PDQ Library:  Best Free Software

Geek factor: medium requires learning or special setup, high is for experienced people.
* programs I've used   ** and still use   $$ not free

Category Free Software
Web Browsers Firefox ** mozilla.com - better security, tabs, addons
SeaMonkey Suite seamonkey-project.org - browser, email, newsreader, feed reader, IRC chat, HTML editing.
Internet Explorer microsoft.com - Outlook Express mail
WINDOWS:
Opera * opera.com
SlimBrowser * slimbrowser.net
Midori midori-browser.org
Lynx * lynx.browser.org
Google Chrome ** google.com/chrome
OTHER:
Safari apple.com
Camino Chimera caminobrowser.org - Mac OS X
Lynx-OS X osxgnu.org - text browser
Mailreaders Thunderbird ** mozilla.com mail/news/RSS reader
SeaMonkey Suite seamonkey-project.org
Pegasus pmail.com
PocoMail pocosystems.com
Outlook Express microsoft.com
Feed readers Thunderbird ** mozilla.com
SeaMonkey Suite seamonkey-project.org
FeedDemon FeedDemon.com
Awasu Awasu
Web: feedly.com **   Bloglines   My Yahoo   Freenews   Feedreader   Sharpreader
Mac:   Newsfire   NetNewsWire
Web Editors (FTP) KompoZer kompozer.net - WYSIWYG web page editor and publisher. [Replaces Nvu]
HTML-Kit htmlkit.com - specialized HTML development environment with plugins For experienced coders. Internet Explorer required.
SeaMonkey Composer seamonkey-project.org - WYSIWYG web editor part of Internet software suite
Amaya w3.org/Amaya - Web editor to create and update documents directly on the Web. Linux, Windows, MacOS. World Wide Web Consortium W3C
NetObjects Fusion Essentials
netobjects.com - WYSIWYG web editor & publishing. NetObjects Fusion 11 included.
Firefox Extensions ** addons.mozilla.com - create HTML and test with: EditorZilla, Codetch, HTML Validator, IE view
FTP & Testing Filezilla ** filezilla-project.org
Xenu Link Sleuth ** home.snafu.de - Scans an entire website and creates a report with bad links and site map. (review)
Firewalls Comodo Firewall Pro * comodo.com
ZoneAlarm * zonealarm.com : ZA Free - controls outgoing Internet requests
Sygate sygate.com
Anti-Virus & Anti-malware Microsoft Security Essentials ** microsoft.com - included in Windows (search Windows Security), auto-updates, recommended by most experts
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware ** malwarebytes.org - run malware scan manually. Does not conflict with real-time anti-virus. Other free scanners.
Malwarebytes AdwCleaner * malwarebytes.com/adwcleaner - removes adware, spyware and unwanted programs (PUPs)
Spybot Search & Destroy * safer-networking.org - run malware scan manually
SpywareBlaster * brightfort.com - run malware scan manually
SuperAntispyware ** superantispyware.com - run malware scan manually. Does not conflict with real-time anti-virus
Computer Security Microsoft Security Center ** microsoft.com/security - protect, update, fix and help
Secunia Personal Software Inspector * secunia.com - scans your software for security upgrades. Online tester! (Geek factor: medium)
LastPass Password Manager ** lastpass.com - remember one password. Browser addon securely fills in online forms. Mobile apps (Geek factor: medium)
Drop My Rights * msdn.microsoft.com - allows you to drop administrative privileges for individual applications.
fSekrit ** f0dder.dcmembers.com - creates a portable encrypted text file that requires a password to open. (Geek factor: medium)
Spector Pro $$ spectorsoft.com - controls your childrens' online usage: chat, IMs, email, websites, Facebook, MySpace, searches.
Startup Control Autoruns ** microsoft.com - manages all Windows startup applications and services
Start-up List * pacs-portal.co.uk - comprehensive reference of startup programs (updated frequently)
Utilities 7-Zip ** 7-zip.org - packs 7z, zip, tar; unpacks gzip, rar, cab, iso, arj, lzh. Supports 256-bit encryption
Agent Ransack ** mythicsoft.com - file search by name and contents, regex options, context menu option. (review)
Belarc Advisor ** belarc.com - details of your installed software, hardware, network, missing Microsoft hotfixes, anti-virus status, security benchmarks are displayed in your browser. (Win7/10) (Geek factor: low)
Bulk Rename Utility * bulkrenameutility.co.uk - Easiy edit the names of a group of files (Geek factor: medium)
CCleaner ** ccleaner.com - comprehensive system cleaner: deletes unused or unneeded files in the computer, Registry, and Windows Startup applications. (Geek factor: medium)
FileMenu Tools * www.lopesoft.com Set of tools including enable/disable "Context Menu" commands (Geek factor: high)
InControl ** www.grc.com - Steve Gibson's tool to keep Windows 10 on a specific version (i.e. 21H2) (Geek factor: low)
Foxit Reader ** foxitsoftware.com - PDF document reader
Image Resizer for Windows ** bricelam.net - Reduces image size quickly from the context menu
Macrium Reflect Free ** www.macrium.com - create an "Image" backup file of your system. (Geek factor: medium)
OpenShell Menu (was Classic Shell) ** majorgeeks.com - replaces the Windows "menu" with the classic lists from Windows 7. Can't live without it! (Geek factor: low)
Pat's Units Converter ** web.ncf.ca/pat - my very own converter. Save the page to use offline. (Geek factor: low)
RichCopy microsoft.com - copy files/folders. (RoboCopy ** included in Windows uses the command line)
Search Everything ** voidtools.com - file name search. Very fast. (Geek factor: low)
Unlocker by Cedrick Collomb * emptyloop.com - Delete, rename or move locked files and folders. (Windows XP+) (Geek factor: low)
Wizmo ** grc.com - create icons to shutdown, standby, reboot, hibernate your computer, start screensaver, mute sound, blank screen, etc. (Geek factor: medium. Review)
Office Software Apache OpenOffice * openoffice.org - office suite including graphics and databases. (Windows, Android, OS/2, Linux, MacOS X)
Google Docs Online ** docs.google.com - basic create documents online. Save documents in "Google Drive"
Kingsoft Office / WPS Office * MS Office replacement freedownloadmanager.org
LibreOffice * libreoffice.en.softonic.com/ - office suite replacement to MS Office.
Microsoft Office Online : office.com - Basic documents, spreadsheets, & presentations. Save documents in "OneDrive".
SoftMaker Office 2008 * mydigitallife.info - office suite, free licence key. Opens MS-Word, Excel, OpenDocument, RTF.
NoteTab ** - notetab.com - text editor, tabbed files, function libraries, scripts for programmers. Pro version is a bargain. (review)
Skype VOIP client ** - skype.com - Phone from your computer to another computer running Skype (free) or call any phone number with purchased credit. (review)
Cloud Storage DropBox dropbox.com - 2GB free storage. Syncronize files on all your devices. Share files. Affiliate link provides extra free storage!
Google Drive drive.google.com - 15 GB free storage for photos, email, Google Docs, etc.
Microsoft OneDrive (was Skydrive) onedrive.live.com - 5 GB free storage. (Windows, Windows Phone, iOS, Android)
Box www.box.com - 10 GB to 50 GB free storage.
Adrive adrive.com - 50 GB free storage. (Android/IOS apps)
SendSpace Lite www.sendspace.com - transfers a file up to 300 MB which is saved 30 days (perfect for transfering large files). Ad supported.
Photos Picasa * picasa.google.com - organize photos. Helps locate, edit and share photos.
Windows Live Photo Gallery microsoft.com - organize photos. Windows Live is Microsoft's social networking.
GIMP gimp.org - graphics editor for Win/Mac/Linux. Replaces Photoshop with tweaks here: smashingmagazine.com
Image Resizer ** bricelam.net - Image Resizer for Windows (Geek factor: low)
Irfanview Viewer ** irfanview.com - viewer for photos, images, documents, multimedia (addons). Basic image editing/conversion. (review)
Audio - Video Audacity * audacity.sourceforge.net - Sound Editor
Freemake Video Converter ** freemake.com - Converts video and audio formats. Rotates videos! Create photo slideshows.
QuickTime Alternative free-codecs.com - plays Quicktime movies in websites
VLC media player ** videolan.org/vlc - Plays and converts most audio and video formats
Portable Apps 7-Zip Portable * portableapps.com - zip & archive utility
Autoruns * microsoft.com - manages startup applications
Minimo mozilla.org - web browser for mobile devices
OperaTor archetwist.com/en/opera/operator - portable software to browse the web anonymously using Opera Browser, Tor and Polipo
PortableApps.com ** Portableapps.com : Mozilla Firefox Portable : Mozilla Thunderbird Portable and more
Pstart pegtop.net/start - Start menu for portable apps is drive letter independent
Portable ClamWin portableapps.com - anti-virus
Portable "Open Office" suite sourceforge.net : portableapps.com
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