Your Useful Freeware/Shareware

[demonS]

Post about freeware / shareware software you've come across that you've found to be handy.

To start, posts must adhere to the Global Rules.
NO links to direct downloads sites, pay per click sites, torrents, keygens, cracks, etc. This is strictly for informational purposes about products you've personally tried. One line title and links are undesirable for two reasons, too easy to overlook and not enough information.

- Give a general outline of the software
- The company name that produces and/or distributes it
- A link to the main site of the software

[demonS]

Driver booster

Useful for downloading drivers

*windows preinstalled drivers and windows update don't always find all drivers

http://www.iobit.com/driver-booster.php

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Start menu for windows 8

Bringing Back the Windows® 8 Start Menu

- The Best Windows 8 Start Menu Replacement
- Easily Switch between Metro and Desktop Interface
- Faster Access to Programs and Files
- Customizable, Easy, and FREE to Use

http://www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php

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SafeIP

Show Content

Spoiler
Anonymous, Private, Secure, and Free

Hide your IP address and protect your online identity with SafeIP.

Anonymous proxy IPs help hide your true online identity and unblock websites.

Protect your online identity by hiding your IP from websites, email, games, and more.
Secure
Secure SSL proxy encryption with WiFi protection.

Encrypt all your Internet traffic with a private proxy, either browsing at home or on public WiFi hotspots.
Fast
Fast unlimited access to unblock any website.

Choose the anonymous IP location closest to you for the fastest connection speeds.
Free
Free download for Windows with no ads or expiration.

SafeIP can be used completely free for unlimited use, without advertisements and never expires.

Note: Bittorent protocol runs over it fine, but no port forwarding with-out the pay version. You can download and interact with peers just fine.

http://www.freesafeip.com/

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Windows aero random color changer

AeroRainbow is a free portable tool that changes the aero color to random colors automatically.

http://www.door2windows.com/change-aero-color-randomly/

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JuceVLC

JuceVLC is VLC with a simple MediaCenter-like fullscreen User Interface.

Browse and watch movies from your couch with a wireless mouse.

Big fonts and no system popup dialogs
Browse files and adjust settings using On Screen Display (O.S.D.)
Non mandatory keyboard. The "space-key" allows your relatives to play/pause your video ;-)
Subtitles selection via O.S.D. and synchronization using slider
Keep last and favorite video folders
JuceVLC application uses regular VLC core libraries/plugins

http://jucevlc.sourceforge.net/

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SpaceSniffer

SpaceSniffer is a freeWare and portable tool application that lets you understand how folders and files are structured on your disks. By using a Treemap visualization layout, you have immediate perception of where big folders and files are placed on your devices....

http://www.uderzo.it/main_products/space_sniffer

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EyeLeo

When you are working at a computer it is easy to forget about time. This leads to eye strain and other physical problems. EyeLeo guarantees you won't forget to take a break.

EyeLeo is a handy PC application that regularly reminds you to take short breaks for your eyes.

For everyone who spends more than a hour per day looking at a display. Office workers will find the program particularly helpful.

http://www.eyeleo.com/

[RobertX]

cdrtfe (CDRTools FrontEnd): http://cdrtfe.sourceforge.net

A frontend of the command line CDRTools software which, you guessed it, burns CDs and DVDs.

Features:
- Data DVD/CD
- audio CD ripping
- VideoCD (VCD) burning
- DVD movie burning (VOB/IFO files only)
- audio CD burning; including "gapless" tracks
- ISO burning
- CUE/BIN burning

And all of the above in a lightweight GUI.

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Daum Potplayer: http://www.daum.net/?nil_profile=daum&nil_src=tvpot - (Korean version; web page text and program are only in Korean)
http://www.videohelp.com/tools/PotPlayer - English description of Potplayer
http://www.videohelp.com/download/PotPla....40688.EXE - English download

Features:
- supports most, if not all, file formats
- DVD/VCD/Blu Ray ready (use AnyDVD/HD for foreign discs and CSS-encrypted ones as well)
- Audio CD ready (use AnyDVD to "kill" audio CD protection schemes)

EDIT: It is in my humble opinion that this thread should be stickied here. It's too important. I said that because I believe that the only thing that can effectively and morally fight piracy are Free (GPL or otherwise) software. Thank you.

[M0rt1kae]

Wow! Great list! Pretty much all of the software I use is up there.

[manOtor]

Input Director is one hell of a useful little helper.

If you have multiple machines running, but don't want multiple keyboards and mouses to clutter up your desk, this application is for you.

You can share one mouse and keyboard with as many workstations as you like.

Awesome!

[shirepirate]

mwsnap (simple screen capture with loads of options)
http://www.mirekw.com/winfreeware/mwsnap.html

always-on-top (ctrl+space for window on top of everything)
http://bayfiles.net/file/105xp/rPPFII/always-on-top.exe

everything search engine (already mentioned)
http://www.voidtools.com/

CUETools
http://www.cuetools.net/wiki/Main_Page

FastCopy
http://ipmsg.org/tools/fastcopy.html.en

FileToFolder
http://download.cnet.com/FileToFolder/30...15185.html

karen's directory printer
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptdirprn.asp

iNFekt NFO Viewer
https://code.google.com/p/infekt/

mkvtoolnix (many powerful edit features for MKV video)
http://www.bunkus.org/videotools/mkvtoolnix/

advanced renamer
http://www.advancedrenamer.com/

astrogrep (search multiple txt files or other text formats for a phrase)
http://astrogrep.sourceforge.net/

calibre (best e-book manager)
http://calibre-ebook.com/

bittorrent sync
http://www.bittorrent.com/sync

sabnzbd (best nzb downloader)
http://sabnzbd.org/

spek (audio spectrogram analyzer)
http://spek.cc/

virtualdub (many powerful edit features for AVI video)
http://www.virtualdub.org/

[-nelly-]

Input Director is one hell of a useful little helper.

If u have multiple machines running, but don't want multiple keyboards and mouses to clutter up your desk, this application is for u.

u can share one mouse and keyboard with as many workstations as u like.

Awesome!

Could have done with a S/W like that the other day. downloaded and added to the portable "Goodie Bag"

[Some1FromEast]

Great List!!!!!!!!!
But I think you should add some educational softwares too. like dictionaries etc. I got one. totally free and very useful
Lingoes: dictionary and translator. support 80 languages. offline and online
lingoes.net

[RobertX]

www.jetaudio.com

JetAudio is an audio media player for Windows.

This piece of shit is very good if you can dismiss the bloat due to graphical "skins."

You can burn, record, and rip with the free version.

Like Winamp, there are transitional effects when you try to play another song from the playlist. And yes, just like Winamp.

Best of all: it works for Windows 2000, though you would need the Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable.

[connor17]

Stellarium

Stellarium is a free open source planetarium for your computer. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.

It is being used in planetarium projectors. Just set your coordinates and go.

http://www.stellarium.org/