|
 Frugal-Folks-Life is our eMail List that feeds this
website. Everyone is welcome to join and chat
about frugality and life in general... - Uncle Bridge
These utilities are needed by everybody and are completely Free to download
and use with the exception of only one shareware program. Total Commander
has been included because it is a powerful and very useful program. I can't work
without it and I don't get any commission from the sale of it.
When new versions of these programs are released, you can download them here
or from the program's home site or obtain it as part of our Free CD Collection.
WebMaster FrugalFolks.com
Programs Offered
PRODUCTIVITY
------------
-------------
Website: http://www.abisource.com/
AbiWord is a light weight, stand alone word processor that can read and write a
large number of document formats, including MS-Word. Due to its small size it is
well suited for use on older hardware, and will run happily on a 486DX with 16MB
of RAM, while still letting you edit all the relevant document formats of today. Key
features include HTML export, unlimited undo and redo, support for spell
checking, styles, columns, tables, images, and bulleted/numbered lists.
There are a number of optional plug-ins available, including a thesaurus, Babelfish
translation interface, and spelling dictionaries in many languages. It is
automatically localized in a large number of languages; just change the locale
setting in your Windows control panel and AbiWord automatically appears in the
language you selected. Abiword is also bidirectional, offering support for
right-to-left languages. If you simply need a word processor with the most
common features, rather than a full office suite, then AbiWord is a good choice.
AbiWord is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, MacOSX
and Unix.
-----------------------------------------------------
------------------
Open/extract/unzip ZIP, ARJ, ICE, GZIP, TAR, MS-CAB, RAR, ACE, UUE, XXE, B64,
HQX, JAR, EAR, WAR, LZS, LZH, LHA, IMP, and BZ2 files through Windows Explorer.
This file inserts itself into Windows Explorer and runs there. It is popular for those
that use Windows Explorer for file management.
-----------------------------------------------------
--------------
"This one is very useful" - Uncle Bridge
IrfanView is a very fast, small, compact and innovative FREEWARE (for
non-commercial use) graphic viewer for Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000/XP/2003.
It is simple for beginners and powerful for professionals.
This free image viewer and converter supports an extensive list of formats:
Supported graphic file types:
---------------------
AIF, ANI/CUR, ASF, AU/SND, AVI, B3D, BMP/DIB, CAM (Casio JPG), CLP, DDS,
Dicom/ACR, DJVU, ECW, EMF/WMF, EPS/PS/PDF, FITS, FlashPix (FPX), FSH, G3,
GIF, HDR, ICO/ICL/EXE/DLL, IFF/LBM, IMG (GEM), JPG2000, JPG, JPM, KDC, LDF,
LWF, MED, MID/RMI, MNG/JNG, MOV, MP3, MPG, MrSID, NLM/NOL/NGG, OGG,
PBM/PGM/PPM, PCX/DCX, PhotoCD, PIC, PNG, PSD, PSP, RAS/SUN, RAW, Real
Audio (RA), RLE, SFF, SFW, SGI/RGB, SWF (Flash/Shockwave), TGA, TIF, TTF, TXT,
WAD, WAL, WAV, WBMP, WBZ/WBC, XBM, XPM, CRW/CR2, DNG, NEF, ORF, RAF,
MRW, DCR, SRF, X3F, CAD formats.
Support for Apple QuickTime allows IrfanView to read following formats:
---------------------
MOV, QTIF, Mac PICT, FLI/FLC
Some features of IrfanView:
---------------------
Multi language support, thumbnail option, preview option, slideshow,
drag-and-drop support, fast directory view, batch conversion, e-mail option,
audio CD player, print option, change color depth, scan support, cut/crop, IPTC
edit, effects (sharpen, blur, Adobe Photoshop filters), capturing, extract icons
from EXE/DLL/ICLs, lossless JPG rotation, EXE/SCR creation, many hotkeys,
many command line options, many plug-ins
This set of plugins is for IrfanView.
--------------------
-
8BF_Filters allows IrfanView to load Adobe Photoshop 8BF filters.
-
B3D allows IrfanView to read BodyPaint 3D files.
-
CRW allows IrfanView to read Canon CRW/CR2 files. This plugIn requires
additional Canon DLLs.
-
CADImage allows IrfanView to read DXF, DWG, CGM, SVG and HPGL files.
-
DICOM allows IrfanView to read Dicom formats.
-
DJVU allows IrfanView to read DJVU format.
-
EA_FSH allows IrfanView to read and write EA Sports FSH files.
-
ECW allows IrfanView to read and write ECW files.
-
EFFECTS contains image effects.
-
EMAIL allows IrfanView to send images as e-mails.
-
EXIF allows IrfanView to show EXIF information from JPG files.
-
FILTER_FACTORY allows IrfanView to use Filter Factory 8BF files.
-
FLASH allows IrfanView to read Flash and Shockwave format.
-
FORMATS allows IrfanView to read rare image formats - PSP, G3, RAS,
BioRAD, Mosaic, XBM, XPM,
-
GEM-IMG, SGI, RLE, WBMP, TTF, FITS, PIC, WAD, WAL, DNG, EEF, NEF,
ORF, RAF, MRW, DCR, SRF, PEF, X3F, CAM, SFW and HDR.
-
FPX allows IrfanView to read FlashPix files.
-
FILTERS_UNLIMITED allows IrfanView to use Filters Unlimited files.
-
ICONS adds additional icons for IrfanView file associations.
-
ICS allows IrfanView to read ICS files.
-
IPTC allows IrfanView to show and edit IPTC and Comment
information from JPG files.
-
IV_PLAYER allows IrfanView to play video, sound and audio CD files using
Windows Media Player.
-
JPEG2000 allows IrfanView to read and write JPEG 2000 files.
-
JPG_TRANSFORM allows IrfanView to support lossless JPG operations.
-
JPM allows IrfanView to read and write JPM files.
-
KDC allows IrfanView to read Kodak Digital Camera files.
-
LDF allows IrfanView to read and write LuraDocument LDF files.
-
LOGO-MANAGER allows IrfanView to read Nokia Logo files
-
LWF allows IrfanView to read and write LuraWave LWF files.
-
MED allows IrfanView to play MED and OctaMED audio files.
-
MNG allows IrfanView to read and play MNG and JNG files
-
MP3 allows IrfanView to play MP3, MP2 and MP1 files.
-
MPG allows IrfanView to extract frames from MPEG files.
-
MRC allows IrfanView to read MRC files.
-
MR-SID allows IrfanView to read LizardTech's SID files.
-
NERO allows IrfanView to burn slideshows to data or video CD using Nero
Burning ROM software.
-
PHOTO-CD allows IrfanView to read Kodak PCD files.
-
PNGOUT allows optimized PNG saving.
-
QUICKTIME allows IrfanView to play and read Apple Quicktime files.
-
REAL-AUDIO allows IrfanView to play Real-Audio RA files.
-
SFF allows IrfanView to read Structured Fax Files.
-
SLIDESHOW allows IrfanView to create presentations in EXE or SCR format.
-
SOUND_PLAYER allows IrfanView to play OGG files.
-
VIDEO allows IrfanView to play video and sound files - AVI, MPG/MPEG,
WAV,MOV, MID/RMI, AIF, AU/SND, WMA and WMV.
----------------------------------------------------
--------------
website: http://moinmoin.wikiwikiweb.de/ Visit this site for more information
about using this utility.
A wiki is a tool that allows many users to collaborate on generating and organizing
content. A wiki is usually hosted on the web so that different people can connect
through their web browsers to collaborate. However you can also use a wiki
locally on your own computer to help you stay organized, structuring your
information with categories, sub-pages and hyper-links, just like on the web. You
can even create attachments to your pages, like pictures or word processing
documents you are working on for a specific project. A powerful feature of wikis is
page versioning, which let's you store each page in multiple successive versions
and track the changes between them. This is of course especially useful when
multiple people are editing the same page. The Desktop Edition provided here has
been especially provided for desktop use.
------------------------------------------
--------------
Website: http://www.openoffice.org/
"An incredible package" - Uncle Bridge
OpenOffice.org is a full-featured productivity suite including a word processor,
spreadsheet, web page editor and presentation program. Notable features in this
version are native PDF and Flash export at the click of button and a macro
recorder for increased productivity. OpenOffice.org provides you with the ability
to create mail merged documents from Outlook or Mozilla address books,
spreadsheets, or other data sources and its tightly-integrated modules help to
simplify work flow. Documents are stored in a compressed, open-standard XML
format to ensure future availability of your data and to reduce file sizes. You can
read and write documents in a wide range of formats including Microsoft Office.
The word processor component, Writer, is suitable for the production of
professional documents, reports, newsletters, and brochures. A powerful
spreadsheet module called Calc contains sophisticated tools for calculation, data
analysis and visualisation, its built-in charting tools are able to generate
customizable 2D and 3D charts. The presentation utility, Impress, uses effects,
animation and drawing tools to help you create effective multimedia slide shows
to present your the way you want to. Use the Draw component to produce either
simple diagrams or complex 3D illustrations and special effects for use in
documents and presentations. The Database User Tools give you all the tools you
need for day to day database work in a simple spreadsheet-like form. They
support dBASE databases for simple applications, or any ODBC or JDBC compliant
database for industrial strength database work.
Due to the high cost of commercial office suites, deciding to use OpenOffice.org
will typically represent the single largest source of savings on software for
organizations or individuals. OpenOffice.org is increasingly becoming an office
suite of choice in education, government, and business. We include several
tutorials in Flash and PDF format to help you get quickly up to speed installation
Click the install icon to the right to start the installation process. You will be
asked a series of questions about the components you wish to install and the
program location on your computer. The default choices are generally fine. You
will also be prompted to select or install a Java Runtime Environment (JRE). This
is an optional component which extends the functionality of OpenOffice.org in
some areas. A copy can be downloaded from Sun Microsystems. You can also
select whether OpenOffice.org should open Microsoft Office documents by default.
Once installtion is complete you can install additional spelling dictionaries directly
from within OpenOffice.org Writer (File -> Autopilot -> Install new dictionaries ...)
------------------------------------------
---------
Website: http://sector7g.wurzel6.de/pdfcreator/index_en.htm
Use PDFCreator to generate PDF documents directly from any Windows program.
PDF (Portable Document Format) files are the de facto standard in electronic
publishing, because the author can be sure that the document will look as
intended on all platforms, regardless of local fonts or lack thereof. PDFs can also
be generated with commercial packages, but PDFCreator is by far the easiest and
cheapest option (free). Once installed, simply select 'Print' from the File menu of
your word processor or drawing program, and select 'PDFCreator Printer' from the
list of printers. Click 'Save' and enter a name for your PDF output file. That's it!
Optionally, you may also enter information to identify the document, such as Title,
Creation Date and Author. The Options dialogue lets you control the process in
more detail. You can set the resolution and compression levels for the various file
types, and control how fonts are included. Use the security feature to protect
your document with a password. JPEG, PNG, Postscript (PS) and Encapsulated
Postscript (EPS) output formats are also supported.
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------
website: http://www.ghisler.com
This is a Shareware file manager for Windows® 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP/Vista,
and Windows® 3.1. (16 bit version)
Features in Total Commander now include :
-
Two file windows side by side
-
Multiple language support
-
Enhanced search function
-
Compare files / synchronize directories
-
Quick View panel with bitmap display
-
ZIP, ARJ, LZH, RAR, UC2, TAR, GZ, CAB, ACE archive handling + plugins
-
Built-in FTP client with FXP (server to server) and HTTP proxy support
-
Parallel port link, multi-rename tool
-
Tabbed interface, regular expressions, history+favorites buttons
-
New: Thumbnails view, custom columns, enhanced search
-
And many more!
Total Commander is a Shareware program. This means that you can test it for a
period of 30 days. After testing the program, you must either order the full version,
or delete the program from your harddisk. The program is on the honor system
and does not lock or crash after 30 days. I highly recommend this program and
hope you purchase it.
When you register, you receive the latest version on CD, plus a quick reference
card with an overview of all Total Commander functions and keystrokes.
A personal license costs 40 Swiss Francs (CHF) including shipping&handling
(US$ 34 online).
The price in US-Dollars is now US$ 34 (multiply price in CHF with 0.85)
The price in EURO is EUR 28.- (multiply price in CHF with 0.7)
Pupils and Students with identity card or other proof can get the software at a
reduced price (30 instead of 40 Swiss Francs, EUR 21 or US$ 25.50). The program
must be registered to the student's name. You can register at:
http://www.ghisler.com/order.htm
-----------------------------------------------------------------
DESIGN
------
-------------
Blender is an advanced 3D modeling program capable of producing high quality
animations, performing rendering, post-production, interactive creation and
playback. It is the only 3D creation suite which allows the artist to model, texture,
animate, render, and export the finished product in a package less than 10 MB.
The active development community is steadily adding new features and
extensions such as the superb Yafray rendering engine for generating
photo-realistic effects. Blender now also supports dynamic particle generation,
advanced UV texture unwrapping methods using LSCM algorithms and much more.
Blender natively exports to a multitude of 3D formats such as VRML, Cal3d, AC3D.
With the powerful and easily extensible Python plugin support, you can write your
own extensions or choose from a range of existing plug-ins.
With the recent user interface overhaul and the release of the 2.3 Blender User's
guide, using Blender is easier than ever. Even so, 3D modeling remains a complex
computing task, with the result that Blender is an extensive application with a
steep learning curve.
--------------------------------------------------------
----------
Website: http://www.gimp.org/
The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP), is a powerful and comprehensive
imaging solution, suitable for those wanting to manipulate digital photographs,
design and export graphics for the web, convert from one file format to another
and even produce complex high-resolution compositions for print. The GIMP
features a number of paint tools with sub-pixel sampling for high quality
anti-aliased brush strokes, a powerful gradient editor and blend tool, layers and
layer masks with over 20 blending modes, support for importing and exporting in
a myriad of image formats, unsharp mask, levels and curves tools for
enhancement of digital photos and much more! The GIMP is a feature packed
program which you may need some time to get to grips with, to help with this
process we provide a handful of tutorials for you to follow, as well as the online
book, grokking the GIMP, which, while written for GIMP 1.x, still contains
invaluable advice and techniques.
----------------------------------
-------
Website: http://www.nvu.com/
Nvu (pronounced en-view) is the open source world's answer to Macromedia's
DreamWeaver. It is a fully featured what-you-see-is-what-you-get web page
editor, enabling you to create compelling web pages without having to devote
months to learning HTML. Nvu includes an integrated FTP site manager, a style
sheet editor, tabbed workspaces, and all the features you've come to expect from
a fully-featured web page editor. Nvu also features integrated support for HTML
code validation, to help you make your HTML as clean and light-weight as
possible. Because Nvu is built based on the award-winning Gecko rendering
engine that also powers the FireFox web browser, every moment is a live preview:
what you see is truly what you get.
-------------------------------------------------
INTERNET/NETWORKING
-------------------
---------------
Website: http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/
Firefox light-weight web browser based on Mozilla technology. It empowers you
to browse faster, more safely, and more efficiently. Key features include: Popup
Blocking to stop those annoying ads popping up. Tabbed Browsing lets you view
multiple web pages in a single window. Open links in the background so that
they're ready for viewing when you're ready to read them. Text zooming is a
quick way of enlarging or decreasing the text of any web page to make it more
readable. You can expand this lightweight core by adding plug-ins that do
everything from automatic form completion to blocking Flash animations. There
is also a range of themes available to let you alter the look of the browser and you
can further customize the toolbars and functionality. The Easy Transition system
imports all of your settings, including favorites, passwords and other data from
Internet Explorer and other browsers, so you can start surfing right away. But
possibly the best reason to start using Firefox is its enhanced security. Built
with your Security in mind from the start, Firefox keeps your computer safe
from malicious spyware by not loading harmful ActiveX controls. A
comprehensive set of privacy tools keep your online activity your business. In
this age of rampant virus attacks, security concious web users browse with
secure alternative browsers such as Firefox. If you install only one program from
this CD (and you browse the web), you should make it Firefox.
---------------------------------
-------------------
Website: http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird/
Thunderbird is a modern email client with features such as intelligent spam filters,
a built-in spell checker, a range of themes and customizable layout. Thunderbird
provides IMAP/POP support, HTML e-mail composing, quick search, address book,
advanced message filtering, address completion, import tools, and the ability to
manage multiple e-mail and newsgroup accounts. With Thunderbird Extensions
you can add additional features to help you build a mail client that meets your
specific needs. As with Firefox, security is a central theme. Thunderbird provides
enterprise and government grade security features such as S/MIME, digital
signing, message encryption, support for certificates and security devices. The
intelligent Thunderbird spam filter analyzes your e-mails to identify those that are
most likely to be junk. These can be automatically deleted or diverted to a
separate folder. The spam filter is adaptive and also learns from your address
book and usage to improve its accuracy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
Website: http://gaim.sourceforge.net/
Gaim is an instant messenger (IM) client. Use it to chat with others in real time
using any supported network, including AIM, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, IRC,
Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, and Zephyr. Gaim can be simultaneously connected to
several networks, so if you have contacts on different networks, you can talk to
them all at the same time, from one easy to use program.
Gaim supports many native network features, such as file transfer, away
messages, buddy icons, typing notification, and MSN window closing notifications
well as many unique features. Buddy Pounce can be used to notify you when a
buddy signs on, goes away or returns from idle. There are also plugins available
for text replacement, extended message notification, spell checking, tabbed
conversations, and more. Gaim integrates well with the Windows system tray,
allowing you to work with Gaim without requiring the buddy list window to be
up at all times.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
MULTIMEDIA
----------
--------------
Website: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Audacity is a sound editing program which can record, playback, and mix sounds
or apply effects using a variety of filters. Edit your sounds using Cut, Copy and
Paste (with unlimited Undo) and mix multiple tracks together. Save your files in a
number of formats, including WAV, Ogg Vorbis and AIFF, or use Audacity's native
project format for high performance editing. MP3 support is available using the
external LAME MP3 encoder, which is included with CDex, or can be installed from
here after installing Audacity. It also has a built-in amplitude envelope editor, a
customizable spectrogram mode and a frequency analysis window for audio
analysis applications. Built-in effects include Bass Boost, Wahwah, and Noise
Removal. This full-featured program is fast and stable, and is also available for
Linux and MacOS X.
Audacity is supported in Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, or later. (Sorry, Audacity is
not supported on Windows 95 or NT 4.0.)
To download LAME goto
http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~raa110/audacity/lame.html Enjoy!
For help installing LAME MP3 encorder go to this help page:
http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~raa110/audacity/AudacityHelp.html#LAME
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------
Website: http://www.shatters.net/celestia/
Celestia is a simulation of the entire universe, based on current astronomical
information. It includes beautifully rendered planets, moons, and some smaller
orbital bodies such as Mir and the International Space Station. Celestia is not
limited to our solar system; you can visit other stars, or even travel outside the
galaxy. You will find models of extra-solar planets in orbit around those stars for
which we have evidence of planetary bodies. You have complete control over
time and space, so you can view the stars from your chosen location and epoch.
In addition, it is possible to create scripted presentations for complex
demonstrations. his program is highly recommended for use in school
presentations. There are some lesson plans for use in a middle/high school
setting, contributed by Frank Gregorio . To get a good idea of Celestia's full
capabilities, start the program and press D for Demo. Celestia requires an
OpenGL-capable graphics card (which nearly all modern systems have). It is
available for Windows, Linux, and MacOS X.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------
Website: http://www.reallyslick.com/
The ReallySlick screensavers are a collection of nifty screensavers written in the
open graphics language (OpenGL). They may not be the most useful program
ever, but they sure are pretty!
Compatibility These should work well on most computers; if your computer is
more than a few years old, they may be somewhat slow (the performance can be
improved by fiddling with their settings; also try updating your graphics card
drivers). Also, there have been reports that computers using integrated Intel
graphics cards have poor performance. This is because Intel disabled OpenGL on
some of the cards it produces; there is unfortunately nothing to be done. If you
want other screensavers just visit the website.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
UTILITIES
---------
----------
Website: http://www.7-zip.org/
7-Zip is a program for creating or unpacking archived and compressed files. It can
unpack 7zip, ZIP, CAB, RAR, ARJ, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, CPIO, RPM and DEB files, or
create file archives in those formats. For the standard ZIP and GZIP formats,
7-Zip provides a compression ratio that is 2 - 10 % better than that provided by
PKZip or WinZip, and the native 7zip format can provide a 45% reduction in file
size from the common zip format. The program is highly configurable, allowing
the user to balance the level of compression and speed. The interface is designed
to mimic the standard Windows shell, Explorer, and is localized to 40 languages.
Though 7-Zip is free of charge, you have the option of "registering" if you would
like official technical support for the program.
------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Website: http://www.flos-freeware.ch/notepad2.html
Notepad2 is intended to be a replacement for the Notepad program that is
included as part of Windows. Like Notepad, Notepad2 is small, fast, and has few
frills. It does, however, add some functionality such as color syntax highlighting
that many people will find useful, especially those that have to edit the odd HTML
page or script. You can select the level of zoom and select the editing font.
Notepad2 supports Unicode, UTF-8, Unix and Mac text files.
The Notepad2 program is largely based on source code from the Scintilla Text
Editor (SciTE), also available on this CD. SciTE also has tabs which facilitates
editing of multiple files. It also has further options for configuration, but is not
quite as simple to use as Notepad2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GAMES
-----
-------------
Website: http://sourceforge.net/projects/sokobanyasc/
Sokoban YASC (Yet Another Sokoban Clone) is a maddeningly simple game first
conceived by Hiroyuki Imabayashi, a Japanese programmer. The word Sokoban
means "warehouse keeper." The object of the game is to put all of the crates in
your "warehouse" into the designated storage areas. Sounds easy, right? Well,
there are a few restrictions:
* You are not allowed to pull crates, only push.
* You cannot push more than one box at a time.
* You cannot pass through a box or wall.
These restrictions -- especially the first one -- turn a seemingly simple task into
a delightfully difficult challenge.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------
Website: http://www.wesnoth.org/home
The Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based strategy game with a fantasy theme. It
offers several campaigns, the first of which is 'The Heir to the Throne'. After ages
of peace and prosperity the lands of Wesnoth have been overrun by hordes of
Orcs and Undead. As the rightful heir to the throne of Wesnoth, you must gather
a troupe of loyal adventurers to reclaim your throne. In a sequence of missions
you must lead them wisely to help them gain experience and riches. In other
campaigns you can play as other races, such as Elves, Dwarves, Orcs or Undead.
The characters you can recruit have a range of traits, offering various strategic
strengths and weaknesses on different terrains and against different opponents.
The selection available will vary in different campaigns. With a network
connection you can join friends in campaigns on-line. The Wesnoth project
regularly organizes on-line tournaments where the best campaigners can
measure their skill.
Return to Top
A Reminder From FrugalFolks.com
Return
to Top
Please bookmark and
return often. We frequently update as you can see below
This site designed, maintained and owned by Bridge Lindsay, copyright
© 1999-2008
Last Revised
Monday, March 31, 2008
Most material may be downloaded and/or printed.
However, if you use it in a publication include the bio box and please
mention that you found it on our website.
Disclaimer:
FrugalFolks.com cannot accept any responsibility for any injury or
damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property when
following any advice given on this site. FrugalFolks.com has no control
of how you may use information you get from this site and does not
attest to the validity of any information found within. Much of this
information comes from third parties (eList readers and other
contributors). Use advice found on our site with common sense and at
your own risk. If you see something on our site that you disagree with,
please let us know. Our goal is print only valuable information and
advice. If you find any information on FrugalFolks.com that is either
erroneous and/or potentially harmful to others,
please contact us,
immediately.
|
eBook
and Download