on putting all the parts of a file next to each other on your hard drive, but in reality, not all files need to be placed that way. Of course, when the files are compacted together, it creates less work for your hard drive, but that's not at all completely necessary.
Along with that, there are some other reasons why all your files may not defrag. First of all, your computer needs at least 20 percent of available space to be able to even start a defrag. If you don't have enough open space for a particular file, it probably won't change.
The next scenario may be that the file is being used by some other program you may still have open. It's suggested you close down all running programs when you perform a defrag, so make sure you do that next time. Now, there is a way to check that when the defrag is complete. You can do so by looking through the list of all the non-defragged files to see if you happen to have a program running that may be using them. If so, you can shut that program down and start the defrag process again. The file should then go through successfully for you.
Now, still going along with that, the problem may lie in your operating system. An operating system usually has several files open in order to do its normal work. That too can cause a failed defragged file. To try and avoid that, boot up your computer using your boot disk instead of doing it the regular way. Running it from the CD and not your hard drive may help the defrag to run properly.
Well, there are some suggestions for you in case you're really worried about certain files not defragmenting. If you think those files are severely fragmented, you should go ahead and try these options. But if they're not, you really don't need to worry about it. Like I said before, some files will still run perfectly fine in their fragmented state. Yes, your hard drive will work a little harder to find all the parts of it each time you want to use that particular file, but that's part of its job. It's not going to hurt it, especially if you have the majority of your files defragged and ready to go.
If you get a testing of at least a 95 percent defrag performance, your computer is in good shape. If you want, feel free to jump through the loops of fixing those few files, but sometimes, it's just not worth the trouble. If you run a defrag regularly, your computer will be at its best optimum performance and all will be well!
[Source: Worldstart.com]
SMILE OF THE WEEK
(contributions for this section are most welcome)
The reason for this section of the CFS newsletter...
Give me a sense of humor, Lord,
Give me grace to see a joke,
To get some humor out of life,
And pass it to other folk!
[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.
If you are an author of a freeware application and you would like it listed on these pages please fill in the form at:
If you enjoy the Completely FREE Software site -- and this newsletter -- please don't feel shy about letting others know.
___________________________________________________
The following information is a reminder of your current mailing list subscription:
You are subscribed to the CFS Weekly Newsletter using the address: example@example.com
You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL:
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You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen:
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]]>CFS Weekly Newsletter #4892008-10-11T14:47:04Z2008-09-19T02:50:55Ztag:www.completelyfreesoftware.com,2008-09-19:%2Fcgi-bin%2Fnewsletter%2Fmail.cgi%2Farchive%2Fcfs%2F20080919025055%2F(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.)
___________________________________________________
CFS Weekly Newsletter #489
[ISSN 1441-6840]
Web Site: http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com
ECFS Weekly Newslettereditor@completelyfreesoftware.com(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.)
___________________________________________________
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.
It was an interesting week at CFS as we "upgraded" our Internet connection to ADSL2+ and went from getting a 1.26Mbs download service to a 2.85Mbs service (where is the indicated 20Mbs?). Still, I suppose we did double our download speed... I must add that this is not our server speed -- that is totally different.
We are now using OpenDNS to secure the network on our test computers and protect ourselves against the recently-discovered DNS vulnerability -- and you should too. It's fast and free.
OpenDNS is one of the only DNS services that was never susceptible to the vulnerability.
As an added bonus, OpenDNS also makes your network faster and more reliable, and gives you free Web content filtering and the tools to easily see which Web sites are most visited on your network. If you see problem Web sites in your network stats, you can easily block them.
You can also use it to automatically correct misspelt Internet addresses (converts "cmo" to "com", etc), and to use shortcuts to access commonly visited sites (we can type "cfs" into our browser navigation bar, click on the Enter key, and have the CFS Website open up).
This week we have an excellent selection of freeware reviewed for you. This includes three great games, a business card designer, a GUI front-end to the bland Command Run function, a program that blocks on-line chat (Messenger, ICQ, etc), another that... Well, why don't you check them all out for yourselves.
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:
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.
Is your CFS membership going to expire soon? If you wish to extend an existing membership (without creating a new account) read this FAQ:
As a special offer to newsletter subscribers, anyone with a current 1-year membership can update to a Lifetime membership for just $25. Members with a current 2-year membership can update to Lifetime for just $15.
Please note that this is for current members only and can be used at any time during the period of a membership. Don't put it off because this offer may not continue indefinitely.
Make the appropriate payment ($25 or $15) using your credit card and tell us your username so we know which account to update. Click on this address to update your membership through PayPal:
(Payment is made through our parent company, Kooronya Holdings.)
COMPLETELY FREE SOFTWARE
Cosmic Ball v2.1.1 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Cosmic Ball is a Breakout-style game where evil enemy robots guard the bricks you must destroy. It features 90 levels, 3 levels of difficulty, powerups, moving bricks, attacking spaceships, several types of balls & weapons, excellent graphics, and more. This is an excellent version of the popular Breakout game where, with a paddle and ball, you must destroy all the bricks to progress to the next level. There is a tremendous selection of brick types, ball types and powerups (yes, and powerdowns too!) and the whole package is professionally presented with excellent animated graphics. The inclusion of spaceships that fire at you adds to the game, and those ships normally have to be hit a number of times before they are destroyed (there is a red dot on each ship denoting the number of times that it must be hit). Our only real issue with Cosmic Ball was that there appeared to be no way of saving a game -- if you choose to stop mid game then the next time you played you started bac
k with a zero score, though the locked levels you had successfully completed would be available to you. We really enjoyed playing Cosmic Ball. Yes, the lack of a "save game" function was a major omission but the game was good enough to keep us playing in spite of that. An awesome Breakout clone! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 5.64MB download from:
SmartCommand v2.1.4 -- WinXP/Vista (5 doves)
SmartCommand is an easy-to-use GUI-based Command Run tool. It features 15 pre-prepared commands, help notes for some commands, quick access to 4 commonly used MS tools (MSconfig, Registry Edit, Disk Space Cleanup & Disk Defragmenter), alarm, and more. This is a handy tool that puts a more human-friendly face on the bland Run Command dialog box (Start/Run). Not only are there 15 pre-prepared commands you can use, but you can add your own, and even save them for later use. The MS tools are handy, though not hard to find -- most are at Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools -- but it is certainly easier to access them through SmartCommand. The Alarm function was most disappointing and this is one feature that we doubt will be much used. We set an alarm and, when it went off, instead of playing the tune it was supposed to play, it simply opened the 9-second WAV file in our audio editor -- not exactly what we expected! Of course, if your default WAV program is a player then it sh
ould play the audio. Another aspect about the alarm was that the time is shown in 12-hour format in the display, but requires 24-hour format when you set an alarm. Most annoying. That aside, SmartCommand really has some value as a friendly GUI (Graphical User Interface) on top of the not-so-friendly Start/Run box. The other functions are nice, but not as valuable. If you use the Command Run functions then your will find that SmartCommand make life much easier. Worth a look! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 282kB download from:
Businesscardmonster Designer v1.3.0 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Businesscardmonster Designer is a business card designer, with the proof page delivered immediately by e-mail in PDF format ready for printing. It features over 900 backgrounds in 42 categories, choice of over 20 editable text layouts, full font control (type, size, color, etc), choice of 12 program skins (or none), and more. This is an excellent designer tool to create professional-looking business or introduction cards. You create the card by inputting your information and then select the background and the text layout. You can then tweak the text layout -- adding color to the text, changing fonts, even moving the text around to conform to the text points already built into the program. Once you are happy with the look of the card you simply click on the "send me the Proof" button, include your e-mail address, and within two minutes an e-mail will arrive with an attached PDF document that contains your cards ready for printing. The PDF document contains 8 copies of your car
d, plus all trim marks, so you can simply print it (best on to 120 or 150gsm card) and then cut out the individual cards. Simple. Unfortunately you cannot simply add your own background image, though it is not too hard to overwrite an existing background with your own and have that display instead of the original. We were most impressed with Businesscardmonster Designer. It creates a truly professional looking card with the minimum of effort or artistic flair, but still allows the user to personalize the layout and appearance of the card. We loved! Access this 12.6MB download from:
Messenger Blocker v1.0 -- WinXP/Vista (5 doves)
Messenger Blocker is a relatively effective tool to block on-line chat by preventing popular chat programs from operating. It features support for 13 chat-type programs (including Yahoo & MSN Messenger, Google Talk, Skype, ICQ, mIRC, Pidgin, Trillian, etc), selective user block, activity report logs, update button, and more. This is a good way of blocking chat on a PC. The blocking can be restricted to just some users, or can be for all users. You can also select which chat programs are blocked, and which are not. Unblocking can be carried out quickly so the password holder of the program can allow chat. We tried to use Yahoo! Messenger and were effectively blocked from doing so. However, we could have removed the startup entry through a program like RegRun (listed with CFS) and then re-booted the computer, allowing chat to be resumed. That startup entry could be then re-instated, the computer re-booted, and no-one would be the wiser -- there would have been no record of the
unauthorized activity in the log. That aside, we really were impressed with Messenger Blocker. Assuming that it is loaded with Windows it does provide adequate blocking of many chat programs (although not all versions of each). It cannot be uninstalled except through the program itself, and that is password protected. If you have children and wish to block on-line chat, Messenger Blocker is quite an effective way to do that. Worth a look! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 2.05MB download from:
Twoccer World 2 v1.0 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Twoccer World 2 is a 3D "collecting" game where you must steal items lying around Shinebrook town. It features 4 modes of play (2 having 6 styles of playing each), timed gameplay, 3D graphics, fully created township to roam, powerups, on-screen map, and more. Before you ask, "twocker" is a slang expression for thief, taken from the expression "Taken Without Owners Consent" or TWOC. Having cleared that up, Twoccer World 2 is a strange game where you move a ball around a township (Shinebrook) and collect everything lying around (or floating in the air). Apart from playing the Free Mode, all other modes and styles (of which there are many) rely on timed gameplay and you must either see how many items to collect (there are about 50 different types), or carry out mission-based tasks, within a specific time period. Some items, like clocks, are powerups (clocks give you extra time to complete your level). Twoccer World 2 suffers from poor 3D graphics, and a questionable concept (unl
ess, of course, you wish to emulate a thief). Its saving grace is the number of variations and options available through the various game modes. Even with those, we found it has a limited long-term appeal and this is probably not a game you would rush home every day to play. If you have an inclination to become a thief then try Twoccer World 2. At least you won't end up in jail... Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 2.63MB download from:
Free WMA MP3 Converter v1.0 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Free WMA MP3 Converter is an easy-to-use audio file converter. It converts equally between 3 major audio formats (WMA, MP3 & WAV), offers adjustable output quality, supports ID3 tags, bulk processing, and more. This is an excellent audio file conversion tool that takes any of the three supported formats and equally converts between the other two (a total of six conversion options -- WMA to MP3, MP3 to WMA, WAV to MP3, MP3 to WAV, WAV to WMA, and WMA to WAV). Conversion is quick and simple, and you only need click on the appropriate button, tell the program where the source file is located, and it will be automatically converted and the new file placed in the location specified in the Options dialog box. It should be realized that this is not "Free WMA to MP3 Converter", which is also listed with CFS. We were highly impressed with Free WMA MP3 Converter. It is a simple to use yet very effective tool. What it lacks in eye candy it makes up for in functionality. We loved! Note:
we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 858kB download from:
Apex Text v1.0 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (4 doves)
Apex Text is a Java-based ASCII text editor. It features infinite undo/redo, syntax highlighting, code templates, code completion (preview), tabbed documents, document templates, typed document, incremental search, highlighting search results, essential tools for Java programming language, document management, and more. On paper Apex Text sounds like an excellent text editor, with tools for both home user and programmer alike. Alas, like many Java applications, in practice it lacks the practicability of a well designed Windows program. Our first hint that Apex Text may not be the answer to a maiden's prayer was when we loaded our 10MB test file (with 470,000 lines of text). Rather than load our file in seconds, as do almost all modern text editors, it took a 3 yawning minutes to load (stare at a clock for 3 minutes and you'd be yawning too!). The search and replace function, always valuable with a tabbed document interface, only worked within the active (top-most) document --
it did not apply changes globally or give the user the option to make changes across all open documents. As with the slow loading of our 10MB test file, making changes (search and replace) in a large document was painfully slow -- the expression "walking pace" came to mind. Java started out with such promise, and the option to create a program that can be used on many different platforms is appealing, but in practice we have found that Java-based applications are generally slower than a lizard walking through a snow storm. Apex Text has many, many great features and, if you have plenty of spare time, could be what you need. However, it didn't suit us. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 975kB download from:
Super Mario World v1.0 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Super Mario World is the original 1991 Super Nintendo (SNES) version of this run 'n jump classic. In this game Mario must save Princess Toadstool who has been captured by Bowser. It features 72 levels, original retro graphics & gameplay, numerous powerups to collect, and more. This popular side-scrolling platformer introduces Yoshi, a dinosaur that Mario can ride, and consists of seven main worlds and two secret worlds. The gameplay is just as much fun today as it was in 1991, and the bright music and cheesy enemies are lots of fun too. By default the game plays fullscreen but the graphics still look good, even when viewed on a 22" widescreen monitor. If you enjoy run 'n jump platform games then Super Mario World is a "must have". We loved! Access this 1.14MB download from:
1-2-3 Spyware Free -- a simple solution for finding & removing spyware & adware from your computer -- has been updated to version 4.7 with a larger download size of 7.85MB. The author advises that this version has a new antivirus kernel. Get this excellent spyware remover from:
Have you ever uninstalled a program only to later discover it's still on your Add/ Remove programs list? The program is gone, but its entry is still there. When that happens, most people click the program, hit the Add/Remove button and end up with an error. And the program is still stuck on the list. It may have been removed from your computer, but its ghost seems determined to stay on. So, is the program listing there forever? Can you ever get rid of it? YES -- but you have to play around in your system registry.
Before we go any farther, I want to say that messing with your registry is not for everyone and should only be attempted by advanced users. If any of the information below doesn't make sense to you, it's probably NOT a good idea for you to be trying this tip. So, do this only at your own risk. If something gets messed up, I don't wanna hear about it :-)
Here's the procedure:
1. Run your registry editor by hitting the Start button, Run, Then type:regedit Hit Enter.
2. Your registry editor should now be up and running. Now would be a good time to back up your registry by hitting the File menu, Export Registry. Just in case.
4. Under this Uninstall folder, you'll see all the stuff that's listed on the Add/Remove programs list. Find the folder for the program that's stuck in your Add/Remove programs box, right-click, and select Delete from the resulting menu. Now, go back to your Control Panel, Add/Remove programs area and you should find that extra program is now gone. You may have already figured this out, but there's another use for this tip. If you have a program listed in the Add/Remove programs section that you DON'T ever want uninstalled, you can delete its folder from the Uninstall folder list mentioned above. That way, you (or someone else) won't accidentally remove it.
Oh, and don't worry. Deleting the folder won't remove the program, just its entry in the Add/Remove section of the Control Panel.
[Source: Worldstart.com]
SMILE OF THE WEEK
(contributions for this section are most welcome)
=: Grandchildren Chips :-=
She was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup, under the watchful eyes of her young granddaughter as she'd done many times before. After she applied her lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But Gramma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!"
My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, "62." He was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"
After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?"
A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like: "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"
My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo while I asked, "No, how are we alike?" "You're both old," he replied.
A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?" he asked. "I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."
I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last she headed for the door, saying sagely, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!"
When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use, Grandpa. The mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."
When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised. "mine says I'm four to six."
A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's interesting," she said, "how do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'."
Children's Logic: "Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a teacher. One of the small boys wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. "Sure," said the young boy confidently. "It means carrying a child."
A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties. "They use him to keep crowds back," said one child. "No," said another, "he's just for good luck." A third child brought the argument to a close. "They use the dogs," she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrants."
[author unknown]
COMMENTS
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]]>CFS Weekly Newsletter #4882008-10-11T14:47:05Z2008-09-12T05:23:00Ztag:www.completelyfreesoftware.com,2008-09-12:%2Fcgi-bin%2Fnewsletter%2Fmail.cgi%2Farchive%2Fcfs%2F20080912052300%2F(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.)
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CFS Weekly Newsletter #488
[ISSN 1441-6840]
Web Site: http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com
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Welcome to the 'Completely FREE Software' Weekly Newsletter.
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HOWDY
Great to be back with you for another week of fabulously fresh freeware.
The 9/11 anniversary has come and gone and the world (well, the Western World) is feeling the pain that Americans are suffering over this attack seven years ago. With new TV documentaries being shown giving a truer insight into what happened on that fateful day we can better experience what it was like for those directly involved. Our prayers are with the survivors and the families of the victims.
It is a colder, harsher world in the wake of 9/11.
We almost didn't produce a newsletter this week in view of the 9/11 anniversary being so close to our normal publication day but we decided that terrorists had won enough victories with the increase in global security so we thought it better not to give them another victory (albeit a very small victory) in stopping the CFS Weekly Newsletter from being produced.
So we have a great mix of terrific freeware programs reviewed below. I know you will enjoy them.
We also have our regular columns -- Dr T's excellent Computer Tip of the Week, and our ever popular Smile of the Week (again, nearly pulled but then we realized that laughter is needed even more in the wake of the 9/11).
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COMPLETELY FREE SOFTWARE
Hellcarrier v1.0 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Hellcarrier is a 2D, top-down, helicopter shooter where you must destroy out the terrorists. It features 3 levels of difficulty, 4 weapons (Machine Gun, Normal Missile Heat Seeking Missile & Phosphor Missile), 3 different pickups (powerups), choice of 5 co-pilots (each with different strengths), various missions & sub-missions, addictive gameplay, HTML manual, and more. This is a missions-orientated game where you must help rid Europe of terrorists. It starts off easily, with just a couple of trial missions, but then you get up close and personal with the terrorists as you carry out your missions. These missions are assisted by a small gray triangle which gives the player the direction in which to fly. Technically a "flight simulation" (you must take off and land, albeit with just the Spacebar), Hellcarrier is a fun game to play but it does suffer from the 2D top-down graphics which makes the enemy soldiers quite small and therefore harder to fight. It also lacks realistic s
cenery, which would be much enhanced if the graphics were 3D. That aside, Hellcarrier is well worth grabbing and is an excellent little time waster that most will enjoy playing. We liked! Access this 3.21MB download from:
Defraggler v1.02.085 -- WinXP/Vista (5 doves)
Defraggler is a file and/or disk defragmentation tool. It defrags individual files, defrags entire drives, analyzes fragmented files/drives, checks drives for errors, provides a visual display of entire disk (drive map), has a progress indicator, includes update checking, and more. This is an excellent way to defragment (defrag) your files and therefore speed up Windows considerably. Because it can work with individual files you don't need to defrag an entire drive just to bring one errant file under control. Possibly the best part of the program is the full analysis of all the fragmented files on a drive, their size, and even the number of pieces that the file is fragmented into. Like most defrag tool, Defraggler is not happy working with Windows files because Windows protects its own files against sabotage and it cannot differentiate between sabotage and a legitimate function (like defragmentation). We were most impressed with Defraggler. It offers a better defrag alternati
ve than the cumbersome tool provided with Windows. Grab a copy and try it for yourself! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 539kB download from:
Disketch v1.10 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Disketch is a small program that creates labels & covers for CDs & DVDs. It features 18 built-in templates, 2 included background images (or create your own background image), optional colored background, imports tracks names directly from audio CDs, prints to label paper, and more. This is an easy way to label your CDs and DVDs, and to print labels for jewel cases and DVD cases. Designed to be used with label paper (this has an adhesive back for affixing to disks) and plain paper (for the cases), Disketch allows the user to improve the presentation of their disks, and also to print information on the labels (like track information, artist, year, etc). It can keep the same background image on both disk and cover and, even though there are only two sample images included, you can create your own 1417x1417 background image and place it in the program's folder. Disketch supports templates for both data DCs and DVDs, plus audio CDs and video DVDs. Information required is differen
t for each of the four template types. By removing the data normally included, it can be used with an image only. Unfortunately there is no way of amending the templates apart from changing the basic information (title, author, etc), and this is an area where we would like to see some changes. Of course, you could create your information in a graphic and just use a "background" image to present your information, but this is a clumsy way of working and most people will opt to use the built-in templates. Unfortunately, if does not work with Lightscribe labels, or with printers designed to print directly on to a disk. That said, we liked Disketch very much. It should suit most users as this is one of the easiest-to-use programs of this type we have seen. Worth a look! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 353kB download from:
Redirect Page Creator v1.0 -- Win9x/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Redirect Page Creator is a small Java application that creates the HTML code for a redirection page. It features simple operation, full instructions, ability to change the visible text, and more. This is a handy little tool that provides the HTML for a redirection code so that it automatically transfers the visitor for one site or page to another. For example, if you went to a page that was now not available you could either let your server deliver a 404 message (page not found) or you could post this code using that page address (ie missing_page.html, where "missing_page" was the page name of the now defunct page). Visitors to that page would be automatically and instantly redirected to another page. This can also be done for Websites -- great if you registered a number of common mis-spellings of your domain name and want to automatically redirect your visitors to the real site. An example of this is http://www.AnnointedLinks.com (with a double "n" instead of a single "n" --
a common mis-spelling) which redirects visitors to the correct site, ie http://www.AnointedLinks.com. Redirect Page Creator creates the code to make that redirection and you can either copy and paste the resultant code into a blank page generated by your HTML editor, or save it as an HTML file (ie index.html for a site redirection, or missing_page.html as in our example above). The program offers the facility to type in the domain name or Web address where you want your visitors sent, and even the visible text if their Web browser cannot automatically redirect. Redirect Page Creator is an easy way to generate the code for page or site redirection. We liked! Note: this program runs under any operating system that supports Java. Access this 202kB download from:
Cave Chaos 3 v1.2 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Cave Chaos 3 is a 2D puzzle game for 1 to 4 players where you must collect jewels and deposit them in whirlpools to advance to the next level. It features over 120 levels across 4 levels of difficulty, lots of hazards & puzzles, powerups, level editor, good Helpfile, addictive gameplay, and more. This is a grid-based puzzle in the style of Boulder Dash and, as the author says, you will encounter "falling rocks, monsters which you may have to avoid or kill, keys needed to get through doors, switches to activate other objects, land mines, explosives and power ups. You may even need to go underwater, or temporarily pause time for some levels." It offers many levels in which to hone your skills plus a level editor in case you wish to go to the next stage with this game (you can also download more pre-made levels). The challenges get harder and harder as you progress through the game but it is fun to play and therefore it keeps the player's interest. We enjoyed playing Cave Chaos
3. We found the graphics to be acceptable, though somewhat retro, but the whole game had a good solid feel about it and the challenge to keep on trying to see how many of the levels you can beat. If you enjoy Boulder Dash style games then Cave Chaos 3 is definitely one to get. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 2.73MB download from:
Mobys Auto Shut Down v1.0 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (4 doves)
Mobys Auto Shut Down offers timed auto system shutdown, plus timed restart or log off. It features timed shutdown (up to 12 hours), 1-click shutdown (forcefully closing all running applications), minimizes to the desktray (next to the clock), and more. This is a simple utility that has, as its prime function, a timed shutdown of your computer. This is handy if you, say, enjoy listening to music through the computer when you go to bed and don't want to leave the computer running all night. The author also claims that you could also use it to prevent children from using the computer beyond a certain time, but it is too easily closed for this to be a realistic function. While its functions might be limited, Mobys Auto Shut Down does what the author designed it to do, and does it well. The only serious complaint we had with the program is that you must register it on-line for the program to continue working beyond 14 days (this from its shareware background). At least you don't h
ave to give the author your e-mail address (or even more intrusive information) just type the code number into the box on the author's site and you instantly get a registration key that you can copy and paste into the program to unlock it. If you are looking for a timed auto shutdown tool for your computer then Mobys Auto Shut Down is certainly worth checking out. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 2.76MB download from:
Image Analyzer v1.30 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Image Analyzer is an advanced image editor, with enhancement and analysis tools. It reads & writes to all popular formats (BMP, ICO, CUR, WMF, EMF, JPG, TIF, PNG, MNG, GIF, PCX & JPEG2000), scanner & printer support, built-in conventional & adaptive filters, color model conversion, morpheological operations, image tools (resize, rotate, crop & warping), red-eye removal, noise reduction, automatic color adjustment, includes a simple 3D modeling plugin, 4 levels of undo/redo, and more. This is an awesome image editor that includes most of the popular editing effects' filters and tools. Its feature list reads like a Who's Who of image tools, though it does lack two very important items. One is the ability to add text to an image, and the other is a manual or detailed Helpfile. It also only includes four levels of undo and redo and we would have liked to have seen many more levels. That said, Image Analyzer provides some very sophisticated editing tools and filters. There is one
plug-in included, and more which can be downloaded. Due to its sophisticated functions, and the lack of a proper manual, Image Analyzer is probably more suited to experienced users, though intermediate users will still get much from this tool. A most impressive editor! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 1.24MB download from:
iTurns v1.3.1.4 -- WinXP/Vista (5 doves)
iTurns is a program that converts iTunes music into MP3 so it can be saved to a PC or portable MP3 device. It features the capability to port iTunes music or WMA (DRM) music to a new computer, does not bypass digital copy protection, and more. Unfortunately CFS was unable to review this program. The author says that: "It is the next generation of audio conversion software that will turn all of the music in your iTunes library into MP3, WMA so that you can burn them to CD or load them onto any mp3 audio device. iTurns virtually burns any music files to a virtual CD-RW drive named iTurns, where the converted music files are stored. The quality of the media will not be lost. iTurns emulates complicated ways of converting your iTunes in a amazing "One Step" process. Just burn from iTunes, Windows Media Player, Nero and other popular audio software. iTurns does not bypass any digital copy protection and conforms with all digital copy protection measures, provided that the user is
legally entitled to listen to the music. With iTurns you can easy make a backup of your iTunes or WMA content and use this on your notebook or your new computer, with no difficulty." Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 5.46MB download from:
Magic Crystals v1.0 -- Win98/ME/XP/Vista (5 doves)
Magic Crystals is an action puzzle game where you drag the cursor over 3 or more crystals of the same color to make them explode. It features 30 levels, lots of bonuses, timed gameplay, superb animated graphics, addictive gameplay, and more. This is a colorful game, with lots of bling, that is simple to play yet quite addictive. In this game you drag your cursor over crystals of the same color, joining them with an arrows. When you have at least three crystals linked, they explode and the ones above tumble down. Each level has different bonuses and, to get the best score, you must target the bonuses. The more crystals linked the larger the score and it is not uncommon to have over six crystals joined together in a chain. Magic Crystals takes only a few moments to learn and relies on quick reflexes and a good eye for color matching. The early levels are too easy but it does get a little harder as you progress. We enjoyed playing Magic Crystals. It was a pleasant diversion and
a good way to recharge the mental batteries. Worth grabbing! Note: we